17, Aug 2026
MongoDB Atlas Now Delivers Industry-Leading Context Retrieval with Precision Accuracy
New Delhi, Aug. 17: Retrieval accuracy determines what an AI application or Agent decides and what it costs to host. Today, MongoDB, Inc. announced at MongoDB.local Build Fest a set of capabilities that add benchmark-leading retrieval directly into MongoDB’s intelligent data platform to solve this exact challenge. Today’s capabilities start with a new model in voyage-code-4, purpose-built for agentic code retrieval. That model, along with the full set of Voyage AI embedding and reranking models, is now available through a standalone API to power any application. MongoDB’s Voyage AI embedding models hold the top spot on the Retrieval Embedding Benchmark.
Historically, developers powering advanced retrieval use cases have had to pull data out of operational systems, manage complex and brittle embedding pipelines, and keep vector stores in sync. With Automated Embedding in MongoDB Atlas, powered by Voyage AI models, developers easily insert and retrieve data. Atlas handles embedding and indexing automatically behind the scenes, with no synchronization or embedding pipelines to manage.
The Financial Times was dealing with this exact complexity as they worked to make its journalism easy to find for readers. Search had splintered across the FT’s teams and products, so it consolidated onto the MongoDB platform. With Automated Embeddings in MongoDB Atlas powered by Voyage AI, the FT is improving the accuracy of its AI-powered semantic search while holding down retrieval costs.
“Our job is to make the FT’s journalism fast and easy to reach, however our readers come to it. With Automated Embedding and Voyage AI models on Atlas, we’ve improved retrieval accuracy while keeping costs in check across more than 100,000 searches a day, and being able to test and balance models lets us tune quality against cost as we go. With less infrastructure to run, the team can spend more of its time on the reading experience our subscribers rely on,” said Elitsa Pavlova, Principal Engineer CM Platform, at Financial Times.
Eve, a legal AI platform, was also running into complexity and cost issues. They are now using the Atlas Embedding and Reranking API to surface the most relevant material as it works across the life of a case.
“In legal AI, retrieval quality is foundational—the right evidence has to surface at the right moment. MongoDB’s Atlas Embedding and Reranking API gives us a promising way to improve relevance directly in the RAG layer, while simplifying the infrastructure needed to build and evolve these experiences,” said Urvesh Patel, Staff AI Engineer at Eve.
MongoDB is the memory and context layer that agents are built on
On MongoDB, high-precision retrieval runs in the same platform as real-time operational data, not bolted on as a separate system that adds cost and synchronization overhead. An agent searches live data for context, including records written seconds earlier, so what it retrieves reflects the current state of the business rather than a stale copy.
Four new capabilities give teams accuracy in production while reducing complexity and cost:
·Fresh and accurate context for agents: AI applications and agents can only make good decisions with accurate, reliable, up-to-date context. Automated Embeddings in MongoDB Atlas powered by Voyage AI keep that context current. Users set a Voyage AI embedding model for their search index, and Atlas embeds new documents as they are written and re-embeds existing ones when they change, with nothing to run or schedule.
·One endpoint for benchmark-leading embeddings: The Atlas Embedding and Reranking API gives any application, even ones running outside MongoDB, direct access to MongoDB’s top-ranked embedding and reranking models through Atlas.
·Accurate code retrieval with lower cost: General-purpose embedding models were not built for codebases, and it shows in retrieval accuracy. voyage-code-4 is a retrieval model tuned specifically for coding agents, matching information to code with higher precision and lower cost than previous models.
·Retrieval for streaming data: Agents acting on live events should not work from worse context than agents reading from data at rest. Vector search in Atlas Stream Processing brings that same retrieval accuracy to data in motion.
“Too many organizations are running AI in production with an operational database, a vector store, a search engine, and embedding and reranking models, all from different vendors, bolted together instead of built for it,” said Jim Scharf, Chief Technology Officer, at MongoDB. “That’s where stale data and errors creep in, and it’s usually where teams spend their time babysitting instead of building. Agents raise the bar. They need to retrieve live context continuously and cannot wait on overnight batch jobs. MongoDB was built as an operational platform from the start, so retrieval and memory run on the same live data, nothing to sync, and agents act on what’s happening instantly.”
These new capabilities are generally available today; get started for free at mongodb.com/atlas.
MongoDB also announced at Build Fest new integrations that put MongoDB inside the AI tools developers build with—across Claude, Claude Code, ChatGPT, Codex, Grok Build, and Devin—along with the MongoDB Atlas Managed MCP Server: Link
- 0
- By Neel Achary
17, Aug 2026
transcosmos receives Special Award for Digital Utilization in JiIT’s Best Customer Support of The Year 2026
Aug 17: transcosmos announced that it has received the Special Award for Digital Utilization at the Best Customer Support of The Year 2026 program, organized by the Japan Institute of Information Technology (JiIT).
The Customer Support Award program was established to promote higher productivity, effective management, enhanced systems, and stronger customer touchpoints in customer support operations across Japanese industry and government organizations. Regardless of organizational size, the program recognizes companies, organizations, institutions, business sites, and departments that have made outstanding contributions to business performance and the advancement of customer support through creative and innovative initiatives in customer support and services, improving customer satisfaction, and addressing other challenges.
■Reasons for the award
At the customer support center recognized by the award, supervisors were spending a significant amount of time on routine tasks such as handling escalations and preparing materials, limiting the time available for higher-value activities such as enhancing the customer experience and delivering value-added proposals to clients.
To address this challenge, transcosmos undertook a business transformation initiative based on the concept of “turning everyday operations into data,” treating conversations during the escalation process as valuable knowledge assets.
Specifically, transcosmos built a fully automated framework that transcribes conversations during the escalation process using an AI voice recorder, generates materials using generative AI, and creates videos using AI video generation tools. This enabled knowledge that had previously resided with individuals to be shared across the organization more quickly, accelerating and standardizing knowledge transfer. In addition, transcosmos continuously refined prompt design and improvement cycles to enhance the accuracy and effectiveness of knowledge sharing.
As a result, transcosmos significantly reduced the time required to prepare escalation materials as well as average handling time (AHT), enhancing both operational efficiency and service quality. By making effective use of the time created through these enhancements, supervisors were able to focus more on voice of the customer (VoC) initiatives and strengthening relationships with clients. This contributed to higher overall customer satisfaction and service satisfaction, as well as lower employee turnover.
The initiative was highly commended for aligning the organization’s Mission, Vision, and Values (MVV) with AI and DX-driven operational efficiency, enabling supervisors to shift away from routine administrative tasks and focus more on enhancing the customer experience and creating value for clients.
Guided by its vision, “to become a bridge between people’s happiness and a well-being society with the power of communication,” approximately 23,000 communicators in transcosmos’s Digital Customer Communications (DCC) sector provide call center and other communication services from 32 locations across Japan. transcosmos will continue its efforts to contribute to people’s happiness and a thriving society.
* transcosmos is a trademark or registered trademark of transcosmos inc. in Japan and other countries.
* Other company names and product or service names used here are trademarks or registered trademarks of respective companies.
|
17, Aug 2026
Vodia Phone 2 Turns Android Phones into Vodia Extensions
BOSTON: August 17 – Vodia Networks, Inc., a provider of unified cloud communications solutions to enterprises, contact centers, and service providers, is pleased to announce Vodia Phone 2, an app that brings the Vodia PBX experience to Android users. Vodia Phone 2 is a companion app to the new Vodia iOS app, which the company announced in July of this year.
Vodia Phone 2 turns any Android device into a full-featured extension of the Vodia phone system. It integrates with the native Android calling experience, so users can make and receive calls from anywhere via a business phone system.
Incoming business calls ring like regular calls, even when the app is in the background or the phone is locked – calls can be placed from the Vodia app or directly from the Android dialer.
Vodia Phone 2 makes it easier to manage calls, voicemail, chat, extensions, call history, and active call controls in one place. Users can hold and resume calls, perform blind or attended transfers, park calls for colleagues, access company contacts, and manage how business calls reach them. Integration with Android Telecom Manager also enables support for Bluetooth devices and Android Auto, giving users a familiar mobile calling experience wherever they work.
For installation instructions and more information about calling, transfers, contacts, extension activity, and settings, visit the Vodia Android app documentation page.
Vodia has been committed since its inception to helping enterprises and SMBs work from anywhere. For more information about our iOS and Android apps, Vodia representatives can be reached at sales@vodia.com or +1 (617) 861-3490.
17, Aug 2026
Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Names India’s 40 Young Innovators
Now in its fifth edition in India in 2026, Samsung Solve for Tomorrow is open to young people aged 14 to 22 and is designed to nurture problem-solving and innovation among the country’s next generation.
“What stands out in this year’s Top 40 is how closely young people are looking at the world around them. They are identifying problems in their communities, classrooms, farms, businesses and playing fields, and asking how technology can make a difference. The fact that more than half of these teams come from Tier 2 and Tier 3 India is particularly encouraging because it shows that the next generation of innovation can emerge from anywhere. Our role through Samsung Solve for Tomorrow is to give these young innovators the mentorship, technology and opportunity to turn their ambition into impact. As Samsung completes 30 years in India, we want to continue investing in the ideas and talent that will shape the country’s next 30 years,” said SP Chun, Corporate Vice President, Samsung Southwest Asia.
“The transition from an interesting idea to a viable solution is often the most difficult part of the innovation journey. What is encouraging about this cohort is that 25 of the Top 40 teams have already started building prototypes. The next phase will challenge them to test their assumptions, learn from users, strengthen their technology and think more deeply about how their solutions can work at scale. That process of learning by building is fundamental to creating strong innovators,” said Dr Nikhil Agrawal, Managing Director, Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer (FITT), IIT Delhi.
17, Aug 2026
Pracheen Kala Kendra to Present Three-Day Malhaar Utsav in Chandigarh
Chandigarh, August 17: Pracheen Kala Kendra, supported by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, will organise the three-day Malhaar Utsav 2026 at Rani Laxmi Bai Hall, Sector 38, Chandigarh, from August 20 to 22.
The festival, themed around “The Magic of Monsoon” and “Timeless Raagas,” will bring together leading Hindustani and Carnatic vocalists for three evenings of classical music. The programmes will begin at 6:30 pm each day.
Dr Sukhminder Kaur Brar, Chairperson of the Chandigarh Sangeet Natak Akademi, will be the chief guest and inaugurate the festival. The organisers have invited music enthusiasts to attend the programme, with entry on a first-come, first-served basis.
The opening evening on August 20 will feature vocal recitals by Vidushi Shubhra Talegaonkar and Vidushi Ronkini Gupta. They will be accompanied by artistes on tabla, harmonium and sarangi.
The August 21 programme will showcase Carnatic vocal recitalist Vidushi Sudha Raghuraman and vocalist Vidushi Dhanashree Pandit Rai. The performances will feature accompaniment on mridangam, flute, tabla and harmonium.
The festival will conclude on August 22 with vocal recitals by Vidushi Ruchira Kedar and Pt Sankumay Debnath, accompanied by tabla and harmonium artistes.
The three-day event is expected to offer Chandigarh’s classical music enthusiasts an opportunity to experience diverse vocal traditions while celebrating the cultural and musical associations of the monsoon season.
The organisers have advised visitors to take their seats before 6:30 pm, with admission being subject to availability on a first-come, first-served basis.
17, Aug 2026
Hockey World Cup: India Women Hold Olympic Silver Medallists China to 2-2 Draw in Opener
Amstelveen, August 17: The Indian women’s hockey team began its FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 campaign with an impressive 2-2 draw against Olympic silver medallists China at the Wagener Hockey Stadium in Amstelveen, Netherlands.
India made a strong start, with Navneet Kaur putting the team ahead in the eighth minute. China responded through Zhang Ying in the 15th minute to level the score.
India regained the lead in the second quarter when Deepika found the net in the 25th minute, giving her side a 2-1 advantage. China, however, fought back and Ma Ning scored in the 39th minute to restore parity.
Neither side could find a decisive goal in the final quarter, as India held on for a valuable point against the Olympic silver medallists. The result marked a determined performance by the Indian side against one of the strongest teams in women’s hockey.
India will next face South Africa in Pool D as it looks to build on the encouraging opening result and strengthen its position in the tournament.
17, Aug 2026
Dr Jitendra Singh to Confer National Anubhav Awards 2026 at Vigyan Bhawan
New Delhi, August 17: The Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW), under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, will organise the 9th National Anubhav Awards Ceremony and the 60th Pre-Retirement Counselling (PRC) Workshop at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, on August 17, 2026.
The programmes will be held under the auspices of Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, who will confer the National Anubhav Awards 2026 on 15 selected awardees.
The Anubhav platform provides a forum for retiring and retired employees of the Central Government, 12 Public Sector Banks and Central Public Sector Enterprises to document and share their experiences, insights and contributions from their years of public service.
The 15 awardees selected under the National Anubhav Awards Scheme 2026 have made significant contributions to nation-building and have been associated with a range of important government initiatives. Their work includes contributions to Passport Seva Kendras, updating and reformulating rules to meet contemporary requirements, technological adoption in administration and accounting, and energy conservation, among other areas.
The 60th Pre-Retirement Counselling Workshop will focus on employees of the Government of India who are nearing retirement, particularly those posted in the National Capital Region. The workshop will provide information on retirement-related procedures and the steps required to ensure the timely settlement and payment of pension and other retirement benefits.
The programme will also witness the release of the Handbook on Pension Mitra and the Guidelines for the nationwide Digital Life Certificate (DLC) Campaign 5, aimed at facilitating pension-related services for beneficiaries.
As part of the event, a Bank Exhibition will also be organised, with 17 pension-disbursing banks showcasing products and services relevant to retiring government employees.
The events underscore the government’s focus on supporting employees through the transition to retirement while recognising the institutional knowledge and public-service contributions of retiring and retired personnel.
17, Aug 2026
Ministry of Mines to Hold Patna Roadshow on 8th Critical Mineral Auction Tranche
Patna, August 17: The Ministry of Mines, Government of India, will organise a roadshow on the 8th tranche of auctions for critical and strategic mineral blocks along with a workshop on the National Mineral Exploration and Development Trust (NMEDT) in Patna on August 17, 2026.
The programme will be chaired by Shri Satish Chandra Dubey, Union Minister of State for Coal and Mines, in the presence of Bihar Chief Minister Shri Samrat Choudhary and Dr Pramod Kumar, Mines Minister, Bihar.
Senior officials from the Ministry of Mines, Government of Bihar, Geological Survey of India (GSI), Mineral Exploration and Consultancy Limited (MECL), along with industry representatives and prospective investors, are expected to attend the event.
The 8th tranche comprises 20 mineral blocks, including three Mining Lease blocks and 17 Composite Licence blocks. The blocks contain a wide range of critical and strategic minerals, including graphite, rare earth elements, rare metals, vanadium, gallium, titanium, molybdenum, tungsten, potash, phosphorite and glauconite.
The roadshow will provide investors and industry stakeholders with detailed information on the mineral potential of the blocks, the auction framework, bidding procedures and investment opportunities in the critical minerals sector.
Technical presentations will be delivered by MECL on the mineral blocks, SBICAPS on the auction process and tender documents, and MSTC on the e-auction mechanism.
The programme will also feature a presentation on the NMEDT scheme, which provides for partial reimbursement of exploration expenses incurred by Composite Licence holders. An open-house session will give participants an opportunity to raise questions and seek clarification on the auction process.
The second half of the programme will focus on a workshop titled “Mineral Exploration: Planning, Execution and Reporting.” Sessions will cover India’s mineral exploration potential, the National Geoscience Data Repository (NGDR), identification and preparation of exploration blocks using NGDR, and preparation of mineral exploration reports. Senior officials from the Geological Survey of India will lead the technical sessions.
The initiative is part of the government’s broader strategy to accelerate mineral exploration, attract greater private-sector participation and strengthen India’s supply security for critical and strategic minerals.
Critical minerals are increasingly important for sectors such as clean energy, advanced manufacturing, electronics, defence and emerging technologies. Expanding domestic exploration and production is therefore expected to contribute to India’s mineral security and the broader Atmanirbhar Bharat objective.
16, Aug 2026
XPPen Marks Its 21st Anniversary with “DOODLE THE WORLD”, Bringing Creativity Beyond Boundaries
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — XPPen, a leading global digital art innovation brand, proudly celebrates its 21st anniversary. Marking 21 years of empowering creators worldwide, XPPen introduces this year’s theme, “DOODLE THE WORLD,” with a series of creative experiences, including the Global Art Toy Design Contest co-hosted by XPPen and TOP TOY, a globally renowned art toy brand, the upcoming Artist Ultra 14 drawing display, artist conversations, the Doodle & Spin Game on official website, and exclusive anniversary offers. Through these initiatives, XPPen encourages creators worldwide to explore diverse forms of artistic expression and create without limits.
“At XPPen, we believe creativity should have no boundaries, not limited by mediums or imagination,” said Brian Huang, Marketing Director at XPPen. “For 21 years, we have empowered creators with innovative solutions to bring their ideas to life. ‘DOODLE THE WORLD’ embodies our belief that inspiration can flow freely across paper, screens, and beyond. Through this anniversary celebration and collaboration with TOP TOY, we unite around a shared belief in creativity without boundaries and the power of imagination, while embracing a more youthful and trend-inspired creative culture through the fusion of digital art and designer toy culture.”
XPPen × TOP TOY Global Art Toy Design Contest
As one of the highlights of XPPen’s 21st anniversary celebration, XPPen has partnered with TOP TOY, a leading global art toy brand, to launch the Global Art Toy Design Contest, inviting creators worldwide to explore the possibilities of Zero, TOP TOY’s original IP character. Through this collaboration, creators can transform their ideas into collectible designs.
Running from August 16 to October 16, 2026, the contest encourages participants to reinterpret Zero through designs including the Null Shell Design, Fenix Shell Design, and Zero Figure Design. Participants can draw inspiration from seasons and clothing styles or develop their own original themes. Winners will receive XPPen creative devices, cash prizes, blind boxes, and X-Coins from the XPPen Community, which can be used for community giveaways and exclusive rewards. Selected winning works will also have the opportunity to be developed into physical art toys and stocked in TOP TOY stores worldwide. Join the contest at https://community.xp-pen.com/events/global-art-toy-design-contest?lang=en
A panel of artists and creative professionals will judge the entries, including Katun, an influential Southeast Asian graffiti artist; Josephine Rais, a German illustrator and strategic designer; Jun Oson, a Japanese illustrator and contemporary artist; together with TOP TOY’s senior art toy designer jury. “I hope creators can create boldly, not only through colors, but also by exploring more possibilities in subtle elements such as materials and emotions,” said Tong Liu, Senior Designer at TOP TOY, as one of the jury.
New Addition to the Artist Ultra Series
Continuing the celebration of XPPen’s 21st anniversary, the Artist Ultra 14 will launch on August 17. As the newest member of the Artist Ultra Series, Artist Ultra 14 delivers Ultra Clear True Color with exceptional accuracy and clarity in a slim, portable design, providing creators with a flexible and immersive experience. The new product will also be available as one of the prizes in the Global Art Toy Design Contest and the anniversary game on XPPen’s official website.
Celebrating Creativity Across Mediums and Beyond
To further explore this year’s theme, XPPen has invited artists from different creative fields, including Chromakane, Tattoo Artist, and Marina Esmeraldo, Multidisciplinary Artist, to share their creative journeys and interpretations of “DOODLE THE WORLD.” Through these conversations, XPPen showcases how drawing can take place across different mediums and creative environments, inspiring everyone to embrace the freedom to create anytime, anywhere.
Beyond artistic conversations, everyone is invited to join the anniversary game on XPPen’s official website. Participants can join the 21-Day Doodle Journey and spin the wheel to win prizes. XPPen’s official online stores will also roll out global anniversary offers, featuring discounts of up to 50% on selected products.
Building on 21 years of innovation, XPPen will continue empowering creators and advancing digital art. XPPen will also showcase its latest innovations and upcoming products at IFA 2026, including new releases ahead of official launch. More details will be revealed at IFA 2026.
For more information, please visit https://www.xp-pen.com/21st-anniversary-celebration.html
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/xppen-marks-its-21st-anniversary-with-doodle-the-world-bringing-creativity-beyond-boundaries-302849164.html
16, Aug 2026
NIELIT Unveils CYBER KUSHTI 2026 to Sharpen Cybersecurity Decision-Making Skills
New Delhi, August 16: The National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) has launched ‘CYBER KUSHTI 2026’, a cybersecurity assessment initiative designed to test how effectively individuals can apply human judgment while identifying, analysing and responding to cyber threats.
The initiative focuses on a critical aspect of cybersecurity that extends beyond technical knowledge — the ability to make sound decisions when confronted with complex and evolving digital threats.
CYBER KUSHTI 2026 is designed around the premise that cybersecurity professionals must do more than identify vulnerabilities or recognise known attack patterns. They must also evaluate situations, assess risks and make timely decisions when information may be incomplete or ambiguous.
Through the initiative, participants will be exposed to assessment scenarios intended to examine their ability to interpret cybersecurity situations and distinguish between genuine threats, potential risks and routine events.
The programme is expected to provide a platform for assessing practical cybersecurity capabilities in an environment that places emphasis on reasoning and decision-making.
As organisations increasingly deploy artificial intelligence, automation and advanced security tools, the role of human expertise in cybersecurity continues to remain important.
Automated systems can identify anomalies and flag potential threats, but security professionals are often required to determine the significance of an alert, establish priorities and decide what action should be taken.
CYBER KUSHTI 2026 seeks to bring this human element into sharper focus by examining how participants respond to cybersecurity challenges rather than relying solely on theoretical or textbook knowledge.
The launch comes at a time when India is expanding its digital infrastructure and strengthening cybersecurity capabilities across government, industry and other sectors.
A growing digital economy has also increased the potential attack surface for organisations, creating demand for professionals who understand both technology and cyber-risk management.
NIELIT’s initiative can contribute to this ecosystem by encouraging cybersecurity learners and professionals to develop stronger analytical and decision-making capabilities alongside technical skills.
Traditional cybersecurity assessments often concentrate on technical concepts, tools, vulnerabilities and predefined answers. CYBER KUSHTI 2026 takes a different approach by placing greater emphasis on judgment, interpretation and situational awareness.
This approach could prove particularly relevant for cybersecurity roles where professionals have to respond to rapidly changing circumstances and make decisions that can affect the security and continuity of an organisation.
The initiative also highlights the evolving nature of cybersecurity education, where practical problem-solving and human reasoning are becoming increasingly important components of professional preparedness.
With artificial intelligence, cloud computing, connected devices and digital services becoming increasingly embedded in everyday business and public infrastructure, cybersecurity challenges are becoming more complex.
Against this backdrop, initiatives such as CYBER KUSHTI 2026 underline the need to develop cybersecurity professionals who can combine technical expertise with critical thinking and responsible decision-making.
The NIELIT initiative is expected to provide participants with an opportunity to evaluate their preparedness for real-world cybersecurity situations while contributing to a broader conversation around the skills required for India’s evolving digital security ecosystem.
