Ameet's blog

Just finished writing my first paper, and man.. it was such a hard work. But just the process of writing it down, refines your thoughts, points out the gaps and makes it more complete. The paper is about doing faster optimization. If this theory matures in future, your cellphones, airplanes, stockbrokers will be using it to 'optimize' something (signal estimation error, trajectory error, fuel, minimize risk, maximize returns). I have been penning some generaaal thoughts on 'optimization' here . Shall be glad to receive any feedback.

How many people really care where the chain of actions they are starting leads to..

Last week I created my first Wiki at http://editthis.info/mozda_converter , and I am hooked on to the simplicity & beauty of whole approach. On this Wiki, we are collaboratively designing a low cost Dc-Dc converter for Mozda collective in Gujarat. This converter will help boost the efficiency & power output of the pedal power generator system being developed at Mozda.

Today, watched Albert Finney in the movie 'Big Fish', and he reminded me strongly for my grandpa, or Ajoba/Aba in marathi :-) hence am sharing this treasured memory of his. I think I was around 13 years old when this happened. We had Satyanarayan Pooja at our house. After his retirement, my Aba had learnt scriptures and used to perform all family poojas. So he conducted this one too. (an elaborate 2hr ceremony, involving decorations, mantras, many eclectic fruits, flowers and leaves, a sacred story telling session, and prasad) After the pooja, all neighbors /relatives are expected to come and bow before the god, so the door was kept open, and a steady stream of visitors started. At that age, I was often at odds with my brother :-) Sometime in the evening when there was a brief lull in the visitors' arrival, we broke into a fight whose cause I now forget :-) All I remember is raged passions, raised voices and arms, and at the end of that whirlwind, we had disarrayed & ...

Brain research has turned a new leaf recently, and is now a hotbed of meaningful research. Some people might argue if it is philosophically possible for a brain to understand itself. But frankly it is already happening. 'Introspection' is going on both in labs & in minds. Ray Kurzweil has projected at TED that we will be able to reverse engineer the brain by 2020. Being in UCSD , the mecca of biotech & neuroscience; I have had the superb opportunity to hear Dr.V.S.Ramachandran speak on his unique research, and the inflection point neuroscience is poised at. One of his most deep findings is " Mirror Neurons ". Do watch a PBS documentary on the same, here . This started from a study in Monkeys. When monkey engages in motor activity (like grabbing a banana), very specific neurons fire up in his cortex. One day accidently, instructor grabbed the banana, and lo behold! Exact same neurons fired in the monkey's brain. Thus monkey went through the 'simulate...

Today del.icio.us brought this delicious treat. Interview of Robert Pirsig , author of " Zen and the art of motorcycle maintainance " (ZAMM for short)! Bob's book is perhaps the most articulate & genuine documentation of quest for meaning in life, I have read. I cant claim to have understood it, but it has given me a superb tool to look at life, make sense of it, accept it and rejoice in it. I can hardly paraphrase experience of reading this book. But let me try. Our actions are guided by either deliberate or subconscious goals. Goals are the ones which lead to a higher 'quality' (perceived value). Quality is simply what we like. In other words, quality/value/passion can not be defined in terms of anything else. It is the very core of our preferences, and has to be accepted as is. It is too sacred to mold into conformity, or taken for granted. It is our dharma. We have to mold our thoughts around it, instead of fighting it. The book shows in a very hands-on ...

Yesterday, I gave a presentation at Udai study group on Pedal Power. I tried to find the various designs, their specs, economic opportunities they can create in rural / off grid areas. Though I barely touched the top of the iceberg, I was dazzled by the scope & diversity of Pedal power. People have been running wireless networks and VOIP telephony in Ugandan villages using pedal power! Here are notes I made for the same. After I posted this entry, I was contacted by Nick from off-grid net , a superb online magazine supporting alternative sustainable lifestyles. Read this story from Ladena, to see how wise economic & technological choices can lead to a 'thriving' life in the middle of nowhere, and can solve financial crisis. Click on the link below to visit this wonderful site.