Electric Air Racing

Electric air racing will improve technology for battery powered, electric planes just as Formula E is doing for electric cars. Air Race E was presented at the Dubai Air Show.

The world's first all-electric air race from CNBC.

Access to the Internet as a Right?

Should access to the Internet be a universal right?

Life gets very difficult without Internet access. Corporations and governments want you to interact with them online. Banking and finance would be difficult and more costly without Internet connectivity. Accessing government services without Internet access becomes more time-consuming. Services from corporations would be unbearable without access to the Internet. Communications and payments would cost you more without access. You would not be able to fully participate in the digital economy without access. 

Is it time to make Internet access a universal human right?

Video from Web Summit

Data: In the Business of Everything

Big Tech is in the business of everything ... well nearly everything. They are into fintech, communications/messaging, media/content, mobility, retail/ecommerce, healthcare, real estate (hotels, co-working, co-living) - these 7 areas cover nearly all aspects of our lives 

Through their own platforms or through acquisitions of startups, Big Tech has got into all sorts of businesses and its reach is expanding. One business they all have in common is data - it all centers around data.

Video from Bloomberg

Emotion Recognition

Emotion recognition (and facial recognition) will change the way we live and work. AI that can recognize facial expressions. For jobs, marketing, retail, and more.  You better get ready. 

Video from The Economist

Artificial Nervous System

Artificial Nervous System

Researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have developed, what they call, the Asynchronous Coded Electronic Skin (ACES), an artificial nervous system/skin that can give robots a much faster sense of touch than humans.

Space Tech

IdeaIndia.com Tech Updates powered by Chill Lover Radio

Space Tech

IdeaIndia.com Tech Updates powered by Chill Lover Radio

==> https://chillloverradio.net/idea-india/space-tech

Friction in the Digital Economy

Regulating the digital economy

Uber and other ride-hailing apps are facing more and varying regulation around the world. Recently: 

1. Chicago announced plans to charge traffic congestion tax on certain ride-hailing trips - https://twitter.com/DigitalAsian/status/1199892976119377920

2. India announced plans to cap ride-hailing firm fees at 10% - https://twitter.com/DigitalAsian/status/1199880095063609344

3. Transport authorities did not extend Uber's licence in London - https://twitter.com/DigitalAsian/status/1198912587309543425

Now that Uber and other ride-hailing apps have scaled up, they are having to deal with many different regulations around the globe. This is not just for ride-hailing apps but for virtually all tech startups that have scaled up internationally. Once you scale up you need to develop a department for handling compliance, regulation and governments worldwide and this imposes a huge cost on startups and their investors.

There has so far been no concerted effort into creating uniform global rules for the digital economy. Although, there has been some attempt to try to start discussions on a 'digital tax'.

These varying regulations are creating friction in the digital economy - and the costs for this are being payed by the users of the technology, in higher fees, and the investors in the startups.

Follow DigitalAsian's feed on the platform of your choice @ https://igli.me/digitalasian

Video from The Economist

Driving Mobility Innovation

Driving Mobility Innovation

Is Formula E, the electric street car racing tournament, driving more innovation in electric vehicles than F1 does for regular cars?

Video from Autosport

Suspended Animation

Suspended Animation

Surgeons put trauma patient's body in suspended animation using ice-cold saline

Video from Engadget:

The Technology of Trust

The Technology of Trust

The Technology of Trust

Creating Confidence in the Digital Economy

In today’s digital economy, with business, transactions and social interactions going online and mobile, users want safety and privacy. With IoT and FinTech becoming part of human life, people want to be sure about who they are dealing with and how their data and interactions are handled.

With cybersecurity attacks, online fraud and fake news, startups are using technology to try to create trust in the online, digital world to attract more users and to make them transact more in the digital economy. Lack of trust, or trust deficit, will hold back growth in the digital economy.

In India, with the government pushing a cashless economy with demonetisation and further user of Aadhaar and UPI, unless more people are comfortable transacting online, the government’s tryst with technology, Digital India will not come to fruition.

From caller ID, ID verification, cryptocurrencies using blockchain, encryption, anti-virus software and embedding due diligence into digital platforms, startups are developing tech to give users peace of mind and trust in the virtual world. These startups are developing the technology to create trust needed for the digital economy to grow. More investment is needed from VCs into startups that are developing tech that creates confidence in digital.

DigitalAsian

Influencer

Influencer - Tryst with Technology

Influencer

Fancy a career as an influencer? Now there's a degree for it - at least in Italy. Influencer marketing has really taken off to such an extent that people want to build there own career around influencer marketing with their own brand:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-10-12/ronaldo-promoted-italian-school-now-offers-influencers-degree?srnd=technology-vp

Synthetic Biology

Synthetic Biology - Tryst with Technology - DigitalAsian

Will Synthetic Biology be the next big thing for VCs and startups in Silicon Valley?


https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/03/synbiotech-showed-the-real-future-of-silicon-valley-biology.html

Cloud Gaming

Cloud Gaming from Tech Updates blog from IdeaIndia.com hosted by Chill Lover Radio

==> https://chillloverradio.net/idea-india/cloud-gaming

Chill Lover Radio

Dhobi Electric

Dhobi Electric


Researchers at IIT Kharagpur have managed to generate electricity from wet clothes drying. Indian Dhobis may have a new way generate power :)

https://www.gadgetsnow.com/tech-news/iit-kharagpur-researchers-generate-power-from-wet-textiles/articleshow/71183115.cms

Audio Nation: Spotify in India

Audio Nation: Spotify Comes to India 

Audio Nation: Spotify Comes to India

Earlier in 2019, Spotify entered India and has started to disrupt the audio content market.

Before Spotify came to India there was already a thriving music scene in India covering all genres, including ‘Desi’ Rap and Hip Hop (as shown in the hit Bollywood film ‘Gully Boy’), with local platforms for music streaming such a Gaana and Jio Saavn.

Spotify’s entry into India has increased the competition amongst audio platforms used by DJs and musicians. Artists now have more options to share their content. Online radio stations like Chill Lover Radio now have a wider audience for their radio shows and are attracting new DJs … and podcasters.

The DJ scene in India is exploding with huge domestic talent and the best of foreign talent touring the country. India’s online music consumption has been high but now alternate audio content is gaining ground via podcasts. Platforms like Spotify are not just for DJs, musicians and music but for a whole lot more.

A simple search on Spotify for Indian podcast content already gives huge amounts of varied content for all types of subjects with travel, food, cricket, Bollywood as some of the more popular topics. Audio content is a fast-growing segment and content creators have plenty of opportunities to show off their work.

Apart from music and films, other digital content in local Indian languages still has a long way to go to catch up with English language content. Bollywood and others like Tollywood (Tamil Nadu film industry) still produce huge numbers of films and songs which are streamed on TV and mobile and probably accounts for the majority of data consumption.

E-learning is another area where audio and visual content is growing. Apart from the e-learning firms, platforms like Spotify offer individual podcasters space to grow.

This space has created opportunity for content creators in both English and local languages to produce and promote content on social media, thereby boosting the growth of podcasts.

Podcasts are easy and convenient to consume (as you don’t need to have the screen in front of you) and the playlist facility, that you find on platforms like Spotify and SoundCloud, helps consumers even further. With people looking to create and promote their content on social media, podcasts and platforms such as Spotify offer podcasters a springboard into huge markets like India.

Audio content, including audio books, are well established in markets like the US. The Indian market is now gearing up and will provide influencers, artists and marketers lots of possibilities to promote their brands via audio content.  Brands must take a very serious look at creating podcasts/audio content that give value to the consumer – this is a relatively untapped market in India, so far.

Just like eBooks, podcasts also have huge upside potential and opportunity for content creators and consumers in India.  With the growth in smartphones (and smart feature phones) and Internet accessibility with more affordable data plans (due mainly to the entry of Reliance Jio mobile network), the consumption of audio content on mobile devices will multiply giving a huge boost to online content. Spotify are well placed to take a lead as they are more suited to mobile devices.

Also, Reliance Jio are pushing the fibre-optic cable services across India which will only increase Internet penetration into smaller towns. To add to this, the Indian government is pushing digital payments to villages to increase financial services for those in rural areas and this means Internet penetration via mobile will increase to reach the ‘Next Billion’ – creating massive opportunity. Video streaming via mobile is increasing year-on-year in India and podcast content will not be far behind. The Indian Government’s ‘Digital India’ programme is slowly becoming a reality.

Spotify has entered India at the right time when there are a number of factors, all combining to create an environment that is just so good for digital content – visual … and audio. This is the right time for content creators around the world to market to the Indian audience.

So, start creating your podcasts now!  Podcasts are the way to go.

DigitalAsian

AI Designed Drugs

AI Designed Drugs

A Hong Kong based startup used AI to design a drug for fibrosis in 21 days:

https://www.gadgetsnow.com/tech-news/how-ai-helped-design-a-drug-in-21-days/articleshow/70959211.cms

Robotics 101 & IoT

Robotics 101 & IoT - Chennai

Robotics 101 and IoT

Provides you with the idea of important software regarding robotics & IoT like Arduino, Raspberry Pi, Quadcopter and ATV.

Where: Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

When 7 - 8 Sept 2019

Details: https://shareyaarnow.com/events/details/9865

Check out more Events on ShareYaar App - The App to Discover, Share & Promote Events

 

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.opensource.nearbyevents

 

Apple: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/shareyaar/id1165339934

Plant-based Foods

Plant-based Foods


After plant-based meat, plant-based fish could be the next on your plate:


https://www.cnbc.com/2019/08/05/plant-based-fish-could-be-next-impossible-foods-win-and-save-oceans.html

Reading Facial Expressions

Reading Facial Expressions


Software developed that can read people's facial expressions and body language


https://www.gadgetsnow.com/tech-news/researchers-develop-software-that-may-reveal-your-fake-facial-expressions/articleshow/70448548.cms

Predicting Your Personality

Predicting Your Personality

"Mobile phone movement patterns say a lot about your personality type, say researchers who used data from phone accelerometer  - the tiny sensors tracking phone movement for step-counting and other apps - to predict people's personalities." 

https://www.gadgetsnow.com/tech-news/smartphone-movement-patterns-can-predict-your-personality-say-researchers/articleshow/70378395.cms

Telepathy gets a step closer

Telepathy gets a step closer


"BrainNet: A Multi-Person Brain-to-Brain Interface for Direct Collaboration Between Brains"


https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-41895-7

Artificial Emotional Intelligence

Artificial Emotional Intelligence


"Amazon Is Working on a Device That Can Read Human Emotions"


https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-05-23/amazon-is-working-on-a-wearable-device-that-reads-human-emotions?srnd=technology-vp

Brainstorming

Brainstorming


Creating a brain-machine interface: "nanotransducer can be temporarily introduced into the body via injection so that the brain is able to communicate through a helmet-based transceiver"


https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/nri/us-canada-news/pio-to-help-us-troops-direct-robots-with-mind/articleshow/69436789.cms

Digital Fabric of Society

Digital Fabric of Society


"Cambridge scientists have developed wearable electronic components that can be incorporated directly into fabrics."


https://www.gadgetsnow.com/tech-news/researchers-develop-wearable-devices-that-could-be-made-into-clothes/articleshow/69357107.cms

Through the Cleaning Glass

Through the Cleaning Glass

"IIT Mandi scientists develop glass that can purify water using only sunlight"

https://www.gadgetsnow.com/tech-news/iit-mandi-scientists-develop-glass-that-can-purify-water-using-only-sunlight/articleshow/69199060.cms

Thoughts into Words

Thoughts into Words

"California scientists have found a way to translate thoughts into computer-generated speech"

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/25/california-scientists-found-a-way-to-translate-thoughts-into-speech.html

3D Printed Heart

3D Printed Heart

"Israeli researchers have printed a 3D heart using a patient’s own cells, something they say could be used to patch diseased hearts -- and possibly, full transplants."

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-15/israeli-researchers-print-3d-heart-using-patient-s-own-cells?srnd=technology-vp

Soundwave Technology

Soundwave Technology


"This technology facilitates a universally scalable and cost-effective means of payment by leveraging the benefits of cash-based and digital payment methods"


https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/small-biz/sme-sector/soundwave-technology-the-new-frontier-in-digital-payment-space/articleshow/68532986.cms

Lunar Agriculture

Lunar Agriculture



"China’s Chang’e 4 lunar probe hit headlines earlier this month after it successfully landed on the far side of the moon in a world first ... Now seeds carried by the lunar lander have sprouted, marking the first instance of biological matter growing on the moon."


https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/15/china-change-4-lunar-probe-sprouts-cotton-seed-on-moon-in-world-first.html