The 3rd National Workshop of Technology Innovation in Cyber-Physical Systems (TIPS) emphasized the significance of the Technology Innovation Hubs (TIHs) established under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-physical Systems (NM-ICPS) in advancing technology translation.
Professor Abhay Karandikar, Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), highlighted the notable outcomes achieved by the mission hubs, located in 25 of the country’s leading technical institutions. These hubs have been working on critical aspects of cyber-physical systems, such as agriculture, energy, water, transport, etc. The mission has not only led to the development of technologies and products but has also resulted in scientific publications in high-impact journals.
Professor Karandikar urged technologists associated with the hub to focus on translating technology into practice, contributing to the country’s self-reliance in critical areas. Dr. Akhilesh Gupta, Senior Adviser, DST, and Secretary Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), emphasized the need for more collaboration between hubs and alignment with other ministries and departments, with a particular focus on promoting and establishing startups.
The workshop was hosted by C3iHub, a cybersecurity Technology Innovation Hub (TIH) of the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK). The event, organized by DST under NM-ICPS, aimed to foster collaboration and innovation in the realm of cyber-physical systems.
Prof. S Ganesh, Officiating Director, IIT Kanpur, highlighted the two-pronged approach of C3i Hub, involving the training of students to create a dedicated cadre of cybersecurity professionals and providing hands-on training to executives of utilities to raise awareness about cybersecurity threats and prevention.
Prof. Manindra Agarwal, Project Director of C3iHub, IIT Kanpur, emphasized that C3iHub is building solutions to safeguard critical infrastructure, including water and sewage systems, power grids, nuclear plants, rockets, and missile control.
Dr. Ekta Kapoor, Mission Director, NM-ICPS, and Head of the FFT Division, DST, stated that the mission has successfully achieved its goals, making India a leading player in Cyber-Physical Systems technologies. The mission has contributed to technology translation for societal and commercial use, nurtured startups, increased opportunities in the job market, and produced next-generation technocrats in CPS technologies. The NM-ICPS was launched in December 2018 to address the technological requirements of society and align with international trends and roadmaps for next-generation technologies. The mission includes the establishment of 25 Technology Innovation Hubs (TIHs) in advanced technologies across reputed institutes in the country. These TIHs focus on technology development, human resource development, entrepreneurship, and international collaborative research. Workshops like this are conducted for direct interaction between the Mission Office, Expert Committee members, and the TIHs for effective implementation of the mission.
