Week 7- Past, Current and Emerging Technologies and Artifical Intelligence, Simulation and Modelling

Past, Current and Emerging Technologies

Past Technologies:
Past Technologies come between the years of 1642 and 1966. Some include:

• 1642: Blaise Pascal invented a machine with gears and wheels that could add and subtract
• 1805: Joseph-Marie Jacquard invented an automated loom, known as the jacquard loom
• 1820s: Charles Babbage designed a machine called the 'Difference Engine' to calculate mathematical tables to twenty decimal places. Then in 1834 he designed the first digital computer called the 'Analytical Engine' (shown below)

• 1939: Howard Aiken, whilst working at IBM, constructed a fully working calculator, however it was 17x2.5m
• 1943: Alan Turing and his team of mathematicians invented the first electronic digital computer, Colossus
• 1951: the first electronic computer became available to sell
• 1966: computers made after this time were made much smaller, were cheaper and worked at higher speeds.

Current Technologies:

Current technology is apart of the digital revolution, as all information is represented in the form of digits and numbers. Current technologies include:

• Mobile phones
• Internet
• Digital Radio
• Digital Television
• Networks (LAN and WAN)

Examples of the impact of Current Technologies include:

• Banking: now we have plastic debit and credit cards which enable us to use Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) and Electronic Funds Transfer at Point Of Sale (EFTPOS). Further than this internet banking allows us to make transactions using BPAY.
• Offices: use a large range of software including word, spreadsheets and databases.
• Design: computer aided design (CAD) software is used to produce drawings of products, so that a new product can be visualised.

Emerging Technologies:
Emerging Technologies are those that are just starting to appear, with new ideas coming into the market.
Examples of Emerging Technologies include:

• Embedded Intelligence- this is the process of putting a computer inside a device so that it can perform specific tasks
• Nanotechnology- the process of making a product smaller

Information on the technologies provides an insight into the history of technology and can demonstrate to students how far technology has evolved.

Artifical Intelligence, Simulation and Modelling

Artificial Intelligence:

(AI) is giving computers the ability to think like a human being. The term intelligence is given because the operation completed by the computer would be classed as intelligent by human standards.

The following example demonstrates what Artificial Intelligence is:

Artificial Simulation:
Artificial Simulation is using the models from Artificial Modelling to physically demonstrate concepts. It's used to analysis real life concepts so that solutions can be determined easily. Simulations use physical, mathematical and computer models.

The following example demonstrates what Artificial Simulation is:

This link is a bit of fun and to show you how Artificial Simulation is used in society:
http://geoquake.jp/en/webgame/DrivingSimulator/

Artificial Modelling:
Artificial Modelling is the representation of real world aspects in the form of a model. It's used when concepts are to hard to reproduce or they are to expensive.

The link is a demonstration of Artificial Modelling-

Teacher's can use the resources in the Artificial Intelligence, Simulation and Modelling to help show students the concepts in a practical manner.

References:

• http://web2.warilla-h.schools.nsw.edu.au/dept/computing/9%20IST/Computing%20Environments/ISTch02.pdf
• http://ibtgsdarwin.wikispaces.com/file/view/AI+simulation+and+modelling
• Analytical Engine [Image] (n.d.) Retrieved April 6 2012, from http://www.kerryr.net/pioneers/gallery/ns_babbage6.htm