General Awareness

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY - June 2023

Jun 2023

Jan 26, 2026

AI-powered assistive eyewear launched in Bengaluru for the visually impaired

An AI-enabled assistive eyewear, branded Smart Vision Glasses Ultra, was launched in Bengaluru. Developed by SHG Technologies with clinical validation from Narayana Nethralaya, the device helps visually impaired users read text in multiple languages, recognize currency, identify objects, recognize faces and navigate environments. The eyewear is designed to resemble regular fashion eyewear, aiming for daily practicality and independence for users. The product represents a significant step in assistive technology for mobility and daily living.

Product: Smart Vision Glasses Ultra
Developer: SHG Technologies
Clinical validation: Narayana Nethralaya
Functions: text reading, currency, object, face recognition, navigation
Design: resembles regular eyewear

Spotify launches AI-driven prompted playlist for Premium users in US, Canada

Spotify has rolled out an AI-driven feature called prompted playlist for Premium users in the United States and Canada. The tool uses listening history and voice prompts to tailor playlists. This follows earlier AI updates and aims to attract more users from the free tier to paid subscriptions. The expansion represents ongoing investments in machine learning to enhance user discovery, with potential implications for music streaming competition and consumer choices across markets.

Feature: prompted playlist (AI-driven)
Markets: US and Canada
Input: listening history and voice prompts
Goal: convert free users to Premium
Context: ongoing AI updates in streaming

Humanoid robot ASC ARJUN debuts at Visakhapatnam railway station

A new humanoid robot named ASC ARJUN was launched at Visakhapatnam railway station to boost security and passenger assistance. The rollout was led by Divisional Railway Manager Lalit Bohra and Inspector General (RPF) Alok Bohra. The robot will support security, crowd management, cleanliness monitoring and safety awareness, marking a milestone in Indian Railways’ modernization and digital transformation efforts. Officials say ASC ARJUN will operate alongside human staff to improve passenger experience and safety at busy stations.

Robot name: ASC ARJUN
Location: Visakhapatnam railway station
Role: security, passenger assistance, crowd management
Operator: Railways’ RPF
Significance: first of its kind in Indian Railways

SRIHER unveils 512-slice CT scanner with lower radiation doses

Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (SRIHER) unveiled the GE Revolution Apex Elite 512-slice CT scanner, designed to deliver high-resolution images at reduced radiation doses. The device was inaugurated by T. S. Swaminathan, former director of Barnard Institute of Radiology, in the presence of SRIHER Chancellor V. R. Venkataachalam. The scanner is expected to improve diagnostic efficiency while maintaining patient safety, supporting faster and more accurate examinations in urban and regional healthcare settings.

Model: GE Revolution Apex Elite 512-slice CT
Benefit: lower radiation doses
Inaugurator: T. S. Swaminathan
Impact: improved diagnostics and safety
Setting: SRIHER, Tamil Nadu

ISRO–ESA heliophysics workshop held in Thiruvananthapuram

An ISRO–ESA five-day heliophysics workshop is underway in Thiruvananthapuram, focusing on Aditya-L1, the solar orbiter, and Proba-3 missions. ISRO stated that about 50 solar and heliophysics experts from Europe and other countries, along with roughly 150 Indian scientists and students, are participating. The workshop aims to discuss scientific opportunities and collaborations in solar physics, enhancing understanding of the Sun’s influence on space weather and Earth’s environment.

Location: Thiruvananthapuram
Duration: five days
Missions discussed: Aditya-L1, Solar Orbiter, Proba-3
Participants: ~50 international, ~150 Indian
Organizer: ISRO and ESA

Jan 25, 2026

Gujarat rolls out Palmnaro private satellite plant foundation

On 23 January 2026, Gujarat state marked a milestone by laying the foundation stone for Azista Space’s Electro-Optical Payload Factory, named the Palmnaro plant, in Khoraj, Sanand. Science and Technology Minister Arjun Modhwadia attended the ceremony. The facility will support indigenous satellite production and advanced optical payloads, aiming to strengthen India’s private sector space capabilities. Gujarat officials highlighted the project as part of national efforts to boost aerospace manufacturing and high-skills employment. The plant is expected to contribute to a self-reliant India by expanding domestic space technology capacity.

Foundation stone laid for Palmnaro Electro-Optical Payload Factory.
Azista Space leads the private satellite plant project.
Located in Sanand, Gujarat; ceremony attended by state minister.
Aims to enhance indigenous satellite manufacturing and high-skill jobs.

Dubai hosts first International Green AI Conference

From 24 to 25 January 2026, Dubai hosts the inaugural International Conference on Green AI, organized by the Zayed International Foundation for the Environment, Dubai Police Academy, and Curtin University Dubai. The event examines AI applications for environmental sustainability, focusing on water and energy management, biodiversity protection, resilient cities, and smart governance. Delegates will explore AI-driven solutions to reduce emissions and optimize resource use in multiple sectors. The conference aims to shape policy and collaboration models for responsible AI in environmental stewardship and climate resilience.

Conference held 24–25 January 2026 in Dubai.
Themes include environmental sustainability and AI.
Partnerships with universities and police academy.
Focus on emissions reduction and resource management.

Jan 24, 2026

Two new rare ant fly species found in Delhi and Western Ghats

Researchers from Kerala and Tamil Nadu report two new rare ant fly species, Metadon ghorpadei and Metadon reemeri, from Delhi’s urban forest and the Western Ghats. These flies belong to the subfamily Microdontinae (Syrphidae) and exhibit myrmecophily, a close association with ants where larvae live inside ant nests and feed on brood. The discoveries highlight biodiversity in protected areas and the importance of conserving urban green spaces and biodiversity hotspots. Ongoing surveys and monitoring are urged to better understand distribution and ecological roles of these extremely rare insects, which add to India’s known invertebrate fauna.

Two new ant fly species discovered: Metadon ghorpadei and Metadon reemeri.
Found in Delhi’s urban forest and Western Ghats (Tamil Nadu).
Species belong to Microdontinae (Syrphidae) family.
Larvae live in ant nests, a behavior called myrmecophily.
Highlights need to conserve urban green spaces and biodiversity hotspots.

Jan 23, 2026

Ancient Cave Handprint Likely the World’s Oldest Rock Art

Researchers report a faded handprint as possibly the oldest cave art, dated to at least 67,800 years ago, in a limestone cave on Muna Island, Sulawesi. The finding, led by Maxime Aubert and Adam Brumm of Griffith University, suggests early humans in Southeast Asia produced symbolic art far earlier than previously thought. The stencil‑style image, found among later paintings, was confirmed through dating methods published in Nature. If confirmed, the discovery reshapes timelines of symbolic expression and highlights the prehistoric artistic capabilities of early humans in the region.

Handprint dated to at least 67,800 years ago.
Location: Muna Island, Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Led by Prof. Maxime Aubert and Prof. Adam Brumm.
Published in Nature; potential oldest known rock art.

Jan 22, 2026

Sunita Williams retires after 27 years with NASA; records set in space

End-December 2025 marked the retirement of NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, after a distinguished 27-year career with the United States space agency. Williams, who is 60 years old, completed three missions aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and accumulated 608 days in space, the second-highest among NASA astronauts. She conducted nine spacewalks totaling 62 hours and 6 minutes, making her the astronaut with the most spacewalk time among American women. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman praised her trailblazing leadership and contributions to exploration and commercial missions beyond low Earth orbit. A post-career reflection highlighted Williams’ role in inspiring future generations.

Career duration and retirement: 27 years at NASA; retirement end of December 2025
Space time: 608 days in space (second-most for NASA astronauts)
Spacewalks: 9 walks totaling 62 hours 6 minutes
Notable achievement: extended leadership aboard ISS
Legacy: influential figure in future space exploration and commercialization

Iron bar observed in Ring Nebula hints at planetary remnants

La Palma, 22 January 2026 — Astronomers using the WEAVE instrument on the William Herschel Telescope in La Palma reported a large cloud of iron atoms forming a bar across the Ring Nebula, a well-known planetary nebula. The bar stretches about 3.7 trillion miles (6 trillion kilometers). The team suggests the iron bar could be debris from a rocky planet vaporized during the star’s late evolutionary stage, though this remains speculative. The finding adds a new dimension to the study of stellar death and planetary system fate. Further observations are planned to confirm the structure and origin of the iron bar.

Discovery: Iron bar in Ring Nebula observed with WEAVE
Scale: Bar ~3.7 trillion miles (6 trillion km) long
Hypothesis: Iron bar may be remnants of a rocky planet
Location: Ring Nebula, Milky Way
Next steps: Additional observations to confirm origin

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