Kautilya

The work was carried out by researchers at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology. Unlike many existing neuromorphic systems that depend on separate sensing and memory components, this device integrates sensing, synapse-like processing and temporary information storage in one platform, drawing inspiration from the way biological sensory systems operate.

The research addresses a long-standing challenge in palaeoecology and archaeology. Cereal crops such as wheat, rice, barley and millets belong to the grass family, and their pollen often looks very similar to that of wild grasses under a microscope. Because pollen preserved in sediments can reveal patterns of cultivation, deforestation and settlement across the Holocene period, the ability to reliably separate crop pollen from wild grass pollen is crucial for understanding ancient land use and human activity.

This test is part of a series designed to validate the parachute-based recovery system of the crew module—the capsule that will carry astronauts. The system is crucial because it ensures that astronauts can return safely to Earth after re-entry.