Artificial Intelligence

ISTE conducted a workshop which was an interactive session between participants and the speakers. Artificial intelligence explores the boundary line of what humans have already reached and is hence a vital component of future research and development of scientific technology. Artificial Intelligence was a workshop conducted by one of VIT’s esteemed faculty member, Mr. Raghuveer V R along with 4 students, Taranveer Singh and Raj Biswas (4th year students), and Abhishek Mukherjee and UtkarshSrivastava (3rd year students). The team had an informative session planned for the participants and shared with them all their knowledge about Artificial Intelligence and the projects that they had been working on. The second session was taken by Mr. Navneet Sharma, founder of SnapSnop R, AI based startup in Bangalore and a VIT alumni. He talked about his startup and he not only shared his knowledge about AI with the participants but also had a lot to share about his endeavor as an entrepreneur. The workshop aimed to learn statistical methods and computational intelligence with regard to artificial intelligence. With the active participation of both the participants and speakers, this workshop was a huge success with positive feedback from the participants.

Augmented Reality

Augmented Reality was brought up for the first time in graVITas. It aimed at merging ones real world with the virtual world. Its cutting edge theme was used to enhance one’s perception of reality. Augmentation is conventionally in real time and in semantic context with environmental elements. The workshop dealt with the technology behind ‘Google Glass’ and its eye catching features. The list didn’t end here but pushed beyond the limits up to converting laptop to touchscreen, controlling laptop projections with just a few gestures not just this also voice controlled cursor. This workshop blurred the boundary between virtual and the real world. The speaker of the seminar was HimanshuLohia, a corporate trainer at Infizeal technologies. He is an eminent figure with extreme intellectual thinking and great understanding of the link between the real world and the vast based applications of the virtual worlds and simulations we humans have been able to create.

Cloud Computing

Cloud computing was a new venture into the vast themes in workshop. The workshop majorly was based upon ‘on demand computing’ which was basically a kind of internet based computing, where shared resources, data and information are provided to computers and other devices on demand. The major topic of discussion was the capability of cloud competing to store and process their data in third party data centres. The speakers mainly talked about how cloud computing allows companies to avoid upfront infrastructure costs, and focus on projects that differentiate their business. Also a major advantage that was showcased by the workshop was how it pumped up the speed of applications and improved manageability with less maintenance. It demonstrated an example of how cloud technology works as an efficient system to improve quality service to reduce overhead costs, downtime and automate infrastructure deployment.

Code-a-thon

Code-A-Thon is a premium 24 hour coding challenge for students hailing from all walks of engineering who have a zeal for programming in a competitive environment. Hackerrank, a platform that is used by programmers to hone their skills and by companies to recruit great technical talent are providing us with a portal to create the contest. The participants can code in any language of their preference. They will be given problem statements and have to solve it using their logical and analytical skills. They will be awarded points on the basis of the accuracy of the output.

Registration fees: Rs.200 per participant.

For any queries contact:

Sagar Goel:+91-9873897464

Yash Gupta:+91-9790042853

A M Sarguru:+91-9585331526

Code-a-thon

Code-a-thon was a 24-hour coding event where participants had to work in a team of two and apply their logical and problem solving skills to solve questions using any coding language. It was a premier coding challenge for students hailing from all walks of engineering who have a zeal for programming in a competitive environment. This event started at 8am on 12th of September and ended at 8am on 13th of September.Hacker Rank provided a domain for ISTE to conduct Code-A-Thon during graVITas’15 and gave out certificates along with attractive goodies and t-shirts to the participants.Hacker Rank is a platform that is used by programmers to compare their skills across different competitors.The participants were supposed to log-in to the Hacker Rank portal and received the list of questions. On submission of the codes, they were marked out of 200 and the top three teams cash prizes along with paid internship by our sponsors, CNSI, Chennai worth Rs.10,000 each. The event received an extensive turn out of participants with an overwhelming response which made it a big hit.

Dimensions

DIMENSIONS , a technical robotic event was conducted in Gravitas’15. It involved two opponents protecting their city which consisted of certain number of walls. Each team consisted of three participants. Both the teams were given the bots and they had to destroy the opponents walls within seven minutes .In round 1,the bots had to attack opponents city. For round 2, marbles were introduced as obstacles in the city. The winner was the team whose city was least destroyed. By the feedback received by the participants, the event was a successful and they enjoyed participating in it.

Human Foosball

ISTE presents to you the most awaited event, Human Foosball. An adaption of Foosball with a team of 5, each competing to showcase their agility, accuracy, speed and endurance. It is a 3 day event. On the first 2 days the knockout rounds will be going on. On the last day, semi-finals and finals will be carried to select the best of all.

Registration fees: Rs.40 per participant. A team of 5 is required.

For any queries contact:

Pranav Sethi:+91-9003745522

Adityan Elangovan:+91-915159757

Human Foosball

Human Foosball was an exciting informal event that was conducted by ISTE in graVITas’15. The event attracted the masses and was a huge success. In this event, instead of playing foosball on a table, participants had to compete in an arena and score as many goals as possible. They had to play in teams of five and every match was 5-minute long. The main aim was to score as many goals as possible and for the winning team to have as high a score difference as possible. The event attracted the masses and was a huge success. A large number of students, internal as well as external, participated in the event.

Impedence

The event, Impedance, which was conducted by ISTE focused on the basics of electronics, its knowledge and implementation. The whole event was revolving around the electrical concepts that the participants have learnt overall. The event consisted of three rounds where participants took part as a team of two. The first round was the quiz round in which questions were based on basic electrical concepts and its applications. In the following rounds, the teams were given circuit diagramsandwere required to construct the circuit on the breadboard and get the required value of potential. The participants gave a positive response and found the event interesting and challenging.

Robotix

As done every graVITas, ISTE presents to you the Robotix Workshop. The workshop consists of building and learning how to make five different kinds of Arduino based bots. These are Laptop controlled, Joystick controlled, Gesture controlled, Obstacle Avoider and DTMF controlled. The entire kit and a booklet with instructions will be provided and can be kept by the participants. One team gets one kit.

Registration fees: Rs.1000 per participant. A team of 4 is required.

For any queries contact:

Kinnri Sinha:+91-9952126466

Poroma Banerjee:+91-9943296662

Ultimate Engineer

Ultimate engineer is a graVITas event in which knowledge on 11th ,12th and branch related will be tested. Join in to be a part of treasure hunt , solving ciphers and much more! Take the title of Ultimate engineer home.

Registration fees: Rs.100 per participant.

For any queries contact:

Vishu Agarwal:+91-7501600715

Guneet Bhatia:+91-9585601724

Vaibhav Satpathy:+91-9003779537

Robotix

Robotix, the biggest pre-gravitas workshop and the most awaited event was conducted on 20th September. In the session, advanced electronic principles are used to design complex and elaborate robots which have diverse range of applications. Participants are provided with a kit which enabled them to make five bots along with a special handbook which served as their guide throughout their workshop. It is a 24 hour workshop where the participants are taught to make the following five different types of robots. The Obstacle Avoider: This Bot is completely automatic and can even find its way through a maze. Using IR sensors, which catch the frequency of black colour thereby detecting the presence of an obstacle in its path and it smoothly turns in order to avoid it. The Mobile Controlled DTMF Bot: This Bot can be controlled using mobile networks .So this makes it possible for people to control their bot in Vellore from their houses in Bangalore. The Laptop Controlled Bot: This Bot can be controlled using a laptop which is connected to the Bot through a USB cable. The arrow keys provide the required navigation for the Bot. The Joystick Controlled Bot: This bot can be controlled using a joystick which is also called the accelerometer. The joystick can be programmed to control the speed and the extent to which the joystick can be pushed to accelerate. The Gesture Controlled Bot:This bot can be controlled using human gestures. It uses an accelerometer to get different signals based upon its orientation.

RoboGP

ROBO-GP was a robotics event conducted by ISTE which primarily included racing of a bot along with rigorous testing of its speed and control. It focused on improving the driving ability of the robots and simultaneously gave participants a paramount racing experience which left them completely satisfied with thrilling obstacles and a race track which challenged them. Round 1: A set of tests were put forth for the bots which included traction control test ,bridge the gap ,suspension Test ,hill Test, manoeuvrability test and drift Test. Round 2: The qualifiers from Round 1 were put on a one on one race on a challenging track with different obstacles such as pendulum, bridges, curves, etc. This event was immensely appreciated by all those who participated and was overall a huge success. This gave them an insight into the world of robotics and was well received by the participants.

Stockgyaan

"Know what you own and know why you own it." Want to learn how Stock Market works? Join us for Stockgyaan conducted on the basis of the indian financial markets and their working. Particiapants will be given a demonstration on how to buy and sell shares of a company. This worksop will be conducted by Mr. Vivek Karwa, an NDTV panelist and a practicing certified personal financial advisor of Rajnikanth. He is an eminent figure in the fundamental analysis with an experience of over 12 years.

Registration fees: Rs.200 per participant.

For any queries contact:

Ria Arora:+91-9585369967

Somya Agarwal:+91-9003858070

Stockgyaan

Stock Gyaan was a workshop conducted on the basics of the Indian Financial Markets and their working. This workshop was specifically for all those who were interested in stock market and its analysis, a career in investment and finance, a game of maths and luck to make a career out of it and who want to have an extra earning source. The workshop’s prime objective was to make students aware of the various Market Indicators and limiting factors that helps one predict the possible price movements and momentum of the stocks, thus, maximizing one’s knowledge and profitability and gain for his own. Participants were also given a live demonstration of how to buy and sell shares of a company online and an example of how to do the same offline. The speaker for the seminar was Mr. Vivek Karwa, an NDTV Panelist and a Practicing Certified Personal Financial Planner. He is an eminent figure in the Fundamental Analysis and Investment Strategy industry, with an experience of over 12 years. He also provides advisory services to all kinds of investors like HNIs, NRIs, Retail, Corporates, and Trusts.

The Amazing Race

Amazing race as the name suggests is among the most informal fun events having 5 fantastic rounds. Rounds have the enjoyment to the fullest. Participants have to decode the clues and run around the whole campus performing several tasks.Its a 2 day event with 3 classy elimination rounds on the 1st day and then the next 2 rounds on 2nd day.

Registration fees: Rs.40 per participant. A team of 5 is required.

For any queries contact:

Vaishnavi Shah:+91-9003745522

Uddipta Goswami:+91-915159757

Snehil:+91-9790039906

The Amazing Race

Amazing Race was a two day event, conducted by ISTE which was based on the American Television Show but with a technical touch including technical clues and tasks.Teams of two were made to run around the entire campus and the team that arrived at the final destination won the race. Participants were made to complete a series of challenges spanning over two days and reach the final destination by solving the riddles and performing the tasks. The first round required the participants to solve a couple of riddles and picture-clues which led them to certain destinations around the campus.The next round was an accuracy round where they were supposed to count the occurrences of certain alphabets in names of trees planted by known personalities.The rounds that followed had a series of interesting tasks involving running backwards, three-legged race,overcoming obstacles inside a maze, scoring a basket through a hoola hoop etc. The winning teams as well as other finalists appreciated all rounds and the organization of the event.TheAmazing Race turned out to be a very successful event with a very active participation from all participants.

True Detective

One of the most anticipated events of graVITas’15, True Detective was an informal event based on forensic sciences and narcotics. The event was held on the first day of graVITas ’15 for duration of six hours. The participants arrived in teams of two to solve a murder mystery and they were given clues, which led them to certain locations within the campus. The event included three major tasks,‘DNA Fingerprinting’, ‘Blood Grouping’ and ‘Cipher Decrypting’. In the first round, blood grouping was done using chemicals and the qualifying teams were given DNA fingerprints of suspects. The participants had to match the fragment with the eight fingerprints. In the third round, they had to decrypt the ciphers using a cipher manual in order to find the killer. The event turned out to be a huge success with positive feedback from all the participants.

Ultimate Engineer

ULTIMATE ENGINEER, a premium event organised in Gravitas’15 ,tested the participants on their knowledge, skills and management. The first round was a computer based round and teams qualified according to their scores. In the next round questions related to their branch when decoded led them to different locations. Third round was an online maze and the fastest to complete the maze from each branch qualified for last round. The final round was a buzzer round where questions from current affairs were asked. Every participant who came for the event appreciated the event and found it to be well-organised. Participants liked the concept of online maze and buzzer round and felt that race against time added to excitement. Overall this was a successful event as reflected from the feedback received from the participants.

The Amazing Race

Bringing the famous American Reality Game Show to VIT, this event is a thrilling and exciting race around the campus.The race comprised of several challenges spanning over 2 days. Teams of two were made to travel through the entire campus to find clues and perform interesting tasks. Participants were made to complete a series of challenges and reach the final destination by solving the riddles and performing the tasks. The teams got eliminated at different rounds as the race progressed and the team that arrived first at the final destination won the race.In the first round the participants were given riddles and pictogram which led them to their next destination. In the next round the participants were supposed to count the exact number of footpath poles and wall-speaks, etc.The rounds that followed had a series of interesting tasks involving walking on bricks, crossing the maze, three-legged race etc. The event turned out to be a huge success with a very active participation and received appreciation from all the participants.

Live Angry Birds

Live Angry Birds was a fun, new and enthralling event conducted for the first time by ISTE in Riviera’16. This event was an attempt to bring the famous mobile game, ‘Angry Birds’ to life. In this event, two huge catapults were made for the event, which amplified the feel of playing the Angry Birds live. This event involved providing the participants with various goods like boxes and balloons having different points with which they were supposed to build their own little arena in a confined area. The boxes were painted in different colors and there were certain points for each color. Participants played in teams of two and showed their skills and strength in the real world of gaming by destroying the arena set up by the opponent team with the help of catapults. The team that scored the maximum points won. The event received a good response from the masses.

Prison Break

Prison Break was a 2 day event conducted by ISTE that is inspired by various detective series and movies.The event consisted of 10 rounds where participants were challenged to think on their feet and solve intricate ciphers. The event basically involved a team of two, one person being inside the prison and the other, working outside to prove him innocent. The plot opened up after every round.The event had two major parts, solving ciphersand performing tasks within the campus. In every round, one person stayed inside the prison and solved ciphers to reveal the next part of the story and the other person performed tasks like solving clues to get to a location in order to get the next cipher. After every round, the person inside the prison went outside and vice versa.

Human Foosball

Human Foosball was the most popular, enthralling and exciting informal event that was conducted by ISTE. It was conducted on all four days of Riviera every year. In this event, instead of playing foosball on a table, participants had to physically compete in an arena replacing the tiny plastic players, as the name suggests. The arena was built exactly like in the game ‘foosball’ but, of course larger in size and compatible for 10 people entering the arena. Participants played in teams of 5 and the main aim was to score as many goals as possible and for the winning team to have as high a score difference as possible.p

Tech League Session 1

The first session of the Tech League was Photoshop which helped the students to master photo editing on Adobe CS6 from scratch. The event was conducted by the technical head, Ashay Shah, who made the session interesting by briefly explaining the different features of the software by using photos as examples and editing them, giving the students a hands on experience. He dealt with the various tools available in the software and taught them the basics in a very comprehensive manner.

Tronix League Session 1

The first session of Tronix League conducted by ISTE helped the students to learn the basics of LED circuitry and Arduino Language to make a 3x3x3 LED cube. The event was conducted by the technical head, Poroma Banerjee, wherein she explained basic commands of Arduino language and assembly of components of circuitry. It was a hands-on session which helped participants to assemble and solder the components on their own to achieve better understanding and knowledge of the LED cube designing. The workshop was appreciated by all which was reflected on the feedback forms. Overall the workshop was a huge success.

Diving into MSP430 (Tronix League Session 2)

ISTE in collaboration with a group of students supported by Texas Instruments organised a one day workshop on MSP430. The workshop was conducted by Mohammad Saad Rashid, Kartikeya Bhargava and Parin Jhaveri. They made the workshop very interesting by teaching the participants about the Microprocessor MSP430 and its working. Kits and softwares were provided to make it an interactive hands on session. The event received a good response and it was overall a huge success.

Brain Quest

ISTE brings back the ultimate quiz conducted for the fourth consecutive year, 'BRAIN QUEST' a fiercely contested between the different schools of VIT for the top spot. It will be conducted in collaboration with DBQC(quiz club of VIT). It will have two rounds. The first round will be conducted school-wise where top two participants will be teamed up. Second and the final round will be a contest between the respective teams of different schools.