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Last year, Meta made waves with the launch of its Ray-Ban smart glasses, combining sleek design with cutting-edge technology. The glasses allow users to interact with Meta’s AI, record their surroundings through a built-in camera, and more, bringing the future of wearable tech to life. A couple of days back, reports of <keyword id="19894961" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="apple" source="keywords">Apple</keyword> working on a similar smart glasses product made headlines. Now, fresh reports say that the Cupertino-based tech giant is conducting an internal survey to get a sense of existing smart glasses in the market. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is currently conducting internal research to develop these smart glasses. The study, led by the company’s Product Systems Quality team, seeks employee feedback to understand the potential of smart glasses and their key features. This internal survey, a part of Apple’s product development strategy, asks participants to evaluate existing smart glasses available on the market. The feedback collected from these focus groups will be crucial for Apple as it looks to understand the demand and fine-tune features that could be incorporated into its product. While it’s still early in the process, these developments suggest that Apple is planning to enter the smart glasses market in the next few years, with a product that may directly compete with Meta’s Ray-Ban glasses. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="115003223" title="Nvidia becomes world's largest company amid AI boom, surpasses Apple in the race" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> Reports also suggest that these smart glasses could serve as a stepping stone toward more complex augmented reality (AR) devices. Although Apple is reportedly facing challenges in developing fully functional AR glasses due to both technical and financial hurdles, the smart glasses could represent an interim solution, offering a blend of useful features without venturing too far into the AR space just yet. If these smart glasses are developed, they could serve as an upgrade to Apple’s existing wearable ecosystem. The glasses would expand Apple’s range, offering a more immersive and interactive experience for users without diving straight into the complexities of AR. Given Apple’s reputation for creating seamless and integrated experiences, these smart glasses could become an essential part of its growing wearable portfolio. As Apple moves forward with its smart glasses project, the company seems determined to create a product that will stand out in a crowded market. With Meta already established with its Ray-Ban smart glasses, Apple will need to leverage its ecosystem and innovations to differentiate itself and capture the interest of consumers. It remains to be seen when these smart glasses will hit the market, but their development suggests that Apple is gearing up for another exciting launch in the wearables space. SEE ALSO: <a class="block mb-2 font-medium text-sm text-[#096ffa] hover:text-blue-700 visited:text-blue-600 " href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/apple-was-scammed-of-2-5-million-by-two-men-here-is-what-happened/articleshow/114039742.cms">Apple was scammed of $2.5 million by two men, here is what happened</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/apple-planning-to-work-on-smart-glasses-similar-to-metas-ray-ban-and-airpods-with-camera/articleshow/114203219.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Apple working on smart glasses similar to Meta’s Ray-Ban and AirPods with camera, report says</a>

Apple conducts internal survey amidst reports of developing smart glasses similar to Meta

<ul class="summary-list"><li>President-elect Donald Trump nominated Brendan Carr as the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission.</li><li>Carr has been working for the FCC since 2012.</li></ul>On Sunday, President-elect Donald Trump announced his nomination for the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, or FCC: Brendan Carr.Carr, who has worked at the FCC since 2012, is the senior Republican on the commission. He is also the author of the FCC chapter of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-project-2025-conservative-political-playbook-heritage-foundation-trump-2024-7">Project 2025</a>, the conservative playbook that's raised questions among Democrats and Republicans alike for pushing policies like eliminating the Department of Education.In a Truth Social post announcing the nomination, Trump wrote that Carr is a "warrior for Free Speech.""He will end the regulatory onslaught that has been crippling America's Job Creators and Innovators, and ensure that the FCC delivers for rural America," Trump added.Carr thanked Trump for the nomination, writing on X that he is "humbled and honored to serve as Chairman of the FCC."The role requires Senate approval. If Carr does become the chairman of the FCC, the appointment stands to have serious impacts on Big Tech.<h2 id="74fa1360-14f5-4659-b046-4dcdf8b4702e">Carr's stance on Big Tech</h2>In his Project 2025 chapter, Carr writes that one of his four main goals for the FCC is "Reining in Big Tech.""The FCC has an important role to play in addressing the threats to individual liberty posed by corporations that are abusing dominant positions in the market. Nowhere is that clearer than when it comes to Big Tech and its attempts to drive diverse political viewpoints from the digital town square," he wrote."It is hard to imagine another industry in which a greater gap exists between power and accountability," he added.Carr outlined several steps for the FCC to take, including publicizing a new stance on the law's approach to Section 230, a part of the Communications Act of 1934.Section 230 states that online service providers aren't legally treated as publishers of their users' posts and can't be held liable for any actions taken "in good faith" to moderate or censor inappropriate content.Carr said the FCC should push for limitations to those rules, which he said have been abused to give Big Tech corporations immunity on censorship. His interpretation of the section would give Big Tech immunity only against being compelled to take down content.Ultimately, Carr wants to revamp Section 230 as a whole, in favor of a set of antidiscrimination rules that prevent companies from censoring posts, with exceptions for illegal content like child sex abuse images.In place, consumers should be allowed to choose their own fact-checkers and filters, Carr said.He proposed that Big Tech firms be compelled to make public their traffic and monetization algorithms, saying they now operate in a "black box."Carr also wants Big Tech firms to start contributing to the Universal Service Fund, a billion-dollar program run by the FCC that helps underprivileged communities get access to telecommunications services.<h2 id="26cff9fc-99ef-4eaf-859b-12158e20d10d">Carr wants a stronger push away from China — and TikTok</h2>Another of Carr's main points in his Project 2025 chapter is to further decouple the US tech industry from China's.Raising concerns about US national security, Carr called for a ban on TikTok, saying it gives China an opportunity to influence how millions of Americans get their news and information.He also called for the US to expand its Covered List, which tracks foreign tech companies deemed a risk to national security, and to prevent American firms from providing cloud computing services to China.Carr also wants the US to publish a list of FCC-approved organizations with at least 10% ownership from "foreign adversarial governments" like China, Russia, and Iran.To smoothen the push away from China, Carr suggested the US contribute another $3 billion in federal funding to help companies that use Chinese tech find and integrate alternatives.Carr's two other points in his Project 2025 chapter are to increase accountability measures for federal tech programs and to drive hard to develop 5G infrastructure.

Trump picked a Project 2025 coauthor to run the FCC. Here's what it means for Big Tech.

State-owned <keyword id="20039950" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bharat-Petroleum-Corporation" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Bharat Petroleum Corporation" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Bharat Petroleum Corporation">Bharat Petroleum Corporation</keyword> plans to invest Rs 1.7 lakh crore over the next five years to grow its core oil refining and fuel marketing business as well as in 'future big bets' of <keyword id="20115883" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="petrochemicals" source="keywords">petrochemicals</keyword> and <keyword id="19895435" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="green-energy" source="keywords">green energy</keyword>, its chairman G Krishnakumar has said. At present, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (<keyword id="19908646" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="BPCL" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="BPCL" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="BPCL">BPCL</keyword>) owns about 14 per cent of India's oil <keyword id="20064251" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="refining-capacity" source="keywords">refining capacity</keyword> and about a quarter of the fuel retailing network. It plans to grow these businesses while foraying into newer areas. The firm is now implementing the first phase of a multi-decade aspirational journey in the form of '<keyword id="22826627" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="project-Aspire" source="keywords">Project Aspire</keyword>' - its five-year strategic framework that is based on two fundamental pillars - 'Nurturing the Core' and 'Investing in Future Big Bets', he said in the company's latest annual report. "Our mid-term strategy is on a continuum. While we remain committed to growing our core businesses, which include refining and marketing <keyword id="20037698" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="petroleum-products" source="keywords">petroleum products</keyword> and upstream, we are equally focused on our big bets comprising petrochemicals, gas, green energy, non-fuel retail, and digital. "Project Aspire, with a planned capex outlay of around Rs 1.70 lakh crore over five years, will enable us to create long-term value for our stakeholders while preserving our planet for future generations," he said. "A cornerstone of our long-term strategy, Project Aspire, with a Rs 1.70 trillion investment, marks the initial phase of our multi-decade odyssey to shape the energy of tomorrow. This, coupled with our robust balance sheet, fuels our ambition to lead the <keyword id="19951336" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="energy-transition" source="keywords">energy transition</keyword>." The company is targeting net zero carbon emissions from its operations by 2040. "BPCL has drawn a net-zero roadmap, which encompasses renewable power, green hydrogen, compressed biogas, carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS), efficiency improvement and the offsets procurements. This would require a phased capital outlay of approximately Rs 1 lakh crore till 2040, and the company is geared for the same," he said. The firm's bet on continuing investing in core businesses is based on the premise that India's booming economy will drive a 4-5 per cent annual increase in energy demand and petroleum product consumption. Also, the demand for major petrochemical products is expected to rise by 7-8 per cent annually. "This presents a strategic opportunity to expand refining capacity alongside the development of integrated petrochemical complexes," he said. BPCL is implementing new petrochemical projects at two of its three oil refineries. A Rs 49,000 crore ethylene cracker project is being implemented at the Bina refinery in Madhya Pradesh, alongside raising oil refining capacity from the current 7.8 million tonnes to 11 million tonnes annually by 2029. A polypropylene project is being set up at Kochi refinery in Kerala by 2027. "To meet the anticipated demand beyond our planned expansions in Bina and Kochi, we are actively evaluating options for setting up additional integrated refining and petrochemical capacities within the next 5-7 years," Krishnakumar said without disclosing either the investments or the location of such a project. Andhra Pradesh is being speculated as the likely site after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP and regional party TDP stormed to power in the state in recently concluded assembly elections. TDP has been demanding the implementation of a refinery-cum-petrochemical complex that was promised as part of the package when the state was split more than a decade back. "Our investment in the petrochemical project is consistent with our aspiration of becoming a dominant player in India's petrochemical growth story," Krishnakumar said. On energy transition, he said BPCL is targeting to build 2 gigawatts (GW) of <keyword id="19895602" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="renewable-energy" source="keywords">renewable energy</keyword> capacity by 2025 and 10 GW by 2035. "We are investing nearly Rs 1,000 crore to establish two 50 MW captive wind power plants in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, which will support our refineries in Mumbai and Bina." The firm is also investing around Rs 300 crore in 72 MWp of solar project in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. "Concomitantly, we are executing green hydrogen projects aligned with the National Green Hydrogen Mission. These projects include a 5 MW electrolyser plant at Bina refinery and a green hydrogen refuelling station with an indigenously developed electrolyser at Kochi," he noted. BPCL, he said, is committed to supporting the transition to electric mobility through a robust and accessible charging infrastructure. The company has installed over 3,000 charging stations, including fast chargers for cars and two-wheelers. 900 fast chargers are installed across 120 highway corridors, which helps address the range, discovery and time anxiety of electric vehicle (EV) owners. "Over the next five years, we aim to install 4-wheeler fast chargers at approximately 6,000 retail outlets across 400 highway corridors, prioritising high-traffic corridors like the Golden Quadrilateral and N-S/E-W highways," he said. On biofuels, he said BPCL sells petrol with 20 per cent ethanol blend at 4,279 out of its over 22,000 petrol pumps. It is also building compressed biogas plants using municipal solid waste to make gas that can be used as CNG in automobiles. The firm is also exploring partnerships in the arena. "These combined efforts, along with the upcoming commissioning of a bio-ethanol refinery, positions BPCL as a key player in India's transition to a greener fuel mix, creating a robust ecosystem for the adoption of cleaner fuels across the country," he added. BPCL is establishing a corporate venture capital fund to invest directly in promising startups. "In order to thrive in this complex and challenging business landscape, we will leverage our agility and focus on operational excellence to ensure continued success. Safety and reliability will remain our top priorities, guiding all our actions. We are committed to upholding the highest standards of corporate governance," he added. He said the energy sector of India stands at an inflection point. "The nation has an ambitious vision of becoming a USD 30 trillion developed economy by 2047. 'Viksit Bharat @2047' will necessitate an almost fourfold increase in primary energy demand." India's exponential growth trajectory will propel it to a pivotal role in the global energy market, accounting for roughly 12 per cent of world energy consumption by 2047. "The key strategic objectives for India in the energy sector will entail significant expansion in refining capacities, raising the share of gas in the energy basket from about 6 per cent to 15 per cent, establishing leadership in petrochemical exports, and sharply reducing energy imports from current levels of 47 per cent to below 25 per cent by 2030 and to zero by 2047," he said. India is targeting 500 GW of non-fossil fuel energy capacity, sourcing half of its energy needs from renewables, reducing carbon emissions by 1 billion tonnes and lowering carbon intensity by 45 per cent by 2030 with the ultimate goal of net-zero emissions by 2070. "Building on its strong Indian energy presence, BPCL aspires to meet 7-10 per cent of the nation's primary energy demand by 2047," he said.

BPCL planning Rs 1.7 lakh crore spend to expand core business, new energy foray over next five years

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (<keyword id="41780" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="iisc" source="Orion">IISc</keyword>) have developed a brain-inspired analog computing platform capable of storing and processing <keyword id="6355729" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="data" source="Orion">data</keyword> in an astonishing 16,500 conductance states within a molecular film. Published on September 11 in the journal Nature, this breakthrough represents a huge step forward over traditional digital computers in which data storage and processing are limited to just two states, the IISc s<keyword id="6355999" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ai" source="Orion">ai</keyword>d. In a press release, the institute said that such a platform could potentially bring complex AI tasks, like training Large Language Models (LLMs), to personal devices like laptops and smartphones, thus taking us closer to democratising the development of AI tools. These developments are currently restricted to resource-heavy data centres, due to a lack of energy-efficient hardware. With silicon electronics nearing saturation, designing brain-inspired accelerators that can work alongside silicon chips to deliver faster, more efficient AI is also becoming crucial. "Neuromorphic computing has had its fair share of unsolved challenges for over a decade," explained <keyword id="23122611" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sreetosh-goswami" source="keywords">Sreetosh Goswami</keyword>, Assistant Professor at the Centre for Nano Science and Engineering (CeNSE), IISc, who led the research team. "With this discovery, we have almost nailed the perfect system - a rare feat," he said. According to IISc, the fundamental operation underlying most AI algorithms is quite basic - matrix multiplication, a concept taught in high school maths. But in digital computers, these calculations hog a lot of energy. The platform developed by the IISc team drastically cuts down both the time and energy involved, making these calculations a lot faster and easier. The molecular system at the heart of the platform was designed by <keyword id="23122609" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sreebrata-goswami" source="keywords">Sreebrata Goswami</keyword>, Visiting Professor at CeNSE. As molecules and ions wiggle and move within a material film, they create countless unique memory states, many of which have been inaccessible so far. Most digital devices are only able to access two states (high and low conductance), without being able to tap into the infinite number of intermediate states possible. By using precisely timed voltage pulses, the IISc team found a way to effectively trace a much larger number of molecular movements, and map each of these to a distinct electrical signal, forming an extensive "molecular diary" of different states. "This project brought together the precision of electrical engineering with the creativity of chemistry, letting us control molecular kinetics very precisely inside an electronic circuit powered by nanosecond voltage pulses," explained Goswami. "Tapping into these tiny molecular changes allowed the team to create a highly precise and efficient neuromorphic accelerator, which can store and process data within the same location, similar to the human brain. Such accelerators can be seamlessly integrated with silicon circuits to boost their performance and energy efficiency," the IISc said. IISc researchers said the key challenge that the team faced was characterising the various conductance states, which proved impossible using existing equipment. The team designed a custom circuit board that could measure voltages as tiny as a millionth of a volt, to pinpoint these individual states with unprecedented accuracy. It also turned this scientific discovery into a technological feat. The team was able to recreate NASA's iconic "Pillars of Creation" image from the James Webb Space Telescope data - originally created by a <keyword id="6537818" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="supercomputer" source="Orion">supercomputer</keyword> - using just a tabletop computer. They were also able to do this at a fraction of the time and energy that traditional computers would need. Using their AI accelerator, the team recreated NASA's iconic "Pillars of Creation" image from the James Webb Space Telescope data on a tabletop computer - achieving this in a fraction of the time and energy required by traditional systems, it said. The team includes several students and research fellows at IISc. They also collaborated with Stanley Williams, Professor at Texas A&amp;M University and Damien Thompson, Professor at the University of Limerick, it added. The researchers believe that this breakthrough could be one of India's biggest leaps in AI hardware, putting the country on the map of global technology innovation. Navakanta Bhat, Professor at CeNSE and an expert in silicon electronics led the circuit and system design in this project. "What stands out is how we have transformed complex physics and chemistry understanding into groundbreaking technology for AI hardware," Goswami explained. "In the context of the India Semiconductor Mission, this development could be a game-changer, revolutionising industrial, consumer and strategic applications. The national importance of such research cannot be overstated," he said. With support from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, the IISc team is now focused on developing a fully indigenous integrated neuromorphic chip. "This is a completely home-grown effort, from materials to circuits and systems," he emphasised. "We are well on our way to translating this technology into a system-on-a-chip," he added.

IISc scientists develop brain-inspired analog computing platform capable of storing, processing data

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 29 (ANI): The Power Transmission &amp; Distribution (<keyword id="21574285" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="PTD" source="keywords">PT&amp;D</keyword>) business of <keyword id="19975888" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Larsen-Toubro" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Larsen &amp; Toubro" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Larsen &amp; Toubro">Larsen &amp; Toubro</keyword> (<keyword id="19963313" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="LT" source="keywords">L&amp;T</keyword>) has secured new orders both domestically and internationally for the construction of substations and <keyword id="21017821" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="transmission-lines" source="keywords">transmission lines</keyword>. According to an exchange filing, these projects are integral to the vast, interconnected electricity network, aiming to accelerate the <keyword id="20596535" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="clean-energy-transition" source="keywords">clean energy transition</keyword> and ensure a reliable, resilient power supply. In India, L&amp;T's PT&amp;D has been entrusted with two 765kV double circuit transmission line projects. These projects are vital for the evacuation of power from the Jaisalmer/Barmer <keyword id="21873922" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Renewable-Energy-Zone" source="keywords">Renewable Energy Zone</keyword> in Rajasthan, channelling it to substations in Madhya Pradesh for further distribution. This initiative is a step towards harnessing and utilising renewable energy resources efficiently within the country. On the international front, Saudi Arabia continues its pursuit of sustainable and efficient power supply by bolstering its 380kV network in the central region. L&amp;T's PT&amp;D has secured orders to construct a 380kV substation and 380kV overhead line segments. These developments are crucial for enhancing the region's <keyword id="21644086" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="electricity-infrastructure" source="keywords">electricity infrastructure</keyword> and ensuring a stable power supply. In the United Arab Emirates, L&amp;T's PT&amp;D has been awarded contracts to build a 220kV substation and three 132kV substations. These substations will be pivotal in meeting the growing electricity demand in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, supporting the utilities in maintaining a robust and reliable power network. Larsen &amp; Toubro, a USD 27 billion Indian multinational, is a prominent player in EPC projects, hi-tech manufacturing, and services with a global footprint. Renowned for its customer-focused approach and relentless pursuit of top-quality standards, L&amp;T has maintained leadership in its major business domains for over eight decades. The recent orders won by L&amp;T's PT&amp;D fall under the 'Large' category, with values ranging from Rs 2,500 to Rs 5,000 crore.

L&T wins multiple orders worth Rs 2500 to 5000 crore to build grids for clean energy transition

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Meta's Reality Labs is exploring all kinds of wearable AI tech, CTO Andrew Bosworth says.</li><li>Its projects include camera earbuds and mixed-reality goggles.</li></ul>The rapid advancement of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/these-are-13-wearable-technology-and-remote-monitoring-startups-2022-9">wearable technology</a> is making it easier to accessorize with incorporate AI. At Meta, chief technology officer <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/startup-life-not-glamorous-like-movies-meta-cto-2024-3#:~:text=Meta's%20chief%20technology%20officer%2C%20Andrew,one%20of%20its%20first%20engineers.">Andrew Bosworth</a> says the company sees few limits on how the technology can be worn on the body."If there's a part of your body that could potentially host a wearable that could do AI, there's a good chance we've had a team run that down," he told Command Line, a tech newsletter.Bosworth oversees Reality Labs, the division of Meta that produces virtual reality and augmented reality hardware and software. Last month, it unveiled <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/meta-orion-quest-vr-headset-wearable-mark-zuckerberg-analysts-explained-2024-9">Orion</a>, its newest pair of augmented reality glasses that let users experience augmented reality with the comfort of (almost) normal-size glasses. Bosworth <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/meta-cto-andrew-bosworth-ar-glasses-2023-12">once described it</a> as "the most advanced piece of technology on the planet in its domain."The division, which has earned a reputation for hemorrhaging money, has <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mark-zuckerberg-cuts-spending-reality-labs-meta-report-2024-7">implemented cost-cutting measures</a> in the past year. Its hardware teams have been asked to cut spending by nearly 20% from 2024 into 2026. Over the past year, it's also conducted layoffs, largely targeting middle and senior managers.But the cuts haven't stopped Reality Labs from dabbling in new ideas. Behind the scenes, Reality Labs has many projects, from camera earbuds to mixed reality goggles. "If there's a concept that you could imagine, we either have had or do have somebody building a thing around it," Bosworth told Command Line.Reality Labs uses a step-by-step process to develop products from concept to release, Bosworth said. It begins with a pre-discovery team that prototypes new ideas, which are then reviewed to select a few for further exploration. After prototyping, successful concepts enter the company's product road map, and about half of those make it through final testing to be released to the public.The camera earbuds are in an early stage of development, while a pair of "steampunk" mixed reality goggles have advanced to the product release process, Command Line reported."We definitely don't want to be outflanked by someone who came up with some clever, integrated wearable that we hadn't thought about," Bosworth said.Meta did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

If there's a body part that can wear AI, there's a 'good chance' Meta has tried to develop it, CTO says

<keyword id="20018917" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Capital-expenditure" source="keywords">Capital expenditure</keyword> on the <keyword id="19914937" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Railways" source="keywords">Railways</keyword> has increased by 77 per cent over the past five years with significant investments in the construction of <keyword id="22505706" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="new-lines" source="keywords">new lines</keyword>, <keyword id="20375816" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gauge-conversion" source="keywords">gauge conversion</keyword> and doubling, the <keyword id="20613906" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Economic-Survey" source="keywords">Economic Survey</keyword> 2023-24 said on Monday. According to the survey tabled in Parliament by Finance Minister <keyword id="19916618" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nirmala-sitharaman" source="keywords">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword>, in the financial year 2019-2020, the capital expenditure was 1.48 lakh crore which was increased to ₹2.62 lakh crore in 2023-24. "<keyword id="19909154" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Railways" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Indian Railways" meta.hostid="346" meta.entityid="Indian Railways">Indian Railways</keyword>, with over 68,584 route km (as of March 31, 2024) and 12.54 lakh employees (as of April 1, 2024), is the fourth largest network in the world under single management," the survey said. Highlighting the initiatives taken by the Railway Ministry for the enhancement of operations and services, the survey mentioned Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) project and Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs) with the progress made in these respective <keyword id="19900581" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="projects" source="keywords">projects</keyword>. According to the survey, Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, launched in August 2023 for development of stations on a continuous basis, involves preparation of master plans and its phased implementation to improve amenities, building improvements, multimodal integration, and sustainability. It said that 1,324 stations have been identified for upgradation so far. Talking about another initiative, Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) project, the survey said that under this 508-km project, executed with cooperation from the government of Japan, land acquisition and civil conduct award have been completed. "Overall physical progress of 41.7 per cent has been achieved and financial expenditure of ₹59,291 crore was incurred until 31st March, 2024," the survey said. "Two DFCs are under implementation namely the eastern DFC with route length of 1,337 kilometre and the western DFC with route length of 1,506 kilometre," it added. It further stated that by the end of FY24, 96.1 per cent of the total DFC route length has been completed. Highlighting other major achievements, the survey said that the Railways achieved its highest-ever production for both locomotives and wagons in FY24. "Fifty one pairs of <keyword id="19922877" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vande-bharat" source="keywords">Vande Bharat</keyword> have been introduced until March 2024. The fast pace of infrastructure augmentation has been the result of a substantial increase in financial allocation along with close project monitoring and regular follow-up with stakeholders for expeditious land acquisition and clearances," the survey said. It added, "High-speed, long-distance Vande sleeper trainset coaches having features like quick acceleration, diffused lighting, automatic doors and global positioning system-based passenger information system are under development." According to the survey, the Railways is also planning to introduce Vande metro trainset coaches with features such as sealed wider gangways, centrally controlled automatic sliding doors, CCTVs for safety and surveillance, route map indicator, passenger information and infotainment system, fire detection system and aerosol-based fire suppression system. "The first lot is expected to be turned out in FY25," it said. "Railways has taken several initiatives for providing a clean environment in and around railway stations and trains, such as replacement of conventional toilets with bio-toilets on coaches leading to clean tracks, segregation of bio-degradable/non bio-degradable waste, solid waste management and discouraging use of single use plastic," the survey added.

Capital expenditure on Railways increased by 77% over 5 years: Economic Survey

The overall size of the budget has remained almost unchanged from the interim one presented in February, indicating the government's strong commitment to move along the <keyword id="20099794" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="fiscal-prudence" source="keywords">fiscal prudence</keyword> path, said experts on Tuesday. According to the <keyword id="19908389" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Union-Budget" source="keywords">Union Budget</keyword> 2024-25 presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the total expenditure in Budget Estimates (BE) 2024-25 is estimated at Rs 48,20,512 crore of which total <keyword id="20018917" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="capital-expenditure" source="keywords">capital expenditure</keyword> is Rs 11,11,111 crore. The total expenditure in the Interim Budget presented in February was estimated at Rs 47,65,768 crore of which total capital expenditure was Rs 11.11 lakh crore. Debadatta Chand, Managing Director &amp; CEO, <keyword id="19920717" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bank-of-Baroda" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Bank of Baroda" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Bank of Baroda">Bank of Baroda</keyword>, said the Union Budget complements the main takeaways from the Economic Survey and focusses clearly on medium term development of the economy. "The overall size of the budget has remained almost unchanged from the interim one. The budget has shown strong intent on moving along the fiscal prudence path and targeted the <keyword id="19942084" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="fiscal-deficit" source="keywords">fiscal deficit</keyword> at 4.9 per cent for the year," he said. The said action will keep the growth steady as well as robust not only for economy but also banking. Aditi Nayar, Chief Economist, ICRA Limited, said the budget has kept the capital expenditure unchanged and pared the fiscal deficit to 4.9 per cent of GDP. "The anticipated reiteration of the reduction in the fiscal deficit to below 4.5 per cent of GDP in FY2026 is welcome. Interestingly, the new medium term fiscal consolidation path has been linked to a reduction in the debt/GDP ratio instead of continued compression of the fiscal deficit/GDP ratio," she said. Buoyed by improvement in revenue collection, the government has lowered fiscal deficit target to 4.9 per cent for the current <keyword id="19910979" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="financial-year" source="keywords">financial year</keyword> as against 5.1 per cent estimated in February's interim budget. Ranen Banerjee, Partner and Leader Economic Advisory, PwC India, said that fiscal prudence is the highlight of the full Union Budget 2024-25. The government has gone with realistic projections on its revenue and expenditure estimates and refrained from announcing overly populist measures. "The majority of the allocations, including the capex allocation, are as outlined in the interim budget, thus providing continuity. The capex being kept at INR 11.11 trillion was expected, given that the ability to consume this allocation is limited due to disruption from the elections in the first quarter and the second quarter being typically slowed down by the monsoons," Banerjee said. Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) President Ranjeet Kumar Agarwal said the government has announced five schemes to facilitate employment and skilling for 4.1 crore youth over the next five years with a central outlay of Rs 2 lakh crore. "This is a welcome step that will create a skilled workforce to address the existing deficit and generate <keyword id="19972727" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="employment-opportunities" source="keywords">employment opportunities</keyword>. Additionally, financial support for loans up to Rs 10 lakh for higher education will help students pursue higher education and acquire skills," he added. Indian Institute of Insolvency Professionals of ICAI (IIIPI) Chairman Ashok Haldia said the budget proposals for an integrated technology platform and sprucing up NCLT infrastructure will provide a fillip to the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) regime. IIIPI is promoted by ICAI. Meanwhile, Kumarmangalam Vijay, Partner, JSA Advocates and Solicitors, opined that in its new avatar, it seems that the Modi government is keen to deliver on its promise of 'ease of doing business'. "Its focus on making it simpler is evident from the abolition of the angel tax, the increase in new income tax regime thresholds, new Vivad se Vishwas Scheme 2024 for the resolution of pending cases and the increase in the threshold for appeal by tax departments at various levels, decriminalising the non-reporting of shares received from non-resident employers and reducing the period for re-opening of the cases," Vijay said. The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) said there has been a focus on the manufacturing sector in the budget. Measures have been taken for simplifying the FDI/ODI rules and regulations, and the <keyword id="21847964" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tax-regimes" source="keywords">tax regimes</keyword>. The enhanced Mudra loan limit and the abolition of angel tax are all set to incentivize the startup and MSME ecosystem of the country. "The nine priorities identified in this progressive and inclusive budget 2024 are aimed at generating ample opportunities for all. Besides agricultural reforms, the budget focuses on skilling, educating and employing the youth, a priority that the ICSI has been concentrating on," said ICSI President B Narasimhan. Rajesh Magow, Co-Founder and Group CEO, MakeMyTrip, said the government's continued emphasis on infrastructure development is commendable. Enhanced road infrastructure will bolster the travel and tourism sector. "We also welcome the initiatives to develop iconic spiritual and cultural sites into world-class tourist hotspots," Magow said. Furthermore, he said the provision of credit for TCS against income tax under 'Income from Salaries' is logical and will provide much-desired relief to taxpayers who travel internationally.

Budget size almost unchanged from interim, shows govt's commitment to fiscal prudence: Experts

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Treeview is a developer of extended-reality software that serves clients such as Microsoft.</li><li>Its founder spoke with BI about the company's training, education, and mixed-reality applications.</li></ul><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://treeview.studio/">Treeview</a>, a leading boutique development shop in South America, has established a global presence in extended-reality software.The company <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://clutch.co/developers/virtual-reality">works with enterprise companies</a> in the US, Europe, and the South Pacific to develop augmented- and virtual-reality applications for major platforms, including Meta's Quest, Apple's Vision Pro, and Microsoft's HoloLens. Its clients include Microsoft, education institutions such as the University of Alberta, and healthcare companies like Medtronic.Business Insider spoke with Treeview's founder, Horacio Torrendell, to learn more about how business and enterprise clients are leveraging AR and VR hardware for XR applications.The following has been edited for length and clarity.How'd you get into this line of work?Treeview started around 2015 when I got an Oculus DK2 for university. I began doing freelance work with the hardware when there were very few VR developers in South America. I found some clients, started growing, and started to build a team. We did a lot of work with startups from 2017 to 2020. Now we're focusing on enterprise clients.What's your take on the arc of the AR/VR industry's journey so far?I see it more as steps than an arc. It's all generation-based, with new hardware opening up new use cases.We started with PC VR for tinkering and exploration, then mobile VR like Samsung Gear VR and Google Cardboard. Next came stand-alone VR and mobile AR, where we did a lot of work with startups on projects similar to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/5g-help-retailers-shopping-augmented-reality-2019-8">Ikea Place</a> and construction tools. Now we're entering the mixed-reality generation with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/using-apple-vision-pro-for-the-day-productivity-2024-2">Vision Pro</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/meta-virtual-reality">Meta Quest</a>.Each step brings initial confusion as people figure out how to use the new technology, so I think of it as a staircase. Every time there's a new step up, there's a period of adjustment. We're at the start of the mixed-reality generation, and people are still figuring out what they can do with it. I expect we'll see much more mature use cases in the next year or two as the current technology paradigm settles.What kind of problems are companies coming to you with now?Our main focus for the last three years has been training and education. There's a huge demand in this area, but it's challenging to scale because building a high-quality training simulator requires a lot of effort.We're excited about the emerging trend of merging AI with XR. Currently, AI is primarily a back-end, server-side concept that people interact with through text prompting. What's really interesting now is exploring how we can interact with AI through different computing interfaces, particularly immersive ones.Can you help me visualize how AI is being integrated into a training experience?One project we're working on with Microsoft is part of what they call the industrial metaverse. It's mainly around <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-digital-twin-technology-can-transform-archeological-research-2024-8">digital twins</a>, which are digital replicas of physical locations with data overlaid onto that information. We're working on one of the largest <a target="_blank" href="https://treeview.studio/digitaltwin">renewable-energy-production sites in Uruguay</a>.We have a bunch of data and a real-life location, and we want to interact with that data. The way we're thinking of this is, how do you query that information? We have data that doesn't make sense without the context of the location, which is this actual wind farm.Previously, you might filter that information by time stamps or ask specific questions with a predefined user interface. But we're exploring how to have a conversation with that data through an AI model that's trained on top of that data and large language models.It's opening the possibility of having a conversation with a computer about a piece of content that is a physical representation of a physical place with data on top of that place.<div type="image" title="Horacio Torrendell wears virtual-reality glasses while showcasing a digital-twin simulation of wind farms in Uruguay" height="724" width="1086" msid="112689893" hostid="261" sizebytes="52052"></div>What sort of hardware platforms do you target on a project like this?This project targets Microsoft HoloLens 2, mobile with AR capabilities, and the standard web. We have to remember that XR is just one component in a larger set of software solutions. It's crucial to vertically integrate these technologies based on how you're interacting with the data.Having stakeholders around a table with HoloLens, discussing data on-site in a real environment, would be the highest tier of experience. But there's still value in having a website with a 3D model that you can browse and interact with through chat prompts.Let's zoom out a bit and talk about your workflow when starting a new project. How do you begin to scope out what a project is going to be?We call that the discovery phase. It's about trying to understand what the client or the use case is about, not just receiving a list of requirements. It's a brainstorm that we have with clients.For many of these corporations, there's value in deploying a solution. But there's also a lot of value in the innovation approach, in knowing exactly what's going on with this technology, exploring it, and doing some internal tinkering.What's the scale of what you're normally building in terms of distribution?With business-to-business projects, there is not a massive distribution. There are specific use cases and internal tools rather than customer-facing applications. However, we do have some clients, especially on the startup side, who have done more massive rollouts.For context, we recently launched a free educational app for Apple Vision Pro. The project is called <a target="_blank" href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/inviewer/id6479699008">Inviewer</a>, and it's like a Wikipedia of interactive spatial content. This app is featured in the education category of the app store, which is pretty cool. After four weeks, it had about 2,600 users.Are companies looking to hit certain metrics, like reducing time or improving knowledge?One of our largest clients is a startup that's a leader in employee training, though I can't name it due to nondisclosure agreements. What I can say is that some companies are training employees for specific tasks, like installing an electric circuit.There's also huge demand in the market for institutions to provide context to, say, students about what they can do, especially for professional or technical careers. They want to get a feel for what it's like to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/solar-careers-in-demand-workforce-shortage-2024-7">install solar panels</a>, for example.These kinds of applications address a real need in the market. They help people understand career options they might not have known existed.You mentioned you developed for the Apple Vision Pro. How are the latest headsets, like the Vision Pro, changing what you can achieve?Apple brought the whole <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-eye-tracking-accessibility-control-iphone-ipad-2024-5">concept of eye gazing</a>, the concept of prioritizing windows, and the fact that those windows can be expanded. That's a lot of new paradigms in the user-interface experience that Apple brought to the table, and it's been amazing.

The founder of a software-development company says there's a 'huge demand' for training and education applications — extended reality can help

<ul><li>Google has made several important announcements around AI at the I/O 2024.</li><li>Google also announced AI fraud prevention, which is aimed at reducing instances of fraud.</li><li>Here are some of the major announcements from the search giant at the <keyword id="20998854" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Google-I/O-2024" source="Orion">Google I/O 2024</keyword>.</li></ul> Google on Tuesday hosted the I/O 2024, the company’s biggest annual developer conference. It was an in-person event at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California and was live-streamed for the company’s fans across the world. As expected, artificial intelligence (AI) was the most talked about feature at the event, with Google announcing several new AI-powered features for its applications and services. In this post, we look at some of the key announcements from Google at the I/O 2024: <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="AI Overviews" comment="subhead" text="AI Overviews"><keyword id="21059739" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AI-Overviews" source="keywords">AI Overviews</keyword></cmsannotation> Google is rolling out AI Overviews in the US, with plans to expand worldwide by the end of the year. AI Overviews provides quick answers and overviews to user queries by curating sources from multiple sites. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Ask Photos" comment="subhead" text="Ask Photos"><keyword id="21660513" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ask-Photos" source="keywords">Ask Photos</keyword></cmsannotation> Ask Photos uses the <keyword id="20350253" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gemini-AI-model" source="keywords">Gemini AI model</keyword> to improve photo searches by allowing users to ask questions about their Google Photos library. It simplifies the process of finding specific photos or curating trip highlights. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="AI fraud prevention" comment="subhead" text="AI fraud prevention">AI fraud prevention</cmsannotation> Google will also deploy AI to help prevent fraud. AI will soon be able to identify if the person you are speaking to on the phone is attempting to fraud them. Google will issue an alert when the person gets a call from someone who is suspected of fraud. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Project Astra" comment="subhead" text="Project Astra"><keyword id="21660791" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Project-Astra" source="keywords">Project Astra</keyword></cmsannotation> Google also announced Project Astra, a universal AI agent at the Google I/O 2024. Project Astra is aimed at making Gemini naturally conversational. With Project Astra, conversations will fell more natural and this is why Gemini will be multimodal. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Gemini 1.5 Flash" comment="subhead" text="Gemini 1.5 Flash"><keyword id="21664319" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gemini-1-5-Flash" source="keywords">Gemini 1.5 Flash</keyword></cmsannotation> Google also announced Gemini 1.5 Flash, a lightweight version of Gemini Pro. It has been optimised for high-frequency tasks, coding, and reasoning. This version is faster and smarter, capable of handling complex tasks with increased efficiency. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Veo" comment="subhead" text="Veo">Veo</cmsannotation> Google also announced Veo, a powerful new video generation model capable of creating high-quality Full HD videos over a minute long. It has an advanced understanding of natural language and visual semantics. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Gemini 1.5 Pro Integration" comment="subhead" text="Gemini 1.5 Pro Integration">Gemini 1.5 Pro Integration</cmsannotation> Google Workspace is set to receive Gemini 1.5 Pro integration for assistance in Docs, Sheets, and more, enhancing the productivity suite with AI capabilities. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/webstories/virat-kohli-backed-go-digit-ipo-subscription-opens-today-all-you-need-to-know/slidelist/110137661.cms">Virat Kohli-backed Go Digit IPO subscription opens today — all you need to know</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/tvs-iqube-gets-a-new-variant-priced-under-1-lakh-st-variant-gets-a-bigger-battery/articleshow/110121391.cms">TVS iQube gets a new variant priced under ₹1 lakh, ST variant gets a bigger battery</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/chatgpt-maker-openai-has-launched-gpt-4o-a-new-ai-voice-assistant/articleshow/110112039.cms">ChatGPT maker OpenAI has launched GPT-4o, a new AI voice assistant</a>

Google I/O 2024 highlights: Ask Photos, AI Overviews, AI fraud protection and more announced

<ul class="summary-list"><li>While promoting Project Astra, Google CEO Sundar Pichai teased the possible return of Google Glass.</li><li>Pichai told CNBC that Google is working on prototype glasses to work with Project Astra's AI model.</li></ul><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-glass">Google Glass</a> might be ready to make a comeback.In an interview with CNBC on Tuesday, Google CEO Sundar Pichar teased the possible return of the wearable technology, integrated with Google's new multimodal AI assistant, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-future-ai-agents-project-astra-2024-5">Project Astra</a>."Project Astra shines when you have a form factor like glasses," Pichar told CNBC. "We are working on prototypes."In the Project Astra demo, the prototype glasses help the wearer enhance schematic plans on a whiteboard, interpret a drawing meant to reference the Schrödinger's Cat paradox, and create a band name based on a Golden Retriever and its stuffed toy tiger.Representatives for Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.In his CNBC appearance, Pichar didn't elaborate further on the prototypes under development or how soon Project Astra will be implemented into wearable tech like glasses.However, users commenting on the demo quickly congratulated Google for reinvigorating the technology that stopped production nearly a decade ago."Google Glass has RE-entered the chat," one user quipped below the YouTube video promoting Project Astra and featuring the prototype glasses."I do think the Google Glass was ahead of its time, and now is the ideal time to rerelease it, especially after Apple and Facebook's sudden interest in this market," another wrote.The original Google Glass debuted in 2013 but was a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/photos-nyc-home-museum-of-failure-2023-4">remarkable commercial failure</a>. Initially toted as the way of the future, wearers of the tech were mercilessly mocked, and the release of Google Glass 1.0 was marred by literal and figurative headaches during production, as author Quinn Meyers noted in his book "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-glass-remember-the-internet-no-3-quinn-myers-new-book-2022-10">Google Glass: Remember the Internet no. 3</a>."Production on the original Google Glass was ultimately discontinued in 2015, though two enterprise editions were attempted in 2017 and 2019, respectively. Sales on both were <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-ar-iris-augmented-reality-smart-glasses-2023-6">discontinued</a> by 2023.However, given the Project Astra demo, it appears Google never fully gave up on its plan, and a resurgence of the tech featuring Google's latest iteration of its Gemini AI assistant may be very close on the horizon.

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