Technology and Gadget For Your Life

Posts Tagged ‘Technology’

There are entertaining and horrific stories of the trials and tribulations associated with the transfer of technology, and the implementation of new systems and architecture. There are lessons that we can learn from those who have blazed the trails before us, and those who have been burned by the blaze. Get your fingers ready to count the five fundamental considerations for implementing new technology.

What we learned from Oracle

“The original plan was to transition the existing IT infrastructure to Oracle over a period of three months. It is three years later, and we think that we are nearly done with our Oracle implementation.” Does this sound familiar? if so, you have plenty of good company. Oracle is a powerful engine. It is high octane, scalable, and has flexible goal oriented structure to grant continuous growth and integration. So, what went wrong?

Quite often, in the hot anticipation to install the latest and greatest engine, the other parts of the automobile were forgotten or overlooked. Sure you have a powerful new engine, but your steering wheel is gone. It was replaced by a series of point and click drop down boxes to precisely teach the automobile to turn at a specific angle. Do you want to make a 30 degree turn, a forty degree turn, or a 90 degree turn, right or left? Simply select the appropriate item from the drop down menu and you will have the exact turn that you desire. Gone is that old fashioned and inaccurate steering wheel that required manual intervention and guidance to gradually adjust the turn in process, and installed is the precision turning device that is managed by your mouse. The problem is, nobody mentioned that the new steering mechanism was sold separately, and would take another six months to program. Nobody mentioned that everyone responsible for driving the automobile would have to learn a new steering methodology, lose the capability to make manual adjustments along the way, and need to learn to be more predictive and accurate in the selection of the accurate turn. Adjustments can be prefabricated along the way to correct a turn, with more point and click menu selections, if necessary. The extra time, design and development costs, and employee training are sold separately. You see, Oracles sells that powerful engine, not the steering wheel.

Does that sound funny or familiar? If it sounds familiar, then the humor is bitter-sweet. If it sounds ridiculous, then you have not experienced it yet. The steering wheel is only one example. Once the steering mechanism is programmed and place into place, then the other discoveries begin. That powerful engine comes with a speedometer and tachometer, so you can see your performance and the RPM of the engine. Isn’t is exciting to see that you have only partially tapped into the astounding power of this magnificent Oracle engine? Unfortunately, if you rely on other dashboard devices like signals for turns, air conditioning, or a radio, then you have to build these things yourself. After all, the engineers of the engine realize that you turn on different roads than everyone else, you have individualized preferences for your climate controls, and you have individualized preferences for terrestrial or Sirius satellite broadcasting stations. Therefore, you need to build the point and click objects, menus, and broadcasting buttons to accommodate your individualized preferences, and all the doable variations thereof. Someone forgot to mention that all of these functions and amenities need to be custom designed for apiece driver.

Once the common dashboard and control devices are designed, developed, and implemented, then the next wave of discovery begins. The old buttons, knobs, and dials are gone. Everything has been replaced with the convenient control of a single device, your mouse. That seemed like a wonderful convenience when it was first described to you. All of the controls are at two fingers on one hand. Once you are past the pain of installing all of the other controls at additional cost, it occurs to you that it might be a tiny complicated to switch between steering the car, sending a command to roll up the windows, turning on the air conditioner, selecting a broadcasting station, and signaling your turn, all at the same time with one device. All of these things require a different set of menus, so you need to select your work stream very carefully. Otherwise, you might run into the back of a truck while trying to turn off the heater, and turn on Howard Stern. Just then, it begins to rain, and you realize that the windshield wipers have not been coded yet.

Dear Larry Ellison, please forgive me if my sense of irony has inadvertently presented what could be perceived as an unflattering commentary. It is merely intended to make a point about proper planning for transition of technology. After all, you do build a beautiful engine.

So, what should we do?

1) Be Aggressive

It is appropriate to be aggressive when implementing new technology that provides a competitive edge. The competitive edge might be related to overall system performance that empowers employees to become more productive. A competitive edge might be a utility that empowers clients and customers to become more self-sufficient, like installing the ATM organisation outside the bank for customer self-sufficient convenience. The competitive advantage might integrate multiple functions, partners, or streams of data that grant for more intelligent decisions or effective business. If the implementation, integration, or transfer to new technology is going to have a substantial and measured competitive advantage, then be aggressive about the motion of technology.

2) Be Cautious

If the transfer of technology touches upon the core competency or revenue of your business, then be cautious about making any significant changes. This does not mean that you refrain improving technology. It merely implies that it is appropriate to be more cautious in studying the ramifications and ancillary applications which might be impacted by even a subtle change to the code. There are horror stories from companies that implemented seemingly innocuous changes to billing, and then unsuccessful to produce invoices or statements for the clients. During this period of the transfer of technology, revenue was suddenly reduced. The result created financial hardship for the billing company, and for the disgruntled customers who suddenly received several months worth of accumulated billing once the invoicing system issues were resolved. Not only was this an impact on cash flow during the interruption in billing, but it impacted the relationship with the clients as well. Be aggressive about competitive opportunities to grow your profit and performance, but be cautious when it comes to implementing changes that might impact your core business offerings, clients, or billing.

3) Be Quick

Be swift to implement minor changes, and carefully monitor the impact. When it come to performance enhancement, internal recommendations for simplifying routines, or improving the customer experience, do not delay. Design the small changes, test the changes thoroughly, and create a schedule to consistently roll out enhancements. Quite often, the tiny enhancements have the biggest impact to business performance.

4) Be Slow

When it comes to major changes in the structure or systems that sustain your business, be slow in implementing change. Frequently, the core structure and functions of the business are the most efficient and streamlined. The processes that get the most use are the ones that get the most attention, and are often the most highly evolved. Unfortunately, these are also the processes that typically are selected for the first priority when it comes to implementing a transfer in technology. On the contrary, refrain the allure of focusing on familiar ground, and preserve the primary processes until the transition has been tested on some of the more complex, and less often utilized, utilities. By focusing development on the most complex and least used functions, there is tremendous knowledge to be gained by the experience, and the least amount of impact to the business. There are too many horror stories of companies that eagerly transferred the main processes, and then spent months or years working out the bugs that could have been identified by developing a much less needed or impactful part of the process.

5) Be Safe

There is no superior time to address the vast array of potential security needs than during the design, development, and implementation of new technology. What individualized data to you manage, process, forward, or store? This is not limited to credit card transactions or bank statement numbers for wire transfers. Somewhere in the enormous archives of data, you are probably holding precious private information on each one of your own employees. Employee records contain social security numbers, bank accounts for direct deposit, obloquy and addresses, and possibly even reference to medical coverage. Quite often we think about the pipeline to our customers, and forget about the goldmine of private information inside our own facilities. Don’t we owe the same endorsement to our own employees?

Privacy data can include medical records, financial records, and individualized information. Driver’s license numbers, credit card numbers, or even matching email address with telephone numbers, are all potential risk to privacy. The threat is not limited to how people access the information from the outside, or the number of firewalls that you place into place. The threat is also from the inside, and what kind of information is acquirable to employees and associates. How simple it is to look up client records and download the information to a thumb drive? How simple is it to copy the entire company database of customer information, statement information, or intellectual property? What would it be worth to a disgruntled employee to take valuable client information to a competitor?

There is no superior time than the present to have a security expert evaluate the potential breaches of privacy in your organization. If you have customers, credits cards, customer accounts, client information, intellectual property, financial information, medical information, or employee information stored electronically, accessible on a network, or printed in files, then it is time to think about security.

If you are in the midst of preparing for a technology transformation, design, development, integration, or implementation, then it is the perfect time to review all of the related documents with a security and privacy expert. If you are organizing all of this information, then why not take advantage of your efforts to protect your customers, your employees, and your business? Executives and management are increasingly being held responsible for ignoring or overlooking the potential security breaches in their respective organizations, both from protecting customers from external threats, and for controlling the actions of disgruntled employees. Mitigate risk to the company, and the executives of the company, by taking appropriate and reasonable precautions for expert analysis, controls, and privacy.

Though the inception of a new technology seems random, its evolution over time once it comes into existence exhibits a reasonably stable pattern which can ideal be described in terms of performance characteristic.

 

The performance characteristic refers to an element of interest to a designer of a product or a individual of a specific technology.  For example, fiber optics against the cables in traditional telephone systems provides a superior voice clarity. The speed of a personal is another example of performance characteristic that is resulted in new technology. Technological performance can be expressed in terms of any attribute, such as density in the electronics industry (number of transistor per chip) or aircraft speed in miles per hour. The performance of a technology has a recognized pattern over time that, if properly understood, can be of great use in strategic planning. Technology innovation refers to the changes in performance characteristics of a specific technology over time.

 

The life cycle of innovations can therefore be described using the s-curve which maps again in a different way, ie, growth of revenue or productivity against time. In the primeval stage of a particular innovation, growth is relatively slow as the new product establishes itself. At some point customers start to demand and the product growth increases more rapidly. New incremental innovations or changes to the product grant growth to continue. Towards the end of its life cycle, growth slows and might even start to decline. In the later stages, no amount of new investment in that product will yield a normal rate of return.

 

The s-curve is derived from half of a normal distribution curve. There is an assumption that new products are likely to have “product life”. i.e. a start-up phase, a rapid increase in revenue and eventual decline. In fact the great majority of innovations never gets off the bottom of the curve, and never produces normal returns.

 

What is important is that apiece technology has a number of performance characteristics of a specific technology over time. As mentioned earlier, once a new technology comes into existence, the performance characteristics of interest show very tiny improvement in the primeval stages of the technology.

This initial stage is followed by a second phase of very rapid improvement in the performance characteristic. During the third stage, the performance characteristic continues to improve, but the rate of improvement begins to decline. In the final stage, very tiny improvement is visible and the graph that charts the progress in the performance characteristic of a technology over time takes an S-shape.

 

The s-curve of technological innovation summarizes four major stages in the evolution of a performance characteristic.

 

1. Emergence – (also known as embryonic stage) shows tiny improvement in key performance characteristic. Technology operates far below its potential. Neither the characteristics of technology nor its applicability to market needs might be well understood. A long gestation period exists before attempts are prefabricated to produce a technology. This new invention period is characterized by a period of slow initial growth. This is the time when experimentation and initial bugs are worked out of the system.

 

2. Rapid improvement – improves at an accelerating phase. The technology improvement period is characterized by rapid and sustained growth. As organizations engage in production, experience accumulates over time accelerating the improvement in performance characteristic. The technology becomes vulnerable to substitution or obsolescence when a new or better-performing technology emerges.

 

3. Declining improvement – it declines improvement.

 

4. Maturity – further improvement becomes very difficult to achieve. The mature technology period starts when the upper limit of the technology is approached and progress in performance slows down. This is when the technology reaches its natural limits as dictated by factors such as physical limits.

 

During the primeval phase, a new technology is introduced into the market place but its adoption is limited to a small group of primeval adopters and small niche markets. As the product gains ascendancy, new abilities are introduced and refined with the goal of meeting the needs of the broadest doable segment of mainstream users. During this middle phase a dominant design begins to emerge, winning the allegiance of the market place and also effecting standardization of everything from design to manufacturing. The dominant design in turn grants heightened competition as new entrants realize opportunities for further innovation based on cost, scale and product performance.

This is the period of rapid and greatest growth as a technology matures and reaches the mainstream.  During the final phase the product reaches market saturation.

 

Some examples of technologies that have followed this path can be said as follows.

 

The vacuum tube technology was limited by the tube’s size and the power consumption of the heated filament. Both of these factors were natural barriers to electron conduction in a vacuum tube. Electronic engineers could not overcome these limitations. The arrival of the solid-state technology, or transistor, which permitted electron conduction in solid material, changed the physical barriers of size and power. The transistor technology started a new technology life cycle and rendered the vacuum-tube technology obsolete.

 

Another example is ceramics, which have higher operating temperatures and alternative for metals used in internal combustion engines; the newer technology permits superior performance of the engines. The performance of the engines can continue to improve as a result of a sequence of newer technologies, apiece with a higher limit of the performance parameter of interest.

 

Reference

 

Narayanan, V. K (2001) Managing technology and innovation for Competitive Advantage, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

In today’s world, the workplace has been transformed.  Personal technology is present to one degree or another in virtually apiece job or profession.  To prepare students adequately for the workplace we must recognize that integrating personal technology into the classroom is essential.  To execute this integration properly, careful planning must precede implementation.  We must be prepared to explore different means of implementation inasmuch as there is no perfect system or a “one size fits all” software program.  Each institution must decide to what degree they will implement technology and how swiftly they will do so.  It is also important to appeal to educational leaders for support as well as gathering preferences from both instructors and students.

In his article, “Investing in Digital Resources” David McArthur explored the notion that the decision regarding whether or not to use technology as an educational medium has already been made.  What must be done is plan carefully to ensure that the long-range goals of technology integration are properly served.

The leaders in higher education must “plan for and invest in e-learning.”  (McArthur, 2004, p3)  E-learning has become an accepted method of education just as the “Web” has been accepted in business and at home.  Integrating the newer technologies to supplement existing learning has become imperative.  When planning is performed correctly, the educational environment should be healthy to use technologies to increase teacher/student communication, enhance power morale by use of an “on-line resource center,” (McArthur, 2004, p2) use web-based programs to enhance recruitment, and superior prepare students for the workplace.

There are potential problems that must be overcome when planning for technological integration.  First, the technological options are myriad and only a few will be appropriate for a given school or college.  Second, while many institutions become accustomed to the intent of augmenting their educational system via e-learning, it can be troublesome and radical.

Some key issues in the potential success in the adoption of e-learning can include (but is not limited to) the school or college’s present personal network capacity, the willingness of the school’s leaders to support change, current or probable resources, the potential accessibility of the e-learning services by the students.

In looking at a comprehensive long-range plan, there are a number of options available.  One is “Staged Implementation.”  (McArthur, 2004, p4)  While the critical planning should be virtually complete, not all components of the final plan need be in place at the outset.  A planned multi-year plan of implementation can be used.  Not only does this grant for the development of resources, it is doable to troubleshoot elements as apiece stage progresses.  Another is “Appropriate Outsourcing.”  (McArthur, 2004, p4)  Not apiece educational institution has the in-house resources (personnel, tools, equipment) to implement even a staged plan.  Outsourcing can be both cost and time saving.  While it might be difficult to convince some leaders of the potential advantage in outsourcing, especially since this type of expertise “is regarded as an educational core asset” (McArthur, 2004, p6), drawing comparisons to the business world might help to demonstrate the benefits.

In his article, “Herding Elephants: Coping with the Technological Revolution in our Schools” Scott Tunison addressed the issues of: 1. the extents to which schools need to visit personal technology and 2.  The tactics used to make the most of the potential advantages and diminish the potential pitfalls in the integration of the technology.

His reference regarding “Herding Elephants” is allegorical to managing the coming technology and learning to “integrate it into the educational framework” or moving aside and letting the “technological revolution” pass by.  (Tunison, 2004, p7)  Either way, educational technology is not to be ignored and it can't be granted to manage itself.

Fundamentally speaking, much of education is unchanged from long past.  The methods that have been used were for the most part appropriate for the subject at hand.  A perception might be that, if the concepts to be learned have not changed then a change in teaching method is not necessary.  However, even if some of the concepts have not changed, the application context as well as the learners’ context has.  While personal have entered the educational environment they often have been easy substitutes for other tools that already exist and are in place; tools such as blackboards, books, etc.  What this means is that the process of learning remains unchanged when new uses for the acquirable technology are not fully utilized.

Educational reform is necessary if we are going to meet the needs of our students.  If our culture has developed electronic media, animation, etc. then that is the context through which we must reach our students.

The changes that must be prefabricated can make some educators uneasy.  The learning paradigm must shift from the instructor as dispenser of knowledge to the student as active learner.  Tunison cites Fullan (2001) in an finding of “three broad phases to the change process.”  The phases are identified as “initiation, implementation, and institutionalization”

Initiation involves some entity proposing directional change.  Sometimes students ask for change and sometimes groups of teachers, administrators, and parents form committees to start a planning process for technological integration.

Institutionalization includes the perception of importance.  One might state this is the stage of “damage control.”  Clear policies, well trained instructors and administrators, and a supportive school board are crucial in this stage.  It is important in this stage to record relevant data regarding the program for analysis.  What was well planned and conceived might still have “bugs” to work out.  The analysis of the data can assist in the “tweaking” of the program.

Educators must be aware of the importance of technology in the educational environment and be prepared to integrate it.  Technology is extensive in our contemporary culture and reaching our students must involve meeting their needs in the world they know.  We may, in fact, reach more students and perhaps stem the tide of dropouts.

In her article, “What Students Want to Learn About Computers” Judith O’Donnell Dooling, has informed the reader that students, parents, and administrators have specific preferences with regard to personal technology.

Over time, the importance of personal and related technology has been realized.  However, while spending for personal has risen, some schools have not been as successful in identifying specific personal skills and its power as a tool of learning and teaching.

Student responses were varied.  Many reported that they began learning about personal at an primeval age, usually from a more experienced person.  Some students, especially in grades four through seven thought learning independently was the most enjoyable.

Interestingly, students of both genders reported that they had a reasonable confidence in their personal abilities, but some differences in perception were evident.  To a degree girls, but primarily boys, thought that personal were too technical for girls.

The experience students had prior to school, the teacher, and personal access had a significant effect on student personal learning.  Even if they, at home, had seen the personal more as a toy, they began to see them more as a tool in the school setting.  They recognized the importance and power of the personal as their exposure increased.

Perhaps unlike other subjects students learn in school, students exchanged personal tips, suggested hardware and software, and generally discussed the subject of personal during their lunchtime and recess.

The students also saw the importance of personal knowledge as it related to its use in the workplace after their school experiences.  They observed that, no matter where you work, you would be using personal to some degree.

The instructors expressed the concern that not all shared the same proficiency.  Many mentioned that often the students knew more than the instructor did.  Instructors also observed that, though the students had a great deal of personal knowledge, it was often limited to games and software.  Another attending was that personal curriculums vary greatly school to school.

Teachers expressed that personal knowledge needs to be relevant.  That is, it needs to be applied crossways the curriculum and used as an integral tool of learning.  All concurred that the role of instructor needs redefinition and sufficient professional development provided to assist the needed change.

In conclusion, we have seen that personal technology in the educational setting is essential for learning in contemporary society.  Selecting, planning, and implementing must be done with great care to refrain waste and potential incompatibility with the goals of the educational institution.  School leaders must be convinced that paradigm shift is not an option; that instructors and students must adopt new roles, and their support for new ideas is essential.

We must also be healthy to meet students where they are.  Our culture has created systems of technology to which students are accustomed.  To continue teaching in an old fashion does our students a disservice, especially if we are to prepare them for the workforce following their education.  We must also be aware of instructor and student preferences if we are to anticipate them to fully utilize the new resources.

 

References

McArthur, D. (2004).  Investing in Digital

It is stated that time and technology always goes hand-in-hand. The reason for this is because with each gradual change in time, we witness new and improved electronic devices in the market. Several gadgets manufacturers are now developing equipment that can suit your personality as well as make your life easier. Latest gadgets 2010 are like eye candy for consumers. Equipped with individual friendly features and stylish designs, these devices have definitely gained high popularity not only among gadget freaks but also among the common man.

Gadgets that make you stand out from the crowd

Latest gadgets 2010 such as smart pens, computers, cellular phones, notebooks, apple iPod, 3D TV and many other electronic and personal accessories have now become head turners and are being used by many people in their regular life. Not only have the gadgets become a necessity of life, but they also tend to set a style statement of an individual. In today’s time, it is not at all surprising if you notice a teenager with the latest blackberry smart phone or even a handheld device. Gadget manufacturers are now targeting people of all ages and leaving no stone unturned for them to enjoy the latest and one-of-a-kind equipment developed by them, be it for entertainment or business purpose.

When we speak about the latest gadgets 2010, we should keep in mind that it is not only limited to computers, smart phones or handheld devices but they also include gadgets for children such as light-up auto-bot t-shirts, water-resistant duck shaped radio, cyber man phone spinner and more. This is just a small list of gadgets but you will be astonished with how these gadgets are cool and innovative.

Gadgets for each occasion

Furthermore, latest gadgets can start under several categories and are meant for different occasion. People can purchase gadgets for Christmas, birthday gadgets, cool gadgets for children as well as adults. In addition to this, you can even find latest security gadgets to measure your home or office.

Shopping Online Made Easy

Now, since we have the internet, consumers can easily find the latest gadgets 2010 that they are looking for right from the comforts of their home. Not only does shopping online help in saving time and money, but it also proves buyers with thorough review of the gadget they plan on buying. Previous customer feedbacks and other useful information make your gadget shopping simple and worthwhile, and you can be rest assured that you get your monies worth.

 

Related Gadgets Articles

Regarding previously said, a problem of information note and form of description ,extrovert and inner ,introvert world is based upon existence of information code ,as subject determination basic feature in the moment of “technological “ description ,which is related to certain object, or substantive analytical examination in relation with the same object. What appears to be essential is whether the information evolved from technological advancement or it has been defined by its own existence .For instance, Is the informational capacity ,measured in bytes and regarding technological advancement and subject of research taken randomly, more determinate to analyst rather than to its inventor? Informational determination capacity is proportional to analytical decoding , just as the content of dream is to conscious. Technical measurement ,which is to determinate the subject informational more precisely ,directly affects the informational code reproduction. Informational chain code appears to be essentially divergent in relation to any subject being analysed ; its selfdetermination is unconditional only if out of experimental or any form of perceptive range .The problem resembles subquantum paradox which results in experimental conception –experimenter causes the result of experiment ,while on the grounds of experimental action technical substratum treats its own field of analysis as artificial

Subquantum technology basics

Principles of quantum mechanics are based on the claim that the fundamental entity concerning all interactions in nature is quantum, defined as form of indivisible unit carrying an absolute minimum of energy .In a word,any process of interaction, emission or absorbing of all materials energetic conditions is exclusively doable in form of infinitesimal quantum continuance .According to theoretical implications method , metaphysics and physics matches.

As a subject of research , subquantum level of nature is being realistic ,not only metaphysicist, but also to physicist , regarding theoretical concepts. This aspect of nature excels any range of scientific or any other form of perception .Basic reason is most simple: considering the fact that perception sphere is being altered inside the quantum instance of nature , in order to implement any form of knowledge, it must be based upon quantum “behaviour” of natural interactions. Realization of subquantum instance theoretically implied, even though its practical significance or experimental induction are impossible .

Solid form of technological advancement interpretation and the way it emanates from nature ,speaking in terms of idealists, it shapes into a classical model of synthetic explanations, which defines the technological circle as formal, secondary characteristic of individual interactions with nature. Structure of technological image is exclusively based upon domain of interactive, process related, even though its peculiarity completely can’t possibly be derived from natural substratum. The aspect o technological determination is added to natural domain ,regarding synthetic interaction with nature ,relation between technology and nature is,a s for these concepts of explanation ,immanent,e ssentially impracticable.A possibility stems from shaping, existent ,state which subject reduces from nature influenced by technology.

Specification of technological advancement is concentrated to reducing the practical domain of technical implementation considering the sphere of reality and perceptiveness.

Realization ,practicable and technical is in direct connection to expectation of scientific theory principle which proves itself. Technology evolved in just a few decades .Considering the fact that technology raised, for instance, in nineteen forties the size limit was 10-5 milimetres, while nowdays contemporary science moved the limits towards 10-10 meters or 10 -7 milimetres.T his is the domain of very favourite nanotechnology .Quantum physics concept in a pretty self-confident way pleads with absolute influence to the real world of subatomic entity of nature ,although the theoretical concept itself, regarding analytical method used for its definition, seems to be very self –destructive and fragile. Subquantum aspect of natural interactions, like absolute foundation of visible and invisible is theoretically and implicitly unpredictable in its adherence, which should be considered as variable; subquant world is not a subject to laws of existing world, so should any discerning reader notice that ,according to conceptual explanations of interactive manifestations, certain processes should be assigned to a cathegory of principles semantics. In a word, It is necessary to find some law in illegal. Such conclusion is a mind’s need, like a compromising relief in a visible defining process, but also a fundamental self-deceit of our own world of phenomena is in mind navigating to functionality exclusively referring to cathegories of relational .Pointing this problem in a theoretical manner of explaining the subatomic, it is inevitable to say that our model of perception points out to specific “behaviour” of invisible world of subatomic level of nature. Related to our concept, this world has its own rules, essentially Imperceptible. It is doable to presume its ” intensity “,inner essential determination ,although, according to its constitution, it is impracticable ,for it is not connected with existent world.

Poetical sentence says: a shape whose appearance exclusively stands for itself , has no appearance at all. This problem is going to be mentioned later on,regarding analysis of multidimensional concept relation and relation of selfhood and the instance of consciousness.

Let’s make an assumption that result of technology advance is ,as mentioned, based upon structural minimization, deeper penetrating the natural infinity, regarding as macro as mini entity, even though the practicality of technical advancement incorporates into substantial minimization, or division of manifesting world .As to this, what is the final result of technological advancement? Provided that subquantum world represents fundamental entity of existent world, is the subquantum world itself a metaresult of technological circle?

Being incorporated into the fundamental range of natural, technology would turn the full the circle as non-spreading shape .Its inner substance would excel the result of the very evolution. Talking of metaphysical poetry, it would be astonished by technology, not by its complexity, but for it excels the semantic of pure determination as a concrete being of practical world .From the starting point, which is originally referring to practical approach to nature , it finds its own realization in substantive influence on absolute entity of – world, to subquantum entity. By this process technology would , closing the evolutionary circle, desert the originality of physical world. Each form of its prediction or attempt on complementary defining would appear to be unsuccessful. Synthetic form of metaphysical incarnation of technology would strengthen; nevertheless, this analyse intention is not to establish the horizon of its (technological) final revolution as meta-aspect. Subquantum technology should ,by surpasing the applicable value, and regarding qualitative peculiarity towards efficiency within natural complex, make transcendence better to categorizing. Forms of quantity and calibre ,equalizing technological relation and natural ,become completely useless. Assumption of taking initiative action implicates a large possibility of technological meta determination of natural flow; each interaction, causal relation,any natural manifestation are being altered by subquantum technology. Countless options of nanotechnology in virtual, parallel reality construction appears to be essential regression concerning subquantum technology. Quality proportion would be enormously larger between these two evolution aspects, than between microprocessor and prehistoric stone axe. Provided that nanotechnological field “resource” is 10-10 meters, the aspect of subquantum might be extensively measurable by theoretical models. Essentially and structurally ,microdimensions of subquantum technology would not be determinate, according to upper definition, and intensity would not follow extension. This final” level “of technology would appear to sphere of perception same to entering the singularity.To our categories of cognition it seems to be incomprehensible , whereas it could be predicative according to existing theoretical models. Example of singularity,I n this case ,ought to be seen as compromising analogy, even though regarding the hypothetical case of final technological revolution ,it would be completely incomprehensible. Exceeding the quant limit would mean that technology in multidimensional frame completely alters space and time continuum ,even the genealogy concept og Universe would be completely changed, even though this theoretical implication completely objectionable in its essence .

Finalization of technological evolution comprehends ontological surpassing the world. Problem appears here, in say section ,on condition that finalization of evolution process comprehends own starting point transcendence ,sublimated in visible macroplan of nature ,which is fundamental to changing the essential form of existence. In a word, how can a form, defined by technological semantic ,practicable realization ,outdoes own form of existential determination placing itself into the aspect of absolute, subquantum. Metaphysical conflict is in the notion and also in the semantic of subquantum. If this entity himself

iPods, iPads, Blackberries, DVRs, Kindles and more – all fascinating forms of technology.
As the technology era continues to explode, there’s something interesting that’s exploding with it.  Stress.

With the increase of technology, there was supposed to be an increase in the assist of which we are healthy to live our regular lives. Yet, instead of making our lives easier and less stressful, we find ourselves in bondage to stress from technology.

Easier or More Stressful?

Everywhere you go, people are glued to technology like what is now called the Crackberry.

Life  is getting busier and people are more stressed out than ever before.
While technology is healthy to make our lives easier, the misuse of technology is what’s causing stress.  For example, high speed world wide web helps you to obtain important information is seconds.  Yet, getting sucked into spending hours on the personal in the black hole of the world wide web leads to  stress from technology that is steadily increasing.

In spite of the risk of finding yourself stressed from abuse of technology, you need not return to the cover age.  There are things that can be done to keep technology from ruling your life.

Symptoms of Stress from Technology

Yes, it’s easy to get sucked in to spending endless hours wrapping yourself in technology. Surfing the web, chatting it up for hours on Twitter or Facebook, and watching one YouTube video after another are examples.

This overuse of technology can cause problems like headaches, eye problems, and sleep deprivation.  These physical symptoms lead to a backlog of responsibilities, a breakdown of family relationships and poor performance on the job.

So how do you fix it so that technology isn’t ruling your life?

Determine what’s ideal for your life

Just because the latest technological gadget is prefabricated acquirable for sale, doesn’t mean you have to purchase it.  What works for one person’s life doesn’t mean it will work for yours.
One family might find having a DVR indispensable because they can more readily control what their kids are watching on television.  In another case, a single male might find having a DVR enabling him to become a sofa potato. 

Some people’s lives are prefabricated easier with iPhones. Others find that this latest form of telephone technology causes them undue stress. So, before investing in the latest and greatest new technology, determine if it will fit in with your lifestyle and if it will make your life easier or more complex.

Set some boundaries

Simply, establish time limits when using technology.  Kitchen timers work very well for reminding you when to get off the computer, the TV or the high tech game system.
Let’s state you set a time of one hour on the personal or television. Stick to it. Once that timer goes off, shut everything down so you won’t be tempted to overspend your time.

Establish Technology-Free Areas

There should be specific places in your home where you are absolutely disconnected from technology like the bathroom and the dinner table.

In addition, disconnecting from technology in certain areas in your home, establish certain times where technology is to be out of commission.  Perhaps you could designate an hour before bed where you just read (an actual book that’s NOT online) or play cards.

Whatever your desired time of the day, establishing boundaries around the use of technology will grant you to rest and unwind. Consciously disengaging also helps you to foster stronger bonds with your friends and family, while reducing your stress levels.

Technology can be the source of some of your greatest assistance or the source of your biggest stress.  Find the right path to using technology wisely and you won’t find yourself battling stress from technology.

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TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

KUMAH ERIC JUNIOR

MARCH 2009

ABSTRACT:

In today’s world, technology has invaded many aspects of human life. From its gigantic influence on our education and professional development, to the more subtle presence of tiny gadgets littering our homes, technology is nearly everywhere.

The reasons for such pervasiveness would boil down to some characteristics that technology by itself possesses. One such characteristic, which is of major interest to many scholars, is the seeming demand of barriers to the spread of technology. It easily penetrates societies and even to remote communities, and once it reaches its destination and catches on, it becomes seemingly difficult to stop its spread. As a result of this, consumer technology like cellular phones, computers, PDAs, radios and TVs have become commonplace in places like Africa, even with all the barriers one would have envisaged.

Sadly, it does not need much analysis to realize that even though technology usage is growing rapidly in Africa, we still have numerous developmental problems in our continent. This is a situation where advanced technology is coexisting with underdevelopment in Africa. With all the power that technology wields, it will be a useful exercise to study the ways in which it can be used to solve some of those very problems it has come to meet. In essence, using our tiny gadgets to solve our huge problems.

This is the background against which this study is undertaken. Asking whether our problems can be solved at all, then enumerating instances where development projects that utilize technology have been place to work, and concluding by analyzing the cases and drawing lessons from them.

CHAPTER. 1.

INTRODUCTION

The limits to what the human mind can conceive and achieve are increasing. More discoveries have been made, more things have been created, more theories have been evidenced and disproved, more machines have been prefabricated and more problems have been created. Scientific technology has been the driving force behind all these. Science has indeed evidenced to be a powerful tool which has touched many people and has shaped many communities.

According to the Concise Oxford dictionary 10th edition, technology is the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes. Clearly from this definition we can see that scientific knowledge might exist theoretically but it only becomes technology when it is used in practical settings. For example we might state the knowledge of the rules of up-thrust and buoyancy is theoretical, however practical utilization of these rules to manufacture airplanes could be termed aircraft technology.

Again according to the Concise Oxford dictionary 10th edition, a community is the people of an area considered collectively, while development is explained to mean to grow or cause to grow and become larger or more advanced. By deduction, community development could be explained to be the growth or advancement of a group of people.

Today, the world has become highly technological, and things which in the seventies would have passed for science fiction are now so commonplace that they have nearly become necessities. From each corner of the world, technology has global acceptance, it is present and has the capability to dramatically change situations.

Any attempt to ascribe reasons for this pervasiveness of technology will have many suggestions, some of which are that machines have been proven more efficient than humans at some tasks, machines are less error prone, impartial and never get exhausted like humans. Another could be the increased sophistication of humans and the meeter need for equally complicated messengers to help us perform many tasks, which is linked to the interesting nature of technology that once a more advanced way of doing something is found, it becomes nearly unthinkable to try to do it by “old fashioned” means.

With such big scale interplay of these and many more factors, there is tiny reason to be surprised by the sudden emergence of automatic machines to handle the tiny tasks of old; cleaning floors, washing clothes, slicing bread, mixing block etc. the list goes on and on.

And that is far from all and the list of innovative possibilities is endless. In truth, some of these innovations have shaped the world and there are many examples to cite. The discovery of electricity and the broadcasting wave both changed the world. Today, personal are changing the world even faster. Now with cellular phones, new opportunities have come and our imagination has become the only limiting factor. We can only move for the next huge thing to be created and who knows what it will be?

The picture of technological advancement is not a absolutely rosy one. Indeed, there are some minuses to science as well, such as the introduction of new forms of danger which come as a consequence of innovative forms of technology, for example the nuclear bomb came from nuclear technology, unforeseen genetic mutations are as the result of genetic engineering, and the numerous and tiny talked about chemicals which can destroy the ozone or warm the planet.

The seriousness of the disadvantages of technology have prompted some people to argue that technological advancement, which is an example of scientific development, is making us more of advanced entities but less of humans. In other words, we have become superior scientists, bankers and professionals and worse human beings. Martin Luther King puts this argument succinctly when he stated “Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power, we have guided missiles and misguided men.”

The disadvantages that technology brings are issues which require serious examination to ascertain what can be done to eliminate them or at least minimize their effects since technology has definitely come to stay, and it would be to our advantage to learn how to work with it in ways that will be the most beneficial to us.

But despite the disadvantages listed here and the many more unnamed, we have seen that we can still derive many benefits from science and given that we live in, or at least come from, a part of the world where development is still a huge headache, we should be the first to begin a serious study of this phenomenon and see how ideal we can use it to our advantage. We might be surprised to see that there is a great viability in using our tiny gadgets to solve our huge problems.

Let us make it clear that the aim of this paper is not to present technology as the illusion cure that will clear our multitude of problems in a whiff, technology alone will not solve Africa’s problems because our problems are too complex, too deep and too overwhelming for any simplistic scheme to be successful. We can only achieve success when if have a more comprehensive approach to the problem, to include solid commitment to serious research, establishment of the appropriate structures, and the taking of required initiatives. It will be incorrect to adopt that technology in itself is inherently good, and just implementing it alone will be enough to achieve any good result3. Though technology might be healthy to do anything, people must have the vision to drive it in the right direction.

Only with this knowledge can we make any meaningful gains in the development agenda.

In our particular context, Africa has evidenced that advanced technology could coexist with underdevelopment. People have satellite TVs whilst there are no instructors in the classrooms, we have mobile devices and pocket computers and devices but our streets are still not titled properly, there is still a big number of illiterates among the people who own and use cell phones, spreading of healthcare information is still a challenge even though a lot of people have access to broadcasting and TV. This sorry list is endless.

CHAPTER 2:

CAN TECHNOLOGY REALLY ADDRESS OUR PROBLEMS?

From healthcare, access to water and life expectancy, to governance, industrialization and even the calibre of human life, there are numerous problems confronting African communities.

Today we are stated to be living in the information age, an era where access to information is the new driving force of the world. The proliferation of the World wide web and World Wide Web has reduced the whole world to a big audience with unprecedented access to vast quantities of information. This communication is unencumbered and the formation of alliances is unhindered by physical distance, national or political borders4. With all the dynamics that this modernity brings, technology stands tall as a favourite to achieve any meaningful sustainable development for many reasons.

Principal among such reasons is the fact that there is improved awareness of underdevelopment among Africans themselves, which could be due to the information age, and an improved belief that our situations can be turned around. This is markedly different from decades ago when there was a lot of resignation and despair among black professionals. Evidence to support this would be the attending that much more thought is being directed at the Africa integration agenda and greater attention being paid to the Economic partnership agreements (EU- ECOWAS).

Another positive indicator is the growing number of trained and competent technological professionals on the grappling of the continent. Granted, the improved numbers by themselves will not be a good indicator, but with the holistic

Bluetooth technology is a type of the wireless technology that eliminates the need for the number of inconvenient cables and devices that are used to connect the computers, mobile phones, digital cameras, handheld devices and new digital appliances. Bluetooth enables the users to connect to a wide variety of telecommunication and computing devices easily, without cables.

It makes rapid ad hoc connections, automatic unconscious connections between two or more digital devices. Bluetooth provides the opportunity of using the mobile data in different applications. Bluetooth makes wireless communication between the two devices in a localized area of a room of office or home very easily. Bluetooth technology uses radio-based links and all the connections between the devices and invisible and instantaneous.

By Bluetooth technology your laptop can send print request to a printer in your next room. Bluetooth is actually a standard for wireless communication between the devices in a relatively small area and it is therefore works fine in the individualized area network (pan) using broadcasting frequency.

Any two devices that follow the Bluetooth standard can communicate with apiece other. A number of the Bluetooth devices like digital camera, mobile phone and handheld pc can form a network. You can send emails to your mobile phones from your laptop without any physical connect between your laptop and your mobile phones.

Features of Bluetooth technology

• Bluetooth technology uses broadcasting waves for communication in 2.4 GHz

• It supports multi point communication not just point to point. 

• Bluetooth works in a small area of 10-15 meters.

• Bluetooth offers speed of 1-2 mbps.

• Bluetooth chipsets are less costly though more costly than IrDA.

How Bluetooth technology works

Bluetooth is a high speed wireless link technology that uses the broadcasting waves. It is designed to connect the mobile phones, laptops, hand held devices and portable equipments with nearly no work by the end users. Unlike infrared Bluetooth does not require line of sight between the connecting units. Bluetooth technology is a altered form of the current wireless LAN technology and it’s more acceptable for its relative small size and low cost.

The current circuits are contained on a circuit board of 0.9 cm square and a much smaller single chip version is in development and soon it will be in use. The cost of the Bluetooth device is expected to start rapidly. Bluetooth chip has to be equipped in many devices. In Bluetooth technology, small and affordable transceivers have been put in the digital devices. The broadcasting waves operate at 2.45 GHZ band on the Bluetooth devices. Bluetooth supports the data speed up to 721 Kbps and 3 voice channels. The Bluetooth chip can either be built into the devices or it can be uses as an adapter. In personal it can be used with the USB port. Each Bluetooth device has a 48 bit address from the IEEE 802 standards and the Bluetooth connections can be either point to point or multi point. Bluetooth range is 10 meter but it can be extended up to 100 meters by increasing the power.

Bluetooth devices are fortified from the external interference because they change their frequency up to 1600 times in a second. Bluetooth broadcasting technology provides the bridge between the existing data network. Bluetooth guarantees security at the bit level and the authentication is controlled by the end individual by using 128 bit key. An important grappling of the Bluetooth technology is that it instantly forms a network when two or more devices come closer in the range of apiece other.

Bluetooth technology benefits

Bluetooth technology is a convenient choice of communication in a wire free, short range environment. Bluetooth is a globally acquirable standard for connecting the devices like mobile phones, digital cameras, laptops, mp3 players, cars, stereo headsets etc. Bluetooth enable devices do not need to install any drivers. The key benefits of the Bluetooth wireless technology are its built-in-security, low cost, easy of use, robustness, and ad hoc networking capabilities.

The Bluetooth wireless technology is acquirable globally. Many manufactures from the different companies are busy to implement the technology in their products. Bluetooth technology operates in the 2.4 GHZ, one of the unlicensed, industrial and scientific broadcasting bands. Bluetooth technology is a free of charge service but your mobile phones set should support the GSM and CDMA technology.

Today mobile phones have built in abilities and Bluetooth functionalities in them. Bluetooth technology is acquirable in the different range of the devices like mobile phones, automobiles, medical devices, industries and enterprises etc. Due to the key features of the Bluetooth technology like low power consumption, low cost and wireless features make it more popular. Bluetooth technology does not require any fixed infrastructure and it is very easy to install and setup.

No wires are required to connect the Bluetooth devices. You can connect to other Bluetooth enabled devices anytime if they come in your range. Bluetooth wireless technology is widely supported and is secure wireless standard today. Bluetooth devices has built-in security features such as 128 bit encryption and pin code authentication when Bluetooth devices refer themselves they use the pin code when they first time connect.http://infortech-news.blogspot.com/

Cellular Technology or Mobile Technology or Wireless Communication Technology is commonly associated with mobile phones. Generally used terms mobile, wireless and cellular represent cellular technology. These terms are not same. Mobile & wireless are the terms of past. This day the technology we use is cellular technology. We use cellular phone & cellular network.
Cellular technology is called cellular because of its mechanism. Cellular system uses many base stations to divide a service area into multiple cells. Using a cellular device a individual can communicate while traveling from one area to another.
The cell of a mobile phone functions as sender and accepter. A cell accepts & transfer small packets of data through a built in antenna device to specific location with some frequency. This specific location is called channel.
All mobile operators use broadcasting spectrum in order to bourgeois their services. Spectrum is a limited resource. Earlier, mobile operator companies used division of frequencies to enhance the capacity. However cellular technology granted division of geographical areas (alternate of frequency) which is leading towards wide area coverage.
Cellular network is a combination of clusters. A cluster is a group of seven cells. Each cell has a base station in centre of it. Base stations wage control on sending/receiving. All base stations are connected to MSO (Mobile Switching Office) which is a central point. MSO is connected to PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network.).
PSTN continuously monitors the calibre of communications and call another PSTN.
Cellular devices are consists of mobile phones, handheld computers, portable mobile data devices, individualized digital assistants etc.
Cellular technology is used for personal, commercial & military purposes. Different bands of broadcasting spectrum are being used. Most favourite bands are GSM-900 & GSM-1800. Most devices support multiple bands and work in any country. Some mobile operators are providing “extended GSM” a band for larger frequency range.

Types of Cellular Technologies:

Cellular technology systems use one of two ways

Analog Digital

Access Types:

There are three types used to access the network.

CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) FDMA (Frequency Division Multiple Access) TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access)

IBM – CDPD
To examine the traffic voice & data users in a particular service area IBM has introduced a technology called Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD). It is based on transmission control protocol/internet prescript (TCP/IP).
CDPD overlays packet switching onto the existing cellular voice network, and transmits data packets over the idle capacity. CDPD does not need the call setup procedures required for switched voice calls. It resolved the problem of excessive data traffic & increases the network utilization.

History of Cellular Technology

1921:
United Says police used a broadcasting system in cars at 2Mhz Frequency.
1926:
Radio telephonic system was used in trains traveling between Berlin & Hamburg.
1940:
Motorola developed a broadcasting mobile “Walkie-Talkie”.
1941:
Motorola developed a mobile system for US military using 30MHz-40MHz frequencies.
1947:
In December 1947, Douglas H. Ring & Rae Young of Bells Labs prefabricated hexagonal cells for mobile phones.
1949:
Federal Communications Commission authorized separate broadcasting channels to common carrier entities known as “Radio Common Carriers” (ROC).
1956:
The first fully automatic mobile phone system, called MTA (Mobile Telephone system), was developed by Ericsson and commercially released in Sweden.
1960:
Electronics technology developed by Bell Lab Scientists Richard H. Frenkiel & Joel S. Engel, it was first considerable step towards the era of cellular technology.
1964:
150MHz automatic channel selection system was introduced. This enables the customers to dial their own number.
1969:
IMTS (Improved Mobile Telephone System) launched in U.S. It was 450MHz.
1970:
Amos E. Joel of Bell labs invented “handoff” technology for cell phones.
1973:
On the streets of New York City using Motorola DynaTAC, Dr. Martin Cooper is the first in history who initiated a telephonic conversation. Call was prefabricated to Joel Engel researcher of Bell Labs on April 3, 1973.
1978:
Advanced Mobile Phone Service (AMPS) was used by Bell Labs to launch the first trial for commercial cellular network in Chicago.
1979:
NET in Tokyo Nihon launched first recognized commercial cellular telecoms.
1981:
NMT system was launched in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden.
1983:
Motorola Dyna 8000x received approval as the first handheld mobile phone in US.
1990:
Analog AMPS was surpassed by Digital AMPS.

Basics of Cellular Technology

Cellular technology also called wireless or mobile technology was in its primeval ages in 1960s. This technology is the world’s most favourite thing since last five decades. Cellular concept has grown faster than anything else in this world.
Cellular technology is quickly removing the wired technology fiber optics. According to a report of April 2000 from Tokyo:
“The number of mobile phone subscribers in Nihon at the end of March exceeded fixed-phone subscriptions for the first time as the popularity of mobile communications continued to expand, according to Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications.”
The reason is extensively rapid progress of cellular technology. Not only in mobiles but it is also being used in following fields.

Health Care Energy Finance Defense Business Industry Research

GSM is the most favourite among cellular technologies like CDMS, TDMA, MMDS, LMDS, PCS, Blue Tooth and IEEE 802.11.
ITU is the department in USA for coordination. However in all countries government department take care of the major spectrums. Following topics are most important in regards to basics related to cellular technology.

Radio Basics Frequency Bands Signals Processing Access Spectrum Modulation Range Interference

In our further sections we will mainly focus on cellular networks & related terms. We have chosen a one-of-a-kind pattern of random explanation of definitions. This will be really helpful for those who are searching for any single term to understand. Unfortunately this website is not providing a proper solution of step-by-step learning. We express regret for visitors looking for such environment.

Intermediate Leve of Cellular Technology

Intermediate level of cellular technology starts from deploying mobile IP in wireless architecture. Mainly following topics are considered as more important in this level of study.

Multi-path weakening channel model Detection of non-encoded transmitting at narrow band weakening channel Interleaving of coded symbols Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) Multiple Accesses Inter-cell interference management Space-time coding Power control & interference averaging Signal to interface and noise ratio (SINR) AWGN channel Multiple input output communication system (MIMO) Fourth generation (4G) wireless system

Advance Level of Cellular Technology

The past decade has been very action-packed in terms of cellular technology advancements. If sky would not be the limit then is has already been crossed by massive enterprises like Nokia. Manufacturing of devices and service supplying sector remain always in struggle for the next step. Yet being realistic we can state mathematics can never be changed. Basics of advance level rely on the very basic rules and fundamentals of cellular technology. Considering the topics advance level of cellular technology we have following topics.

Successive interference cancellation (SIC) V-Blast architect D-Blast Space division multiple access (SDMA) SWOT Analysis of Cellular Technology

Strengths:

Wide coverage Small unit Low cost Capability to integrate High functionality

Weaknesses:

Electromagnetic Rediation Loss of money

Opportunities:

Jobs & Careers Business expansion Immediate support Fasten connectivity

Threats:

Abnormal Human Generation Next No privacy

Future of Cellular Technology

It’s Year 2009 now. It’s the right time to examine the future of cellular technology.
Worldwide cellular phone subscribers are 4 billion now.
15-35 percent jobs are related to cellular technology.
Penetration rate (percentage of new subscribers of cellular technology) is 60% for year 2008.
Pakistan, India & China has approached very positively towards cellular use & turned Asia-Pacific into largest cellular market of the world.
Man has used mobile in space.
Amusing bourgeois for future of cellular technology is women’s participation in all sectors including manufacturing, development & research.
Mobile phones with 8 mega pixels camera are acquirable in third world local markets.
Pre-4G technology is available.
Standards, coverage areas, bandwidth, costs, equipment models, network, everything is changing. Rapidly growing number of users indicates that it is technology feasible to connect to the world to the benefits of cellular system.

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TECHNOLOGY

An Essay

By

VIKRAM KARVE

DEFINITION OF TECHNOLOGY

In our each day lives, most of us use a number of words that we adopt have a universal, agreed-upon, and accepted meaning for all people in all contexts.

Often, the more frequently the word is used, the more we take for allowed that our usage is the only doable usage of the term.

One such favourite word freely bandied about and very much in-vogue argot now-a-days is “technology”.

Let us explore the meaning of the word “technology”.

The word “technology” comprises two parts – “technikos” & “ology”

The historical derivation of the term technology comes from the Greek word technikos, meaning “of art, skillful, practical.”

The portion of the word ology indicates“knowledge of” or a “systematic treatment of.”

Thus, the literal verbatim derivation of the term technology is literally “knowledge of the skilful and practical.”

However, this definition is too general in nature and we have to transcend this narrow view of technology since each technology starts from a human purpose, from the intention to satisfy some human need or behaviour.

Indeed, technology is the manipulation of nature for human purpose – yes, manipulation of nature, so let us use a slightly different definition of technology.

We will define technology as the knowledge of the manipulation of nature for human purposes.

This definition retains the notions of both knowledge and practicality (human purposes) but adds the new concept of manipulation of nature.

This implies that all practical or technical skills finally derive from alterations or manipulation of nature.

Technology depends on a base in the natural world (Science) but extends the natural world through the phenomenon of manipulation (Engineering).

Since we want to manipulate nature, the capability to predict what nature will do when manipulated is most useful, indeed imperative.

ETHICS OF TECHNOLOGY

By our very definition, technology manipulates nature for human purposes.

Technology manipulates nature.

Man is a part of nature.

By manipulating nature, man manipulates himself.

Thus, technology manipulates man, influences, even governs human behaviour, and in turn impinges on societal behaviour, traditions and culture.

Technology is an entity that intervenes in the life of human beings in multifarious ways, directly or indirectly, trying to modify behaviours.

Thus, Technology has an Ethical Dimension.

The very raison d’etre of technology is human purpose.

What is the fundamental purpose of human life?

Is it to increase standard of living?

Is it to improve quality of life?

Or is it to have greater satisfaction in life?

We can distill all these various aspects into a single holistic concept: VALUE OF HUMAN LIFE.

Thus, the cardinal aim of technology is to enhance the value of human life.

TECHNOLOGY and the VALUE OF HUMAN LIFE

Let us define the value of human life as the equilibrise or ratio between satisfaction or happiness and pain or suffering.

In the context of this definition, the ultimate purpose of technology is to enhance the value of human life, with a long-term perspective, by maximization of happiness and satisfaction and a concomitant reduction or minimization of pain and suffering (physical, mental and emotional).

As a generalization, people want a superior life.

A superior life might usually mean things like freedom from want, access to and possession of at least some of the “nonessentials”, comforts or luxuries, good health, a reasonable life expectancy, the absence of emotional stress, satisfying human relations (resulting from gratifying work experience and meaningful interpersonal relationships), intellectual stimulation, and personally rewarding leisure activities.

HUMAN NEEDS and VALUES

Human needs and values change through time as technology advances.

Man tends to accept the fruits of new technology more readily (satisfaction, happiness, comfort) whereas he is reluctant to accept changes in his individualized life.

Thus, social and cultural changes always holdup behind technology causing a mismatch and disconnect which consequently leads to unhappiness, dissatisfaction, pain and suffering (emotional) and concomitant lowering of the value of human life.

A crude but practical way of classifying human values is to divide needs into those that are essentially physiological and those that are psychological.

Most new technologies cater to the physiological aspect by performing Dangerous, Dirty, or Difficult jobs (the 3 D’s) thereby enhancing the value of human life.

As regards the psychological aspect, an example pertaining to Information Technology (IT) might be in order.

Information Technology (IT) caters to two one-of-a-kind categories of psychological needs of humans:

Cognitive Needs – which refer to the human need for information so as to be ready to act or make decisions that might be required, and

Affective Needs – which refer to the emotional stipulations of human, such as their need to do challenging work, to know their work has value, to feel personally secure, and to be in control.

Undue emphasis on cognitive needs and consequent neglect of affective needs might cause emotional pain that counterbalances the gains from technology and this might be detrimental to the “value of human life” as a whole.

TECHNOLOGY IMPACT ASSESSMENT

Effects and Consequences of Technology

In our haste to milk technology for immediate economic advantage, we often lose sight of the long-term consequences: the higher order and indirect effects, especially the delayed and unintended effects of technology.

The Sorenson multiple effect network methodology is a useful technique for an examining the impact and consequences of technology.

Let us introduce the term malefit to represent harmful effects and consequences of a technology in contrast with benefit as a useful output.

We might categorize the consequences of a technology [Effects vs Consequences] as:

EFFECTS CONSEQUENCES

(i)         First Order                  :           Benefits

(ii)        Second Order              :           Direct Malefits

(iii)       Third Order                 :           Indirect Malefits

(iv)       Fourth Order               :           Unintended Malefits

(v)        Fifth Order                  :           Delayed Malefits

Such analyses definitely help in assessing the impact of various consequences of a technology on the value of human life in the long-term appearance in holistic manner.

Early finding of factors detrimental to the value of human life might establish useful in technology impact assessment to reduce mismatches and smoothen out incongruities.

CONCLUSION

We must not lose sight of our basic premise that the cardinal aim of technology is to increase the value of human life by maximising happiness and minimising suffering.

Ethical Technology Management comprises a harmonious blend of rational thinking and empathic understanding wherein one studies, analyses and mitigates the conflicting interplay between human cognitive and affective processes.

It might be apt to conclude with a comment by RM Pirsig, who says that, “The way to solve the conflict between human values and technological needs is not to run away from technology. That is impossible. The way to resolve the conflict is to break down the barriers of dualistic thought that prevent a real understanding of what technology is… not an exploitation of nature, but a fusion of nature and the human spirit into a new kind of creation that transcends both”.

VIKRAM KARVE

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