Technology glossary

In Vivo Gene Editing

In vivo gene editing means performing a genetic edit directly inside a patient’s body rather than removing cells, editing them in a laboratory, and returning them. The editing machinery is delivered to the target tissue, often using a viral vector or a lipid nanoparticle, where it modifies DNA in selected cells.

In-Memory Computing

A computing approach that performs operations where data is stored, reducing movement between processors and memory.

In-Situ Drug Delivery

Administering a medicine directly at the location where a patient or target is found rather than transporting them first.

In-situ Friction Stir Forging

A solid-state manufacturing process in which a rotating tool heats, deforms and consolidates material through friction and pressure. In powder processing, it can bond particles into a dense part without fully melting them.

In-Situ Resource Utilization(ISRU)

The practice of obtaining useful materials such as water, oxygen or fuel from resources found at an exploration destination rather than carrying everything from Earth.

Independent Compliance Audit

An external review that tests whether an organization is meeting specified legal or contractual requirements.

Indicator of Compromise(IoC)

Observable evidence that may signal a system or network has been attacked, such as a malicious domain, file hash, unusual process, registry change, or suspicious connection pattern.

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell(iPSC)

A mature cell reprogrammed into a stem-cell-like state that can develop into many different cell types.

Induction Effect

A wider economic change caused when a new technology alters production possibilities, investment or demand, creating activities and emissions that would not have existed under the previous technology and cost structure.

Industrial Control System(ICS)

A combination of controllers, networks, software and operator interfaces used to manage an industrial or infrastructure process.

Industrial Espionage

The covert acquisition or disclosure of confidential commercial or technical information to benefit another company, organisation or state. It can involve insiders, cyber intrusion, deceptive recruitment or physical collection, and may be prosecuted under espionage, trade-secret or industrial-technology laws depending on the facts.

Inertial Confinement Fusion(ICF)

A fusion approach that uses lasers, particle beams, or another driver to compress and heat a tiny fuel capsule so quickly that the fuel's own inertia briefly keeps it confined while fusion reactions occur.

Inertial Measurement Unit(IMU)

An electronic sensor unit that measures motion and orientation using accelerometers and gyroscopes, and sometimes magnetometers. Its readings help estimate a device's acceleration, angular velocity, and attitude without relying solely on external positioning signals.

Inertial Navigation System(INS)

An Inertial Navigation System (INS) estimates motion and position using accelerometers and gyroscopes without needing external radio signals. Vehicles and phones can combine inertial measurements with GNSS to bridge short satellite-signal outages.

Inflammaging

A persistent, low-grade inflammatory state that tends to increase with age and is associated with several chronic diseases, without being identical to any one disease.

Information Asymmetry

A situation in which one party has faster, better, or more complete information than another.

Integrative Taxonomy

An approach to identifying and classifying species by combining multiple forms of evidence, such as anatomy, genetics, behavior, ecology, and sound recordings.

Integrity Monitoring

Integrity monitoring determines whether navigation information can be trusted and warns users when errors exceed safe limits. It is especially important in safety-critical applications such as aviation.

Interfacial Adhesion

The strength of attachment between two materials where their surfaces meet. Good interfacial adhesion helps multilayer devices and composites resist separation, cracking, moisture intrusion, and performance loss under mechanical or thermal stress.

Interleukin-33(IL-33)

An immune signalling protein released by stressed or injured barrier tissues, including airway cells. It can activate several inflammatory pathways, making it a target for experimental antibodies in respiratory disease.

Intermediate-Mass Black Hole

A black hole with a mass between stellar-mass and supermassive black holes.

Intermetallic Nanoparticle

A metal-alloy particle only a few nanometers across whose atoms are arranged in a highly ordered crystal structure, rather than randomly mixed, which typically makes it more stable and catalytically active than a disordered alloy of the same composition.

Internet of Things(IoT)

A network of physical devices with sensors, software, and internet connectivity that lets them collect data, exchange information, or respond to remote commands.

Interoperability Obligation

A legal or contractual requirement for a service, platform, or product to work with other systems through defined interfaces, standards, or data exchange. Such obligations can reduce lock-in and support competition, but must also address security and privacy risks.

Interstitial Fluid(ISF)

The extracellular fluid that fills spaces between tissue cells and allows exchange of nutrients, gases, signaling molecules, and waste between blood and cells. Its composition can provide biomarkers, although it is not identical to blood plasma.

Intracortical Implant

A device placed within the brain's cerebral cortex to record neural activity, stimulate tissue, or both. Because electrodes are close to neurons, it can provide detailed signals, but implantation carries surgical, infection, tissue-response, and long-term reliability risks.

Inverse Design

A design approach that starts with the desired performance or behavior and uses computation to search for a structure or set of parameters capable of producing it.

Invisible Labor

Work that is essential to a product, service, or system but is overlooked, poorly documented, or not publicly visible. In technology, it can include data labeling, content moderation, quality review, maintenance, and other human tasks behind automated systems.

Ionospheric Delay

Ionospheric delay is the change in GNSS signal travel time caused by charged particles in Earth's ionosphere. Because the effect depends on radio frequency, dual-frequency receivers can estimate and remove much of this positioning error.

Irreparable Harm

Harm that cannot be adequately corrected later through money damages or another ordinary legal remedy. Courts commonly require evidence of this harm before granting emergency injunctive relief.