Category: Tech

Defence Internet-of-Things: Leaveraging Deterrence & Attacks

After the advent of IoT (Internet-of-Things), the world has changed. IoT is penetrating each sector by bringing improvement and upgrading the lifestyle of humankind. But, Exhibit has decided to talk on the defence front, and IoT enables respective countries’ military to enhance their deterrence capability. Let’s know more about DIoT (Defence Internet-of-Things) from this blog. 

Defence Internet-Of-Things: Stats & Insights

According to a renowned firm, GlobalData, the projection of the IoT market is about to touch the market of $ 1.1 trillion (around 80 lacs Crore). You will go into the awestruck mode, but the number of patents filed under Aerospace, Defence & Security has jumped in recent years, with more than 15000 average in a year.

DIoT & Cybersecurity

Imagine a chip is inserted with the controller. Hence, if you give some sort of instructions, this controller can make a call. Now, imagine if you have a bunch of such robots that can make an automated call to any point at one point or in a time series. It will lock the communication pipeline for real callers. In the year 2016, a US company named Dyn witnessed a DDoS. And, this attack weaponized IoT. Hackers harnessed IoT even in “Krebs on Security” by letting them suffer through DDoS attacks. Hence, IoT has a great potential to use as a cybersecurity weapon and tarnish enemy infrastructure.

Drones & Surveillance

Drones can help a lot in upgrading border security. If you add facets of thermal imaging and 3D mapping, drones will provide the exact location of trespassers. Hence, UAVs are perfect for detecting any penetration in your borders. R&D of drones can help militaries to install nano and small missiles in these UAVs that the army can use to shoot down through aerial attacks. 

Cartridge Sensor

Ministries of each company should facilitate a level-playing field to develop cartridge sensors that can in real-time assess and accordingly generate signals of when to reload the assault rifle or other missile system. Such alerts will keep the concerned individuals ready to load the optimum acumen.

Weapons Inventory

You are handling inventory operations of the weapons department in your command. If you deploy small IoT-based bots in the warehouse, it will be their responsibility to keep a count of every record of weapons. Hence, these DIoT devices don’t need to have a lethal application in the defence sector. Even one can assign roles for defence fleet management. Such a fleet management system and inventory handling operations can reduce the logistics cost by a great margin.

Conclusion

What Exhibit has discussed are some of the aspects that will have a futuristic presence tomorrow for sure. But, considering the current progress of Defence Internet-of-Things, it has to cover many milestones. Therefore, one must wait for future developments. If you want to check our other articles under defence section, click here.

Google Maps Tips And Tricks: Playing With Locations

You may have played many games in your life. But have you ever tried hands-on Google Maps? Yeah, it’s true. The app that you feel you are using is draining your battery can be a play for sure—all you need to pull your shirts up and start learning with tricks related to Google Maps. In this Exhibit blog, we dedicate you to grasp key and crucial Google Maps tips and tricks. 

No more Arrow

You select the point from where you will start and the destination and click on the “Start” option. An arrow will start projecting the direction and let you follow the path. But, if this arrow icon has become obsolete in your eyes, try something different. How? Just click on this arrow icon, and some options will open in front of you: car, car-pickup, and SUV.

Downloading Map

You are driving on a long journey, and you know that an instance will arise when you will not get internet in between. At that time, if you are relying on Google Maps, you can feel utter frustration. But there’s a solution to it. Just click on the vertical ellipsis icon and tap on the “Download offline map” option. Through this, you can keep track of yourself by checking it with the map offline mode. 

Where did I leave my car?

Yes, it happens. We are often unable to recall where we have parked our car. To avoid such scenarios, Google Maps allows you to save your parking space. Just click on the icon that is showing your current location after you come out of your car and hit the Save your parking/ Set as parking location option (depends on whether you have an Android or iOS smartphone). It will help you in a very good manner.

Location Labelling

What if you want to open a location between your home and a restaurant. You will have to enter the address of your home every time. Congrats! you don’t need to take this burden. Just add a label to the location pin by pressing on the location and label like ‘Home’ or ‘Office’. Rest Google Maps will remember how to extract information from these labels.

Location Sharing

Sometimes you are returning late to your phone. An Indian mother or partner will always worry for you by calling you frequently to know your whereabouts. You can simply suppress their worries through Google Maps by sharing your live location. Yeah, this option is also available with Google Maps, apart from WhatsApp. All you need is to tap on your profile icon and select the Location sharing option. After that, options will open where you can choose the medium through which you want to share the location. 

Google Maps History

You need evidence even in normal life. If you have to prove your location on a particular date or time, Google Maps stores it. You can check the places you have visited. Google Maps will present all the data in the form of a timeline.

Final Remarks

Hope you have learnt some key and crucial Google Maps tips and tricks that can be handy for you at some instance. Use them as per your comfort. 

iPhone 13’s Satellite Connectivity Just For Emergencies

Yesterday, we reported how iPhone 13 could possibly have satellite connectivity to send phone calls and messages without cellular coverage. Industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo told investors last week that Apple’s new iPhone 13 would be able to tap into signals of low-Earth Orbit satellites.

Bloomberg has now reported that the new feature will be limited to emergencies only. The iPhone 13 would only use those signals to text emergency services, emergency contacts, or report a crisis. 

Kuo informed that Globalstar could be the satellite communication company collaborating with Apple on the service. 

One feature, called Emergency Message via Satellite, will let you text emergency services and emergency contacts when you don’t have a cell signal by harnessing a satellite network. These messages will also have a length limit and be represented as a grey bubble instead of the regular green and blue used for SMS and iMessage. While sending this message to an emergency contact, it will pop up on their screen even if the Do Not Disturb mode is on to ensure that your message is seen.

Another feature will let users report emergencies. “The phone will ask what kind of emergency is happening, such as whether it involves a car, boat, plane or fire,” Bloomberg reports.

However, Bloomberg’s new report does throw cold water on Apple’s satellite offerings at its launch. An unidentified person told Bloomberg that while the iPhone could have the necessary hardware for satellite communications at launch, we shouldn’t expect to see it in action before next year.

A source tells Bloomberg that the new features probably won’t be ready before next year, discarding the idea that you might be able to use them as soon as you buy the next iPhone. Plus, the feature is still in flux and could be changed or discarded entirely before release.

NeOse Advance Can Detect Smell & Other Fragnances

What if you are a great fooder? It’s a universal fact that you can easily determine what is cooking at your or your neighbor’s home. How? The aroma coming during the cooking process lets people like you identify it. But, what if a robot or software, with the help of some sensors, identifies the odor. Strange, isn’t it? Aryballe, a French startup, has launched its new solution, NeOse Advance, which can detect several types of fragrances. In this Exhibit blog, we are going to talk about this new development more in detail, along with its working and potential application.

NeOse Advance

Ever watched the movie – Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? The scene of Willy Wonka and grandmother is awesome where both tell the other one how they smell like and why they like each one of them. But, the concerning thing here is NeOse Advance. According to Aryballe, this solution will find its application in the beverage and personal care industry. Aryballe has also developed a cloud-based network named Aryballe Suite to upgrade the features in this solution from time to time by adding digital signatures of other signatures.

Working of NeOse Advance

NeOse Advance is basically a sensor device that attracts the odor and aroma of different molecules using a chemical sensor and spectroscopy to analyze peptides. Through this, the controller attached to the sensor assigns a digital signature. The memory of this device collects the digital signature into it for its utilization as authenticity and quality check-up. The cloud storage of such data enhances access to understand and assess other digital signatures without even evaluating them at the local end. 

Futuristic Nose & its Eye

NeOse Advance should eye upon every sector of the economy. Starting with home appliances can help people like you understand the leakage in the gas pipeline and generate prior alert signals for it. One can say the same for electrical appliances and when they are facing overloading. This gadget can also help traffic regulators and cops determine intoxicant consumption among drivers while driving. NeOse Advance can also help investigative and intelligence agencies to examine any crime scene in a better way for sure. In addition, Exhibit has laid out different domains where one can tap the usage of such devices apart from what Aryballe has expected. 

Final Remarks

What Aryballe has built and developed is no less than a Eureka moment. This device can enhance its utility in every single thing. You name it, and you can imagine its importance for sure. 

Apple Acquires Classical Music Streaming Service Primephonic

Apple today announced that it has acquired Primephonic, an Amsterdam-based classical musical streaming service. Primephonic, which was launched in 2014, is now being acquired by Apple in a bid to focus on a music genre that’s been lacking in Apple Music’s generalized approach to streaming.

On September 7, Primephonic will officially shut down, paving the way for Apple to launch the classical music app based on its streaming service in 2022.

“Artists love the Primephonic service and what we’ve done in classical, and now we have the ability to join with Apple to deliver the absolute best experience to millions of listeners,” Primephonic co-founder and CEO Thomas Steffens said in a release issued by Apple. “We get to bring classical music to the mainstream and connect a new generation of musicians with the next generation of audience.” 

According to Primephonic’s CTO, the service has been launched in over 150 countries. It also appears to have an older demographic than more generalized streaming services.

“Most of our users are age 55 plus and are highly educated and relatively well off,” Henrique Boregio told Mixpanel in 2020. “We joke in the office that we don’t know whether you start liking classical music and then you become wealthy, or if it’s the other way around.”

Apple notes of the upcoming offering, “Apple Music Classical fans will get a dedicated experience with the best features of Primephonic, including better browsing and search capabilities by composer and by repertoire, detailed displays of classical music metadata, plus new features and benefits.”

The company is offering an olive branch to existing Primephonic users in the form of six free months of Apple Music.

Since launching Apple Music in 2015, Apple has made a few acquisitions to bolster the service. It bought Shazam, a music recognition app, in 2018, letting customers identify songs and add them to their playlists. But Apple has faced fierce competition from Spotify in streaming music around the world.

Saregama Carvaan musicbar review: Family Fun!

Saregama is a name synonymous with music, such that these syllables can define Indian music. In a bid to appeal to the generations of fans that it has garnered over the years, the company has ventured into the audio device segment with its Carvaan lineup. Among its latest offering is the Carvaan musicbar, which we recently got a chance to review. Along with a sleek, minimalistic body, the soundbar offers a plethora of features that we tried out. Here’s what we think so far:

First impressions:

The soundbar comes in a rather large box. Still, it includes various accessories such as a remote, table and wall mounting holders, a USB cable, and the general paperwork (user manual and warranty card). Saregama has also included a subwoofer with the soundbar, making the overall deal quite valuable. The audio output is more than satisfactory at its price point, and there are hardly any points to complain about. Both the soundbar and the subwoofer sport minimalistic black bodies with nothing but basic controls on top of the soundbar. The subwoofer is practically a black box with a speaker on one side and a rat-protection mesh.

Usage:

The company states, “It’s more than a soundbar, It’s a Musicbar!” This is a testament to the soundbar’s capabilities and what it has to offer. It comes pre-loaded with 500 evergreen Hindi songs and inbuilt FM. It has multiple connectivity options like HDMI ARC, AUX-IN, USB 3.0, Bluetooth V 5.0 and Coaxial IN. A stereo sound output of 120W is offered through four powerful full-range active drivers, two passive drivers and a subwoofer. It also provides four dedicated modes (3D, Music, Movie and Vocal) for a customised listening experience. Users can also adjust the bass and treble level as per the preference of the listener.

The sound quality may not offer a Dolby surround effect, but the speakers are sufficiently loud to immerse anyone who listens to the songs at maximum volume. Even with the bass turned up, there was hardly any disturbance or compromise in the sound quality. The remote also includes all the features present on the body of the soundbar, such as switching its modes and controlling the bass and treble volumes. However, the remote is slightly unresponsive, and the soundbar takes some time to register its commands. This can prove intrusive for those who prefer lazing around on their couch instead of getting up to make alterations.

Verdict:

Saregama is offering the Carvaan musicbar for Rs 6,990. Potential buyers can compare it with hardly any other soundbar or music system at this price point. The musicbar is undoubtedly a viable option for people looking for a complete package without expecting too much out of it.

Drones Rules 2021: Reviewing Modern-Age Entity

The usage of drones will increase for sure. And, India is adopting this new change. As of now, Exhibit has discussed the defence prospects of drones. But, with the new Liberalised Drone Rules, 2021, Exhibit will set up a new agenda for you with this blog. Through this write-up, you will get to know more about the newly formulated regulations related to UAVs. In addition to this, Exhibit will lay down its review on this executive order passed by the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Let’s get started! 

Why has the concerned ministry brought such rules?

If you want to operate drones for any specific purpose in India, you need to have permission for it. And, for this purpose, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) becomes important. Hence, if you are a collector who wants to do an aerial and unmanned survey of the district under your control, you cannot simply procure a UAV and start using it. With the new regulations, MoCA has tried to liberalize in terms of getting permission, registering your device with the nodal portal. 

Key Takeaways from Drones Rules, 2021 

  • The number of forms related to registration and other purposes got reduced to 5 from 25.
  • The quantum fee got delinked with the size of the UAV. Hence, a bigger or smaller drone will cost similar unless the functionality differs in any case.
  • The yellow zone near the airport got shrunk to 12 km from 45 km. It means if you are somewhere within a radius of 20 km from that place’s airport, you can fly the UAV without any hassle.
  • The mandate for remote pilots regarding micro and nano drones got scrapped.
  • No need for import clearance from DGCA, meaning you got relief on buying foreign UAVs.
  • Now, you can fly a drone up to 500 kg. 

All these regulations showcase that such steps will surely bolster the drone ecosystem flourish in the country soon.

Lacunae in the Picture

The Liberalized Drones Rules, 2021 has no doubt opened gates for many who want to enter this domain. However, MoCA should work closely with other ministries, especially the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to regulate its sale in the country. A nation like India can become vulnerable if such gadgets reach the hands of left-hand extremists in any way. For this purpose, nodal agencies should set up local centers or give power to the local administration. In addition to this, reducing the perimeter of flying a drone near the airport needs more cautious surveillance as it becomes necessary to keep track, considering the weight of drones has increased.

Conclusion

The Government at this stage has set up an easy policy for the people to get a conducive environment and harness drones as per their usage. Some clauses that have a word like non-commercial depicts prudence, but some remain unchecked. Drones can no doubt change this country’s economic and social realm, but it needs better regulation to keep things stable. If you want to check other defence blogs at the Exhibit platform, click here. For my other article, check out here.

Titanium AI Can Deter Cyber Attacks on Supply Chain Sector

Cyber attacks can disrupt any sector if it has a huge outreach. And, if it threatens the supply chain, you must understand that it can have a catastrophic impact on your life for sure. An attack on supply chain and logistics can lead to a loss of lacs and crores of Rupees. Hence, it becomes necessary to build resilient solutions that can deter such attacks. Recently, Massachusetts-based cybersecurity startup ReversingLabs has launched its AI product to track such attacks. Such products can give a real boost to other sectors after making suitable changes related to those domains. Let’s know more about this AI product and how it will help reduce the chance of cyberattacks on the supply chain ecosystem.

Why can an attack on the Supply Chain be drastic? 

Before understanding the reason, one should also understand the vulnerabilities existing in the supply chain system. Suppose you procured an item from Flipkart. Now, Flipkart, through its inventory and logistics management system, will start giving you information about the whereabouts of your product. But, Flipkart is also dependent on a third-party vendor that is accomplishing the delivery process. The platform of a vendor holds the major risk and can face an attack from the hacker. Once entered into the third-party vendor, they can reverse any information which will affect both the e-commerce portal and a user like you. Therefore, it is necessary to work on solutions that can track and avoid such attacks. 

 

I Am Titanium

The EDM of David Guetta can not allow anyone to hold their nerves. And, with a song like Titanium, David has shown how he can steal hearts. But, Exhibit is not here to discuss David Guetta’s Titanium. The Titanium that we are talking about is the AI product built by the ReversingLabs team. This product can help you detect and analyze every file coming into your network, be it binary-based. The Titanium engine has a huge database of more than thousands of file types. Thus, at an instant, Titanium can track a file and compare it with billions of files that pose a threat to your system. 

Steps Taken If Threat Detected

First of all, ReversingLabs’ product tries to extract every information from the file. Accordingly, it flags an alert as per the risk index that a particular file carries with it. The security analysts then get the threat intelligence as per this index and start working on the in-depth resolution by accelerating investigation to understand the source of this file and its location. The core USP of this software is that Titanium can track down the software risks proactively and transparently even if you don’t have source code access.

Final Remarks

ReversingLabs’ Titanium Engine has showcased the potential of what it can deliver. I am sure that with this blog, you have understood which is the most vulnerable point in the supply chain ecosystem and what amount of monetary loss it can lead to if there’s some sort of damage. To check out other articles covered under the AI section, click here.

Indian Army Will Start Using AK-203 Assault Rifles Soon!

Many of you have remembered the movie – Sarfarosh. A line comes there regarding AK-47 that even if someone keeps it underground for years, it will fire smoothly once taken out. The AK-47 gun always made news whenever there was some sort of serious assault going on. Our Indian army, too, used this in their combat operations. But, this time, the Indian army will get an upgraded assault rifle – AK-203. India has decided to buy 70,000 of these rifles from Russia in a recent defence procurement deal. Let’s get more ideas on this new assault gun through this Exhibit blog.

About AK-203

The recent Indian army requirement will help to replace the existing Indian Small Arms System (INSAS) 5.56mm × 45mm assault rifle. If one properly observes this weapon, this gun has 30 rounds in a magazine. Without a magazine, the weight of this gun is somewhere around 3.8 kg, and the firing range of AK-203 is 800 m. The best part of this weapon system is that it is 100% accurate and highly reliable. Hence, such guns will help the Indian army to strengthen their deterrence, apart from Carbine and Tavor guns.  

India-Russia Deal

The current deal is a part of the project to build almost six lacs AK-203 rifles in India. This joint venture production is among Ordnance Factory Board, Kalashnikov Concern, and Rosoboronexport. The proposed deal also talks about 100% localized sourcing of materials during production. Russia is one of the biggest defence partners when it comes to getting defence technology products from India. India has been developing BrahMos missiles in collaboration with Russia. The current import of these guns will happen within three months after the payment of this deal gets completed. 

Roadblock in the Deal & its Resolution

This defence deal of indigenous production hit a roadblock when OFB quoted a higher price than importing them to India. What happened was that OFB stated that it would take extra hours to build such ammunition if the transfer of technology takes time or gets delayed. Earlier, it was a bit of a perplexing situation, but once OFB came out with the reason, the Defence Ministry set up the committee to work on its amicable resolution. After the solution came out, the Russian President’s visit in late 2020 was the final nail to this procurement process.

Final Remarks

AK-203 ammunition will prove to be a boon for sure for the Indian army. Considering the deal and observing it showcases how the Indian contingent has worked on ensuring that indigenous production will help them lower the procurement price. Exhibit has covered more articles on defence technology that you can check by clicking on this link.

Drone Swarms & Future of Defence Technology

Ever heard of Kamikazee or Blitzkrieg? If not, check out your history books and go through World Wars chapters. It is no less than a flock of weapons giving a surprise attack. But, considering the modern radar technology, making such surprise attacks on aerial space is impossible. So, what to do then? The answer is drone swarming. Drone swarming is a concept that aims to enable autonomous drones to work together as a group for a certain goal. This technology holds the reputation to change how we live and how we work in the near future. Let’s know more about drone swarms through this Exhibit blog.

What are drone swarms?

Many claims that it was they who introduced this drone swarming technology. But, it was Russians who witnessed it during the year 2018. Russians were able to crack down on this flock through their EW&SHORAD system. Drone swarms became a favourite when it comes to destroying oil facilities present in West Asian nations (being an Indian, we will use this term instead of Middle East, coined by Americans and other European countries) like at Aramco unit in Abqaiq and Khurais. And, when the world got hit by COVID-19, a region near Central Asia went through double turmoil conditions, with Azerbaijan and Armenia going to war. This war also witnessed the use of such acumen by Azerbaijan at that time.

Working of Drone Swarming

Drone swarms are the best example of how UAVs coordinate with each other and follow a pattern. It seems that there is a communication line existing between each of them whenever they are maneuvering in any area. During their movement, each of them exchanges information and accordingly follows the pattern. If you hit any of the drones, they will again interact and make a new formation to keep the entire system stable. Hence, these UAVs not only have functionalities of monitoring the rotor and its speed, but it also has to send signals through their network. If any entity gets shot down, the intelligence algorithm among them will bring changes. The following pattern has got its inspiration from a bunch of flies moving in a specific direction. The one controlling these drones, or even if not controlling them, will observe the alignment, separation, and cohesion among these UAVs.

Does India possess Drone Swarming technology?

When we are talking about Drone swarms in other countries, it also becomes important whether we also hold such elements in our campaign or not. And, yes, we do have. Feeling a sense of pride within you? I am sure you may somewhere feel relaxed that we have such modern techniques of warfare with us. A public sector undertaking, HAL, has recently showcased the Air-Launched Flexible Asset (ALFA -S) air-launched swarming drone system. ALFA-S was developed under the Combat Air Teaming System project. Seeing its potential, the US Air Force has also collaborated with India to work more on it. 

Final Remarks

Drones are future weapons of warfare, and drone swarms are inevitable. Even a follower of realism will consider such induction of technology as a big achievement. And, having drones swarming will also provide a better edge in terms of displaying our smart power. To follow other defense-based tech articles on the Exhibit platform, click here.

Exit mobile version