Hi Friends,

Even as I launch this today ( my 80th Birthday ), I realize that there is yet so much to say and do. There is just no time to look back, no time to wonder,"Will anyone read these pages?"

With regards,
Hemen Parekh
27 June 2013

Now as I approach my 90th birthday ( 27 June 2023 ) , I invite you to visit my Digital Avatar ( www.hemenparekh.ai ) – and continue chatting with me , even when I am no more here physically

Tuesday, 2 April 2024

From “ Trailer to Movie “ for Solar Power

 


 

On a couple of occasions recently , PM Shri Modiji said :


  What NDA government has achieved in past 10 years, is only a trailer. When (

 after assuming office for the third time ) , we draw up our 100 DAYS ROAD-MAP

for developing India in the next 10 years, you will get to see the full movie “

 

Dear Narendrabhai ,

 

Sun shines on India for 300 days ( approx.. 1800 hours )

 

If we transform just ONE HOUR of that Sun shine ( falling over our entire

land area ) , into Electricity , that would suffice our country’s TOTAL

power needs , for the entire year !


 

All that is required is to UNSHACKLE the Users and the entire Eco-System


I urge you to pass on my following request to Shri Singh ( MNRE ) – with YOUR

 COMMENTS

 

With regards,


Hemen Parekh

www.HemenParekh.ai / 02 April 2024

 

 

Dear Shri  R K Singhji,

 

No doubt you must be busy working on PM-suggested 100 DAYS ROAD-MAP , for

Renewable Energy


In this context , in my earlier e-mails , I had pointed out :

 

Ø   Roof areas available ( on the terraces of multi-story city buildings ) barely suffices

     the needs of 10 % of the tenants

 

In light of this , I had suggested the concept of “ Co-operative Solar Farms

 

Following news report ( although in reference to situation in USA ), VALIDATES my

suggestions :


The great untapped potential in non-residential rooftop solar for LMI residents

 

Extract :

According to a recent study, published in Nature Energy and led by researchers at Stanford University, commercial and industrial rooftop offer a great opportunity to reduce what researchers call the “solar equity gap.”

“The solar equity gap is a serious problem in disadvantaged communities, in part because of income inequalities, but also because residential solar isn’t usually practical for people who don’t own their homes,” said Ram Rajagopal, senior author of the study and associate professor of civil and environmental engineering and of electrical engineering at Stanford.

“This new study shows that commercial and industrial properties have the capacity to host solar resources to fill in part of that gap.”

The researchers used satellite images and artificial intelligence to identify the number and size of rooftop solar arrays in

72,739 census tracts across the U.S., with about one-third of those tracts identified disadvantaged by the U.S. government.

The team tracked the amount of unused rooftops with good solar potential, then calculated the average annual cost of producing solar electricity in each area, based on the amount of local sun exposure and other variables.

The costs ranged from about 6.4 cents per kWh in sun-drenched New Mexico to almost 11 cents in Alaska.

Compare this to the 2022 electricity rate that was just over 20 cents per kWh in Alaska and about 10 cents in New Mexico, per Energy Information Administration data.

The researchers noted that there would be additional costs of getting the power to residential areas as well as other costs, such as battery storage and the construction of microgrids.

“We estimate that battery storage would increase total system costs by about 50%, but even that would be practical in almost

 two-thirds of the disadvantaged communities we studied,” said Chad Zanocco, co-author of the study and a postdoctoral

fellow in civil and environmental engineering.

The untapped rooftops offer great potential for community solar installations, which low-income residents could subscribe to.

Community solar is a way for people to access solar energy who don’t own their own home or can’t afford the up-front cost of solar.

Furthermore, the Inflation Reduction Act offers a bonus tax adder for community solar developers who build community solar projects in disadvantaged communities and have low-income subscribers.

“Beyond reducing carbon emissions and slowing climate change, increased access to solar power would offer tangible local benefits to lower-income communities,” said Zhecheng Wang, a co-author and a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford’s Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence.

“This would promote local clean and low-cost energy generation, which would also increase the resilience from outages and

 reduce the pollution caused by fossil fuel power plants – many of which are located in low-income areas.”

 

 

Dear Shri Singhji ,

 

In light of the parallel situation in our own country , I urge you to :

 

Ø  Expand Surya-Ghar Yojana to ALL residential users of GRID power ( from DISCOMS ) . 


I believe, currently , this scheme is restricted to only those families whose

 monthly consumption is 300 units or less AND whose annual income is less

 than Rs 1.5 lakh . Please remove these conditions

      

 

Ø  Expand Surya-Ghar Yojana to cover ALL industrial and commercial

 establishments

 

Ø  Enable installations of Co-operative Community Solar Farms

 

Ø  Integrate FREE Solar Chulha Scheme ( Indian Oil patented / EESL marketed )

    with SuryaGhar Yojana

 

Ø  Introduce for DISCOMS, “ Reimbursement of Revenue Loss + 30 % of Carbon

    Credits earned “ , by   way of INCENTIVE


Dispense with a family to “ Register / Apply “ on SuryaGhar Portal “ and

conducting of Feasibility Report “ by DISCOM > Each and every DISCOMS have

ALL the data ( building-wise number of tenants AND their ave. monthly

consumption ), to quickly ZERO-IN ( target ) their customers


My above-mentioned suggestions are covered in detail, in my following e-mails :

 

With regards,

 

Hemen Parekh

 

www.HemenParekh.ai  /  02 April 2024

 

 

 

 Surya Ghar Muft Bijlee : a 7 year journey  .. .......03  March  2024

 

( 1 )    Sun : Our Soul ( A New SOS )  …………………………02 Jan 2017

( 2 )  Solar Power at Rs 1 per Kwh ?  .. ………………………..29 Jan 2017

( 3 )  How Cheap can it get ?  …………………………………….  14 Mar 2017

 ( 4 )  INDIA : the NEW LAND OF THE RISING SUN ?  .. 01 Apr 2017

 ( 5 )  Green Buildings ? Put Greed to Work !............... 05 June 2017

( 6 )  Roof Top Solar : Stuck at Plinth Level ? .. ……….13 July 2017

 ( 7 )  Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana  …………………………… 24 Sept 2017

( 8 )  Not Good Enough !                                         02  Dec  2017 

 ( 9 )  India Solar Policy : Too Little : Too Late ? .. …..18 Dec 2017

 ( 10 )   Unsustainable SRISTI ?................................ 22 Dec 2017

( 11 )  Solar Power : Internal Rate of Return .. …………27 Jan 2018

( 12 )  Solar Roofs ? Why not ? ………………………………… 06 Feb 2018

( 13 )  Clean Power ?  ……………………………………………  16 Mar 2018

( 14 )  Roof Top Solar : Better Alternative  …………………. 24 May 2018

( 15 )  Is Sun setting on Solar ? ………………………………………. 20 Sept 2018

( 16 )   Rooftop Solar : An Opportunity Lost ?.. …………………………..16 Dec 2019

( 17 )  Appalled ! .. ……………………………………………………………………..26 Jan 2020

( 18 )  A Tale of Two States …………………………………………………….. 28 Oct 2020

( 19 )   Congratulations , Shri R K Singhji ………………………………. 19 Nov 2020

( 20 )    Reinvigorating Rooftop Solar Power ………………………….. 25 Nov 2020

( 21 )   Congratulations, Shri Vijaybhai Rupaniji, …………………….30 Dec 2020

( 22 )   Congratulations , Shri Saurabh Patelji ……………………….. 31 Dec 2020

( 23 )   Carbon Finance through Carbon Credits ……………………… 12 Mar 2021

( 24 )   No Godfather for Rooftop Solar ?  ……………………………….. 01 June 2021

( 25 )   If you don’t obsolete yourself… ………………………………….24  Aug 2021

( 26 )  Vishwa Karma V 2.0 ?  ……………………………………………. 04 Nov 2021

( 27 )  Congratulations, Dr Harish Hiraniji …………………………. 13 Nov 2021

( 28 )   Manyachiwadi shows way to become Atm Nirbhar .. 16 Nov 2021

( 29 ) Topmost Candidate for PLI ? ……………………………………… 19 Jan 2022

( 30 )   RKS liberates RTSP …………………………………………………… 23 Jan 2022

( 31 )  Dear Narendrabhai : Thanks for reminding ….. 04 Mar 2022

( 32 )   Mission Possible ( Failure is not an Option ).. . 31 Mar 2022

( 33 )   Gross Metering : a Cooperative Concept ? …… 16 May 2022

( 34 )    Thank You, Shri Bhupender Singh Yadavji .. …29 May 2022

( 35 )    Congratulations, Calicut Cooker-Walas .. ……..10 June 2022

( 36 )   My Solar Cooker dream about to materialise ?  07 July 2022

( 37 )  R K Singh : A Solomon come to Judgment …….. 01 Sept 2022

( 38 )  Modhera : From Sun Temple to Sun Village …….. 09 Oct 2022

( 39 )   Dear R K Singhji : This is YOUR chance …………… 01 Nov 2022

( 40 )  Dear Shri R K Singhji : Please Hurry ! ……………………. 17 Nov 2022

( 41 )  Solar Cookers : Of course , but Delivery When ? ……. 03 Feb 2023

( 42 )  Kardinia - a warm / sunny Welcome ………………………… 25 May 2023

( 43 )  Co-operative Farming of Solar Power ……………….. 29 Oct 2023

( 44 )   Congratulations , Mathew Samuel  ………………….  09 Nov 2023

( 45 )   From Induction Stove to Solar Cookers……………. 10 Nov 2023

( 46 )   Roof Top Solar for a Single Apartment ? …………. 02 Dec 2023

( 47 )   Harvesting Solar Power Through Cooperation .. 30 Dec 2023

 ( 48 )  Suryodaya Yojana … …………………………………………..28 Jan 2024

( 49 )  Unleashing, Electrifying, Roof Top Solar Power .. ………. 29 Jan 2024

( 50 )  Correction : Suryodaya Yojana  …………………………………… 01 Feb 2024

( 51 )  R K Singhji : Saluting a Revolutionary Reformer …………. 02 Feb 2024

( 52 )  Thanks, Shri Modiji – from 250 Million Families ……………. 03 Feb 2024

( 53 )  Found : Missing piece of Jigsaw Puzzle ………………………….. 05 Feb 2024

( 54 )  Surya Ghar : Missing the Wood for the Trees ? ……………… 15 Feb 2024

( 55 )  Surya Ghar Yojana : How to motivate DISCOMS ………… 15 Feb 2024

( 56 )  Nuclear or Solar ? Choice is clear …………………………….. 23 Feb 2024

( 57 )  Dr Murmuji : Your Opportunity Knocks ……………………. 25 Feb 2024

 

 

 

 

 

Monday, 1 April 2024

Virtual Therapist : arriving as envisaged

 


 

Context :

Ø  Behind Hume’s conversational AI with emotional intelligence    Eco Times… 01 April 2024

( Himanshi.lohchab@timesgroup.com )

Extract :

 

Artificial intelligence can now understand human emotions, pull-off sarcasm, and even express anger. New York-based startup Hume AI (https://www.hume.ai  /  hello@hume.ai )

last week launched the first voice AI with emotional intelligence which can generate conversations for emotional well-being of its users.

Founded in 2021 by 
Alan Cowen, a former researcher by Google DeepMind, the startup also raised $50 million in Series-B funding from EQT Group, Union Square Ventures, Nat Friedman, Daniel Gross, Northwell Holdings, Comcast Ventures, LG Technology Ventures, and Metaplanet days after the launch.

 

What is Hume AI?

Hume’s voice interface is powered by its empathic large language model (eLLM) which emphasises on tones of voice behind words to
understand different emotions.

It can further emulate similar tones across 23 different emotions such as admiration, adoration, frustration etc, to generate human-like conversations.

The 
conversational AI chatbot is trained on data from millions of human conversations across the world to voice tonality, human reflexes and feelings. These responses are further optimised in real-time depending on user’s emotional state.

How is it useful?
While expressive AI chatbots in areas such as virtual dating have been around, Hume’s product is gaining accolades for its probable uses in robotics, healthcare,
wellness etc.

Early predictions by some AI researchers show that AI assistants powered by Hume’s eLLM could not only make conversations but also help in daily tasks.

“Imagine an AI assistant that understands your
frustrations or joys, a customer support agent that can empathize with your complaints, or even a virtual therapist capable of offering genuine emotional support,” according to a post on X.

Cowen in a LinkedIn post said, "Speech is four times faster than typing; frees up the eyes and hands; and carries more information in its tune, rhythm, and timbre.”

“That's why we built the first AI with emotional intelligence to understand the voice beyond words. Based on your voice
, it can better predict when to speak, what to say, and how to say it."

Hume AI is
preparing to release the platform APIs to developers next month in beta mode to integrate with various applications.

It can also integrate with other large language models such as GPT and Claude to add flexibility depending on enterprise use-case.

Besides
empathetic feature, the voice assistant also offers transcription and text-to-speech capabilities.

 

 

My  Take :

 

Background :

Ø  In the US, the NIMH reports that 1 in 5 adults experiences mental illness in a given year https://www.nami.org/mhstats.

Ø  This initiative reports a significant burden of mental disorders in India, affecting about 10% of the population https://nhm.gov.in/index1.php?lang=1&level=2&sublinkid=1043&lid=359.

 

Sure, it has took almost 8 years since I envisaged its arrival but that VIRTUAL THERAPIST has finally arrived !

Here is how I envisaged it :

Ø  Share - Your - Soul / Outsourcing Unlimited  .. ………..24  July  2016

 

Extract :

Here is an outline of my suggestion , re how young / educated / unemployed Indians can offer such service :

 VEHICLE

 This strictly " Online " service will have a platform called ,  www...COUCH...com  ( supported by a Mobile App )
 
USERS

 There will be two kinds of users who will register on this site , viz:
    *  " 
Talkers " , who want to engage someone who will listen to them / sympathize with them
    *  " 
Listeners " , who will  listen patiently / ask occasional question / offer advice - sympathy - empathy
#  
REGISTRATION FORM

For both type of users , the Registration Form will require to submit following details :
*  
Personal Details ( Name / DOB / Gender / Nationality / Bank Account No /  Photo / Short Video etc )
*  
Family Details  ( Who are members of immediate family ? )
*  
Contact Details ( Address / Mobile No / Email ID / Skype - FaceTime ID / WatsApp..etc )
*  
Social Media Footprint  ( Facebook / LinkedIn / Twitter : No of Friends - Contacts - Connections - Followers )
*  
Cultural Exposure ( Countries visited / lived-in , with stay-periods / Foreign friends )
 *  
Educational Details ( Degrees / Colleges ) . Listeners having degree in Psychology will get ranked higher !
*  
Language Details ( Languages spoken / fluently - reasonably well )
*  
Experience Details ( Where worked / for how long ) . Retired / Worldly Wise , Listeners get ranked higher !
*  
Availability Details ( Available from - to / GMT- Local time )


Based on the completeness of the Registration Form Details , a software will rate and rank the Listeners , which will be visible to the Talkers

There will be facility to update / edit the data submitted
Upon registration , users will be assigned USER ID and PASSWORD
In addition , 
Listener will be assigned a unique COUCH / INTERVIEW-CABIN number

#  SEARCHING DATABASE OF LISTENERS
    Talkers will be able to search the database of the registered 
Listeners , except for their " Contact Details "
    
Talkers can , then select / shortlist , a few listeners of their preference

#  SERVICE CHARGE
    Talkers will pay $ 2 per hour to the portal , which will credit this amount to the Bank Account of the       

    Concerned Listener , after deducting 10 % as its own commission

    

#  PAYMENT MECHANISM
    Using online payment gateway , 
Talkers will deposit a minimum of $ 20 , on the portal as PRE-PAID amount
    As 
Talker continues using the service , credit balance will get displayed ( in $ and in " Hours " terms )
    There will be facility for online ( or through Mobile ) re-charging of the account

 

#  PROCESS
    A 
Listener can login anytime and occupy his own virtual COUCH / CABIN ( " I am now available for

    listening " )

    As soon as he does , a GREEN light will shine on the CABIN , showing the online availability of the concerned

    Listener .

 

   This green light will tell the Talkers : " Welcome ! I am ready to listen "

   The light will turn RED , as soon as a Talker walks into Listener's CABIN ( " I am engaged right now " )

   Any time a Talker logs in , he will find if any Listeners ( that he had previously shortlisted ) are available

   online

    If he finds one , he simply CLICKS on the CABIN icon and enters that VIRTUAL cabin !

   Simultaneously , both the Talker and the Listener , turn on their Skype ( on Mobile or Tablet ) to start the

   talk

    Remember , Skype ID of neither the Talker , nor the Listener , is ever visible to each other !

    All conversation / transaction , can ONLY take place through www...COUCH...com ( no bypassing ! )

 

    The entire conversation will get recorded ( Video + Audio ) and can be downloaded by the Talker ( but not

    By the Listener ) , if he so desires

   

   Portal will be obliged to make this recording available to a Court of Law , in case of any litigation

   Portal will carry a WARNING that it reserves the right to remove any Talker or a Listener , if it finds that its

  service is being misused / abused ( will need defining , in detail )

#  REPUTATION SYSTEM
    At the end of each " talk / conversation " ,  
Talker will be obliged to " Rate " the concerned Listener

    on a 5 point scale ( Excellent > Horrible ) .

    Cumulative / Average " Rating " will be prominently displayed for guidance of all Talkers .

 

    Of course , a Listener can see his own rating as soon as he logs in

   At some future date , it should be possible ( through appropriate software ) , to introduce following variations

  In pricing of the service ( ie ; Hourly Rates ) :

   *  Surge Pricing ( depending upon the DEMAND  of any given Listener ) ie: No of Talkers waiting for a given

       Listener at a given point of time

   *  Reputation Pricing , based on points accumulated by a given Listener from all past ratings

 

#  USAGE  HISTORY
    For each user ( 
Listener or Talker ) , there will be a Usage History page of all the past transactions / talks ;

    As also Credit Balance ( for the Talker ) and the Earnings ( for the Listener )

 #  PRIVACY
    The portal will 
NOT reveal any info / data ( including Audio-Video recording ) of any user to anyone else.
    However , portal will reserve the rights to subject those Audio recordings ( but not Video recordings ) to
    an Artificial Intelligence ( AI ) software , which can , over a course of time , come up with a SOFTWARE

    ROBOT that can take over the role of the HUMAN listeners !  If you have any doubts , ask Ray Kurzweil  !

    When that happens , this portal may morph into a PPO ( Psychology Process Outsourcing ) !

    The portal will also reserve the rights to use the Audio recordings for offering Voice-to-Voice language

     translation mobile app for the benefit of world-travellers

 #  PROMOTING  THE  SERVICE

     To an extent , the portal may affect the jobs of local Psychologists / Psycho-Analysts who offer low level

     consulting in any country. They will be in danger of being " Bangalored " ! So , it is bound to face resistance

     from those vested / threatened interests !
     But foreign Hospitals / Educational Institutions / NGOs / Medical Colleges , etc could be targeted for

    promoting

#  BUSINESS  MODEL
    Business Model will be in the nature of " 
Sharing Economy " , where those owning / possessing " Idle /

    Spare / Under-utilized " assets / resources , will offer the same to those in need / when in need , for a price
    Eg:
    Millions of private car-owners use their cars for ( may be ) two hours per day . Uber aggregates this spare

    capacity and makes it available to travelers who do not own ( or wish to own ) their own cars

    Both parties benefit . Economy also benefits by fuller utilization of the spare/surplus capacities of millions of

    assets

All in all , I think this is a great opportunity for some Indian Start Up to seize

 

Dear Alan Cowen :

Congratulations for your innovation which is bound to REVOLUTIONIZE , conversational AI

I would love to integrate it to enable my VIRTUAL AVATAR ( www.HemenParekh.ai ) to answer 51,400 questions with appropriate EMOTIONS ( - in all of 26 languages ? )

With regards,

Hemen Parekh

www.HemenParekh.ai  /  01 April 2024