In this essay, everything about technology is covered. Starting with the definition of the technology and following by all its advantages and disadvantages.
Definition of technology
The concrete definition of technology is vague to define. But there are several definitions to understand what technology means. The subject of technology will differ for generation of energy, food production, transportation manufacturing, techniques of construction, communication and information technology, medical advancement, uses of the military, educational tools, etc.
Technology Essay
Technology can be used to manipulate and alter the environment according to our needs. Technology is something that makes human lives simpler and easier. Anything from the tip of the pen to switch to turn on the fan is technology. It can also be defined as the application of scientific knowledge to the practical aims of life. Technology is also a collection of all machinery, modifications, and arrangements used for more progress. Technology is also associated with modernization and civilization. To sum up, it is basically technically knowledge we dispose of for the betterment of human lives in communication, medical, educational, infrastructure, etc.
Paleolithic era, mesolithic era, and Neolithic era.
We study the past spurring of invention and technology into three periods of age called the stone age, bronze age, and iron age.
The first part of the stone ag, being Paleolithic er, is also known as the old stone age. Early Humans were just starting to get hold of new inventions like fire. They had basic tools back then made of stones and bones. Our ancestors lived on hunting and scavenging. With the invention of fir,e cooked meat consumption increased. Fishing was also practiced, also fruit, wild berries, etc. were used. This era also marks the use of art and the end of the ice age. Climate change occurred,d causing gigantic animals to be extinct.
Following the Paleolithic era, the Mesolithic era came into existence. The Mesolithic era is also called the middle stone age. The main distinction between tools in the Paleolithic era and the Mesolithic era is that during the Mesolithic era, the tools were polished and not chipped. For food consumption, a mix of agriculture and hunting/ gathering was practiced.
The neolithic era is marked by the domestication of plants and animals. Crop cultivation was seen in abundance, and evidence was found all over the world. Pottery also emerged during this time.
The evolution of technology is a huge topic, and it happened gradually over thousands of years. It took immense work and knowledge to put together the technology we see today.
Also Read: Human Resources (HR)
Uses of technology
- Communication
To connect, meet, listen, understand and talk. Let’s take an example to Communicate you pick up your mobile phone and dial your closed ones. This is on a personal level. For business or government to communicate to a wider audience, mass communication or advertisement can be used, which is also provided by technology in every stage.
- Research
Recently scientists found about a whale that glows in the dark. Contributions to research are possible because of the technology. Humans, after extensive research, found the vaccine for the coronavirus. Also, tracking new mutants and strains to avoid more catastrophic outcomes.
- Development
The idea of development differs from person to person, But any idea will involve technology. Construction of a mall will involve technology, expansion of the business will involve technology, buying and installing new reading materials will also involve technology.
- To share
The message, call, meme, videos, audios, photography, text, Information are shared every second.
Technology has paved the way for that.
- Business and profit
Imagine you want to become an entrepreneur and establish a new business. You need some basic knowledge, and this will involve educational technology. After gaining the knowledge, you will need infrastructure, money, manpower, etc. For hiring and establishing the assets again, technology is needed.
- Keeping records
The use of manually writing books and keeping records of transactions, data are long lost in time. There are applications, software, devices to help with this. Unlimited information can be stored at ease.
- Help in making a change
Technology can help a color-blind see, deaf hear, etc. Numerous medical advancement like heart transplant is possible due to technology. These small details can bring a huge difference to other person’s life.
- Learn or educate
Educational technology has now been put into more use since the pandemic. Technology like smart boards, Google classrooms, YouTube videos, etc is used to educate people. Information videos can be targeted to a particular target audience.
Types of technology
- Communication technology
Communication technology is used to transfer information to people or machines by using technology. Some examples of communication technology are social media platforms, vlogs, computers, mobile phones, laptops, satellite systems, radio. Communication technology is used to control machines.
- Construction technology
Construction technology is involved from making a blueprint of a building to Making it sturdy.
- Biotechnology
Biotechnology further includes bioengineering, biomanufacturing, molecular biology, molecular engineering. It uses living organisms to create something simplest example of this being bread made from yeast. In simpler terms, Biotechnology is technology based on biology. Cheese is another example of using microorganisms to produce something for human consumption.
- Product technology
A wide range of products and services are available for consumers in the market. The technology that goes into making this product are called product technology.
- Medical technology
Medical technology has the potential to stop a pandemic. Machines, vaccines, medicines, everything is available to curb disease.
- Architecture technology
Modern scientific methods to construct buildings, design them, cope with problems arising in buildings, its sturdiness, safety issues comes under architecture technology. Also, there are machines programmed to make quick 3D prints and designs even before the actual building process is finished.
- Energy technology
As children, we read about energy in our environment books. Today energy is a controversial topic between two countries. Energy sharing is an extremely delicate issue. The use and need for energy have increased rapidly, while sources and production of energy have decreased. To maintain this situation, scientists along with many governments have been working to find alternative energy sources. Energy technology is used to find alternative sources, as well as conserve existing sources.
- Business technology
Business technology includes computers, software, networking, telephone communication, inventory control systems, which are few examples of business technology. Technology can be effectively used to bring profits to the business.
- Information technology
Information technology is closely associated with information and communication technology. It mainly involves the use of computers and telecommunications to store, transmit, retrieve or send data. All huge multinational corporations and organizations survive on information technology software.
- Hydraulics technology
Hydraulic lift, Hydraulic brakes, Hydraulics steering, Hydraulic jacks, airplanes, Hydraulics shock absorbers are a common examples of using Hydraulics technology. This technology uses pressurized liquid for work; hence it is also known as fluid technology.
- Space technology
In today’s world, space is not the limit. Transportation of humans to space could be an actual possibility. There is always a curiosity to explore the unknown, and space technology helps in this, for research, astronomy, space missions, weather conditions, satellites, and even transportation.
- Artificial intelligence technology
Artificial intelligence technology is concerned with building smart machines or programs that perform activities that require human intelligence. A common example of artificial intelligence technology based on voice assistance is SIRI. Four types of artificial intelligence technologies are – Reactive machines, limited memory, self-awareness, and theory of mind.
- Assistive technology
Assistive technology is used to provide assistance to people with disabilities and also to normal people. Hearing aids, wheelchairs, walkers, adaptive switches, the caption under videos, and movies.
- Robotics technology
Using robots to perform daily activities and for other purposes.
- Waste treatment technology
This is an important technology to compact water crisis. Biodrying, gasification, activated carbon filter, sand filtration are to name a few.
- Environment technology
Environmental issues like soil erosion, wastewater generation, global warming, deforestation are on a constant rise. This technology is dedicated to keeping the environment more clean and safe. Sustainable living should be practiced for future generations.
Advantages of technology
- Saves time in daily life.
Humans’ obsession with saving time in daily life has led to inventions that can be easily done manually. Toothpaste dispensers exist in today’s world; there are devices to switch on lights and other electronics, to cite a few examples.
- Worldwide connectivity and communication
Anything and anyone can travel Worldwide. Technology has made the world into a global village. Sitting anywhere, you can connect to any remote corner of the world.
- Constant improvement in living standards
The possibility of luxury and comfort has come to New heights with the advancement of technology.
- Access to more safety
Cctv camera, real-life location access, GPS tracking have contributed to more safety.
- Information on the fingertip.
Any kind of information regarding everything is available for free and instantly on the internet.
Disadvantages of technology
- Causes addiction
From young children to senior citizens are unknowingly immersed into the huge ocean of technology. We spend more hours on our devices than talking and being with our loved ones. Games, movies, series, e-books all are somewhere addictive. PUBG addiction was a major issue that led to many governments banning the application. Moreover, social media addiction has seen a steep rise after the pandemic hit.
- Cybercrimes – hacking, threat, blackmailing.
Crimes have shifted their form from physical to digital. Users get continuous warnings that personal details, banking details, One-time passwords, etc should not be shared with strangers. Morphing, hacking, blackmailing are some of the issue cyber crime branch faces every day.
- Huge increase in pollution
Technology is not just limited to phones and laptops. Even this produces a huge amount of e-waste. But with more technology, there are more products and choices. Their production, consumption, and disposal cause an abundance of pollution.
- Can get out of control
Many news headlines have mentioned the technology getting out of control. Many inventors have been killed by their own inventions.
- Technology replacing humans
Technology replacing humans is something we anticipated, but the pandemic pushed this change faster. Drones making a delivery, machines installed to dispose of sanitizer, robots installed to check the temperature, etc. This is replacing basic human manual labor and increasing unemployment.
- Natural resources are getting exhausted
. From procuring the materials to their manufacturing and distribution, Natural resources are uses. Water, coal, minerals are getting exhausted at a rapid rate. Humans are overexploiting nature, and this is a phenomenon that can be severely catastrophic.
Gap in technology dissemination
Technology dissemination is the reach of technology and a huge concern. Even if humankind has all the technology on the tip of its finger, there is no use if it does not reach everyone. People with limited resources or knowledge might not get access to the technology, and this is one of the major issues. Example- giving someone from the tribal area a mobile phone which can be used in his advantage, but he does not know how to use it. Hypothetically, even he knows to use it; there will not be a network to access the phone. This phenomenon can also be called the digital divide.
Pandemic and technology
The world was pushed down into deep trauma with the COVID 19 pandemic; this showed us the importance of technology. Digitally world had a huge leap. We all were connected with our loved ones through a digital way. Technology is also responsible for the production of vaccines and saving millions of lives. And will eventually put an end to this horror on humans.
Conclusion
We are heavily surrounded by technology, and it is something we cannot escape. To conclude, just like all coin has two sides, technology has both advantages and disadvantages. In the end, it depends on us, the humans, how we are using it. For example technology of guns can be used for protection as well as destruction. Every product or service depends on its end-user.
FAQ
By, Dhivya