Science and

Technology
IT and Computer
Harikrishnan K
Computer
An electronic device that accepts data and processes it into useful
information is called a Computer. There are two main aspects of the
computer:
Input: The data we enter into the computer is called the input. Input, basically
are raw facts for which we want the system to process and give us an
outcome.
Output: The answer that the computer provides in return of the raw data
entered, is called output.
Mobile Phones
Evolution from First Generation to Fifth Generation
1G was launched in the 1980s and worked on analog radio signals and supported only
voice calls.
2G was launched in the 1990s which uses digital radio signals and supports both voice and
data transmission with a bandwidth of 64 Kbps.
3G was launched in the 2000s with a speed of 1 Mbps to 2 Mbps and it has the ability to
transmit telephone signals including digitised voice, video calls and conferencing.
4G was launched in 2009 with a peak speed of 100 Mbps to 1 Gbps and it also enables 3D
virtual reality.
Uses of 5G:

5G is used across three main types of connected services, including enhanced mobile
broadband, mission-critical communications, and the massive IoT.

Enhanced Mobile Broadband: In addition to making our smartphones better, 5G mobile

technology can usher in new immersive experiences such as Virtual reality (VR) and
Augmented Reality (AR) with faster, more uniform data rates, lower latency, and lower
cost-per-bit.

Mission-Critical Communications: 5G can enable new services that can transform

industries with ultra-reliable, available, low-latency links like remote control of critical
infrastructure, vehicles, and medical procedures.

Massive Internet of Things : 5G is meant to seamlessly connect a massive number of

embedded sensors in virtually everything through the ability to scale down in data rates,
power, and mobility—providing extremely lean and low-cost connectivity solutions.

Combined with IoT, cloud, big data, Artificial Intelligence, and edge computing, 5G
could be a critical enabler of the fourth industrial revolution.
Challenges in adopting 5G in India

Fiber Connectivity

Make in India challenge

Replace older devices

High Spectrum Pricing

Selecting the Optimal 5G Technology Standard

Why is 6G necessary?

Building a bridge between human, machine, and environmental nodes.

Establishing next-generation wireless communication networks for linked

devices by using machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI).

This will also benefit emerging technologies like smart cities, driverless cars,
virtual reality, and augmented reality, in addition to smartphone and
mobile network users.

It will combine and correlate different technologies, like deep learning with
big data analytics.
Bharat 6G Project
● India’s 6G project will be implemented in two phases, the first one from 2023 to 2025 and the second one from 2025
to 2030.
● The government has also appointed an apex council to oversee the project and focus on issues such as
standardization, identification of the spectrum for 6G usage, create an ecosystem for devices and systems, and
figure out finances for research and development, among other things.
● A key focus of the council will be on new technologies such as Terahertz communication, radio interfaces, tactile
internet, artificial intelligence for connected intelligence, new encoding methods and waveforms chipsets for 6G
devices.
Phases:
1. In phase one, support will be provided to explorative ideas, risky pathways and proof-of-concept tests.
2. Ideas and concepts that show promise and potential for acceptance by the global peer community will be adequately
supported to develop them to completion, establish their use cases and benefits, and create implementational IPs
and testbeds leading to commercialisation as part of phase two.
Objective:
It aims to enable India to become a leading global supplier of intellectual property, products and solutions
of affordable 6G telecom solutions and identify priority areas for 6G research based on India’s competitive
advantages.
Significance:
The project will provide an R&D platform to start-ups, researchers, industry and other broadband wireless
applications in India like e-Governance, smart cities, rural Broadband or other Digital India initiatives under
Atma Nirbhar Bharat.
Trivia
Your mobile is more powerful than a spaceship

Nomofobia

Apple once sold 340,000 iPhones per day

Scientists can charge phones using urine

The first mobile phone weighed 2.5lbs

Wi-Fi Technology?

Wi-Fi is defined by the Wi-Fi Alliance as "wireless local area network (WLAN) products based
on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers' (IEEE) 802.11 standards."

Wi-Fi is a wireless networking technology which is used to exchange data between two or
more devices.

A Wi-Fi network is simply an internet connection shared by a wireless router with

multiple devices in a home or business.

The router is directly connected to your modem and acts as a hub, broadcasting the internet
signal to all of your Wi-Fi enabled devices.
What is Li-Fi Technology?
Li-Fi, which stands for "Light Fidelity," is a Visible Light Communications system that
transmits wireless internet communications at breakneck speeds.
The technology works by emitting light pulses that are invisible to the human
eye using LED light bulbs.
Data can travel to and from receivers within those pulses. The data is collected and
interpreted by the receivers once it is received.
This process is similar to Morse code decoding, but it is much faster - millions of
times per second.
Transmission speeds with Li-Fi can exceed 100 Gbps, making it more than 14 times
faster than WiGig, also known as the world's fastest Wi-Fi.
This breakthrough in wireless connectivity has the potential to transform how we
access and use the internet, allowing for faster and more efficient communication.
With reference to ‘LiFi’, recently in the news, which of the following statement(s) is/are
correct?
1. It uses light as the medium for high speed data transmission.
2. It is a wireless technology and several times faster than ‘WiFi’.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
With reference to Visible Light Communication (VLC) technology, which of the following
statements are correct?
1. VLC uses electromagnetic spectrum wavelengths 375 to 780 nm.
2. VLC is known as long-range optical wireless communication.
3. VLC can transmit large amounts of data faster than Bluetooth.
4. VLC has no electromagnetic interference.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 1, 2 and 4 only
(c) 1, 3 and 4 only
(d) 2, 3 and 4 only
BharatNet Project:
● National Optical Fibre Network (NoFN) which is now renamed as BharatNet project was launched in
2012.
● The project aims to provide affordable broadband services to citizens and institutions in rural and remote
areas, in partnership with States and the private sector.
● Phase-I was completed in December 2017 with implementation in over 1 lakh GPs. Subsequently, the scope
of Phase-I was expanded to 1.25 lakh GPs (Revised work front Phase-I) as per the Cabinet approval of
19.07.2017.
● The network is capable of providing scalable bandwidth of up to 1 GBPS.
● The entire project is being funded by Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), which was set up for
improving telecom services in rural and remote areas of the country.
● Bharat Broadband Nigam Ltd (BBNL) was created as the special purpose vehicle created to execute the
project.
● BharatNet will now extend up to all inhabited villages beyond the gram panchayats (GPs) in the said states.
● The revised strategy includes creation, upgradation, operation, maintenance and utilisation of
BharatNet by the concessionaire who will be selected by a competitive international bidding process.
State-Led Model: 8 states are being implemented under this model.
Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and
Telangana are at various stages of implementation.
CPSU-Led Model: Under this model, BSNL is executing works in four states
and union territories. Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Sikkim are at
various stages of implementation.
Private Led Model: Punjab and Bihar have implemented the private sector
model directly by BBNL. Work has almost been completed in both states.
Satellite: The satellite component of Phase II is being implemented by BBNL
and BSNL. BSNL is implementing 1408 GPs and BBNL is implementing 3753
GPs.
USOF
● USOF was set up by an Act of Parliament in December 2003 by amending the Indian
Telegraph Act, 1885.
● The objective of the USOF is to provide access to telecom services in a
nondiscriminatory manner to people in rural and remote areas at affordable and
reasonable prices, thereby bridging the rural-urban digital divide.
● Funding Mechanism:
○ The USOF is funded through a levy on the revenue earned by telecom operators.
○ The government imposes a Universal Service Levy (USL) on the gross revenue of
the telecom companies, which is a percentage of their Adjusted Gross Revenue
(AGR).
○ This levy is collected and deposited into the USOF.
DARKNET
Germany has shut down Russia-linked ‘Hydra Market’- considered as world's biggest and
oldest DarkNet marketplace of illegal items and services.
DarkNet
Also known as Dark Web, it is that part of the Internet which cannot be accessed through
traditional search engines like Google nor is it accessible by normal browsers like Chrome
or Safari.
It generally uses non-standard communication protocols which make it inaccessible to
internet service providers (ISPs) or government authorities.
Content on Dark Net is encrypted and requires a specific browser such as TOR (The
Onion Ring) to access those pages.
Dark Net itself is only a part of the Deep Web, which includes sites that are protected by
passwords.
Part of the internet that is readily available and searchable on standard search engines is
called as Surface Web.
Application: Used by journalists and citizens working in oppressive
regimes (to communicate without any government censorship), researchers
and students to do research on sensitive topics, law enforcement agencies,
etc.

Concerns over its use: Anonymity, Haven for illicit activity, Privacy and ethical
concerns, drug dealing, communication by terrorists, etc.
Splinternet

Russia-Ukraine war has threatened to splinter the internet.

Splinternet refers to ‘Internet that is increasingly fragmented due to

nations filtering content or blocking it entirely for political purposes’.

For Example: China’s ‘Great Firewall’ keeps American tech giants out while
pushing online services developed indigenously.

Russia, in 2019, passed the sovereign internet law — or the online Iron
Curtain — that enabled the country to disconnect its internet from the rest of
the world.
Digital Divide

The digital divide pertains to the disparity among individuals, households,

businesses, and geographic regions of varying socio-economic standings
affecting their access to information and communication technologies (ICTs)
and their utilization of the Internet for a diverse range of activities.
FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION- INDUSTRY 4.0
Steam propelled the original Industrial Revolution; electricity powered the second;
preliminary automation and machinery engineered the third; and cyber physical
systems—or intelligent computers—are shaping the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Industry 4.0 brings these inventions beyond the previous realm of possibility with four
foundational types of disruptive technologies (examples below) that can be applied all along
the value chain:

1. connectivity, data, and computational power: cloud technology, the Internet,

blockchain, sensors
2. analytics and intelligence: advanced analytics, machine learning, artificial intelligence
3. human–machine interaction: virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), robotics
and automation, autonomous guided vehicles
4. advanced engineering: additive manufacturing (such as, 3D printing), renewable
energy, nanoparticles
The World Economic Forum (WEF) has chosen Hyderabad for establishing its
Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution focused on healthcare and life sciences.
Opportunities
1. It has the potential to raise global income levels and improve the quality of
life for populations around the world.
2. It will also lead to a supply-side miracle, with long-term gains in efficiency and
productivity.
3. Transportation and communication costs will drop, logistics and global
supply chains will become more effective, and the cost of trade will diminish,
all of which will open new markets and drive economic growth.
4. Governments will gain new technological powers to increase their control
over populations, based on pervasive surveillance systems and the ability to
control digital infrastructure.
5. Advances in technology will create the potential to reduce the scale or impact
of violence, through the development of new modes of protection, for
example, or greater precision in targeting.
Challenges
● The immediate fear is that of job loss, particularly in the informal sector.
● It could yield greater inequality, particularly in its potential to disrupt labor markets.
● Besides joblessness, there are several other critical concerns surrounding safety, ethics, and
the short- and long-term socio-economic impact that remain unanswered.
● The adoption of 4IR technologies is also going to be skewed as developing and least
developed countries lack the data framework and infrastructure.
● There is a growing concern that the existing fallacies in humans might only get more
accentuated after 4IR.
● There are several studies that show how facial recognition technologies have a higher chance
of misidentifying African and Asian people compared to their Western counterparts.
● It will also profoundly impact the nature of national and international security, affecting
both the probability and the nature of the conflict.
● One of the greatest individual challenges posed by new information technologies is privacy.
Status in India

● India and most countries are investing in 4IR technologies

● India is moving towards becoming a hub of global manufacturing… 3D printing, machine learning, data
analytics, and IoT are key to promoting industrial growth,
● In November 2020, the Modern Coach Factory (MCF) at Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh, rolled out smart railway
coaches that are fitted with a battery of sensors to provide a comfortable experience to passengers.
● In May 2020, the Union Ministry of Heavy Industries launched the Smart Advanced Manufacturing and
Rapid Transformation Hub (SAMARTH) scheme, which brings together manufacturers, vendors, and
customers to make them aware of 4IR technologies.
● In 2022’s budget speech, the Union finance minister announced a slew of new 4IR-driven projects,
including Drone Shakti, to encourage start-ups that will facilitate the use of drone services.
● India even has a 4IR centre in Mumbai run by WEF, which is closely working with several state
governments.
● The Centre has recently come up with the Fourth Industrial Revolution for Sustainable
Transformation (FIRST) Cancer Care model in which 4IR technologies would be used to provide better
healthcare for cancer patients
● In February 2022, Government launched the pan-India 3D maps programme by Genesys International
for the 100 smart cities. The company plans to map an entire city in intricate detail so that many 4IR
revolution technology-based projects, such as driverless cars, will become easier to implement.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsRLOV4pHyk
BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY
Blockchain is a type of shared database that differs from a typical database
in the way it stores information; blockchains store data in blocks linked
together via cryptography.
Different types of information can be stored on a blockchain, but the most
common use for transactions has been as a ledger.
In Bitcoin’s case, blockchain is decentralized so that no single person or
group has control—instead, all users collectively retain control.
Decentralized blockchains are immutable, which means that the data
entered is irreversible. For Bitcoin, transactions are permanently recorded and
viewable to anyone.
Benefits
● Immutability: In Blockchain, there is no possibility of changing the data or altering the data; the
data present inside the Blockchain is permanent; one cannot delete or undo it.

● Transparency: By utilizing blockchain technology, organizations and enterprises can go for a

complete decentralized network where there is no need for any centralized authority, thus
improving the transparency of the entire system.

● High Availability: Unlike centralized systems, Blockchain is a decentralized system of P2P network
which is highly available due to its decentralized nature. Since in the Blockchain network, everyone is
on a P2P network, and everyone has a computer running, therefore, even if one peer goes down, the
other peers still work.

● High Security: This is another major benefit that Blockchain offers. Technology is assumed to offer
high security as all the transactions of Blockchain are cryptographically secure and provide
integrity. Thus instead of relying on third-party, you need to put your trust in cryptographic
algorithms.
Applications
● Industry: Blockchain has made its way into many industries due to its host of benefits and ease of
use and accessibility.
● Healthcare: In healthcare, blockchain can be used to store the medical records of patients. The
data is immutable, so tampering with it is not even a possibility. Confidential data can be encoded and
stored in a private key to limit access by various individuals.
● Agriculture: Blockchain is making entry in the food industry as it makes it easy to track the path and
safety of food, right from its journey from the farm to the buyer/user.
● Banking: The banking industry has benefited the most by integrating blockchain into their business. It
has increased their efficiency, reduced transaction time and fees, helped them store customer data,
and much more.
● Governance: Blockchain technology can help in ensuring good governance. It ensures transparency of
the public records through the usage of a digital form platform and allows auditing of government
documents. Moreover it allows to maintain the authenticity of the document and clearly reduces the
processing time.
Potential Challenges to Blockchain technology:

● Infrastructure
● Scalability and Transaction Speed (achieving higher number of transactions per
second)
● Applying AI & Data Analytics
● Regulatory Aspects
● Ecosystem and supporting framework
● Decentralized Infrastructure
● Skilled Manpower (Talent)
Blockchain in India
National Strategy on Blockchain has been formulated by Ministry of
Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India with the
vision to create trusted digital platforms through shared Blockchain
infrastructure; promoting research and development, innovation, technology
and application development; and facilitating state of the art, transparent,
secure and trusted digital service delivery to citizens and businesses.

Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Blockchain: The CoE will facilitate various
government departments in building proof of concepts for use of Blockchain
technology in different dimensions of governance, leading to large scale
deployment of some such applications.
WEB 3.0
Web 3.0 is a decentralized internet to be run on blockchain technology, which would be
different from the versions in use, Web 1.0 and Web 2.0.
● The internet in Web 1.0 was mostly static web pages where users would go to a
website and then read and interact with the static information.
● In Web 2.0 users can create content - primarily, a social media kind of interaction.
● In Web 3.0, users will have ownership stakes in platforms and applications unlike
now where tech giants control the platforms.
Significance:
● The Web 3.0 architecture establishes a new version of the Internet protocol
incorporating token-based economics, transparency, and decentralization.
● A user can access all ecosystem benefits using a distributed token where they can
show proof of ownership, tax history, and payment instruments.
● The blockchain records could be visible, compiled, and audited by the regulators in
real time.
With reference to Web 3.0, consider the following statements:

1. Web 3.0 technology enables people to control their own data.

2. In Web 3.0 world, there can blockchain based social networks.
3. Web 3.0 is operated by users collectively rather than a corporation.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
PROOF-OF-STAKE TECHNOLOGY
Ethereum blockchain platform switched to Merge software mechanism that
uses ‘proof-of-stake’ (PoS) mechanism.
Merge and Proof-of-Stake
Ethereum is a decentralised blockchain platform used to build
decentralised apps (dApps) and smart contracts among others.
Merge uses the process of shifting the consensus mechanism of the
blockchain from proof-of-work (PoW) to proof-of-stake (PoS).
Importance of new consensus mechanism: Less impact of crypto mining on
local communities; Environmentally conscious move, better security, Ripple
effect on the direction in which the crypto and broader Web3 industry
contribute to positive climate action.
Proof-of-stake reduces the amount of computational work needed to verify blocks and
transactions. Under proof-of-work, hefty computing requirements kept the blockchain secure.

The owners offer their coins as collateral—staking—for the chance to validate blocks and
earn rewards.

Under PoS, block creators are called validators. A validator checks transactions, verifies
activity, votes on outcomes, and maintains records.

Under PoW, block creators are called miners. Miners work to solve for the hash, a
cryptographic number, to verify transactions. In return for solving the hash, they are rewarded
with a coin.
Cryptocurrency:
A cryptocurrency is a digital or virtual currency that is meant to be a medium of exchange. It is quite
similar to real-world currency, except it does not have any physical embodiment, and it uses
cryptography to work.
To use cryptocurrency, individuals or businesses must first acquire a digital
wallet, which is a software program that stores the user's public and private
keys.

These keys are used to send and receive cryptocurrency, and they are also
used to verify transactions on the blockchain.

Users can acquire cryptocurrency through a process called "mining" which

involves using computer power to solve complex mathematical equations,
which validate and record transactions on the blockchain, in return for a
certain amount of cryptocurrency.
Non-fungible tokens (NFT)
● NFT is a digital object that can be a drawing, animation, piece of music,
photo, or video with a certificate of authenticity created by blockchain
technology.
● Tokenizing these assets allows them to be bought, sold, and traded
more efficiently while reducing the probability of fraud.
● Fungibility refers to an asset's ability to be exchanged with a similar asset
without sacrificing its value (For ex: 100 rupee note is fungible).
Characteristics of NFT
● All NFTs have a unique quality and a distinct value from any other
similar token.
● They are digitally rare.
● Must be sold or purchased as a whole as they cannot be divided unlike
fungible tokens.
QUANTUM TECHNOLOGY
Quantum technology is a class of technology exploiting the principles of quantum
mechanics (the physics of subatomic particles), including quantum entanglement,
quantum superposition and uncertainty principle.
What is quantum entanglement?
Quantum entanglement is when two atoms are connected, or entangled, despite
being separated. If you change the properties of one of them, the other changes
instantly.
For example, you can have two entangled atoms with clockwise and anticlockwise
‘spins’. One atom is sent with the encryption key and if an eavesdropper
intercepts the transmission, this causes a change in the ‘spin’ of the atom, affecting
the overall quantum state of the system and resulting in the detection of the
eavesdropping attempt.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuk77TjvfmE
Superposition is a quantum principle that refers to a physical system that
exists in multiple states simultaneously based on a specific set of
solutions.

The principle of superposition also applies to wave motion. When two or

more waves overlap in space, the resulting disturbance is equal to the
algebraic sum of the individual disturbances. This principle holds for many
different kinds of waves, such as water, sound, and electromagnetic
waves.
The uncertainty principle states that the position and velocity of an object
cannot be measured exactly at the same time, even in theory. The principle
was formulated in 1927 by German physicist Werner Heisenberg.
For example, in Schrödinger's Cat, the cat could be considered to be both
alive and dead until the box is opened. The act of observation randomly
determines whether the cat is alive or dead.
The principle states that the more accurately we know one of these values,
the less accurately we know the other. For example, if we know the
position of a particle, such as a photon or electron, with perfect accuracy, we
know less about its speed.
The principle is contrary to classical Newtonian physics, which holds that
all variables of particles can be measured to an arbitrary uncertainty given
good enough equipment.
 QUANTUM KEY DISTRIBUTION (QKD)
Bengaluru-based startup QNu labs recently innovated advanced secured communication through
quantum key distribution (QKD) systems.

Quantum key distribution (QKD)

QKD is a secure communication technology that uses quantum physics to construct a

cryptographic protocol.

It allows two parties to generate a shared secret key that can be used to encrypt and decrypt
messages.

In traditional cryptography, security is usually because an adversary is unable to solve a certain

mathematical problem while in QKD, security is achieved through laws of quantum physics.

Two such laws are Superposition and Entanglement.

Quantum Internet

Researchers have successfully teleported quantum information across a basic

network.

Quantum internet: Based on the theoretical use of quantum computers to

construct a new kind of network.

In contrast to traditional internet which operates through the use of binary

signals (represented by 0’s or 1’s) in data packets, quantum internet would
utilize quantum bits, or qubits, to encode information as 0’s, 1’s, or both at
same time.
Difference Between Conventional and Quantum Computing:

● Conventional computers process information in ‘bits’ or 1s and 0s, following classical physics under
which our computers can process a ‘1’ or a ‘0’ at a time.
● Quantum computers compute in ‘qubits’ (or quantum bits). They exploit the properties of
quantum mechanics, the science that governs how matter behaves on the atomic scale.
In this scheme of things, processors can be a 1 and a 0 simultaneously, a state called quantum
superposition.
Because of quantum superposition, a quantum computer — if it works to plan — can mimic several
classical computers working in parallel.
NATIONAL QUANTUM MISSION (NQM)
It’ll be implemented by the Department of Science & Technology (DST) under
the Ministry of Science & Technology.
The mission planned for 2023-2031 aims to seed, nurture, and scale up
scientific and industrial R&D and create a vibrant & innovative ecosystem in
Quantum Technology (QT).
With the launch of this mission, India will be the seventh country to have a
dedicated quantum mission after the US, Austria, Finland, France, Canada
and China.
It will target developing intermediate scale quantum computers with
50-100 physical qubits in 5 years and 50-1000 physical qubits in 8 years.

The mission will help develop magnetometers with high sensitivity for
precision timing (atomic clocks), communications, and navigation.

It will also support design and synthesis of quantum materials such as

superconductors, novel semiconductor structures and topological
materials for fabrication of quantum devices.
The mission will also help developing:

● Satellite based secure quantum communications between ground

stations over a range of 2000 km within India.
● Long distance secure quantum communications with other countries
● Inter-city quantum key distribution over 2000 km
● Multi-node Quantum network with quantum memories

Four Thematic Hubs (T-Hubs) would be set up in top academic and National
R&D institutes on the domains of Quantum Technology:

● Quantum computation
● Quantum communication
● Quantum Sensing & Metrology
● Quantum Materials & Devices
Advantages of Quantum Technology:

Increased Computing Power: Quantum computers are very much faster than the computers we
today have. They also have the capability to solve complex problems that are currently beyond our
reach.

Improved Security: Because they rely on principles of quantum mechanics, quantum encryption
techniques are much more secure than traditional encryption methods.

Faster Communication: Quantum communication networks can transmit information faster and
more securely than traditional networks, with the potential for completely unhackable
communication.

Enhanced AI: Quantum machine learning algorithms can potentially enable more efficient and
accurate training of Artificial Intelligence models.

Better Sensing and Measurement: Quantum sensors can detect extremely small changes in the
environment, making them useful in areas such as medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring,
and geological exploration.
Disadvantages of Quantum Technology:

Expensive: The technology requires specialized equipment and materials which make it
more expensive than the traditional technologies.

Limited Applications: Currently, quantum technology is only useful for specific applications
such as cryptography, quantum computing, and quantum communication.

Sensitivity to Environment: Quantum technology is highly sensitive to environmental

interference, such as temperature changes, magnetic fields, and vibrations.

Qubits are easily disrupted by their surroundings which can cause them to lose their
quantum properties and make mistakes in calculations.

Limited Control: It is difficult to control and manipulate quantum systems.

Quantum-powered AI could create unintended consequences.

Quantum-powered AI systems could potentially arrive at conclusions that are unexpected

or difficult to explain as they operate on principles that are fundamentally different from
classical computing.
The National Mission on Quantum Technologies and Applications
(NM-QTA): It is a government of India programme that aims to create a
workforce of over 25,000 in India over the next 5-7 years. It has a total
budget outlay of ₹8,000 crore for a period of five years.
The next generation transformative technologies that will receive a push
under this mission include quantum computers and computing, quantum
communication, quantum key distribution, encryption, quantum
devices, quantum sensing and so on.
QuEST: The Department of Science and Technology launched the
Quantum-Enabled Science and Technology (QuEST) initiative to invest INR 80
crores to lay out infrastructure and to facilitate research in the field.
‘Quantum Computer Simulator (QSim) Toolkit’: It provides the first
quantum development environment to academicians, industry professionals,
students, and the scientific community in India.
Cyber Security
Cyber security is a broad-spectrum phrase and relates to preventing any
form of unauthorized and malafide access to a personal computer, a laptop,
a smartphone or a major network like the national banking system or the
railway network or a national information technology asset that also has
military implications.
Recently, few “State-sponsored” Chinese hacker groups targeted various
Indian power centres. However, these groups have been thwarted after
government cyber agencies warned it about their activities.

Recently, Australia had to stave off its biggest cyber threat with the attack
targeting everything from public utilities to education and health
infrastructure.

India has also been a victim to many such cyber-attacks in the past like
WannaCry, Petya ransomware, Mirai botnet etc.
Cyber warfare is computer- or network-based conflict involving politically
motivated attacks by a nation-state on another nation-state. In these types of
attacks, nation-state actors attempt to disrupt the activities of
organizations or nation-states, especially for strategic or military purposes
and cyber espionage.

It involves the actions by a nation-state or international organization to attack

and attempt to damage another nation’s computers or information networks
through, for example, computer viruses or denial-of-service attacks.
Challenges related to Cyber Security:

Recent Cyber Attacks:

Ransomware attacks are becoming more frequent and costly, with over 75%
of Indian organizations having faced such attacks and each breach costing an
average of ₹35 crore of damage.

Vulnerability of Critical Infrastructure:

The lines between the physical and digital realms are blurring rapidly,
making Critical infrastructure extremely vulnerable to attacks from hostile
state and non-state actors.
Under-Preparedness:
CERT-In has introduced guidelines for organizations to comply with when connected to the
digital realm, but most organizations lack the tools to identify and prevent cyber attacks.
Also, there is an acute scarcity of cybersecurity professionals in India.
Limited Private Sector Participation:
Private sector participation remains limited in India's cyber security structures, and
collaboration with like-minded intergovernmental and state frameworks is necessary to
protect users and customers from cyber breaches.
Added Complexity:
With more inclusion of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), data analytics,
cloud computing and Internet of Things (IoT), cyberspace will become a complex
domain, giving rise to issues of a techno-legal nature.
The introduction of 5G and the arrival of quantum computing will increase the potency of
malicious software.
Global Initiatives:
Budapest Convention on Cybercrime: It is an international treaty that seeks to
address Internet and computer crime by harmonizing national laws, improving
investigative techniques, and increasing cooperation among nations. It came into
force on 1st July 2004. India is not a signatory to this convention.
Internet Governance Forum (IGF): It brings together all stakeholders i.e.,
government, private sector and civil society on the Internet governance debate.
UNGA Resolutions: The United Nations General Assembly established two
processes on the issues of security in the information and communication
technologies (ICT) environment.
The Open-ended Working Group (OEWG) through resolution by Russia.
The Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) through resolution by USA.
National Cyber Security Strategy 2020: It seeks to improve cyber awareness and
cybersecurity through more stringent audits. Empanelled cyber auditors will look more
carefully at the security features of organisations than are legally necessary now.
National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC): The NCIIPC,
created under Information Technology Act, 2000, operates as the nodal agency for
protection and resilience of critical information infrastructure
Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C): It was setup in 2020 to deal with all types
of cybercrimes in a comprehensive and coordinated manner.
Cyber Surakshit Bharat Initiative: It was launched in 2018 with an aim to spread
awareness about cybercrime and building capacity for safety measures for Chief
Information Security Officers (CISOs) and frontline IT staff across all government
departments.
Cyber Swachhta Kendra: In 2017, this platform was introduced for internet users to clean
their computers and devices by wiping out viruses and malware.
Information Technology Act, 2000: The Act regulates use of computers, computer
systems, computer networks and also data and information in electronic format.
National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal: It is a citizen-centric initiative which will enable citizens to report
cybercrimes online and all the complaints will be accessed by the concerned law enforcement agencies for
taking action as per law.

Computer Emergency Response Team - India (CERT-In): It is an organization of the Ministry of Electronics and
Information Technology which collects, analyses and disseminates information on cyber incidents, and also
issues alert on cybersecurity incidents.

Cybersecurity Treaties: India has already signed cybersecurity treaties with countries such as the US, Russia,
the UK, South Korea, and the European Union.

Multilateral Frameworks: Efforts are being made in multinational frameworks such as the Quad and the I2U2
to enhance cooperation in cyber incident responses, technology collaboration, capacity building, and in the
improvement of cyber resilience.

India’s draft Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023: It seeks to ensure usage of personal data for lawful
purposes only and proposes a penalty of up to ₹500 crore for data breaches.

Defence Cyber Agency (DCyA): It is created by Indian armed forces and is capable of offensive and defensive
manoeuvres.
AI
Artificial intelligence, commonly referred to as AI, is the field of computer science that focuses on the development of
intelligent machines that can perform tasks that would typically require human intervention.

AI systems are designed to mimic human intelligence and learning, enabling them to adapt and improve their performance
over time.

The development and implementation of AI has become increasingly important in various fields, including:

■ Healthcare: AI is used to assist doctors and healthcare professionals in diagnosing diseases, predicting patient
outcomes, and developing treatment plans.
■ Finance: AI is used in the finance industry to detect fraudulent activities, automate investment management, and
improve customer service.
■ Transportation: AI is used to improve transportation systems, including self-driving cars and predictive
maintenance for trains and airplanes.
■ Education: AI is used in education to personalize learning experiences for students, identify areas for improvement, and
provide feedback to teachers.
■ Manufacturing: AI is used in manufacturing to optimize production processes, reduce waste, and improve product
quality.
■ Marketing: AI is used in marketing to analyze customer data, personalize advertising, and improve customer
engagement.
Machine learning (ML)
Machine learning is a subset of artificial intelligence that focuses on building algorithms and statistical models that enable
computers to improve their performance on a specific task without being explicitly programmed. ML models are
designed to learn from data and make predictions or decisions based on that data.

Machine learning has numerous applications in real-world scenarios, including:

■ Image and speech recognition: ML algorithms are used to recognize images and speech, which has led to the
development of technologies such as facial recognition and speech-to-text.
■ Recommendation systems: ML algorithms are used to recommend products, services, and content to users based on
their preferences and past behaviors.
■ Fraud detection: ML algorithms are used to detect fraudulent activities in financial transactions, such as credit card
fraud and money laundering.
■ Natural language processing: ML algorithms are used to analyze and understand human language, which has led to
the development of technologies such as chatbots and virtual assistants.
■ Predictive maintenance: ML algorithms are used to predict when machines and equipment will fail, allowing for
proactive maintenance and reducing downtime.
Natural language processing (NLP)
Natural Language Processing (NLP) is a subfield of artificial intelligence that focuses on the interaction between
humans and computers using natural language. It is the process of analyzing, understanding, and generating human
language data in a way that is meaningful to computers.

Importance of NLP in AI
The importance of NLP in AI lies in its ability to enable machines to understand and process human language, which
is essential in various applications, such as:

■ Chatbots and virtual assistants: NLP is used to create chatbots and virtual assistants that can understand
and respond to human language, providing a more natural and intuitive user experience.
■ Sentiment analysis: NLP is used to analyze the sentiment of text data, enabling businesses to monitor
customer feedback and improve their products and services.
■ Language translation: NLP is used to translate text from one language to another, enabling communication
between people who speak different languages.
■ Information retrieval: NLP is used to retrieve information from text data, such as search engine results and
question-answering systems.
Examples of NLP in action

■ Siri and Alexa: These virtual assistants use NLP to understand and respond to user queries.
■ Google Translate: This application uses NLP to translate text from one language to another.
■ Spam filters: These filters use NLP to detect and filter out spam emails and messages.
Computer vision (CV)
Computer Vision (CV) is a field of artificial intelligence that focuses on enabling machines to interpret and
understand visual information from the world around them. CV algorithms are designed to analyze and make
sense of digital images and video data, enabling machines to recognize patterns, objects, and even emotions.

Robotics
Robotics is a field of artificial intelligence that focuses on the design, development, and implementation of robots,
which are machines capable of performing tasks autonomously or semi-autonomously. Robotics involves the
integration of various AI technologies, such as computer vision and natural language processing, to enable robots to
interact with the world around them.

Expert systems
Expert systems is a field of artificial intelligence that focuses on developing computer programs that can mimic the
decision-making abilities of a human expert in a specific domain. Expert systems are designed to use knowledge
and reasoning techniques to solve complex problems and provide recommendations to users.
Generative AI
Recently, Tech companies around the world are harnessing Generative AI for
various use cases.

There has been increasing popularity of generative AI programs, such as

OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google’s BARD AI, DALL-E, Codex, GPT-3 etc.

These programs are a conversational AI language based on deep learning

model built on the transformer architecture.

It uses a deep neural network and is trained on corpus of text data from
the internet, allowing it to generate human-like text and to perform
various tasks like question answering, and conversation.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Describes algorithms that can be used to create new content like audio,
code, images, text, simulations, and videos.

Achieved by training machine learning models on large amounts of data using

neural networks and then using these models to generate new, synthetic
data, like already existing data.

Prominent frameworks or models of generative AI like Generative

adversarial networks (GANs), Transformer-Based Models (TBMs) and
Variational Auto Encoders (VAEs).
Some of the use cases for generative AI include the following:

● Implementing chatbots for customer service and technical support.

● Deploying deepfakes for mimicking people or even specific individuals.
● Improving dubbing for movies and educational content in different
languages.
● Writing email responses, dating profiles, resumes and term papers.
● Creating photorealistic art in a particular style.
● Improving product demonstration videos.
● Suggesting new drug compounds to test.
● Designing physical products and buildings.
● Optimizing new chip designs.
● Writing music in a specific style or tone.
Specific types of problematic issues posed by the current state of generative AI:

● It can provide inaccurate and misleading information.

● It is more difficult to trust without knowing the source of information.
● It can promote new kinds of plagiarism that ignore the rights of content creators and artists of
original content.
● It might disrupt existing business models built around search engine optimization and advertising.
● It makes it easier to generate fake news.
● It makes it easier to claim that real photographic evidence of a wrongdoing was just an AI-generated
fake.
● It could impersonate people for more effective social engineering cyber attacks.
Deep Learning
Deep learning is a method in artificial
intelligence (AI) that teaches computers
to process data in a way that is
inspired by the human brain.
Deep learning models can recognize
complex patterns in pictures, text,
sounds, and other data to produce
accurate insights and predictions.
You can use deep learning methods to
automate tasks that typically require
human intelligence, such as describing
images or transcribing a sound file
into text.
GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP ON AI (GPAI)
India took over the Chair of Global Partnership on AI (GPAI) from France.
What is GPAI?
It was launched in June, 2020, with fifteen members.
The Global Partnership in Artificial Intelligence is described as the ‘fruition of an
idea developed within the G7.’
It is a multi-stakeholder initiative on artificial intelligence (AI), which aims to fill
what it describes as ‘the gap between theory and practice on AI,' by supporting
cutting-edge research, as well as applied activities, on AI-related priorities.
The initiative facilitates international cooperation on artificial technology by
bringing together on a single platform, experts from fields such as science,
industry, civil society, governments, international bodies, and academia.
Members:
At present, GPAI has twenty-five member states:
Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, France,
Germany, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, New
Zealand, Poland, the Republic of Korea (South Korea), Singapore, Slovenia,
Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European
Union (EU).
The founding members are:
Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand,
the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Slovenia, the UK, the US, and the EU.
AI IN HEALTH
1. HealthifyMe - Harnesses
AI to provide personalised
diet and fitness
information and coaching.
2. Tricog - Offer virtual
cardiology services to
distant clinics.
3. Dozee - Contactless
health monitors that
enable early detection of
any health deterioration.
4. Niramai - Early-stage
detection of breast cancer.
AI IN AGRICULTURE
AI Helping Analyze Farm Data With the help of AI, farmers can now analyze a variety of things in
real-time such as weather conditions, temperature, water usage or soil conditions collected from
their farm to better inform their decisions.

Precision Agriculture: Precision agriculture uses AI technology to aid in detecting diseases in plants,
pests, and poor plant nutrition on farms.

Tackling the Labour Challenge: With fewer people entering the farming profession, most farms are
facing the challenge of a workforce shortage. AI agriculture bots.
AI In India
Bhashini, the National Language Technology Mission (NLTM), was launched by
the Hon’ble Prime Minister in July 2022 to provide Artificial Intelligence (AI) and
Natural Language Processing (NLP) based open-source language technology
solutions for speech and text translation through the Bhashini platform to bridge the
language barriers leveraging startup-academia ecosystem.
These technologies would enable organizations to create innovative and artificial
intelligence-based multilingual interfaces including voice-based interfaces in their
websites and apps to provide better citizen services and digital resources.
As on date, 289 pre-trained AI models for language translation in 10 Indian
languages have been made available on the Bhashini platform.
Virtual Reality
Virtual Reality (VR) is a computer-generated environment with scenes and
objects that appear to be real, making the user feel they are immersed in their
surroundings.

This environment is perceived through a device known as a Virtual Reality

headset or helmet. VR allows us to immerse ourselves in video games as if
we were one of the characters, learn how to perform heart surgery or improve
the quality of sports training to maximise performance.
Augmented Reality
Augmented Reality (AR) is a technology that allows virtual elements to be
superimposed onto our vision of reality.

AR can incorporate three basic features:

1. A combination of real and virtual worlds

2. Real-time interaction
3. Accurate 3D registration of virtual and real objects

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdgmSSptkds
EXTENDED REALITY, OR XR
All these various technologies combined are referred to as XR. This is a broad term
for all immersive technologies covering Mixed Reality (MR), Augmented Reality
(AR) and Virtual Reality (VR).
A technology that combines the physical and virtual worlds to create a new
environment in which physical and virtual objects can coexist and interact in real
time.
While both mixed reality, and augmented reality, bring digital objects within the
real-world, crucial differences exist between the two.
While augmented reality provides an overlay of digitally created elements to the real
world, mixed reality adds an interactivity layer on top of the AR experience.
Therefore, users can interact with the digital objects with their hands in a
natural way. MR provides for a more immersive experience compared to AR, and
therefore adopts specific elements of the VR experience.
Metaverse
Metaverse can be understood as a combination of multiple elements of technology, including
virtual reality, augmented reality and video where users "live" within a digitally enhanced
surrounding.

These technologies are currently being developed by Apple, Google, Amazon, and Microsoft in
addition to Facebook.

To understand how it works and the impact that it may create, it is important to have clarity on
following ideas and technologies:

● Virtual Reality (VR): VR can be understood as the use of computer modelling and simulation
that enables a person to interact with an artificial three-dimensional (3-D) visual or other
sensory environment. E.g., games like World of Warcraft. VR closes the world, and transposes
an individual, providing complete immersion experience.
● Augmented Reality (AR): It is an enhanced version of the real physical world that is achieved
through the use of digital visual elements, sound, or other sensory stimuli delivered via
technology. E.g., games like Pokémon Go.
● Hologram: Holograms are virtual three-dimensional images created by the
interference of light beams that reflect real physical objects.
● Avatar: An avatar in the metaverse is a representation of an individual in the virtual
world, this digital avatar enables the person to function like an actual human being in a
digitally created world.
● Platform/Developer/User distinction: In metaverse, digital engagement will get very
personal and tailor made for the user. In this context, it is important that role played by
the platform, the developers and the users is clearly understood.
SUPERCOMPUTERS
A supercomputer is a computer that performs at or near the currently highest operational rate for computers.

Generally, PETAFLOP is a measure of a Supercomputer’s processing speed and can be expressed as a thousand
trillion floating point operations per second.

FLOPS (floating point operations per second) are typically used to measure the performance of a computer’s
processor.

Using floating-point encoding, extremely long numbers can be handled relatively easily.

Supercomputers are primarily designed to be used in enterprises and organizations that require massive
computing power.

For example: weather forecasting, scientific research, intelligence gathering and analysis, data mining etc.

Globally, China has the maximum number of supercomputers and maintains the top position in the world, followed
by the US, Japan, France, Germany, Netherlands, Ireland and the United Kingdom.

India’s first supercomputer was PARAM 8000.

National Supercomputing Mission (NSM) has set up to provide the country
with supercomputing infrastructure to meet the increasing computational
demands of academia, researchers, MSMEs, and startups. It is a first of its kind
attempt to boost the country’s computing power.
National Supercomputing Mission is steered jointly by the Department of
Science and Technology (DST) and Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) and
implemented by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing
(C-DAC), Pune and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru.
The mission was planned in three phases:
● Phase I looking at assembling supercomputers,
● Phase II looking at manufacturing certain components within the
country.
● Phase III where a supercomputer is designed by India.
Doubts?