Good morning, Bengaluru!
☀️ Today’s weather: High: 36 ℃ | Low: 24 ℃ | Mainly clear sky.
🧐 Did you know? A BBMP survey done in 2023 showed the presence of 2,79,335 stray dogs in Bengaluru.
🚀 Honeywell, IISc boost support for start-ups
Honeywell Hometown Solutions backs deep tech innovation.
Collab with IISc: Honeywell Hometown Solutions India Foundation (HHSIF), in collaboration with the Foundation for Science, Innovation and Development (FSID) at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), has increased its commitment to nurturing innovation in India. Over the past four years, the partnership has provided ₹9 crores in funding to 37 start-ups, focusing on sectors like agri-tech, health-tech, clean-tech, and green-tech.
- In the fiscal year 2023-24, HHSIF allocated ₹2.4 crores to support eight start-ups and five entrepreneurship-in-residence programs.
- Plans are underway to onboard an additional 10 start-ups this fiscal year, reinforcing Honeywell’s role in advancing deep science research and development.
Beneficiaries: The collaboration between Honeywell and IISc has facilitated access to advanced facilities, industry connections, and funding opportunities, notably enhancing the innovation ecosystem in India. Among the beneficiaries are start-ups like AI Highway, which develops AI-driven cardiac disease screening systems, and Dfine Bio Innovations, creator of a novel hemostasis system.
🌡️ Bengaluru’s rising heat
Bengaluru’s temperatures rise amid urban challenges.
Escalating trend: Over the past five years, Bengaluru has experienced a noticeable increase in summer temperatures, with data showing a trend that aligns with escalating urbanisation and the impacts of global warming. March 2024 saw the city hit a high of 36.6 degrees Celsius, up from 36.1 degrees in 2020, while April temperatures this year soared to 37.6 degrees Celsius, significantly higher than in previous years.
- The highest April temperature recorded over the last decade was 39.2 degrees Celsius in 2016.
- Lack of rainfall this season has exacerbated the heat, with the city receiving less than two mm of rain over March and April, far below the average.
Mitigating the heat: Experts attribute the rising temperatures to increased greenhouse gas emissions, loss of greenery, and rampant urbanisation. Proposals to mitigate the heat include enhancing green cover and rejuvenating water bodies. Initiatives like creating mini forests in every ward and controlling urban sprawl are seen as crucial to reversing this warming trend and improving the city’s climate resilience.
🚦 Enhancing traffic management with new app
Bengaluru Traffic Police partners with a tech firm for smarter traffic solutions.
Navigation app: In a move to shift from enforcement to management, the Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mappls MapmyIndia to launch a new navigation app. This app is designed to provide real-time traffic updates, safety alerts, and road condition information to facilitate smoother commutes across the city.
- The app integrates real-time traffic data, predictive analytics, and a three-dimensional interface to offer personalised navigation solutions.
- It allows users to find the quickest routes, avoid congestion, and receive live updates on road hazards.
Other efforts: This initiative builds on previous efforts by the BTP to use technology for traffic management, including the AI-based ASTraM app launched earlier, and aligns with their ongoing strategy to improve road safety and traffic flow through real-time data dissemination.
🤖 Robotics meets hospitality
Alphadroid partners with Radisson Hotel Bengaluru City Centre.
What’s it about? In a pioneering move for the hospitality industry in South India, Alphadroid, a leader in robotics, has joined forces with the Radisson Hotel Bengaluru City Centre. This collaboration introduces service robots into the hotel’s dining experience, aiming to enhance operational efficiency and guest satisfaction.
- Alphadroid’s service robots will be employed in the hotel’s restaurants to serve food, combining culinary art with robotic precision.
- The partnership is driven by a mutual commitment to innovation, setting new standards for guest experiences in the hospitality sector.
Modernising the sector: The integration of advanced robotics in everyday hotel operations is expected to attract attention from industry peers and guests alike, marking a significant step forward in modernising hospitality services.
📊 Today’s Poll
(Only subscribers can participate in the polls)
Have you decided who you’ll be voting for this time?
- I have decided who I’ll be voting for this time.
- I haven’t decided who I’ll be voting for this time.
❓ Today’s Question
(Only subscribers can submit their answers)
Which is the coldest place you’ve ever been to?
Reply to this email with your answers.
🗞️ In other news…
- BBMP plans to convert the veterinary hospital in Jayanagar into an Animal Birth Control Centre.
- The Hebbal flyover’s two loops will be demolished to build an additional lane.
- Karnataka’s power consumption increased in April due to the usage of air conditioners.
- Levi’s has opened its largest mall store in India in Bengaluru.
- In East Bengaluru, mechanical devices have been installed in stormwater drains at three locations to manage solid waste.
🛋️ Local Lounge
Yesterday’s Poll:
- I follow Indian football: 22.2%
- I don’t follow Indian football: 77.8% 🏆
That’s it for today. Have a great day!