National Technology Day 2024: History, Significance, and AI's Impact on Our Lives

The National Technology Day is celebrated annually on May 11 to commemorate India’s scientific and technological achievements. On this date, the Government of India presents National Awards to individual scientists, innovators, and entrepreneurs in the domain of science and technology. The National Technology Day theme 2024 is – School to Startups-Igniting Young Minds to Innovate. This theme aims to undertake a remarkable initiative to encourage, inspire, and motivate the younger generation to take an interest in new-age technology.

History of National Technology Day

This day is celebrated on May 11 in India to commemorate the historical nuclear test (Pokhran II) conducted by Indian scientists under the leadership of then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on May 11, 1998 in Pokhran, Rajasthan. Following the success of Pokhran II, the day was declared as National Technology Day in 1998. The successful testing of the nuclear bombs made India the sixth country to possess nuclear technology.

Significance of National Technology Day

The National Technology Day serves as a reminder to the world of India’s expanding scientific and technological development, particularly in nuclear technology. Apart from that, the day also provides an opportunity to remember and honour great scientists, innovators, and engineers who have made their contributions to the nation’s progress.

5 ways in which Artificial Intelligence (AI) has made an impact on our lives

Artificial Intelligence, popularly known as AI has become an integral part of our lives. From using voice assistants on our smartphones to smart systems in our offices and homes, we’ve started relying on AI even for our everyday chores. Here are a few ways in which AI has made an impact on our lives:

1. HealthcareAI has revolutionised the healthcare department. From wearable devices such as smartwatches and smart bands giving us real-time data about our heart health, oxygen levels, and sleep cycle to disease diagnosis and patient outcome prediction, AI has been a game-changer.
2. EducationAI has made learning much easier, more personalised, and more effective for students. AI-powered learning platforms can adjust according to the student’s pace of understanding and also can help teachers take a record of the student’s overall academic performance.
3. TransportationAnother area where AI is impacting our lives is transport. AI has made driving much safer and more convenient. With AI-powered platforms like Google Maps, you can reach your desired location within an estimated time. Not just this, several self-driving cars today come with enhanced safety features like lane-keeping assistant, Collision detection, and others all thanks to AI.
4. Smart Home DevicesSmart devices like Google Echo, Alexa, and even our smartphones have made our lives much simpler. Users just need to give a voice command to do simple tasks like switching on the lights, playing music, playing a movie, or ordering food online and it’s done within seconds.
5. ShoppingAI algorithms have the ability to detect body measurements accurately and can suggest suitable clothes and accessories as per the body type. Also, the technology allows users to try clothes or accessories like new specs virtually from the comfort of their homes.