President Droupadi Murmu has given assent to the Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023. The landmark legislation is designed to regulate the processing of personal data in the digital realm. It will come into effect upon a date to be duly notified by the Union Government. This legislation introduces new regulations and amends existing legislation, including the Right to Information Act and the IT Act. At its core, the new Act focuses on the responsible processing of digital personal data to ensure that individuals’ rights are respected. Its key provisions include strict obligations f
Artificial intelligence (AI) could have a more significant impact on the United Kingdom than the Industrial Revolution, said the country’s Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden. The leader warned that the emerging technology could be used by hackers to access sensitive information from the government. Dowden also said that AI could speed up productivity and perform boring aspects of jobs. A total revolution, it is going to transform almost all elements of life over the coming years, even months in some cases, he added. It is much faster than other revolutions that the country has seen and
A team of scientists at the University of California at San Diego, US have used CRISPR-based gene editing to create bacteria they believe can detect tumor DNA in the colons of mice. The researchers note that if the technology is applied successfully to humans, this would represent a non-invasive diagnostic tool that could identify cancer or pre-cancerous DNA. The study was recently published in the journal Science. The researchers targeted a specific trait that certain bacteria have, i.e. the ability to take free-floating DNA from its environment into itself. The team then engineered a cer
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully conducted a series of Drogue Parachute Deployment Tests for India’s proposed human space flight mission, Gaganyaan. The tests were conducted at the Rail Track Rocket Sled (RTRS) facility of the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory, Chandigarh, in collaboration with Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE)/DRDO from August 8-10. India’s Gaganyaan mission entails the safe transportation of astronauts to space and back. The mission deploys drogue parachutes, which play an important role in stabilisi
The United Kingdom’s first drone delivery service has been launched on the Orkney Islands off the coast of Scotland. The joint operation, launched by Royal Mail and Skyports Drone Services on August 1, will initially operate on the islands for three months. Under the new service, mail is being transported from Royal Mail’s Kirkwall delivery office to Stromness, where the drones are delivering items to staff members on Graemsay and Hoy for postal workers to carry out their regular island delivery routes. The Royal Mail, in a statement, said that the drone service is expected to consi
A team of scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has developed a low-cost energy storage system using cement, water and carbon black, a fine black powder primarily formed of pure carbon. The device – a supercapacitor – works like a rechargeable battery and could be integrated into roads and building foundations to facilitate the renewable energy transition, believe the researchers. Unlike batteries, which rely on materials in limited supply such as lithium, the technology could be produced cheaply with materials that are readily available – cement
Artificial intelligence (AI) can detect breast cancer in mammograms as effectively as experienced radiologists, and could cut their workload by about half, according to a new study. The preliminary analysis of a long-term trial of 80,000 women in Sweden, published on August 1 in the journal Lancet Oncology, showed that AI readings of mammograms actually detected 20% more cases of breast cancer than the “standard” reading by two radiologists. The AI assessments were verified by one or two radiologists, depending on the patient’s risk profile. The development has led the researchers
The Government of India on August 4 deferred the implementation of the import restriction order on laptops, computers and tablets by about three months, till October 31. The move now gives more time to electronic companies to import these devices without a licence. On August 3, the Centre put the import of these devices under a licence regime with immediate effect, leading to complaints from industry on the notification. With the latest order, the companies now would need to take a licence from the government to import these devices from November 1. In its order, the Directorate General
Researchers and surgeons at Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health, have successfully implanted a microchip that was developed with artificial intelligence algorithms to re-link a paralysed man’s body and spinal cord, to help him move and feel again. The patient, Keith Thomas, 45, has, thus, become the first human to have the microchip successfully implanted. The native of Massapequa, New York suffered a spine injury after a diving accident in July 2020 that left him paralysed from the chest down and unable to feel. In March 2023, he was implanted the microchip at No
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has introduced Rajmargyatra, a unified mobile application to provide comprehensive information and efficient complaint redressal for national highway users. The user-friendly app is available for download on both Google Play Store and iOS App Store. It is currently available in Hindi and English. The app offers real-time weather conditions, timely broadcast notifications, and details about nearby toll plazas, petrol pumps, hospitals, hotels, and other essential services, ensuring a seamless and safe journey on National Highways. Users can