Current Affairs February 2016 - Technology

News 1 - Amazon Web Services builds 5 data centres in Mumbai.

Amazon Web Services has installed 5 data centers in its India operations hub, Mumbai. The company wants to tap on the growing influence of e-tailing and cloud computing in India. The news came in while Amazon’s rivals like Flipkart and Microsoft and IBM have increased their data service operations in India. Companies in India can use AWS (Amazon Web Services) infrastructure to build up their businesses and run the applications in the cloud.

News 2 - Maharashtra set to be India's first silicon chip-manufacturing hub.

Maharashtra will be India's first silicon chip-manufacturing hub. It will also become the fourth country in the world after China, South Korea, and Japan to develop touchscreen technology. The state has taken a new policy to bring silicon chip-manufacturing companies to set up units in Maharashtra. The government has signed an MoU with major electronic chip makers in the industry in ‘Make in India Week’ starting February 13, 2016.

News 3 - Freedom 251 - world's cheapest smartphone launched.

Indian firm Ringing Bells launched Freedom 251, the world's cheapest smartphone on February 17, 2016. At Rs. 251 ($3.67; £2.56), this phone offers 8GB storage and front and rear cameras, 1.3 GHz quad-core processor, 1GB RAM and Android 5.1 Lollipop OS, among other features. This phone will end the long hauled position of the well-earners who could only afford a smartphone. Now, it will be in the hands of everyone.

News 4 - Prithvi II Missile Successfully Test Fired.

India test-fired its indigenously developed Prithvi-II missile on February 16, 2016. This missile is a very important addition to India’s armory and it can carry 500 kgs to 1000 kgs of warheads. Prithvi II missile was tested as part of a user trial by the army from a test range at Chandipur. India continues its dominance in missile technology with this successful launch.

News 5 - India's 1st Lightest Gun "Nidar" Launched.

India’s first indigenously developed lightest revolver (gun), Nidar was successfully launched on February 12, 2016. It was part of the "Make in India" initiative. Designed and manufactured by the state-run Rifle Factory in Ishapore located in West Bengal, the gun weighs merely 250 grams. This arm will be a mini version of security weaponry for the needy individuals, apart from being included in security forces for its efficiency.

News 6 - NRDC inks MoA with IACS on Technology Transfer.

NRDC has signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS) on February 16, 2016 for commercialization of technologies and intellectual properties (IP) developed at IACS. Under this MoA, NRDC will provide its services in IP Evaluation and Valuation to IACS. Director, IACS Professor Santanu Bhattacharya and Chairman Managing Director of NRDC Dr. H. Purushotham exchanged the Memorandum of Agreement.

News 7 - Japan launches ASTRO-H satellite.

Japan launched the ASTRO H satellite from the Tanegashima Space Center on February 17, 2016 in order to study X-rays coming from black holes in space. The satellite has been designed in collaboration with NASA and other space agencies and it will pave new ways to study the mysterious X-rays that are scattered from Black holes when they are created.

News 8 - ISRO successfully test cryogenic engine of GSLV Mark 3 rocket.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully conducted hotbed test of the indigenously developed high-thrust cryogenic engine (CE20) of the GSLV Mark 3 (LVM3) rocket on February 20, 2016.

GSLV stands for Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle and is intended to launch satellites into geostationary orbit and as a launcher for an Indian crew vehicle.

The GSLV-III has an Indian cryogenic third stage and it has a higher payload capacity than the current GSLV.

News 9 - Harsh Vardhan Dedicates Ksheer-Scanner Systems.

The Union Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences and Vice President, CSIR Dr. Harsh Vardhan, on February 20, 2016, dedicated Systems for Detection of Adulteration and analysis of Milk. India is the leading producer of milk with 18% contribution of world production and it consumes about 146 million tonnes of milk. Out of all, 60% of the milk is contaminated with Urea, detergent, liquid soap, caustic soda, boric acid etc.

Initially NITI Aayog invented a technology to detect adulteration at a cost less than 4 rupees, but now with KSHEER SCANNER, the cost has come down to 50 paisa.

News 10 - Indian Government to provide wi-fi at 25,000 spots in country.

It was revealed on February 24, 2016 that the Indian government has planned to set up wi-fi facilities at 25,000 spots in the country by March 2016.

At present, the facilities are available at three hundred spots across India. The stand has been taken looking at the popularity of Wi-Fi spots due to large scale use for personal laptops for various reasons.

News 11 - ISRO to set up Satellite Centre for in ASEAN countries in Vietnam.

Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) announced on February 27, 2016 that it will establish a Satellite Tracking & Data Reception Station and Data Processing Facility for ASEAN Member countries in Vietnam.

This satellite centre is a program of Union Government as part of Space Cooperation between India and Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). India is a leader is space technology among ASEAN region.