Current Affairs - Technology

ISRO, in collaboration with the Central Manufacturing Technology Institute, developed a 10-tonne vertical planetary mixer, the largest globally for solid propellants. This innovative, indigenous mixer will significantly improve the production of solid rocket motors, which are vital to India’s space transportation systems. The development of this mixer is a major step in advancing India’s spaceflight capabilities, playing a crucial role in ISRO's future space missions.

Zomato introduced ‘Nugget,’ an AI-powered, no-code customer support platform designed to automate customer queries and improve operational efficiency. Developed over three years, Nugget currently handles over 15 million interactions monthly across Zomato's ecosystem, including Blinkit and Hyperpure. The platform aims to resolve up to 80% of customer queries autonomously, utilizing AI technologies like image classification, voice AI agents, and automated quality audits. Zomato's shift towards AI solutions highlights its strategic move into B2B services, helping businesses streamline customer service while maintaining transparency in AI integration.

Meta's Project Waterworth is a major initiative to lay a 50,000-kilometer undersea cable aimed at enhancing digital connectivity between India, the United States, and other regions. The cable will provide faster and more reliable internet, supporting technologies like artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and global business operations. This project is designed to improve digital infrastructure, meet rising global demand for high-speed internet, and connect multiple continents including India, the US, Brazil, and South Africa.

The European Space Agency's (ESA) Euclid mission has made a remarkable discovery of an Einstein ring near galaxy NGC 6505, approximately 590 million light-years away. This rare phenomenon is a result of gravitational lensing, where light from a distant galaxy 4.42 billion light-years away is bent around a massive object. The discovery highlights Euclid's capabilities in studying dark matter and energy.

IIT Kanpur, with the support of NABARD, developed solar dehydration technology to help farmers preserve their agricultural produce. This innovation aims to reduce post-harvest losses and improve farmers' income by allowing them to store fruits and vegetables for longer periods. By using this technique, farmers can sell their produce at peak prices, increasing profitability. The Namami Gange project also conducted live demonstrations and training sessions for farmers to enhance the adoption of this technology, contributing to the sustainable growth of agriculture.