A2 IT Emerging Technologies

A2 IT Emerging Technologies

1. Technology and our lifestyle

   • Better utilize their time
   • More portable ways of getting things done
   • Working hours are longer cause expectation of being available at all times
     • Longer hours - increase stress
       • Essential to have the most up to date technology
         • Negative impact on environment i.e. landfills for tech
           • Organisations counter this my encouraging to recycle old tech
   • Medicine (highly vital)
     • More cures, prosthetic limbs, tissue engineering - improves standard of living
       • Body can reject the implanted organ and attack it, engineered from own cells allows body to accept

2. 3D printing

   • Where an object is created using CAD programs to create a 3D blueprint of an object
     • The object is then printed each layer of the model using heated plastic
   • Uses for 3D printing
     • Medicine
       • Create more flexible, comfortable casts for broken bones
       • Create prosthetic limbs
       • Print artificial blood vessels
     • Large scale printers can print houses (China)
     • Print different tools and spare parts (NASA)
   • Potential
     • Build houses after disasters
     • Create new organs for people on a waiting list - saves lives
     • Tools can be printed in the space station/capsule if broken
   • Drawbacks
     • Can 3D print guns making it more accessible - dangerous
     • The plastic used is non-degradable and can harm environment
       • Bio-plastic can be used but rare

3. 4G and 5G

   • Generations of cellular communication - with each generation being faster with more capabilities than the last
     • Works using cellular based tech i.e. using cell masts/towers. The nearest tower is the one that sends data to the phone
   • 4G
     • Increased upload and download speeds
       • 5x faster than 3G. Allows users to download and upload on the go with ease and convenience
     • Deduction in latency
       • Improved/reduced the time it took for one mobile request to be responded
         • Better streaming and online games
     • Requires certain infrastructure that some countries dont have
       • Digital divide
     • 5G
       • 100x faster than 4G
       • Download multiple HD movies in seconds
   • Benefits
     • Faster internet access
       • Faster loading speeds
     • Multiple people in video call with HD signal
     • More effective location services
     • Stream HD quality content
   • Impacts
     • Workers can access emails and have meetings on the go
     • 5G can impact key fields e.g. medicine to be able to operate and supervise a patient in a different location

4. Artificial Intelligence

   • This is when a computer is able to make decisions based upon an input, like humans. They are made by programming rules that are meant to be checked with the input and followed
     • Do not yet have the thinking capacity of humans and are hard to create
   • Heuristic
     • "Discovering knowledge through experience"
     • This is how AI mimics thinking, in reality it is just learning from actions and modifying behaviour using programmed elements
   • Examples
     • "Deep Blue" - AI chess system that gets better the more it plays - beat world chess champion
     • Tesla autopilot - Uses AI system to navigate and control car
     • Search assistants such as Siri or Google Now
   • Impact
     • People with disabilities can use search assistants using voice activation
       • Still cannot fully and clearly recognise voice
     • Self driving cars can increase safety by reducing human error
       • If accident occurs, there is legality issue of who is at fault
     • Level of entertainment in computer games is higher as the enemies are more challenging
     • Create expert systems
     • Only good as its programming - if error in code, can lead to faulty "thinking"

5. Augmented Reality

   • This is where technology overlays computer generated images onto the real world
     • Works by taking signals from the real world using a camera, checking if there is a point the program is telling to draw an image on screen
   • Examples
     • Google Glass
       • Glasses that project and overlay info onto the lens such as navigation, camera, social media etc.
     • Pokemon Go (Games)
       • Uses location services and camera in order to play real life pokemon where users must walk to each character and they will appear on screen with the real world in the background
   • Potential issues
     • Using AR devices that require up close vision such as Google Glass can impede your eyesight
     • Still has recognition issues with poor lighting
     • Can suffer security issues if the connection is made using Bluetooth or other wireless connection. Can be intercepted and info could be taken

6. Bio-metrics

   • The measurement of a person's physical characteristics.Use of technology that tracks user values
     • E.g. heart rate, voice recognition, fingerprint scanner
       • Works by having the user take several examples of what is measured to make an average. This data value is attached to the user account as a way to confirm the user's identity.
   • Uses
     • Fingerprint scanner on laptops and mobile devices to prevent use of anyone other than the user
     • Bio-metric are used with passports in some places in order to ensure that the passport holders physical values and the data of the person matches
   • Issues
     • Very personal details. These can be used against the user if these were hacked and obtained, changing the data values can lock the original user out and only allow the hacker to enter
     • It is possible to enter in fake biometric material such as a fake fingerpritn or voice recording
     • Violation of human rights through the collection of their personal data - invasion of privacy

7. Cloud computing

   • Using a collection of remote servers hosted on the internet to store data instead of on your personal computer
     • Simply needs an internet connection in order to communicate with the bank fo servers
   • Uses
     • Upload files and manage them and be able to access away from your computer
     • Data can be upload from multiple different places making it convenient to share files
     • Can be used to process data, the calculation for some programs outsource on cloud computing to achieve high quality rendering in the example of games
   • Issues
     • If one of the servers are hacked into, they could start reading multiple peoples files and personal data e.g. identity theft
     • Constant need for internet connection, not everyone has access to this. Can lose data to a power outage. Important to synchronise the files from the cloud onto the computer

8. Computer assisted translation

   • Works by giving the software a piece of text or document. The software then removes anything that isn't text and translates it into the language of choice
   • Benefits
     • In a foreign country, if internet is available, people can easily translate words in a document or on a sign in order to be able to understand
     • New software using AR tech allows the text to be translated on camera
   • Issues
     • Most translate software e.g. Google Translate only gives the direct translation of each word, so a lot of the context, meaning, and grammar can be lost in translation
     • Being able to choose the most appropriate word to translate and restructuring grammar is the hardest challenge

9. Holographic and fourth generation optical data storage

   • Traditional methods of storage rely on each bit of data to be stored magnetically or optically on the surface
     • Holographic data storage works by recording data throughout the volume of the medium
   • Holographic data storage can store bits of parallel unlike linear with magnetic and optical
     • Many bits of data can be stored layer upon layer
   • Benefits
     • Allows companies to store large amounts of data for a long period of time because the medium will degrade a lot less
   • Issues
     • Technology develops so fast that by the next few years, companies wont have access to the tech required to read the data
     • Holographic data also costs a lot to read because the drive is so expensive as well as the medium stored
   • A substitute is known as the fourth generation of optical media

10. Holographic imaging

    • The ability to make holograms - holograms are 3D images that are created with photographic projections
      • A free standing 3D image you can see around where it does not need to mimic depth such as 3D images or VR

11. Quantum cryptography

    • The process of encryption is carried out in a similar way to mathematical algorithms in that it uses a key. The key is generated using photons which are tiny packets or light that scrambles the data
      • Encrypt
        • Converting data into a scrambled data
      • Key
        • A sequence of algorithm used to encrypt or decrypt data
    • Data is transmitted using fiber optic cable
    • More difficult to crack than regular keys
    • Humans cannot recreate this algorithm as it is made up of a stream of light particles that individually vibrate in all directions - called polarising
    • Passed through a filter in the device to reverse the polarisation
    • Successful over short distances

12. Robotics

    • The creation of computers that perform tasks that humans cannot or are less efficient at performing
    • Heavily used in manufacturing e.g. moving items down a conveyor belt or moving heavy objects
    • Works by having a processor that controls its movement and requires sensors to be attached to the robot and they feed data back to the processor to decide what to do e.g. moving an arm forwards and backwards
    • Benefits
      • Used to complete mundane tasks
      • Used for tasks that are dangerous for humans
      • Provide entertainment value
    • Issues
      • Many people get angry when robots replace their line of work
      • Many people are anxious about the abilities of robots especially when paired with AI
      • Robots cannot respond with any emotion and can only carry out tasks they are programmed to do
        • Can learn from situations if paired with AI

13. QR codes

    • Quick response codes are a type of bar-code that is made of black and white squares and are printed on objects usually in order to provide extra info
    • Uses
      • In gyms attached to equipment to show how to use and what muscle groups they work
      • Used on food to show the nutritional value
      • Used for marketing purposes
      • Gives user choice about learning the info instead of putting too much info on the product
      • Used as a trigger to a webpage of another app
    • Issues
      • Based on image processing, the QR code can only be scanned if the quality of light and camera is enough
      • Companies have to be aware that QR codes can be distorted when the size is changed
      • Can take up space to ensure that text does not interfere
      • Requires a stable internet connection if the QR code is a link

14. Wearable computing

    • Wearable tech can take many forms, but mainly two: smartwatches and fitness devices
    • Fitness devices
      • Worn on wrist
      • Measures: heart rate, calories burnt, steps taken, sleeping patterns etc.
    • Smartwatches
      • Can perform same actions as fitness devices and more since they are connected to your smartphone
      • Includes: weather updates, incoming messages or calls, navigation etc.
    • Clothing
      • LED display - mainly for fashion
    • Issues
      • Easily subjected to moisture which can damage the electronics if not waterproof. Designing to compensate for this can make it very expensive
      • Connectivity is created using wireless technology, which hackers could get into and extract your personal data

15. UHD TV

    • UHD is very popular in monitors and TV screens nowadays especially 1080p
    • 4K (3840 x 2160) is now becoming more and more popular and 8K is an up and coming technology
    • Issues
      • Lack of content that is 4K quality. Everyday tv programmes and video games still use 1080p capture
        • This gives people little reason to buy 4K monitors and screens unless they have a large amount of disposable income
      • Takes a lot of bandwidth to stream 4K

16. Vision enhancement

    • Normally provided in the form of a type of glasses or lenses
      • Alter the stimulus that enters through the eye and filters it in a way that can enhance vision - the primary goal of this field of technology
        • Ultimate goal - restore vision back to people who have lost it i.e. blind people
    • Not just to restore vision but improve other areas of vision
      • Recent developments have allowed people who are colour blind to see the world with full range of colours

17. Virtual reality

    • This is where a 3D space is made by a computer. The user is then effectively put into that 3D space by wearing some sort of device e.g. a headset
    • Device
      • Has two camera feeds (one for each eye) as well as handsets if the program allowed them to interact
      • Splits the camera view into two to match the users field of vision
      • Oculus Rift, PS VR for video games
      • Google Cardboard is very inexpensive and simple
    • Uses
      • Video games
      • Medicine
        • Medical students can practice surgery using VR
      • Training
        • Flight simulators are more realistic in demonstrating military situations
    • Issues
      • Calibration is not yet perfect - motion sickness because what they see and what they feel is different
      • Can cause injuries if the user walks into something unknowingly
      • Can experience epilepsy and seizures

18. Environment

    • Desire to create the next, more improved technology
      • E.g. mobile devices
        • Encourages people to discard the items since new tech favours them
          • This creates a tech landfill which is very harmful to the environment
            • Some places have recycle tech firms