Glossary of Key Terms
Glossary of Key Terms
| Term | Definition |
| Agni | A series of medium to intercontinental range, nuclear-capable surface-to-surface ballistic missiles developed by India. |
| Analog Modulation | A type of modulation where waves vary continuously to transfer signals, such as audio or television signals. |
| Artificial Intelligence (AI) | An experimental science developed to understand the nature of intelligent thought and subsequent action, presented by machines or software. |
| Astrobiology | The branch of Science that studies the origin, evolution, and diffusion of life in the Universe. |
| Biotechnology | A branch of science that, through different biological processes, exploits organisms, cells, or cellular components to develop new technology. |
| Blue Biotechnology | A category of biotechnology used in marine and aquatic environments to research and develop techniques to control the proliferation of noxious water-borne organisms. |
| CAPART | Council for Advancement of People’s Action and Rural Technology, an autonomous body accountable for rural development in India, formed in 1986 by merging CART and PADI. |
| Cryogenics | The branch of natural science that studies various phenomena at very low temperatures; its literal meaning is “production of freezing cold.” |
| Cybercrime | A crime that involves and uses computer devices and the Internet, which may be intended to harm someone’s reputation, or cause physical, mental, or financial harm. |
| Cyber Security | A potential activity by which information and communication systems are protected from and/or defended against unauthorized use, modification, exploitation, or theft. |
| Data Mining | An interdisciplinary branch of computer science involving a complex computing process to discover patterns in huge data sets. |
| Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) | A micro element that carries genetic information in all cellular forms; it consists of two biopolymer strands coiled to form a double helix. |
| Digital Modulation | A type of modulation that remains in the form of a discrete pulse (on or off) and uses binary digits (0 and 1) for all forms of data. |
| DRDO | The Defence Research and Development Organisation, set up in 1958, is the supreme body for researching, monitoring, and administering India’s Defence Research and Development Program. |
| E-Infrastructure | A system that facilitates competent equipment and favorable resources needed for the safety, security, and development of a society by integrating technologies like computer systems, internet, and data storage. |
| Geostationary Orbit | A specialized circular geosynchronous orbit which is inclined 0° to the Earth’s equatorial plane, making a satellite appear stationary from the ground. |
| Geosynchronous Orbit | An orbit with a period that matches the Earth’s rotation rate (one sidereal day, or 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4 seconds). |
| Green Biotechnology | A category of biotechnology used in agriculture to research and develop pest-resistant solutions and disease-resistant animals. |
| IGMDP | The Integrated Guided Missile Development Program, a program to enable India to attain self-sufficiency in the field of missile technology. |
| Information Technology (IT) | The technology exclusively designed to store, process, and transmit information. |
| IRNSS | Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System, India’s independent navigation system designed to reduce dependency on the US Global Positioning System. |
| ISDN | Integrated Service Digital Network, a set of communication standards that simultaneously transmits voice, video, data, and other services in digital form over traditional telephone networks. |
| ITIR | Information Technology Investment Regions, a policy from 2008 for self-contained integrated townships to accelerate the growth of IT, ITES, and Electronic Hardware Manufacturing units. |
| Modem | A device that performs both modulation (transmitting a message signal inside another signal) and demodulation (the reverse process to make the signal understandable). |
| Modulation | A process through which characteristics of a carrier wave vary in accordance with an information signal, allowing it to be physically transmitted. |
| Nanotechnology | The engineering of matter on an atomic, molecular, and supramolecular scale. |
| NKN | National Knowledge Network, a concept from 2009 to create an infrastructure to encourage, enable, enrich, and empower the user community to test and implement innovative ideas. |
| Nuclear Technology | The technology that manipulates changes in the nucleus of atoms (nuclear fusion or fission) to transform it into energy. |
| OTEC | Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion, a technology that creates energy from the warm water of the ocean by using the water temperature difference to run a turbine generator. |
| Red Biotechnology | A category of biotechnology used in medicine to research and develop new drugs and to regenerate damaged human tissue using stem cells. |
| Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) | A nucleic acid, usually found as a single strand, that helps in the coding, decoding, regulation, and expression of genes. |
| Robot | An electromechanical technology (machine) programmed to perform a series of works automatically. |
| Science | The systematic study of the structure and behavior of the natural and physical world through observations and experiments. |
| Technology | An art, skill, or ability, derived from the Greek word technologia, which is used to create and develop products and acquire knowledge. |
| White Biotechnology | A category of biotechnology used in industry to research and develop new chemicals or new fuels for vehicles. |