Technology

Pune, March 9 (IANS) MIT World Peace University (MIT-WPU), Pune, on Sunday, said that it has developed a smart Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled tablet and capsule dispenser to improve medication management by ensuring precise and timely dispensing while allowing remote monitoring.

Traditional medication dispensers often require manual handling and lack real-time monitoring. To address this issue, the Pune-based university has designed a modular system with IoT connectivity.

The dispenser features an equilateral-shaped container, a motorised dispensing system, and a smart controller that follows user-defined schedules.

The device works through a system of dispensing units arranged in a circular manner, connected by sprockets and powered by a motor.

At scheduled times, the controller unit sends commands to dispense the required medicine automatically.

"In today's fast-paced world, maintaining consistent medication adherence is a significant challenge, particularly for individuals managing complex medical regimens," Dr Amol Tagalpallewar, Professor, School of Pharmacy at MIT-WPU said.

He added that this innovative IoT-enabled pill dispenser represents a leap forward in addressing the challenge.

“By automating the dispensing process and providing remote monitoring capabilities, we are empowering patients and their caregivers with greater control and peace of mind," Tagalpallewar mentioned.

He further stated that the device is not just about dispensing pills; it's about improving health literacy and enhancing the quality of life.

With IoT integration, caregivers and healthcare professionals can monitor medication adherence in real-time, ensuring patients follow their prescribed schedules correctly.

This innovative dispenser is designed for use in home care, assisted living, and hospitals.

“Furthermore, this device represents a significant step towards the future of healthcare delivery, where technology and human-centred design converge to create more accessible, efficient, and effective solutions," Dr C.H. Patil, Associate Professor, School of Computer Science and Engineering said.

"We envision a future where technology is not just a tool, but a partner in promoting well-being and enhancing the quality of life for all," he added.

--IANS

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Bengaluru, March 9 (IANS) Full-stack agritech supply chain startup Falca reported a sharp rise in its net loss for the financial year 2023-24 (FY24) as the company's net loss widened threefold to Rs 15 crore, compared to Rs 5 crore in the previous fiscal year (FY23).

The primary reason behind mounting losses was the rising expenses, which surged by 30.2 per cent to Rs 384 crore in FY24.

The company’s biggest cost was the procurement of materials, which accounted for 94 per cent of total expenses.

Material costs alone rose by 27 per cent to Rs 362 crore in FY24, in line with the company's growing scale. Employee benefit expenses doubled to Rs 10 crore, while finance costs increased by 50 per cent to Rs 3 crore. Other operational expenses added another Rs 9 crore for the year.

The company’s EBITDA margin declined from (-)1 per cent in FY23 to (-)3.14 per cent in FY24, indicating further profitability challenges.

On a per-unit basis, Falca spent Rs 1.04 to earn every Rs 1 of revenue. Meanwhile, its cash and bank balances dropped by 50 per cent to Rs 4 crore, and its current assets saw a steep decline from Rs 53.5 crore to Rs 24.5 crore.

According to its consolidated financial statement, the company’s gross revenue rose to Rs 368 crore in FY24, up from Rs 289 crore in FY23.

Over the past five years, the company has shown remarkable growth, with GMV increasing 65 times from Rs 5.6 crore in FY20 to Rs 368 crore in FY25.

According to startup data platform TheKredible, Falca has raised approximately $3 million in funding so far, with Kingston Smiler and Inflection Point Ventures as its lead investors.

Falca operates through four key products, each addressing different aspects of the agricultural supply chain.

Suggi provides agricultural inputs like seeds and pesticides, while Samrat offers advisory services and market linkages. Siri functions as a trading platform for farmers and buyers, and Sampoorna offers digital solutions to improve farm productivity.

The sale of these products and services was the company’s sole source of revenue in FY24.

--IANS

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New Delhi, March 9 (IANS) The salaries of startup founders in India saw a significant decline in the financial year 2023-24 (FY24) as the average salary of 54 founders from 30 Indian tech startups fell by 25.4 per cent to Rs 5.44 crore from Rs 7.3 crore in the previous year.

Amid the startup ecosystem continuing to struggle with a severe funding slowdown, these founders collectively earned Rs 291.5 crore in salaries in FY24.

This drop in founder salaries comes at a time when Indian startups are facing challenges due to the ongoing "funding winter," which began in 2022.

However, to deal with ‘funding winter’, the government announced the abolition of angel tax in Union Budget presented in July 2024.

The slowdown in investments was triggered by global uncertainties, including the Russia-Ukraine war, the report said.

As a result, total funding for Indian startups fell sharply from $42 billion in 2021 to $25 billion in 2022, and further declined to just $10 billion in 2023.

There has been little improvement in funding trends in 2024. To cope with this financial crunch, many startups have taken cost-cutting measures such as reducing marketing expenses, laying off employees, and restructuring their businesses.

Some have even shut down operations to survive the downturn. The report highlights that while some startups managed to remain profitable, others struggled with heavy losses.

The 30 startups in the study reported a total operating revenue of Rs 73,715 crore in FY24. Of these, 11 startups faced a combined loss of Rs 4,876 crore, while the rest reported total profits of Rs 7,960 crore.

The report also ranks the highest-paid startup founders of FY24. Supam Maheshwari, the founder of FirstCry, retained the top spot with an annual salary of Rs 103.8 crore.

However, this was nearly 50 per cent lower than the Rs 200.7 crore he earned in FY23, as mentioned in FirstCry’s red herring prospectus.

Zerodha’s founders, Nikhil and Nithin Kamath, ranked second in terms of salary. Nithin earned Rs 33.5 crore in FY24, a 30 per cent drop from Rs 48 crore in the previous year, while Nikhil’s salary stood at Rs 33.9 crore, down 29 per cent from FY23.

However, when considering other income sources, their total remuneration stood at Rs 96 crore each.

--IANS

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Kanpur, March 5 (IANS) Gautam Adani, the Chairman of the Adani Group, on Wednesday, said that the company’s aim is to keep pushing boundaries to help build a stronger, self-reliant India.

The billionaire industrialist, who visited the Adani Defence & Aerospace facility in Kanpur, hailed the "best of Aatmanirbhar Bharat in action".

"Just visited Adani Defence & Aerospace in Kanpur! Inspired to witness the incredible innovation and the rock solid commitment to India’s self-reliance in defence by the Adani team," Gautam Adani posted on X social media platform along with a video of his visit to the factory.

"Best of #AtmanirbharBharat in action! Our aim is to keep pushing boundaries to help build a stronger, self-reliant India!" The Adani Group Chairman added.

Adani Defence and Aerospace is one of the leading players in India's defence and aerospace manufacturing sector, driven by the vision to transform India into a destination for world-class defence and aerospace manufacturing.

Last month, the Adani Defence and Aerospace stalls at the Aero India 2025 found itself in the spotlight as Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi and Navy chief Admiral D.K. Tripathi paid a visit and got first-hand information on the futuristic state-of-the art weaponry on display.

The highlight was the ‘Vehicle-Mounted Counter-Drone System', developed in collaboration with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

The state-of-the-art system marks a significant step in enhancing India’s defence preparedness against evolving aerial threats.

With the increasing use of drones in modern warfare for both reconnaissance and offensive operations, the need for a robust anti-drone mechanism has become imperative, according to the company.

—IANS

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Cupertino (California), March 4 (IANS) Apple on Tuesday introduced the faster, more powerful iPad Air with the M3 chip and built for Apple Intelligence.

According to the company, iPad Air with M3 brings Apple’s advanced graphics architecture to iPad Air for the first time — taking its incredible combination of power-efficient performance and portability to a new level.

“With iPadOS 18, support for Apple Intelligence, advanced cameras, fast wireless 5G connectivity, and compatibility with Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil (USB-C), the new iPad Air offers an unrivaled experience,” said the company.

“iPad Air is so popular because of its unmatched combination of powerful performance, portability, and support for advanced accessories, all at an affordable price,” said Bob Borchers, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing.

“For everyone from college students taking notes with Apple Pencil Pro, to travelers and content creators who need powerful productivity on the go, iPad Air with M3, Apple Intelligence, and the new Magic Keyboard take versatility and value to the next level,” he added.

Featuring a more powerful 8-core CPU, M3 is up to 35 per cent faster for multithreaded CPU workflows than iPad Air with M1.

M3 features a 9-core GPU with up to 40 per cent faster graphics performance over M1.

M3 also brings Apple’s advanced graphics architecture to iPad Air for the first time with support for dynamic caching, along with hardware-accelerated mesh shading and ray tracing. For graphics-intensive rendering workflows, iPad Air with M3 offers up to 4x faster performance than iPad Air with M1, enabling more accurate lighting, reflections, shadows, and extremely realistic gaming experiences.

The faster Neural Engine in M3 means iPad Air users can enjoy even more AI capabilities in iPadOS. Compared to M1, the Neural Engine in M3 is up to 60 percent faster for AI-based workloads.

Other improvements over iPad models with A-series chips include support for Apple Intelligence, the choice of 11- and 13-inch sizes, and support for advanced accessories, including the new Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil Pro, said the tech giant.

Customers can pre-order the new iPad Air with M3 in 29 countries and regions, including the US. It will begin arriving to customers, and will be in Apple Store locations, starting March 12.

The 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Air with M3 will be available in blue, purple, starlight, and space gray, with 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB configurations.

—IANS

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Seoul, March 2 (IANS) The top diplomats of South Korea and China are expected to hold talks later this month on the sidelines of their trilateral meeting with the Japanese foreign minister, according to sources on Sunday.

The three neighbours are in the final stages of arranging talks among their foreign ministers on March 22 in Tokyo, the first such meeting in 16 months, according to the diplomatic sources, Yonhap news agency reported.

On the sidelines of the trilateral talks, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, are expected to hold a separate meeting.

Seoul and Beijing have been discussing Wang's visit to South Korea on the occasion of his Tokyo trip, but it reportedly remains unclear whether he will visit South Korea.

If no progress is made, Cho and Wang are likely to hold talks in the Japanese capital.

The meeting, if held, would mark the first since September last year when they met on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly.

A number of diplomatic issues between the two countries could be discussed during the meeting.

After Cho and his U.S. and Japanese counterparts expressed joint "support for Taiwan's meaningful participation in appropriate international organisations" in a joint statement last month, China lodged a complaint, calling it interference with its sovereignty.

The meeting could also delve into the tariff increases by U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, anti-Chinese sentiment among South Korea's conservative forces and a potential visit to South Korea's ancient city of Gyeongju by Chinese President Xi Jinping for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in November, the report mentioned.

—IANS

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Gandhinagar, Feb 27 (IANS) A robust semiconductor & electronics system design and Manufacturing (ESDM) sector has the potential to transform India’s economy, enhance innovation and strengthen national security, Gujarat's Principal Secretary, Science and Technology, Mona Khandhar, said on Thursday.

Briefing the media about the 19th edition of the India Electronics and Semiconductor Association (IESA) Vision Summit, slated to begin here on March 5, Khandhar said the three-day semiconductor summit will play a crucial role in developing a robust semiconductor ecosystem in India.

The event aims to attract global investment and strengthen India's position in the semiconductor industry.

Themed 'Silicon Gujarat: Powering India’s Semiconductor Revolution,’ the summit will focus on attracting global investments, strengthening local industries by integrating them into the global supply chain, and promoting skill development in semiconductor manufacturing.

"The semiconductor summit will be a key platform to bring together global investors, industry leaders and policymakers," she added.

The event is slated to be inaugurated by Union Minister for IT, Communication, and Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.

Several new initiatives related to state and Central government support for the semiconductor sector are also expected to be announced.

Additionally, new social infrastructure projects in the Dholera area are likely to be unveiled.

During the summit, important agreements will be signed, including one by Micron, which will reaffirm its commitment to global environmental, health, and safety standards while operating responsibly in Gujarat.

It will feature keynote addresses, high-impact panel discussions, and insights from over 25 top government officials.

Experts will discuss cutting-edge technologies, industry trends, and transformative global collaborations aimed at making India a global leader in semiconductor design and manufacturing.

The event will bring together over 1,500 delegates, including top government officials, industry leaders, MSMEs, startups, and academic experts, to shape the future of India's semiconductor and electronics industry.

Delegates will also have the opportunity to visit emerging semiconductor clusters in Dholera and Sanand, which are expected to be key hubs in India's semiconductor ecosystem.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 27 (IANS) The Indian white-collar job market is gearing up for a hiring surge, with 96 per cent of employers (up from 92 per cent in 2024) expressing optimism around expected hiring activities in the first half of the year, a report said on Thursday.

Out of these 96 per cent employers, about 58 per cent are taking a two-pronged approach — both creating fresh positions and filling existing roles — a significant jump from the 48 per cent who adopted this strategy last year, according to the report by Naukri.com.

Among the remaining employers, 18 per cent plan to exclusively create new positions and 20 per cent plan to concentrate solely on replacement hiring.

Layoffs are expected to go down. The proportion of employers expecting the same has shrunk from 3 per cent in 2024 to 2 per cent this year, the report mentioned.

IT roles emerged as the lead role across industries, with 37 per cent of employers prioritising IT roles — a major jump from 24 per cent in 2024.

About 42 per cent of them also expect IT roles to see the highest attrition, signalling a talent retention challenge in the industry.

Professionals with 3-8 years of experience find themselves in the sweet spot for 2025's job market. Employers are actively targeting mid-career professionals, who will account for 58 per cent of hiring activity, up from 53 per cent last year.

Demand for talent that brings both fresh perspectives and hands-on expertise, is expected to be on the rise.

“It is encouraging to see companies' strong hiring intent backed by substantial increment plans for H1 2025. The renewed focus on both new job creation and replacement hiring across sectors signals a positive first half of the year,” said Dr Pawan Goyal, Chief Business Officer at Naukri.com.

While attrition remains a concern in early career brackets, the planned double-digit increments and stable campus hiring trends indicate that employers are prioritizing retention and long-term workforce planning, he added.

Fresh graduates too have reason to be optimistic. 34 per cent of employers confirm campus hiring will continue as planned (up from 30 per cent last year), offering a more stable entry into the workforce.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 24 (IANS) India should become a one-stop-shop for electrical goods, and aspire to reach the international trade export target of $100 billion in seven years, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, said on Monday.

India’s electronic goods industry must work together towards more resilient supply chains, upgrade quality standards and provide high-quality goods and services to the world at competitive rates, Goyal said at the 16th Edition of ‘ELECRAMA 2025’ event organised by the Indian Electrical And Electronics Manufacturers Association (IEEMA).

The minister highlighted that the industry has a responsibility to care for consumers by ensuring that the consumers are provided better deals. He urged the industry leaders and participants in attendance to shun protectionism and focus on balancing the interests of the industry, particularly the MSME sector.

"Protectionism beyond a point starts hurting the consumer. Balancing the interests of the MSME sector along with the customers should be the industry's biggest priority," he said.

Goyal noted that the export volume of electronic goods ranks second in the country in 2025, compared to the 167th-ranked sector in 2015.

In January 2025, the export volume of electronic goods was $3 billion alone, he said.

The minister pointed out that the electronics goods industry has doubled its transmission infrastructure, renewable energy capacity and installed capacity in the last decade.

He further stated that the government has helped set up 1,800 Global Capability Centres (GCCs) in the country.

The Centre aims to develop a future-ready workforce and promote innovation by leveraging the high number of STEM graduates produced in the country.

Dwelling on the theme of the special plenary ‘Bharat - The Vishwa Mitra’, Goyal said India takes pride in looking at the nation as one family that wishes to work with all countries of the world in a fair, equitable and balanced partnership with each other.

India wishes to engage with the developed world from a position of strength offering them goods and services of high quality at affordable prices.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 23 (IANS) At least 50 per cent of Asia-Pacific retailers will leverage GenAI-enabled content creation and delivery by 2027 for dynamic product content, boosting conversion rates, and cutting content management costs by 30 per cent.

According to an IDC report, generative AI is expected to drive efficiency, personalisation and business growth.

With AI-driven content creation becoming a strategic advantage, Asia-Pacific retailers are poised to set new benchmarks in digital engagement and operational efficiency.

The Asia-Pacific retail market is transforming significantly, driven by economic recovery, shifting consumer behaviours, and rapid digitalisation.

IDC’s ‘2024 Global Retail Survey’ data highlights growing retailer optimism, fueling technology investments to enhance employee experience, streamline operations, and improve data utilisation.

These efforts aim to improve agility and resilience, enabling organisations to navigate market changes and disruptions.

“AI and GenAI are transforming the retail industry, reshaping customer engagement, operations, and supply chains. IDC highlights other AI-driven predictions set to redefine the retail landscape, offering unprecedented opportunities for personalisation, efficiency, and growth,” said the report.

By 2026, 90 per cent of retail tools will embed AI algorithms. Over 30 per cent of these algorithms will use standalone AI or modular, agnostic AI models that can be swapped out for suitable retail-specific models.

By the same time-frame, 40 per cent of retailers will have reduced workforce costs by 2 per cent with embedded GenAI in fundamental business processes and tasks across business operations at corporate and in stores.

As Asia/Pacific retail continues to evolve, the integration of AI is set to reshape the industry significantly. GenAI is unlocking new opportunities by automating content generation, reducing operational costs, and delivering more relevant product information across digital and physical channels.

The report also revealed that retail tools across the region will increasingly embed AI algorithms, with one-third of these utilising standalone or modular, agnostic AI models.

"As we navigate the digital transformation of retail in Asia/Pacific, it is clear that AI will be at the forefront of this evolution," said Vijay Sarathi Gollapalli, research manager, Retail Technology Strategies Research Programme, IDC Asia/Pacific.

—IANS

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