Kalam asks IBM to look at collaborations

BANGALORE: Speaking to 10,000 IBM employees who were present during the event

and over three lakh employees globally through webcasting, Dr Kalam proposed:

'World Knowledge Platform' to achieve and integrate the core competencies of

the partner countries to develop knowledge products.

“During my recent visit to Singapore, Philippines and Republic of Korea, I

put forward the concept of `World Knowledge Platform', which will integrate

the core competencies of the partner countries to develop knowledge products. I

have also proposed this concept in my address to the US-India Summit, organized

by University of California, Santiago on 31 May 2006. This world knowledge

platform will enable joint design, development, cost effective production and

marketing of the knowledge products in various domains”, he said.

Giving a product idea based out of World Knowledge Platform, Dr. Kalam, asked

IBM to look at possible collaborations or consortium with Indian industries for

the development of integrated hardware, software integrated system of tablet PC,

that will be useful to the 300 Million Indian students alone apart from the

other common users, professionals and executives of multiple countries.

“Joint design, development and manufacture of a handheld tablet Personal

Computer (PC) with multilingual capability in a cost effective manner with open

source operating system and software configured for the school students and the

common world citizens. The students should be able to use this as a digital

book, notebook and as an e-learning device. This tablet PC will have the

wireless connectivity so that it can take care of the communication needs and

possibly the telephone and will have sufficient video capability to act as an

entertainment platform and for tele-education and telemedicine and even a hand

writing recognizer that will also permit authentication for secure e-business

transactions.”

“The challenging task will be to configure, develop and produce and market

the tablet PC at a cost of $150, so that students, teachers and researchers of

many nations can use it”, he said.

Giving another idea, Kalam said that design and development of embedded

systems integrated with hardware will have tremendous application in automobile

sector, railways, consumer electronics, aerospace systems, defence systems and

precision manufacturing. “For example, automation of railway signaling system

with wireless relays which will ensure fool-proof signaling and prevent

accidents. Design and development of Wi-Max standard switches, routers and

access points will have a big market for last mile connectivity in many

countries at an affordable cost. The concept of `World Knowledge Platform' can

be utilized by ICT companies functioning in the Information and Communication

Technology sector for collaborative research, development, production and

marketing of products and systems using consortium approach,” he said.






IBM is traditionally driven by Watson's vision of "thinking" as a
launch pad. "I was thinking what can be launched from IBM's launch pad,

particularly from India. Can India and IBM think together for design, develop,

produce and market nano computers with 10 terabytes/inch2 in eight nano meters

size chip? Is it possible? I am sure you may have many experiences. Let me share

with you a unique experience of developing a complex system through a joint

venture using the core competence of two nations, which may be useful for the

people who are assembled here and also who are witnessing the programme in

different parts of the world. The technological cooperation of the two

countries, the managerial cooperation of the two nations and the investment of

around two hundred million dollars by each nation has enabled the realization of

Supersonic Cruise missile called BrahMos within 5 years. This is the only

supersonic cruise missile in the world today.”

Talking on IBM, he said the phenomenal growth of IBM was due to the

motivational and visionary slogan "THINK", of the founder of IBM,

Thomas J Watson. “This slogan reminds me of my call to the children, `Thinking

provides knowledge, Knowledge makes you great'.”

During the 20th century, computer industry has undergone very rapid change

and the prediction for 21st century is: the performance of the computers may

challenge the human mind. “When I read the book on `The Maverick and his

Machine - Thomas Watson Sr. and the making of IBM', I realize how one man's

vision has led the organization to became a global giant in computer science and

technology. In reality, I am seeing in front of me, how the vision `THINK' of

Watson has crossed the Atlantic Ocean and become global and borderless,” said

Kalam.

On innovation in India, Kalam shared his association with Prof. Vikram

Sarabhai and sharing his vision, he said “Prof Vikram Sarabhai made in the

year 1970, which states India with her mighty scientific knowledge and power

house of young, should build her own huge rocket systems (satellite launch

vehicles) and also build her own communication, remote sensing and

meteorological spacecraft and launch from her own soil to enrich the Indian life

in satellite communication, remote sensing and meteorology. When I look at this

vision statement now, I am overwhelmed to see the results of this statement.

Today, India can build any type of satellite launch vehicle, any type of

spacecraft and launch from Indian soil and also it has all the capability with

its mighty facilities and powerful human resource.”

Giving a glimpse of technology revolution to come, Dr Kalam, asked whether a

computer can challenge the human brain?

Most of the computers of the future and accessories will be micro sized,

wearable and will have wireless communication with each other. Moderately priced

PCs capable of performing about a billion calculations per second today will be

able to perform about a trillion calculations per second within next 10 years.

It is predicted that by 2019, the computational ability of an ordinary PC would

exceed the capability of human brain.

“By 2029, the capability of a normal PC would be around 1000 times that of

the human brain,” he said.

However, he said that the creativity of the human mind will always be

superior to the most powerful computers in the horizon. Creativity has to be the

business of IBM and other knowledge organizations.






By the end of this century, there would be a strong trend towards convergence of
human thinking with the world of machine intelligence that the human species

initially created. When there would no longer be any clear distinction between

human and computers, how would the molecular biologists help us to retain the

supremacy of man over machine? Computers are going to give us a challenge. It is

not only for the ICT and biotechnologists; the entire scientific community would

have greater responsibility of keeping the mankind above the man-made computers,

human creativity being the prime mover. Corporations like IBM have to perform

and grow in this dynamic and competitive environment.

Sharing his recent address over video conferencing to the US-India summit on

Education, Research and Technology organized by University of California,

Santiago and Callit2 he said “This experience made me realize the power of

technology as an integrator of minds leading to a borderless world without

geographical barriers? a symbol of universalisation. This power of networking

can definitely be used by IBM and other knowledge enterprises in India to work

for a common goal which leads to economic prosperity, he added.

Concluding his speech he asked what types of enriched partnerships possible

between IBM Corporation and Indian knowledge product industry? Identifying

himself, he said he can think of three distinct areas: (i) Transforming India

into knowledge society with innovation as the thrust area influencing the

information society, industrial society and agricultural society. (ii) As you

are aware India has 540 million youth below 25 years which is an important asset

for the planet Earth. This dynamic resource will have two components. One, at

the secondary education level supplemented with high quality vocational skills

and the other at the university level. Knowledge workers will come out of this

Global Human Resource Cadre. Definitely, IBM Corporation can participate in the

evolution of trained human cadre. (iii) Participation in the "World

Knowledge Platform" will empower the IBM Corporation (India) and the

partner institutions with the collective core competence as a base.

“For success in all these missions, which we have discussed so far, we need

creative leaders. Creative leadership means, exercising the vision to change the

traditional role from the commander to the coach, manager to mentor, from

director to delegator and from one who demands respect to one who facilitates

self-respect. I am sure creative leadership will spearhead all the institutions

and the future aspiring institutions,” he said.

© CyberMedia News