INTRODUCING COMPUTERS

Page 1

General purpose machines are most computers with a CPU, such as smartphones and PCs. They are described as general purpose machine because they can be used for many different things. Software enables a computer to be a games machine, web browser, word processor and perform a wide range of functions

SPECIAL PURPOSE MACHINES are devices such as Sega mega Drive (released 1990) becuase they were designed to just do one thing- play games.

COMPUTER SYSTEMS

modern computers function on the same general model of INPUT>PROCESS>OUTPUT

INPUT- type in the message and press send

PROCESS- the phones hardware and network process the message

OUTPUT- the message goes to the receiver

PRINTER's INPUT:

printer recieves document from a computer

PRINTER's PROCESS:

The printer stores the documents in its memory

PRINTER's OUTPUT:

Document is printed out onto paper

Microwaves INPUT:

user presses buttons to select the power level and time

Microwaves PROCESS:

microve switches to the mode selected by the user and heats up for the duration selected by the person.

Microwave OUTPUT:

microwave beeps and the user removes heated food

Page 2

TYPES OF COMPUTERS

PCs, smartphones and Game consoles are everyday computerst there are many other types of computer systems

EMBEDDED COMPUTERS

Used in CAR ENGINES, SPACECRAFT, MP3 players.

They're dedicated systems that are designed for a fixed purpose. This is different to PCs and smarthphones which use software for range of purposes.

WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY

Where technogloy interacts with our bodies such as Smartwatches.

RASPBERRY PI

Credit card sized computer.

Contains 256MB or 512MB RAM and a 1 GHz CPU

It can run a full Linux ( AN OPERATING SYSTEM, free and open source anyone can improve it)

Rasberry is popular with 'makers'- people who want to experiment/create their own projects, such as programs and gadgets.

THE ARDUINO

Arduino is a microcontroller.

Basic computer with less power than the Rasberry Pi.

Useful for small scale projects such as creating wearable technology

does not have an operating system.

to be programmed, program data has to be transferred from a computer, such as a PC, to the Arduino via a USB connection.

RASBERRY PI

Page 3

THE ARDUINO

Page 4

THE PURPOSE OF A COMPUTER

Computers only work by following specific instructions they are given. This is useful when tasks need to be performed accurately since computers won't stray from its given instructions.

computation means following a set of instructions in a logical order to process input data and produce output data. The set of instructions is known as ALGORITHM.

Computers can have a variety of uses, including:

automation

robotics

bionics

data crunching

modelling

AUTOMATION- comps can be programmed to perform repetitive tasks. Major benifits of savin time.

Automation enables companies to use computers to manufacture products like cars and to organize warehouses quickly and efficiently

ROBOTICS

Computers control robots, which can be used in environments that are too dangerous or impractical for humans to work in. For example, robots are able to explore the planet Mars, without the risks involved in sending an astronaut into space.

Page 5

MODELLING

Computer-generated models allow users to create simulations of complex structures or theories. These can be used to make useful predictions about the behaviour of a system under different circumstances, eg testing the load-bearing capacity of bridges, analysing how dinosaurs would have walked or forecasting weather.

Data crunching

Computer systems can collect and store vast amounts of data. Computers make it much easier to study information and look for patterns, eg Google Analytics stores data on search habits and has been used to predict flu outbreaks around the world.

Bionics

Advances in robotics also have great medical benefits. Advanced prosthetics, such as replacement arms and legs, are becoming much more intuitive thanks to computer technology.

Page 6

THINKING LIKE A COMPUTER

Key difference between humans and computers is that a computer has a CPU that needs to be programmed to follow a set of logical instructions.

key concepts behind working with computers include computational thinking, decomposition, and abstraction.

Page 7

Computational thinking means understanding how to represent a problem in a way that a computer will be able to solve. This involves breaking down problems into a series of logical steps such as an algorithm.

You can use computational thinking to think about how to translate real-world processes for a computer to understand. An example might be making a sandwich. This is something a human could do without a list of instructions, but if a robot was asked to do it, it would need a series of clear, basic steps to follow. The sandwich-making process would need to be broken down into a series of detailed, simple, logical steps using computational thinking.

Decomposition

Decomposition means breaking down a large problem into smaller chunks that can be solved using computing.

Some computer games take years to create, with hundreds of people who create the software working on individual sections. A big project like this will be decomposed into smaller problems and different teams of developers will work on each one.

Abstraction

Abstraction means reducing something to a very simple set of characteristics, chosen to be most relevant to the problem.

In computing, abstraction is used to hide the data or reduce the amount of data to what is needed for the problem to be solved. For example, a person might be abstractly described by just their name and date of birth in a simple database. A programmer looks at ways to simplify pieces of code and sequences in an algorithm to make them as efficient as possible - this will save time and speed up the program.