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Saturday, December 8, 2012

Geochemical Environment

The Geochemical Environment is defined by the surrounding conditions of pressure, temperature, and abundance of chemical components. The geochemical environment influences the ore body formation and dispersion. Therefore a clear understanding of the geochemical environment is essential in mineral exploration.

The geochemical environment can be classified into two types based on the conditions of temperature, pressure and chemistry. They are,
1. Endogenic Environment.
2. Exogenic Environment.

The Endogenic Environment is the deep-seated environment in which forces driven by earth's internal heat predominate. Since rock formation often takes place in this environment, it is also called the "Primary Environment". Metamorphic conditions, magmatic, igneous conditions, activities in the vicinity of plate boundaries and sometimes deep seated sedimentary conditions are geological activities that are prominent in the endogenic environment. The endogenic environment can be characterized by,
- high temperature
- high pressure
- lack of free oxygen
- lack of free water and CO2
- restricted movement of fluids

The Exogenic Environment is the surficial environment in which forces are mainly driven by solar energy. It is also termed the "Secondary Environment". Geological activities present in the exogenic environment are, weathering, erosion, transportation and sedimentation. The exogenic environment can be characterized by,
- low temperature
- low pressure
- abundant free oxygen
- abundant water and CO2
- free movement of solutions

These two environments are connected to each other and material gets transported from one to another creating a closed system. Driven by the natural forces described above this dynamic system can be simplified and depicted in the diagram below. A good understanding of this cycle can help decision making in the mineral exploration process.

the geochemical cycle(Image from "Geochemistry in Mineral Exploration" by Rose et al)



Friday, December 7, 2012

The Hobbit at Savoy 3D

"The Hobbit - An Unexpected Journey" will be screened at Savoy 3D cinema from the 15th of December 2012. "Savoy 3D" is Sri Lanka's largest 3D cinema and is equipped with the latest RealD XLS digital 3D projection system. The movie has been shot in 3D (not a post conversion) and therefore fans can expect a better and immersive experience in the Lord of the Rings universe. However like in certain previous occasions, the release date given above may change unexpectedly. So it's better to be ready for something like that to avoid disappointment.




The movie is based on J.R.R. Tolkein's novel "The Hobbit". This book was written before the much acclaimed Lord of the Rings trilogy and serves as a prequel to it. It relates the adventures of a Hobbit called Bilbo Baggins. This movie, "The Hobbit - An Unexpected Journey" will be the first of a new trilogy set in the same universe and is expected to be followed by the two movies subtitled as "The Desolation of Smaug" and "there and Back Again".

Ardent fans of Lord of the Rings trilogy will be counting days until the release of this movie, while those who are new to the Lord of the Rings Universe like myself, will probably read the book before going to see the movie.

Official site : http://www.thehobbit.com/



Monday, November 26, 2012

Basics of Photogeology

The interpretation of Aerial Photographs for geological purposes is termed Photogeology. This a form of Remote Sensing. The primary objective of Photogeology is, to identify geological structures and rock types of an area and to prepare a geological map of the area. Photogeology is usually employed before field geological work in order to get a general idea of the geological features of the area. The observations and inferences obtained from Photogeology are then confirmed by using field data.

The analysis of aerial photographs in photogeology is done using the same elements of interpretation. "Tone" is used in the identification of rock type. Generally lighter tones indicate rock types like Quartzite. Tone is also used in the identification of the density of vegetation which in turn provides clues about the underlying rock. Usually dense vegetation can be seen in area where the rock Khondalite is present and in areas where Quartzite is abundant, very little or no vegetation is present.

By using a stereoscope to view the three dimensional topography of the area structural features such as ridges, valleys and slopes can be identified. Due to differences in hardness and the extent of weathering, certain rock types show characteristic structural features. For example, Marble and Hornblendebiotite Gniess are found at the bottom of valleys because they are highly prone to weathering. Rocks that are much harder and are resistant to weathering like Quartzite, Granite and Granitic Gneiss usually form ridges.

geological features in an aerial photograph

When viewing outcrops from above, for example in a ridge like structure, by looking at the texture on either side of the ridge, the direction of dip and strike can be inferred. Since the side where multiple layers of rock are exposed undergoes differential weathering that side become ragged and rough. This side is termed the escarpment face. The side on which a single layer of rock is exposed undergoes uniform weathering and therefore is relatively smooth. This side is the Dip slope. Therefore, generally the side of a ridge that has a relatively smooth texture indicates the direction of dip.

cross section of a ridge

The drainage pattern and shapes of marshes lakes etc also provide clues about the geological structure of the area. A drainage pattern like shown in the first diagram indicates a homogeneous and relatively flat rock while a pattern like in the second diagram indicates a highly jointed rock. In addition to this, the displacement of any feature along a line indicates a rock fault.




Once all possible features are identified form the aerial photograph, a geological map of the area is plotted. This map is referred and then the data is confirmed by using field data.

 

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Short 'n' Sweet Masterpiece

Producing a good short film is a challenge. Due to the limited time available to convey the message, it is essential to strike the right balance between providing enough plot details and allowing for a smooth gradual flow of the story. The short film "The Secret Number" directed by Colin Levy does this beautifully. It has a brilliant screenplay that rivals feature length Hollywood productions and although only 13 minutes long it feels like you watched a full movie at the end of it.

Here is the full short film, enjoy!


Here is the plot summary of the movie in case you missed a few points during the first viewing. 

A psychiatrist meets with a patient of his who is a mathematician and claims to have found a "secret" integer between 3 and 4. He calls this integer "bleem". The psychiatrist dismisses this claim saying that it violates common sense. Although the mathematician insists that this number lies in another dimension which is not perceived by us, the psychiatrist still refuses to believe that he is sane and instructs the attendant at the mental institution to lock up the mathematician. That night the psychiatrist dreams of an accident that occurred when he was a child where an old man was hit and killed by the car he was travelling in. The following morning he goes to the mental institution and finds out that the mathematician is not in his cell. It is also seen that the mathematician has performed loads of calculations in search of the secret number. It is implied that the mathematician was successful in finding this secret number and in doing so he gained access to a hidden dimension which allowed him to travel through time. In the final scene it is seen that the old man hit by the car when the psychiatrist was a child was this mathematician, and the pen he used to do the calculations on the wall and some jellybeans which were with him are seen fallen on the road.



Monday, November 12, 2012

Stereoscopic Analysis of Aerial Photographs

Aerial Photographs were the primary source of visual information used in Remote Sensing before satellite imagery became widely available. Stereoscopic analysis of aerial photographs were widely used for reconnaissance purposes during the world war. Apart from this, interpretation of aerial photographs have proven to be useful in various field of study such  as geology, surveying, mine planning and development and even environmental studies.

aerial photographs, stereoscopes and a map.

A typical aerial photograph usually contains, information such as the flight line, time of capture, altitude and the photo number. The flight line and photo number becomes useful when locating the photographed area on a map. The scale of the photo is also an important detail. The scale can be obtained by dividing focal length of the camera by the vertical distance from the imaged ground, to the camera. Aerial photographs can be panchromatic(black and white), colour, or in any other band of the electromagnetic spectrum. These details should be selected depending on the scope and objective of the image analysis.

In the process of interpreting aerial images, several interpretative elements are used in order to make the task of identifying and interpreting objects in aerial photographs easier and systematic. These elements of interpretation are,

Shape - The general outline or form of the object. regular and irregular shapes can help identify natural and artificial object.

Tone/Colour - It refers to the relative brightness or colour of an image. While in colour images, objects can be identified by it associated natural colour alone, in panchromatic images identification is slightly more difficult with varying shades of grey.

Size - Refers to the physical extent or the dimensions of the object. It is often useful to assess sizes of objects relative to each other.

Texture - Refers to the frequency of tonal change in an area of an image. can be described as smooth, coarse etc. For example; water appears smooth while a forest canopy shows a rough texture.

Shadow - shadows provide valuable information about the height of an object while also being a tool of identification of certain features in monotonous areas. For example, shadows can help identify lamp posts, water towers which would otherwise be misinterpreted because of its plan view. Shadows can also help identify sand dunes in a desert.

Pattern - Pattern is the spacial arrangement of objects on the landscape. can be describes as regular, ordered, irregular symmetric etc. Can help distinguish agriculture from natural vegetation.

Association - refers to the fact that certain features and activities are always related to the presence of certain other features and activities. This association of one object to another helps the process of identification and also can provide additional information of the area under analysis. For example, a populated area indicates the presence of roads and other infrastructure and an area with fuel tanks, chimneys etc could imply that the area under observation is a power station.

Identifying most of these features using two dimensional images is a very difficult task and can lead to confusion.The identification of the objects in a photograph using the above elements becomes very easy in three dimensions. In order to view aerial images in 3D, a modified version of the simple lens stereoscope is used. 

stereoscope

 This stereoscope which is used in aerial photograph interpretation, consists of a set of mirrors that reflect the aerial photographs laid on the table into the two eyepieces. The photographs used here are overlapping each other and by viewing a two slightly displaced images through each eye, the 3D effect is created.

While proving clues about an objects height, a three dimensional view of an area can also avoid confusion created by similar textures and tones. For example, mountainous terrain without significant vegetation can appear as a flat terrain if not for the stereoscopic view. It also helps to follow the flow path of streams and rivers where subtle tone changes or other disturbances have hindered a direct view.



Sunday, November 11, 2012

Geochemical Exploration

Geochemical Exploration is defined as, "The systematic measurement of one or more chemical properties of naturally occurring materials to identify abnormal chemical patterns or geochemical anomalies related to mineralization". In simple words it means, the identification of mineral deposits by the use of chemical methods. Although geochemical exploration alone is insufficient to detect and pinpoint ore reserves, it is used in conjunction with geologic and geophysical exploration methods. However when the effectiveness of geologic or geophysical methods become limited due to certain reasons, geochemical prospecting becomes a useful tool to confirm the presence of mineral deposits.

The term "Mineral deposit" is defined as an abnormal concentration of a naturally occurring material(Note that "economic viablity of extraction" is not included in the definition anymore). Since an abnormal concentration of any naturally occurring material is bound to leave behind traces, the objective of geochemical exploration is to identify these clues left by the mineral deposit and to use them to locate it.

Geochemical exploration usually includes the measurement of concentrations of group elements, trace elements, and single elements in,
- Soil, rock, Sediment
- Water, (sea/river)
- Plant material
- Glacial Debris
to determine geochemical anomalies that might indicate a mineralization. Before carrying out the investigation it is essential to have an idea about the behaviour and characteristics of the chemicals involved, the exploration methods to be used and the analytical techniques to be used. Once these factors are considered, proper planning and preparation will help optimize the exploration.

Depending upon the ways of sampling and analysis several methods of Geochemical exploration or surveys can be defined.

Stream sediment surveys - this is of two types, stream sediment panned concentrate surveys and stream sediment surveys. this method is used when heavy minerals and chemicals that bond with clay are involved.

Soil Geochemical surveys - used when looking for surface mineralizations especially in sedimentary environments.

Hydro Geochemical surveys - in analyses for highly soluble and mobile chemical elements.

Bedrock Geochemical surveys - This is usually done during  the last stages of the exploration in order to confirm the mineralization.

Biogeochemical surveys - Although rarely used, in certain cases of mineralization, plants that grow in the area show certain characteristics that point to the mineralization - in the case of copper the leaves of a certain plant that grows in the vicinity turns to a brownish colour due to the absorption of copper.

Considering the conditions and expected methods of mineralization, a suitable geochemical exploration methods can be adopted if required along with geologic and geophysical methods in order to identify areas of mineralization.


Monday, October 29, 2012

Lens Stereoscopy

3D viewing is widely used in cinemas today. Technologies such as, Active Shutter, Polarization and Interference filter method are used for 3D projection. In all these methods the basic idea is to provide two different images to each eye like we naturally perceive the world. Then the brain does the rest of the work and combines those images to perceive depth. Although 3D vision is most common in movies at present, in the past it was used in Remote Sensing for military purposes. The instrument used for this purpose is the Stereoscope.

the stereoscope with an image

The Stereoscope consists of two lenses resting on a stand that focus on the two separate images of the stereoscopic image sheet. When looking through the two lenses, each eye sees a slightly different image that is meant for that eye and this results in the perception of depth - the image appears 3 dimensional. This is very useful in analyzing aerial photographs because it allows viewing the ground terrain in 3D.


test image for stereoscopic vision

Shown above is a test image that is used to check stereoscopic vision. The relative heights at which the symbols appear to be seen can be checked against the actual order of heights which are provided overleaf.


Stereoscope with a test image

While in modern remote sensing, stereoscopes have been replaced by more advanced computerized equipment that not only provide 3D views but also help manipulate images in 3D, the stereoscope helps understand the basics of stereoscopic vision. Lens Stereoscopy can also be considered as the foundation of all modern stereoscopic equipment.


Stepping into Field Geology

While Geology is a field of study that takes place both outdoors in the field and indoors in laboratories, Field Geology is a primary constituent of Geology. Most of the activities that are involved in Geology like sample collecting, mapping and recording takes place in the field. When moving into field geology for the first time, several important points need to be considered.

The first thing that needs to be considered is, Safety in the field. Mostly this means to be aware and protect one's self against threats from nature and wild animals. For this purpose a thorough knowledge about the surroundings, proper equipment and first aid facilities are essential. In the case of snake bites it is useful to know the closest hospital or medical center equipped with anti-venom serums. In addition to the above, proper usage of tools like the hammer and chisel will reduce the likelihood of an accident.

Once the safety is taken care of, the right tools and equipment related to field work must be made available. The common tools used in field geology are, Geological Compass(Brunton pocket transit or Silva compass), Hand lens(10X), Hammer and chisel, waterproof field book, mineral testing kit and sample bags. In addition to these basic tools, additional tools such as camera, GPS, binoculars  gold pans, metal detectors and Geiger  counters may be used for specific requirements.

The Geological Compass is arguably the most useful tool at the disposal at the Geologist or Engineer. In addition to the obvious purpose of locating the direction of north and calculating the bearing, a geological compass has the following functions.
- Finding the dip and Strike of geological features such  as foliation, joints bedding planes etc.
- Measuring slope angles
- approximating heights of objects
- a level
When using a compass, it is essential to keep away from vehicles, power lines and any other magnetized objects. This means that the Hammer and chisel also needs to be kept aside when using the compass. With the emergence of smartphones with magnetic sensors and accelorometers, applications that perform similar to a geological compass have been developed. One such application that can be used for traversing, calculating Dip and Strike along with a host of other useful functions is, Rocklogger which is available for the Android mobile platform.

Another important aspect of Field Geology is Sample Collection. When collecting rock samples, an approximate sample size of 3"x3"x3" or 4"x4"x4" is preferred. Weathered rock samples are generally avoided unless it is a specific requirement. Once collected, sharp edges should be trimmed off before bagging the sample to avoid tearing the bag. Cloth bags made out of a cotton fabric are usually used for this purpose. Samples should also be numbered systematically. While there is no hard and fast rule for this, a meaningful numbering system incorporating information such as collection year, area, and collectors initials is used to avoid confusion.

Field photography is also a requirement in certain cases. When taking a picture always a scale should be used. For small objects, a pen or another small object with a known size must be in the picture. In the case of photographing macro structures, wetting the surface of the rock helps to bring out the fine details on the surface. Care should be taken to avoid shadows to fall on a part of the rock when  photographing because it could lead to misinterpretation.

Brunton Compass - image from wikipedia






Wednesday, October 24, 2012

An Introduction to Remote Sensing

Remote Sensing, like the name implies, means observing and gathering information of an object from afar. In this sense we humans perform remote sensing all the time with our eyes and ears, where eyes and ears are our remote sensing equipment. However when moving away from the basics and expanding the scope of observation, many factors become involved and remote sensing becomes a broad and detailed area of study. Incorporating all these ideas, a general definition for remote sensing can be given as,

"The art and science of obtaining information about an object without being in direct contact with the object"

Remote sensing is extensively used in observing the earth and the environment for various purposes. The most common application of remote sensing is done in mine development, disaster mitigation and large scale environmental studies. Depending on the application, the sensors and the type of radiation used, the method of recording and processing and the analysis of the data will differ.

The major components in remote sensing are,
- an energy source for illumination :- usually the sun or an artificial source of radiation.
- medium of travel for energy :- the atmosphere.
- sensor :- orbits in a satellite eg. Landsat, Quickbird
- receiver on earth :- gathers the data transmitted from the satellite.
- equipment for interpretation and analysis of data :- remote sensing software.

All remote sensing systems have four types of resolution. They are,
- Spatial resolution :- refers to the pixel resolution of the image produced.
- Spectral resolution :- refers to the range of EM radiation that can be detected. A broader range increases the scope of analysis.
- Temporal resolution :- refers to the orbital period of the satellite carrying the sensor. Faster the period, higher the resolution.
- Radiometric resolution :- refers to the differences of the intensity of radiation that can be distinguished by the sensor. Given as a bit range. A higher bit range can distinguish smaller variations.

Once all the above details are decided according to the application, remote sensing is performed. Then a "reflectance pattern" is produced from the gathered data. By comparing these patterns with the spectral signatures of known objects, the type and extent of the sensed objects on the earth can be inferred. In addition to various applications on earth, remote sensing is also used in other planets to gather data about surface conditions etc without landing on the planet.

Remote sensing in Mars. image form wikipedia


 

Monday, October 22, 2012

A Diamond is Forever

Gemstones have been objects of desire since ancient times and are commonly seen as symbols of wealth and prosperity. The field of Gemmology aims to identify, classify and add value to gem material. Of all the gemstones identified, the diamond holds a special place due to various reasons. While already being the most sought after gem stone, efforts companies like De Beers have increased the value of diamonds even more. An example is, the De Beers advertising slogan "A Diamond is Forever". This slogan increased diamond sales to such an extent that a diamond was a part of almost every engagement ring. It was coined by Frances Gerety and is regarded as the best advertising slogan of the 20th century.

The value of a gemstone usually depends on its beauty, rarity and hardness. Although these are very vague terms and beauty is not quantifiable, the factors that contribute to beauty are colour and clarity. In gemstones like aquamarine, value generally increases with colour intensity. In blue saphire, the value is highest at a particular colour, termed the "optimum colour". Clear gemstones without any intrusions or impurities are usually cut so that they are faceted. translucent, opaque or sometimes clear stones with intrusions are cut with a convex top and are called "cabochons". Even opaque stones can be valued highly due to properties such as Chatoyancy (cat's eye) eg- Chrysoberyl. and Asterism eg. Star saphire. Among so many varieties of stones the clear, faceted diamond is the most sought after.

The other factor that contributes to the value of a gemstone is its rarity. while gemstones are naturally rare, the demand for it creates an increase in value. However in some cases the rarity can be increased by the producers or traders of gemstones by stockpiling and controlling the release of gemstones to the market, like what De Beers did when they held the monopoly in the diamond business at a certain period of time. These practices however, rarely take place today. Hardness is the other key property of a gem quality material. A high hardness value means high durability and therefore it stands the test of time. Whether it's the case of beauty, rarity or hardness, the diamond clearly stands on top.


image from : wikipedia

Monday, October 15, 2012

The Evolution of Human Resource Management

Human Resource Management is a diverse field that aims to bring out the best in employees in order to accomplish organizational goals while facilitating personal development of the employees as well. Most organizations in various industries have embraced Human Resource Management as a core function of the organization and are reaping its benefits. Although field of HRM is a comparatively recent development, its roots can be traced back to the pre-industrial era.

During the pre-industrial era the closest thing to the employer-employee relationships was the relationship between landowners and slaves. Here the landowner had the slave/s at his disposal and had complete power over him/them. Although it is a violation of human rights according to present standards, slavery was commonplace until it was abolished in many parts of the world.

The industrial revolution resulted in the creation of the factory system. Now the relationship shifted to, owners of factories and workers. It was during this time that The theory of Scientific Management was put forward by Frederick Winslow Taylor. In Scientific management, ways in which efficiency of a factory could be increased were discussed. Although some of these methods included training of employees and selecting the employees with the right skills, even this was a long way from the modern HRM approach because among the basic assumptions in Scientific Management were the notions that, man is an "economic animal" and that money was the primary factor in motivating employees.

An improvement of Scientific Management came in the form of the "the Modern Management Theory" by Henry Fayol. In this theory fair treatment of all employees is argued while giving more consideration to the proper treatment of employees. In this theory Fayol also claims that people can be motivated by more than just money. This was a major milestone in the road towards modern Human Resource Management because employee motivation and fair treatment of employees are key areas in modern HRM.

After the modern management theory and its successors came into place, the Human relations movement began taking shape. With this came the labour movement and the state got involved in the protection of employee rights. This resulted in a tripartite relationship between the state, employer and employee that aims to bring stability to the industry while working for the benefit of all three parties.

Now with the state involved and legal matters involved in the field of employment, organizations felt the need of "Personnel Management". personnel management, as the name implies is meant to manage employees in an organization. It focused mainly on getting the right employees for the organization to perform a job while also fulfilling the legal requirements and ensuring that employee rights are not violated.

While Personnel Management was effective in the short term, it did not produce significant improvements for an organization in the long run. Thus organizations opted for another option that would be fruitful in the long term. This was the beginning of Human Resources Management. Like the name says, HRM considers employees as a "resource" to be developed. Therefore, a key area in HRM is providing development and career advancement opportunities to employees. In other words HRM aims not to provide just a job, but to provide a career to their employees. Human Resource Management aims to attain organizational objectives by simultaneously developing its employees, and this approach has been proven to be successful.



Sunday, September 9, 2012

Upcoming Movies

Some of the big movie releases like The Avengers, The Dark Knight Rises, MIB3, The Amazing Spiderman, and The Bourne Legacy made their way to cinemas in Sri Lanka over the past few months. However, one of the most anticipated movies of 2012, "Prometheus" which was also reviewed as one of the few "good" 3D movies of the year did not make it to any movie theater in Sri Lanka.

Here are three upcoming movies that look interesting. We'll have to wait and see whether these three movies will be screened at cinemas in Sri Lanka.

Looper

image from Wikipedia

Looper is a science fiction film starring Bruce Willis, Joseph Gordon Levitt(Robin Blake in TDKR) and Emily Blunt. It has a plot related to time travel and Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon Levitt both play the same character at different ages of his life. Aside from the possible paradoxes arising due to the time travel plot, the film seems to be an entertaining action flick.


Cloud Atlas

image from Wikipedia

This is termed an ""experimental" movie because it differs in style to most movies produced today. It is based on a book of the same name and revolves around six different narratives. It is a drama film with sci-fi elements. While the reception at the Toronto film festival has been positive, its uniqueness might also be off-putting to some.


Dredd 3D

image from Wikipedia

This movie can be seen under the upcoming movies section in the EAP movies website. It will most probably come to Savoy 3D after Step Up Revolution. It is an adaptation of a comic strip "Judge Dredd" and is set in the future. While it looks like a low budget cheesy sci-fi movie, so far it has got positive reviews from the rotten tomatoes website. The story revolves around a violent cop who is given the power of judge, jury and executioner to maintain law and order.




Friday, September 7, 2012

The Games Behind Portal

The first person puzzle game, Portal became instantly popular due to its unique gameplay and humorous script. It was a fresh new addition to the video game industry and it left gamers yearning for more after completing the brilliant but short game. The release of Portal 2 was well recieved by gamers and critics alike because it brought back the unique gameplay of portal with additional elements in a full-length gaming package. The custom map editor of portal 2 brought about more opportunities for fans to immerse themselves in the puzzle riddled portal universe.

After completing both Portal games and additional maps, if you are still looking forward to a gaming experience similar to it, then the best place to look for it is, the birthplace of the concepts of these games - DigiPen Institute of Technology. DigiPen Institute is a leading game developing institute that has produced prolific game developers over the past few years.

The game that Portal is based upon is, Narbacular Drop. The idea of solving puzzles by manipulating objects through a system of portals was introduced in Narbcular Drop. Unlike in Portal though, it has a fantasy background and it's possible to create portals through an existing portal. The entire development team of Narbacular Drop was hired by Valve corporation to work on Portal. Being the predecessor to Portal, this game is definitely worth checking out. This game can be downloaded through the link at he end of this post.




The concept of propulsion and repulsion gels in portal 2 is also taken from a game called "Tag - the power of paint" which was also developed by students at DigiPen institute and just like before, hired by Valve to work on Portal 2. In Tag, the player is equipped with a paint gun that can spray different colours of paint onto surfaces that will give the player special abilities which are to be used to solve puzzles. Follow the link below to download.




 To download these games,

Narbacular Drop

Tag - The Power of Paint



Tuesday, September 4, 2012

A Brief History of Management

Management is an essential component in any business or organization and it applies at every level in all types of organizations. Management can be defined as "The attainment of organizational goals in an effective and efficient manner through planning, organizing, leading and controlling organizational resources." The terms planning, organizing, leading and controlling are called "management functions". Today management is a broad area of study that has been developed throughout the past century and is still evolving.

The invention of the steam engine by James Watt kick-started the industrial revolution. With the industrial revolution, the concept of a factory emerged. Factories that did mass production with thousands of workers from different backgrounds mushroomed in the industrial world and thus a need for management arose. The idea of management at that time was to bring efficiency and order to an otherwise chaotic workplace.

This was the time when management was perceived and studied as a science. Frederick Winslow Taylor is considered the father of Scientific management. Through his experience and observations, Frederick Taylor came up with scientific management which aimed at increasing efficiency at the production level. In his monograph "The principles of Scientific Management", he highlighted four principles. They are
1. Study the way a job is performed and create a new scientific way to perform it with maximum productivity
2. Codify the new method into rules and train and equip the workers with the new method
3. Select workers whose skills match the rules developed and provide detailed instruction and supervision.
4. Establish fair levels of performance and reward higher performance.
In Scientific Management it it assumed that man is an "economic animal" and that money is the motivating factor. Also this system of management only applies at the operational level of the organization.

While efforts in management were only applied to the operational level of an organization, gradually attention moved to the upper hierarchical levels of the organization. This led to the development of the "Modern Management theory". A french mining engineer Henry Fayol is considered the father of modern management theory. Fayol was the first to define the 4 management functions quoted in the first paragraph of this post. In his book, "Industrial and general Administration", he divided all administrative activities into six categories. They are,
1. Technical
2. Commercial
3. Financial
4. Security
5. Accounting
6. Administrative
He also proposed 14 principles of administration - Division of work, Authority and responsibility, discipline, unity of command, unity of management, subordination of individual interests to the common good. remuneration, centralization, hierarchy, order, equity, stability of the staff, initiative, espirit de corps.
Unlike Taylor's Scientific management which focused in the operational level of an organization, Fayol's theory of management focused in the managerial level. Fayol also claimed that workers can be motivated by more than just money and also argued for equal treatment of all workers.

While the management process that is practiced today is mostly based on Fayol's theories, certain aspects of management are still evolving. The functions of management are interconnected and each function needs to be performed collectively and to various degrees for the management process to be successful. Although based on scientific principles management also requires a certain level of creativity in application. The management process can also depend on factors such as the culture and structure of the organization. By adapting to this dynamic nature and selecting the proper approach to management, organizations will be able to succeed in today's world.

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Breaking Google Doodle Olympic Records

The recent series of Olympic Google doodles are really fun. It's a great way to waste a couple of minutes and compete with your friends or co-workers. But it can be very frustrating when you always end up getting a lower score than your buddies ;).. So here is a way to become a champion in the doodle olympics. Keep in mind however that this is a way of cheating the doodle, so if you are not keen on cheating then stop reading  now. :D

Assuming that you are ready and willing to cheat in the doodle olympics, here's how you do it. (Instructions given here are for the Google Chrome browser) For this demonstration I have used the most recent slalom canoe doodle, but the basics are the same for any event. First, take you own cool time and finish the game and obtain your result.


Then right click anywhere on the doodle and select "Inspect element"


In the window that opens, locate the four lines that I have bracketed in green. You can use the search feature on the top right corner of the page element window to locate it quickly. (Click on the image to enlarge)


These are the lines that are required to be changed to change your result. The first line contains you timing. double click on it and change it to your desired timing. The next three lines are for the three gold medals that accompany the timing. The last three letters in these three lines will be "smg" or "smh". Change all three to "smg" to get all three gold medals.


Make the changes and close the page element window to view your doctored result. Now go and brag to your friends! :D

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

3D at Savoy, MC Superior or MC Platinum?

A couple of months ago MC Superior was the only 3D cinema in Sri Lanka. Now there are three 3D cinemas. After the conversion of the old theaters Savoy Wellawatte and Majestic Platinum to 3D, movie fans can now choose which movie they want to see in 3D. These three 3D cinemas in Colombo use three different 3D projection technologies. Each has its advantages and disadvantages and so, here is rundown of all three 3D systems in the three cinemas.

MC Superior 3D uses the Dolby 3D system which is an interference filter method. The glasses used in it are passive and contain wavelength filtering lenses. It is a relatively new technology and produces high contrast vivid colour images while minimizing ghosting.

MC Platinum 3D uses an active shutter technology which is also used used in most 3D televisions. Active glasses that are powered by batteries are used. Due to the shutter effect, in the long run due to problems in batteries and IR emitters, flickering can be a problem. However at the moment no such problems are present at MC Platinum, and hopefully it remains that way.

The latest addition, Savoy 3D uses the RealD XLS system with the latest Sony 4K projector. Lightweight, circularly polarized glasses are used. to compensate for the light loss during polarization a Silver screen is used here. The Sony 4K projector has a very high resolution and simultaneous projection of both left and right eye images give rise to a smooth 3D effect.


More information : http://www.d3dcinema.com/uploads/files/Upgrade%20Chart.pdf

UPDATE (19/2/2014)

MC Platinum 3D No longer uses the problematic active shutter technology. They have switched to a polarization method with lightweight, passive glasses like in Savoy.



Sunday, July 29, 2012

Active shutter 3D technology

The recently converted MC Platinum 3D uses the active shutter technology. It is the same technology that is used in most 3D televisions. The basic concept here is to provide the left eye and right eye images to the left and right eye sequentially by blocking the view of one eye at a time. This is achieved by the use of liquid crystal shutter glasses. the view through one lens is blocked using the liquid crystal layer between the lens while the other lens remains transparent and shows the corresponding image. this alternating shutter effect happens very rapidly and is synchronized with the images projected (or displayed) on the screen. This method is also called the Eclipse method.

MC Platinum 3D uses shutter glasses of the brand Hi Shock. Active shutter glasses need to be powered by batteries and they wirelessly communicate with the projector or the television in order to synchronize the shutters. In order to avoid flicker the refresh rate needs to be very high. The refresh rates are usually double that of normal projection or other 3D projection systems. The brightness also needs to be higher than normal just like in polarized 3D systems.



shutter glasses at MC Platinum 3D

More information : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_shutter_3D_system


UPDATE (19/2/2014)

MC platinum 3D No longer uses the Active Shutter system. Recently they switched to a polarized filter system similar to that of Savoy 3D. The lightweight, passive glasses used in this method means that flickering and other problems associated with active shutter systems will no longer ruin your movie experience.




Saturday, July 28, 2012

Was Banning DDT a Mistake?

Banning of the pesticide DDT is often credited as one of the best decisions made for the betterment of human beings and the environment. However this decision has also led to more than 30 million deaths since it was implemented. It was a decision made without any scientific basis and has resulted in irreparable losses in developing countries.

DDT was banned in 1972 by the EPA claiming that DDT is a carcinogen and has harmful effects if exposed to the environment. Public support for this cause came by means of a then best selling book by Rachel Carson, known as "Silent Spring". However it has been found out that Silent Spring was not based on sound scientific findings and also that the decision made by the EPA to ban DDT was based on fraudulent reports and was a result of bureaucracy.

DDT was a very effective pesticide that was used to control malaria. Countless scientific experiments have reported that DDT has no harmful effects on humans or nature. But apparently these scientific findings have not been considered when deciding to ban the said pesticide that ultimately led to millions of deaths. The negative effects of banning DDT is most felt in developing countries. For instance, in Sri Lanka alone, spraying of DDT has reduced the number of malaria cases from 2.8 million in 1948 to 17 in 1963. After the ban was imposed, the number has risen again to 2.5 million.
(source : http://dwb.unl.edu/Teacher/NSF/C06/C06Links/www.altgreen.com.au/Chemicals/ddt.html)

The actual reasoning behind the decision to ban such a useful pesticide is not known. Developed countries don't feel the impact of it as much as the developing countries do. In spite of this, forcing developing countries also to ban DDT is clearly not justified. Just like most cases in the modern world, it seems the agency behind this decision had its own agenda and gains to make from such a decision.

More information : http://www.jpands.org/vol9no3/edwards.pdf

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Savoy 3D - Sri Lanka's first RealD XLS Cinema

Reaching a new milestone in the Sri Lankan film industry, EAP Films and Theaters Pvt Ltd has brought the latest RealD XLS 3D projection system to the recently revamped Savoy Cinema in Wellawatte. RealD XLS is a new 3D projection system that uses the new Sony 4K projector to provide a better and smoother 3D experience. This has given the opportunity to all Sri Lankan moviegoers to watch latest Hollywood 3D blockbusters in a state of the art cinema complex right here in Sri Lanka. This is great news to all movie fans in the country.

RealD is the most widely used stereoscopic 3D projection technology in the world and has several advantages over other systems. RealD uses circularly polarized light to project images onto a silver screen which the viewer sees through circular polarized glasses with oppositely polarized lenses (clockwise and anti clockwise) for each eye. Circular polarization is better than linear polarization because unlike in linear polarization,it does not require the viewer to keep his/her head upright in order to maintain the 3D effect. In circular polarization tilting the head or any other movements do not affect the polarization and allows for a more natural and comfortable viewing experience. The glasses are also lightweight, passive(unlike active shutter glasses) and are easy to use.

image from wikipedia

The conventional RealD system uses the "triple flash" projection technique in which each left and right eye image is flashed three times in a single frame. This can give rise to subtle ghosting and stuttering during motion. The Sony 4K projector eliminates this problem by projecting both the left and right eye images simultaneously onto the screen. The 4K projector also projects images at a very high resolution(4,096 by 2,160) This gives rise to smooth and natural 3D images. The RealD XLS Cinema System incorporates the 4K projector and is the latest development in 3D projection.


source :  http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/mkt-digitalcinema/

Savoy 3D uses the RealD XLS Cinema System which utilizes the Sony 4K projector and is the first cinema in South East Asia to do so. While providing a 3D movie experience right here in our own country for a reasonable price that would otherwise require going abroad it also has brought pride to all Sri Lankans. Ice Age 4 will be the first movie to be showcased at Savoy 3D and will be screened from the 26th of July onwards. Tickets can be purchased from : http://www.eapmovies.com


Friday, July 20, 2012

Angles In Time

Have you ever wondered at what time the three hands of a clock-the hour hand, the minute hand and the second hand trisect the circular face of the clock? In other words, at what time would the angles between each hand be exactly equal to 120 degrees?

One possible way of finding this is laying the three hands fixed at 120 degrees apart and rotating all three on a clock face. You must remember though that most orientations obtained like this do not occur in an actual clock because all three hands move relative to each other. For example at 10 minutes and 30 seconds past 10-o-clock (10:10:30/22:10:30), the movement of the minute hand through the 10 minutes will cause the hour hand to shift past 10, thus changing the angle slightly.

This problem can be solved by using the simple equations of motion for the clock hands. The speeds of each hand can be calculated in degrees per second as shown below.
speed of second hand = 360/60 = 6 degrees per second
speed of minute hand = 360/60*60 = 1/10 degrees per second
speed of the hour hand = 360/12*60*60 = 1/120 degrees per second

At a given time t, the angles through which each hand has revolved can be calculated as,
6t,  t/10,  and  t/120 respectively
thus the ratio of the angles revolved are 720 : 12 : 1

Assuming the there is a time where the three clock hands trisect the face of the clock, let the angle swept by the hour hand at this time be a. Then the angle swept by the minute and second hands are 12a and 720 a respectively. Then for trisection of the face,
12a - a = 120 degrees   or   12a - a = 240 degrees.
              12a - a = 120     =>     11a = 120     =>     a = 10.909090.. degrees
              12a = 130.9090... degrees
and        720a  = 7854.5454.. degrees
removing complete revolutions, 7854.5454 - 7560 = 294.5454      
but 294.5454 - 130.9090 = 163.6364 this is NOT equal to 120 degrees.

This is a contradiction and therefore the assumption, "a time where the hands trisect the face of the clock exists" should be false. It can be similarly shown that the case 12a - a = 240 also leads to a contradiction like this. Therefore the three hands of a clock will never trisect the circular face of the clock. For a more detailed explanation of this problem check the following link : http://mathforum.org/library/drmath/view/56788.html

The above answer was arrived at by assuming that all three hands of a clock move seamlessly with a certain velocity. But there are some clocks where the minute hand moves over one minute division after one full rotation of the second hand. In this case the problem  becomes easier and a solution can be found. In order to avoid the shifting of the hands by small amounts we need to make sure that the minute hand points to the 12 position because at that moment the hour hand will point exactly to that particular hour and since the second hand has not completed its revolution around the clock face, the minute hand would also remain there. The answer then is, 20 seconds past 8-o-clock. (08:00:20/20:00:20)

Clock dial obtained from : http://www.thewoodshop.20m.com/clockfaces.htm

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Asteroids as a Resource

Recently, the company planetary resources unveiled their plan to mine asteroids. Their approach to this extremely challenging task by trying to get there in 4 different stages, seems to be a practical. They are planning to mine asteroids for platinum group metals and water. With all this attention to mining from outer space it is worthwhile to consider whether asteroids actually have the potential to be a resource that is economical to exploit.

There is no denying that asteroids contain valuable metals and water in abundance. But these are even found on earth. At the moment there is no shortage of platinum here on earth although it is quite expensive due to the costly extraction process. Unless platinum occurs as pure metal on asteroids, processing will still have to be done, and doing it in outer space is going to be even more difficult.

Looking at this situation it might seem a better option to invest on the existing platinum mining and processing here on earth in order to make it more efficient. However mining from asteroids has the advantage of avoiding the environmental damage created by mining on earth. Also if the platinum demand rises sharply within the next few decades and if it becomes increasingly difficult and costly to mine for platinum on earth, mining it from asteroids will be the best solution.

Although lots of minerals and metals are found in the crust of the earth, most of the heavier metals such as iron and nickel lie inside the core of the earth due to the gradual gravitational sinking of these metals during the formation of the earth. Asteroids however are mostly of small sizes and therefore in most cases the metals are somewhat evenly distributed throughout the volume of the asteroid. This makes mining easier. Even in larger asteroids where metals have settled like on earth, accessing it will be easier.

The other important resource that is planned to mine form asteroids is water. A source of water outside earth is valuable because it would no longer be necessary to carry a heavy load of water in future space missions. It would also pave the way to colonization in space since one of the main challenges faced in such a situation is finding access to an appreciable reserve of water.

If the constituents of water, Hydrogen and Oxygen are separated, they can be used to power rockets. This could also one day lead to fuel stations in space which will not only reduce the cost of space travel but also widen our reach in space. Having both fuel and water readily available in space, our dream to colonize in space will come closer to us.

Mining asteroids seems a far fetched idea and it might not look like it is economical at a first glance. But this situation will change in the future and sometimes asteroid mining might be the only option. We will be able to advance only if we plan for the future and act accordingly. We should remember that before the internal combustion engine was invented, commercial drilling of petroleum seemed unnecessary..

image from : wikipedia

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Magnetic Anomaly Based Indoor Positioning

We know that certain animals have the ability to orient themselves and navigate using the earth's magnetic field. Unfortunately humans do not have that ability and therefore humans have to rely on their ingenuity and technological skill for navigation purposes. From early methods of using celestial bodies for navigation to present day Global Positioning Systems, it is technology that has enabled humans to find their way.

These days most phones are equipped with GPS based navigation and location services. GPS however is not very accurate indoors. A company called Indoor Atlas sets out to solve this problem by offering a unique way to navigate inside buildings. This company which is based in Oulu, Finland and Oxford, UK, has developed a method of navigating indoors using the local variations of earth's magnetic field, or magnetic anomalies. These variations of earth's magnetic field depend on several factors such as mineralogical variations in the ground and surrounding magnetic sources. The unique differences in the magnetic field thus created can be detected and used for navigation purposes.

Most of the smartphones today are equipped with magnetic sensors that enable them to act as digital compasses and are used in mapping and augmented reality apps. these magnetic sensors in smartphones can detect the the said magnetic anomalies. The system Indoor Atlas has developed works in 3 stages. First the users are allowed to add buildings to an online mapping application developed by the company. Then users can use their smartphones to map the building by walking around the building using their smartphones. The phones will detect the magnetic signature and upload the magnetic data to the mapping application. The final step is using mobile applications to use the uploaded magnetic data for navigation purposes. The magnetic data can be downloaded to any device running the application and by comparing the data with the actual magnetic signature positioning can be done. The accuracy of this positioning technology is within 0.1 and 2.0 metres.

This method has several advantages over existing methods that are presently used to navigate indoors such as wifi or radio access points. Unlike these methods, magnetic anomaly based positioning does not require additional hardware or infrastructure. It also won't be affected by radio blackouts or satellite disturbances. It is also interesting to see how this technology will be used in augmented reality applications because there's a lot that can be done with magnetic data if readily available. This technology has a lot of potential to become a groundbreaking success.

magnetic anomalies can be used to navigate inside buildings

More information : http://www.indooratlas.com/
http://web.indooratlas.com/web/WhitePaper.pdf


Sunday, July 8, 2012

Coastal Erosion at Beruwala

Some of the best beaches and coral reefs in Sri Lanka are located in the Beruwala area. The calm and clear waters around the large coral reef near hotel Chaaya Bay Beruwala (formerly known as Beach Hotel Bayroo) is a perfect spot for snorkeling.

Unfortunately this area has undergone severe coastal erosion and pollution. The water has become murky and not a lot of fish can be seen around the coral reef. The reason for coastal erosion in this area is not clear, but it could be due to illegal sand and coral mining.

Beach Nourishment could be a possible solution to this problem. Although not a permanent solution it can help mitigate the effects of erosion for a certain time period. In addition to this, steps must be taken to prevent illegal mining from taking place in the area.







Saturday, July 7, 2012

Tales of a Cricket Match

Anyone who watched the final one day international cricket match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan would agree that it was one of the most exciting matches of the year. The match went right down to the last over and a brilliant performance by the Sri Lankan batsmen at that last over helped Sri Lanka to win the match. But the excitement began only during the last over of the match. Until then it was Pakistan's game all along. People even started leaving the ground because it looked like a certain loss for Sri Lanka before that final over.

At this bleak moment for Sri Lanka in the field, real drama was unfolding in the stands where we were seated. While most of the spectators including myself were bored and worried that Sri Lanka might lose the match, one man was dancing around in a very cheerful mood waving around Rs 50000 in cash betting that Sri Lanka will win the match. People were amused but no one took him seriously. It seemed like he would lose his bet at that time, but Sri Lanka came through thanks to a riveting performance and this person who believed it right from the beginning had the last laugh.






Friday, July 6, 2012

MC Platinum 3D

The Platinum movie theatre of the Majestic Cineplex will be converted to a 3D movie theatre with the arrival of "The Amazing Spiderman" on the 13th of July, according to TicketsLK. The Platinum Cinema is the original movie theatre of Majestic city which is on the 4th floor. The Platinum cinema was renovated while the new Cineplex on the 5th floor was being constructed. This theatre is much larger than the Superior 3D and can accommodate more viewers in a single screening. Here is the banner displayed on TicketsLK with this news.



Like I stated in a previous post, Switching from 2D to 3D and vice versa is not complicated in the case of the Dolby 3D system. It's a matter of engaging and disengaging the colour filter wheel from the projector. The addition of a new 3D cinema means viewers will have the opportunity to see more movies in 3D.


UPDATE : MC Platinum has been converted to 3D and is currently screening The Amazing Spiderman. It uses an active shutter 3D system unlike the MC superior which uses an interference filter method.

UPDATE (19/2/2014)
MC Platinum has switched to a polarization method similar to that of Savoy 3D

the new polarized glasses at MC Platinum