Category: Technology

India, Apr 08: Leading global travel app Skyscanner today launched ‘Hotline to SKY’, a first-of-its-kind travel helpline offering cricket fans travel tips and hacks directly from brand ambassador, Suryakumar ‘SKY’ Yadav as they plan their match-day journeys. Blending cricket fandom with travel inspiration, the campaign invites fans to call a dedicated number for simple and smart ways to plan trips around upcoming cricket matches.

About ‘Hotline to SKY’

To spark curiosity, Skyscanner has rolled out a series of billboards across high-footfall locations in Delhi and Mumbai featuring a simple yet compelling prompt. Designed for instant engagement, the campaign turns a moment of curiosity into a real-time travel planning experience.

Once dialled in, callers are greeted by the voice of SKY, who responds to common cricket-related travel questions through a series of short, conversational voice notes. From navigating last-minute travel plans and finding cost-effective options, to building extended match-day itineraries, SKY shares practical advice alongside personal insights, including how he stays composed under pressure and his match-day mindset. The experience is powered by Skyscanner’s key features and expert travel hacks, including Price Alerts and its Calendar view search, helping fans plan more efficiently and make the most of their journeys. Through this, Skyscanner brings fans closer to the game while enabling smarter, more seamless travel planning around cricket.

Inside the Cricket Travel Boom: Key Trends

Travel demand took off following the announcement of the first phase of Indian Premier League (IPL) fixtures on 11 March, with Skyscanner recording a surge in domestic flight searches through to 12 April as fans geared up for the season. In the run-up to the opening clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), searches for the weekend of 27–30 March climbed 45% YoY (year-on-year), signalling early excitement. Mumbai quickly became the top trending destination for that weekend, driven by the face-off between Mumbai Indians (MI) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Momentum continued into April, with the ever-popular rivalry between RCB and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Bengaluru sparking a 56% YoY jump in searches for the weekend of 3–6 April, highlighting how fixture drops could potentially be triggering spikes in travel demand, among Indians.

Commenting on the campaign, Neel Ghose, Skyscanner Travel Trends and Destinations Expert, shared, “Cricket has always had an unmatched hold on Indian audiences, and following the game on the road is just as much a part of that passion. We’re seeing fans plan entire trips around match schedules, navigating last-minute bookings, cross-city journeys, and peak travel windows. With ‘Hotline to SKY,’ Skyscanner is simplifying this process through its features, such as Price Alerts, Whole Month, and flexible search filters, helping users make more informed decisions with greater control. And with SKY lending his voice, we’re bringing a perspective that cricket fans across India instinctively trust, combining real-time insights with guidance that’s as familiar as it is useful, so travellers can stay one step ahead.”

Sharing his experience, Suryakumar Yadav, Skyscanner Brand Ambassador, said, “Being part of ‘Hotline to SKY’ has been special for me. As cricketers, we always feel the energy of fans in the stands, but this was a chance to be part of their journey in a different way, as they travel to support the teams they love. Recording these messages made me think through real travel situations fans face, and I’m proud to be able to share helpful tips via Skyscanner’s features, tools, and hacks, that make their experience smoother. I encourage everyone to pick up the phone and dial in to the hotline to not only get some travel planning tips but also hear some of my personal takes.”

Cricket trips aren’t just about the match anymore; they’ve become mini getaways. Fans are using these moments to explore new cities, discover great local food, and soak in the buzz of match day alongside fellow supporters from all over the world. Skyscanner tapped into this shift through its ‘Pitch Perfect Journeys’ campaign last year, which revealed that while 80% of fans were excited to travel for their favourite IPL teams, more than half were turning it into a longer break, adding a few extra days to enjoy the destination.

Building on this, through the ‘Hotline to SKY’ campaign, Skyscanner continues to deepen its understanding of real traveller needs, offering meaningful support shaped by real-life experiences. By staying close to what fans encounter on their journeys, Skyscanner remains focused on making travel planning simpler, so fans can focus on what truly matters, blending the thrill of the game with the joy of discovering something new.

The Odisha Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, has approved a redevelopment project worth ₹929.96 crore for Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology in Burla.

The project aims to upgrade the university’s infrastructure and strengthen technical education in the state. As part of the plan, new academic blocks, advanced laboratories, and improved hostel facilities will be developed across the campus.

The redevelopment is expected to benefit more than 10,000 students by providing better learning, research, and residential facilities. Officials said the initiative will enhance the overall academic environment and support the growing demand for quality technical education.

The decision is seen as a key step toward improving higher education infrastructure in Odisha and supporting the state’s long-term development goals.

Join AAEON at Booth #W22-22 of Tokyo Big Sight, West Hall 3 from April 8 – 10, 2026.

Taipei, Taiwan – Apr 07: AAEON (Stock Code: 6579), a leading provider of advanced industrial robotics and edge AI platforms, will present a range of new product demonstrations at the Embedded, Edge & IoT Development Expo, held as part of Japan IT Week (Spring).

Date: April 8, 2026 – April 10, 2026

Booth: #W22-22

Venue: Tokyo Big Sight, West Hall 3 (3-11-1 Ariake, Koto-ku, Tokyo, Japan 135-0063)

Japan’s largest tradeshow dedicated to IT and digital transformation, the exhibition is an indispensable fixture in the calendar of industry pioneers in the Japanese market, who are provided a wealth of product demonstrations and opportunities to discover new ways to optimize their business operations through the integration of edge computing solutions.

At booth #W22-22, AAEON will present a variety of live demonstrations focused on the core themes of robotics and edge AI, showcasing how its scalable AI platforms are able to accelerate the development of intelligent systems across industries.

Among its most anticipated demonstrations will be an intelligent frozen food vending machine controlled by a MediaTek Genio 510-powered custom AAEON Pico-ITX motherboard. Meanwhile, AAEON’s UP Xtreme ARL, powered by Intel® Core™ Ultra Series 2 Processors (formerly Arrow Lake), will be deployed alongside MIPI cameras as part of a versatile AI vision monitoring application. Utilizing the Intel® Core™ Ultra processor platform’s integrated CPU, GPU, and NPU in conjunction with the board’s MIPI camera support, this demonstration illustrates how power-efficient, fully embedded platforms can be used for applications such as access control and contactless health monitoring.

Also on show will be the BOXER-8645AI, powered by NVIDIA Jetson AGX Orin module, which will be deployed as part of an object recognition application. AAEON notes that this solution is one that is already being used in the smart agriculture sphere.

In addition to its live demonstrations, the event will also feature a broad range of new and upcoming static product showcases featuring the most advanced technologies from leading providers, including NVIDIA and Intel. One such example will be the BOXER-8741AI, built on NVIDIA Jetson T5000 module demonstrating AAEON’s technological breakthroughs in providing advanced platforms for humanoid robotics. Meanwhile, AAEON will present a number of boards and systems equipped with the latest Intel Core Ultra Series 3 (formerly Panther Lake) platform. One such product, the MIX-PTLWV1 Mini-ITX motherboard, will also be used as part of a live demonstration.

AAEON invites all interested parties to join them at Booth #W22-22, where attendees can discuss their needs and discover how best to integrate embedded solutions to their projects.

Building Bharat Sampaark Concludes 3rd Flagship Edition at IIT Madras, Cementing Its Emergence as a National Civil Engineering Innovation Platform

Chennai, Apr 6: Building Bharat Sampaark concluded its third flagship edition at IIT Madras, marking the culmination of a three-IIT journey that has steadily evolved into a national platform for civil engineering innovation. With IIT Madras as the Academic Partner, the final edition builds on the momentum of IIT Gandhinagar and IIT Kanpur, positioning the initiative as a structured bridge between civil engineering education, industry, and innovation.

The IIT Madras edition that held from April 3-5 witnessed participation from over 800+ students, with close to 100 hackathon entries, alongside a series of masterclasses, townhalls, and problem-solving sessions led by academia and industry experts. The programme design- spanning themes such as Innovation in Construction Quality, Innovation in Construction Safety, Innovation in Construction Sustainability, Innovation in Construction of Resilient Infrastructure, and Innovation in Infrastructure Asset Management, reflects a clear shift from exposure-led engagement to outcome-driven learning and application.

Led by the Association of Infrastructure Industry (India) and presented by JSW Group, the initiative has been supported by the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India (via the Manthan Platform), with NIUA and AICTE as initiative partners. Simultaneously, the initiative has entered a stronger phase of national alignment. 

With the Atal Innovation Mission (NITI Aayog) supporting the Hackathon-cum-Startup Contest, the platform is now positioned to extend beyond ideation into structured pathways including mentorship, validation, and potential incubation support.

The growing scale and depth of participation across editions signal a clear shift – from isolated engagement to a structured innovation ecosystem. Across three IIT editions, the initiative recorded over 2000+ registrations, including 1300+ male and 700+ female participants, reflecting both scale and increasing diversity. More importantly, this growth indicates a deeper shift towards real-world problem-solving and industry-aligned thinking.

Dr. Rajaneesh Dasgupta, Trustee & Director General, Association of Infrastructure Industry (India) and National Director, Building Bharat Sampaark, said:

“Bringing Building Bharat Sampaark to IIT Madras is both intentional and significant. IIT Madras has consistently contributed to the evolution of construction and infrastructure practices in the country, and it provides the right ecosystem to showcase the true diversity and scale of civil engineering in India.

For a long time, civil engineering has remained largely execution-focused. What Building Bharat Sampaark is doing is bringing innovation into the mainstream – encouraging students not just to build, but to think, question, and solve real-world infrastructure challenges at scale.

One of the most encouraging shifts we are witnessing is in participation itself. A very significant number of women civil engineering students are coming forward – not as observers, but as equal contributors to the Building Bharat. Through initiatives like ‘Desh Ko Banana Hai Kuch Kar Ke Dikhana Hai, #SheBuildsSheSpeaks, we are ensuring that representation translates into leadership, and that the future of infrastructure is built collaboratively.

With the Atal Innovation Mission supporting the Hackathon-cum-Startup Contest, the platform is evolving beyond an initiative. It is becoming a structured national movement – one that is reshaping how young engineers learn, innovate, and contribute to building India.”

Highlighting the significance of the initiative and IIT Madras’ role as the Academic Partner, the collaboration reflects a strong alignment with the institute’s focus on applied research and industry-integrated learning. Prof. Manu Santhanam, Dean (ICSR), IIT Madras, said:

“IIT Madras has consistently been at the forefront of supporting initiatives that bridge academia, industry, and real-world application, particularly in areas critical to infrastructure development. Platforms like Building Bharat Sampaark align strongly with this approach, creating opportunities for students to engage meaningfully with contemporary challenges.

Civil engineering today must evolve beyond traditional academic frameworks to address emerging needs in sustainability, advanced materials, and modern construction technologies. Initiatives like this provide a structured environment where students are not only exposed to these challenges, but are also guided to think critically, experiment, and develop solutions with real-world relevance.

Through mentorship, masterclasses, and direct engagement with industry, students are able to move beyond theory and gain clarity on how their ideas can translate into impact. The scale and depth of participation we are witnessing reflect a clear shift — students today are not just learning engineering; they are actively seeking to innovate within it. That intent, when supported by the right ecosystem, has the potential to significantly shape the future of India’s infrastructure sector.”

Industry collaboration has remained central to the initiative’s design, ensuring that student ideas are not developed in isolation but are aligned with real-world infrastructure challenges and implementation pathways.

Mr. Rinkesh Roy, Joint Managing Director and CEO JSW Infrastructure Ltd. said,

“The journey across three IITs demonstrates what is possible when academia and industry come together with clear intent. What stands out is not just the scale of participation, but the depth of thinking and the seriousness with which students are approaching real infrastructure challenges. With national-level alignment now in place, this initiative has the potential to build a sustained innovation pipeline for India’s infrastructure sector – one that connects ideas, talent, and execution.”

With three IIT editions now concluded, Building Bharat Sampaark has moved beyond the format of a boot camp into a structured, scalable national platform – connecting students, academia, industry, and policy into a unified innovation ecosystem.

Marking a significant step forward, the initiative will now progress to its next phase with the launch of CIVILATHON in June 2026 – a national platform that will bring together top-performing teams from across all three editions, taking the most promising ideas closer to real-world application and impact.

India is accelerating its push to become a key player in the global semiconductor industry with the launch of India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) 2.0, an upgraded plan to expand the country’s chip ecosystem.

While the initial ISM 1.0 focused on attracting investments and building foundational infrastructure for chip fabrication, assembly, and testing, the new phase lays out a broader roadmap. It aims to strengthen domestic capabilities across the entire semiconductor value chain — from research and design to manufacturing and supply chain resilience.

Key Focus Areas of ISM 2.0

• Research and Development: Supporting innovation in chip technologies and materials.
• Design and Intellectual Property: Promoting indigenous chip design and reducing reliance on foreign IP.
• Supply Chain Resilience: Boosting production of essential inputs, equipment, and chemicals for semiconductor manufacturing.
• Domestic Manufacturing: Expanding high-value production beyond assembly and packaging.
• Skill Development: Training engineers and technicians to support a growing semiconductor ecosystem.

The government has approved a substantial budget allocation for this next phase, signaling strong commitment to building a robust and self-reliant semiconductor sector.

Strategic Importance

Semiconductors underpin modern technology, powering everything from smartphones and data centers to electric vehicles and AI systems. By broadening the focus from ISM 1.0, India aims not just to participate in global supply chains but to become a contributor to high-value segments, strengthening technological sovereignty and creating job opportunities.

Looking Ahead

ISM 2.0 represents a transformative step in India’s semiconductor journey. With its expanded scope and strategic focus, the country is positioning itself as a competitive, innovation-driven hub that can play a significant role in the global chip industry in the years to come.

Taipei, Taiwan – Apr 02: AVer Information Inc., an award-winning provider of AI audio-video solutions, today announced its official entry into the Modus Match Partner Program. Following comprehensive technical integration, AVer’s high-performance TR Series AI Auto Tracking cameras and PTZ Series cameras are now fully verified and supported within the ModusVR ecosystem — bringing manufacturer-certified 3D planning to one of the industry’s most trusted camera lines.

Don’t Just Place a Camera. Simulate the Experience.

In the world of Pro AV, “guessing” camera placement is a recipe for a costly truck roll. With this official Modus Match integration, integrators can now move beyond 2D blueprints and experience AVer cameras in fully immersive 3D environments before a single bracket is mounted.

When deploying the latest TR Series models alongside PTZ cameras, ModusVR users can now:

• Visualize Camera Sightlines: Instantly see the exact Field of View (FoV) to ensure the camera can capture presenters over podiums, monitors, or pillars
• Test Pan-Tilt-Zoom Coverage: Adjust PTZ positions in real-time to verify the camera’s mechanical range covers the entire stage, classroom, or conference room
• Validate Mounting Locations: Virtually position cameras at different heights and angles to find optimal placement before installation begins
• Eliminate Installation Guesswork: Identify blind spots, mounting challenges, and coverage gaps in the virtual environment, not during the truck roll
• Optimize the Design Experience: Enable system integrators and end users to preview TR and PTZ cameras within their specific spaces, experiencing the layout to ensure optimal performance and accelerated AV project adoption
• Generate Accurate BoMs: Transition seamlessly from design to purchase with manufacturer-verified specifications

The “Modus Match” Guarantee: Digital Twins, Not Generic Models

The “Modus Match” seal means these aren’t just generic 3D shapes: these are digital twins. Every focal length, pan/tilt limit, zoom range, and physical dimension has been manufacturer-verified by AVer’s engineering team. When you drag an AVer TR or PTZ camera into your ModusVR project, the Bill of Materials (BoM) is 100% accurate, and the field-of-view simulation reflects real-world optical performance.

“Presentation cameras are an important part of many of the spaces our users design in Modus,” says Ken Brueck, Co-Founder of Modus VR. “With AVer’s TR Series now part of the Modus Match program, integrators can accurately visualize placement and confidently define camera coverage in classrooms, divisible training spaces, and auditoriums before installation begins.”

Total Design Certainty for Professional AV Installations

“Our TR Series cameras are built for intelligence and movement,” says David Kuo, President at AVer Information Inc. “By joining the Modus Match program, we’re giving our partners the power to validate camera placement and coverage in a virtual twin of their client’s space. It’s about total design certainty and ending the era of onsite adjustments. Whether it’s a university lecture hall, corporate boardroom, or K-12 classroom, integrators can now design with confidence knowing exactly what AVer cameras will capture.”

Key Benefits for AV Integrators:

• Pre-Installation Confidence: Test multiple camera placements and validate coverage before purchasing equipment
• Faster Client Approval: Present immersive 3D walkthroughs showing exactly what cameras will capture, accelerating stakeholder buy-in
• Reduced Site Visits: Eliminate unnecessary truck rolls by identifying coverage issues in the virtual environment
• Time Savings: Compress weeks of planning into hours with real-time, accurate 3D simulation

Availability

The AVer TR Series and PTZ Series camera libraries are available now for all ModusVR subscribers at no additional cost. Simply update your ModusVR library to start building more accurate room designs with precise camera coverage validation. For demonstrations or technical specifications, visit www.modusvr.com or contact your local AVer representative.

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This advancement in quantum algorithms could help accelerate some of the most computationally intensive simulations used in engineering today.

Helsinki, Finland – April 2, 2026 – Researchers from Quanscient, a leader in cloud-based multiphysics simulation technology and quantum algorithms, and Haiqu, a leading developer of quantum middleware, today announced a new algorithm that can significantly advance the use of quantum computing in real-world engineering applications. The teams conducted a 15-step nonlinear fluid benchmark with an obstacle, making this the most physically complex, publicly documented variant of a Quantum Lattice Boltzmann Method (QLBM) hardware demonstration to date.

Developed and tested on IBMs largest-available quantum computer, the IBM Heron R3, the algorithm reduces the number of qubits required to run complex simulations in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) on quantum computers, demonstrating a viable path toward future industrial-scale solutions.

CFD is widely used to model how air, water, and other fluids behave around objects, such as airflow over an aircraft wing. It plays a critical role in product development and testing across industries, including aerospace, automotive, and energy. However, these simulations are extremely demanding for even today’s most powerful supercomputers, often taking days or even weeks to complete, if possible at all.

The new algorithm addresses one of the key challenges in applying quantum computing to CFD: high resource requirements. By significantly reducing the number of qubits and computational operations needed, this approach makes it more practical to run complex simulations on quantum computers. It demonstrates a more efficient path toward using quantum systems for real-world applications, and ultimately could help companies design better products and optimize complex systems more quickly.

“This is an interesting and timely contribution to quantum CFD,” said Oleksandr Kyriienko, Professor and Chair in Quantum Technologies at the University of Sheffield. “It proposes a more flexible quantum LBM framework while keeping the core algorithm efficient, and it strengthens the case with applications ranging from linear acoustics to IBM-QPU-assisted nonlinear flow simulations. We need more works like this to achieve industrially relevant quantum solutions.”

“This is one of the most realistic CFD simulations ever executed on a quantum computer. It is an important signal that quantum CFD research is moving toward simulating how fluids interact with real-world shapes and obstacles on quantum hardware,” Mykola Maksymenko, CTO of Haiqu. “This is the direction that any industrially meaningful workflow would have to take to reach commercial viability.” 

“CFD is one of the most computationally difficult branches of simulation with some of the largest impact on the world’s biggest sectors,” said Valtteri Lahtinen, Chief Scientist of Quanscient. “Quantum computers offer a future path to simulations that are far more complex than what classical computers can handle, which may allow for the design of more efficient vehicles and aircraft, better energy systems and more. Our work with Haiqu is a critical step toward making this a reality.”

Researchers from Quanscient and Haiqu developed and tested a novel One-Step Simplified LBM (OSSLBM) based on a quantum Lattice Boltzmann Method (QLBM) algorithm, which is a powerful generalization of an important classical CFD technique. Their approach allowed them to run a nonlinear fluid‑flow simulation with an obstacle, such as fluid moving around a solid object, over multiple steps on IBM quantum hardware. Haiqu’s algorithmic and runtime layer was critical to making this possible, reducing circuit depth, improving and developing new key algorithmic subroutines, and applying targeted error‑reduction techniques that allowed the quantum system to execute a multi‑step, complex workflow that would otherwise be out of reach for today’s devices.

The researchers believe their work represents a new algorithmic framework that reshapes how fluid simulations are performed on quantum computers, turning a complicated sequence of calculations into a simpler, more efficient process designed for quantum hardware. The hybrid quantum-classical OSSLBM can be executed on current hardware, outlining a practical path for moving beyond simple linear demonstrations toward more realistic, engineering‑relevant quantum fluid simulations as quantum systems continue to mature.

Tokyo, Japan, Apr 2: transcosmos is proud to announce that on April 1, 2026, the company renewed its certification as a DX Certified Business Operator under the certification system administered by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), following a screening process conducted by the Information-technology Promotion Agency, Japan (IPA).

●DX Certification System – The DX Certification System (no translation available: https://www.ipa.go.jp/digital/dx-nintei/about.html) is Japan’s initiative to certify companies that have developed visions, strategies and systems to achieve digital transformation (DX), and are recognized as DX Ready to drive DX initiatives in accordance with the Digital Governance Code set by METI based on the Act on Facilitation of Information Processing.

– Find out list of DX certified business operators here (no translation available): https://disclosure.dx-portal.ipa.go.jp/p/dxcp/top transcosmos was first certified as a DX Certified Business Operator under the DX Certification System in April 2022. This marks the company’s second successful renewal, following its previous renewal in 2024. transcosmos is a trademark or registered trademark of transcosmos inc. in Japan and other countries. Other company names and product or service names used here are trademarks or registered trademarks of respective companies.