AI, drones to check illegal mining in UP
Demonstrating an unprecedented level of vigilance, the state blacklisted over 21,477 vehicles found involved in unlawful transportation activities.
As part of this crackdown, 57 AI and IoT-enabled check gates were established across the state to monitor vehicles engaged in mining operations. These automated checkpoints, set up with the support of the transport department, utilise weigh-in-motion (WIM) technology to detect overloading of vehicles.
The directorate of geology and mining is also using advanced satellite imagery and mapping tools such as Google Earth, Arc-GIS and LISS-IV data to detect illegal mining sites and identify untapped mineral zones.
The department's remote sensing laboratory (PGRS lab) is preparing geological maps and monitoring approved mining leases. The use of drone technology has made it possible to measure the length, width and depth of mining areas.
Volumetric analysis through drones helps accurately estimate the amount of mining done and action is taken based on these findings.
Drones are also being used to analyse the volume of stored minerals and to mark out mineable areas for proper lease management. Regular inspections and tech-based monitoring improved transparency and curbed the activities of mining mafias.
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Business Standard
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- Business Standard
Visioning expansion: IPO-bound Lenskart sets sights on AI glasses
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Time of India
10 hours ago
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AI couldn't crack it, but kids did: THIS puzzle proves how kids are smarter than AI
Researchers at the University of Washington developed 'AI Puzzlers,' a game featuring reasoning puzzles that AI systems struggle to solve. In the study, children outperformed AI in completing visual patterns, demonstrating their critical thinking skills. The kids also identified errors in AI solutions and explanations, highlighting the differences between human and artificial intelligence. We are living in an era where artificial intelligence (AI) is slowly taking over the world. While concerns arise if AI would replace humans one day, a new study shows it cannot defeat kids! A team of researchers developed a game that AI systems blatantly failed! Researchers at the University of Washington developed A game called AI Puzzlers to show kids an area where AI systems fail: solving certain reasoning puzzles. The findings were presented at the Interaction Design and Children 2025 conference in Reykjavik, Iceland. Kids beat AI The users have to solve 'ARC (Abstraction and Reasoning Corpus)' puzzles by completing patterns of colored blocks. The kids can ask AI chatbots to solve it. However, these bots nearly always fail. To understand if kids were smarter than AI, the researchers tested the game with two groups of kids. The researchers found that the children learned to think critically about AI responses and discovered ways to nudge the systems toward better answers. 'Kids naturally loved ARC puzzles, and they're not specific to any language or culture. Because the puzzles rely solely on visual pattern recognition, even kids who can't read yet can play and learn. They get a lot of satisfaction in being able to solve the puzzles, and then in seeing AI — which they might consider super smart — fail at the puzzles that they thought were easy,' lead author Aayushi Dangol, a UW doctoral student in human-centered design and engineering, said in a statement. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo What are ARC puzzles Abstraction and Reasoning Corpus puzzles were developed in 2019. It was designed in a way it is difficult for computers, but easy for humans. These puzzles require abstraction: being able to look at a few examples of a pattern, then apply it to a new example. Though the current AI models have improved at ARC puzzles, they've not caught up with humans. Findings For the study, the researchers developed AI Puzzlers with 12 ARC puzzles that kids can solve. The kids can compare solutions with AI, and an 'Ask AI to Explain' button also generates a text explanation of its solution attempt. In some cases, when the system got the puzzle right, it still struggled to get the explanation accurate. The kids could correct AI, using an 'Assist Mode'. 'Initially, kids were giving really broad hints. Like, 'Oh, this pattern is like a doughnut.' An AI model might not understand that a kid means that there's a hole in the middle, so then the kid needs to iterate. Maybe they say, 'A white space surrounded by blue squares,'' Dangol said. Kids turned winners The researchers tested the system at UW College of Engineering's Discovery Days last year. More than 100 kids from grades 3 to 8 participated in the game. They also held two sessions with KidsTeam UW, a group that helps design technology with children. In those sessions, 21 kids aged 6 to 11 played AI Puzzlers and worked with the researchers. 'The kids in KidsTeam are used to giving advice on how to make a piece of technology better. We hadn't really thought about adding the Assist Mode feature, but during these co-design sessions, we were talking with the kids about how we might help AI solve the puzzles and the idea came from that,' co-senior author Jason Yip, a UW associate professor in the Information School and KidsTeam director, said. Children were able to spot errors both in the puzzle solutions and in the text explanations from the AI models. They were also able to recognize differences in how human brains think and how AI systems generate information. 'This is the internet's mind. It's trying to solve it based only on the internet, but the human brain is creative,' one kid said. 7 AI Chatbots You NEED To Know! (They're NOT All The Same!) 'Kids are smart and capable. We need to give them opportunities to make up their own minds about what AI is and isn't, because they're actually really capable of recognizing it. And they can be bigger skeptics than adults,' co-senior author Julie Kientz, a UW professor and chair in human-center design and engineering, added.
Economic Times
a day ago
- Economic Times
India's digital supply chain revolution: Turning e-waste into a trillion-dollar green opportunity
Advertorial India's booming digital economy grapples with a significant e-waste challenge, generating millions of tons annually with minimal formal processing. Supply Chain 4.0, integrating AI, IoT, and blockchain, offers a technology-driven solution for sustainable e-waste management. Policy support, skilled workforce development, and collaborative ecosystems are crucial to realizing digital circularity and transforming the e-waste crisis into a green opportunity. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads India's digital economy is scaling new heights, but beneath this transformation lies a pressing environmental challenge: electronic waste (e-waste). As one of the world's top five e-waste generators, India faces the dual responsibility of sustaining its digital growth while addressing its growing environmental footprint. According to the Global E-Waste Monitor 2020 by the United Nations University, India generated 3.2 million tons of e-waste in 20191, with that figure rising steadily. Alarmingly, less than 10% of this waste is formally collected and processed, underscoring the urgent need for integrated, technology-led solution may lie in embracing Supply Chain 4.0—a forward-looking, technology-driven model that integrates artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, and big data analytics into supply chain management. Global research trends show that Supply Chain 4.0 can significantly accelerate sustainability by enabling smart, connected, and circular supply networks. In India's context, these digital supply chains can revolutionise how electronic products are manufactured, tracked, used, and responsibly returned or instance, blockchain-based systems can ensure end-to-end traceability of products, enforcing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and reducing reliance on unregulated recycling practices. IoT-enabled devices can signal when a product is approaching obsolescence or malfunction, triggering automated reverse logistics for repair, reuse, or environmentally safe recycling. Real-time data analytics can forecast waste generation patterns, optimise maintenance and refurbishment cycles, and strengthen secondary markets for reconditioned electronics, generating employment and reducing environmental while technology is essential, it cannot operate in isolation. For India to fully realise the potential of digital circularity, it must also invest in robust policies, skilled human capital, and collaborative ecosystems. A national framework is needed to incentivise circular business models, standardise data-sharing protocols, and mandate eco-design principles for electronic Indian corporations are already setting benchmarks by integrating these principles. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has implemented a closed-loop IT asset recovery system that connects internal hardware tracking with certified recycling vendors. Hindustan Unilever, in collaboration with Hyderabad-based Recykal, has launched digital recovery programs for plastics and e-waste through mobile platforms linked to consumers and retail outlets. Dell India operates a nationwide take-back initiative—'Reconnect'—that promotes responsible consumer returns and certified recycling. Similarly, MG Motor India has partnered with Attero Recycling to create a digitally traceable supply chain for end-of-life electric vehicle batteries, establishing India's leadership in sustainable EV waste these examples, policy frameworks must evolve to support nationwide adoption of digital traceability. While the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 mark progress by enforcing producer collection targets, they lack the digital infrastructure necessary for comprehensive enforcement. A National E-Waste Digital Registry, modelled after the European Union's proposed Digital Product Passport, could ensure unique identification and lifecycle tracking of electronic products through QR codes or RFID tags. Financial incentives—akin to those under the FAME II scheme for electric mobility—should be extended to encourage investment in digital take-back systems, particularly for standardised blockchain protocols must be developed for authenticating EPR compliance and building trust among recyclers, manufacturers, and regulators, as recommended by NITI Aayog. The National Data Governance Framework, spearheaded by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), should include provisions for secure, interoperable data sharing across e-waste platforms. Equally important is human capital. To sustain these systems, India needs a digitally skilled workforce trained in IoT systems, data analytics, and reverse logistics. These competencies should be integrated into the Skill India Mission and aligned with the National Education Policy growing academic presence in Supply Chain 4.0 research signals its readiness to lead. The challenge now is translating this intellectual capital into real-world applications that make e-waste management data-driven, seamless, and inclusive. Embedding sustainability into our digital infrastructure will not only mitigate environmental harm but also create green jobs, boost competitiveness, and position India as a leader in sustainable innovation across the Global the right policy push and ecosystem support, India can turn its e-waste crisis into a green trillion-dollar opportunity, redefining its digital growth as not only fast but also future-ready and environmentally
