Evaluating Technology English-1 Unit-3

Evaluating Technology [Unit 3]

Technology is the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, especially in industry. We use technology to improve our ability to do work. It not only shapes our future, but also dictates our culture. Technology is put to use in almost all sectors like education, agriculture, health, travel, business, shopping, domestic, law, administration, automobiles and research. It has become a part and parcel of our life, so much so that we can’t even imagine our life without it.

Advantages of Technology

·         It gives us easy access to information

·         Improved communication is seen

·         People remain connected

·         Availability of advanced medical treatment

·         Improved lifestyle

·         Convenience in education

·         Convenience in travelling

·         Efficiency and productivity in every task

·         Encourages innovation and creativity

·         Helps in making better products

·         Added safety to life

·         Widens the scope

·         Boundless knowledge

Drawbacks/ disadvantages of Technology

·         It replaces humans making them jobless

·         World destructive weapons might be made

·         Increased loneliness and social isolation is observed

·         Increased dependency on technology makes people lazy

·         Health threats like radiation, skin allergies, blurred vision are seen

·         Reduces creativity and intelligence

·         Lessens vocabulary power

·         Increases spelling mistakes

Technology is a boon if used properly; a curse if misused.

Solar energy(page 45)

Solar energy is the radiant light emitted by the Sun. Solar power is the conversion of sunlight into electricity. The geographical location of India is beneficial for generating solar energy. Many states in India have great potential for this. Solar power is considered the clean energy.

Advantages

·         It is an inexhaustible source of energy. It never runs out.

·         It is the best replacement to other non-renewable energies like coal, fuel, gas

·         It doesn’t release any harmful gases that pollute air. Hence, it is called the clean energy.

·         It can be used instead of electricity, fuel and gas.

·         It is suitable for both rural and urban population.

·         Easy installation of solar panels is possible. There is no need of a grid or a turbine.

·         It is inexpensive when compared to other sources of energy.

·         It is a renewable energy.

·         A minimum of 10-25% power can be generated even on a cloudy day.

·         Solar power can be stored in inverters and hence can be used when needed.

Drawbacks

·         Energy can't be generated during nights.

·         Generation of energy is minimum in cloudy weather and on rainy days

·         Areas that receive good sunlight alone can produce solar energy

·         Production of solar panels leads to pollution though no harmful emissions are there during operation

·         Installing solar panels is cheap but other equipment becomes expensive

·         It requires vast areas of land which would be occupied for many years and hence can't be used for other purposes

·         Solar panels are so fragile (easily damageable). They require considerable maintenance.
Cleaning the panels is also a tedious task.

Solar cookers (page 46, 47)

1. What is the usual source of energy for cooking and heating in rural areas of developing countries?

A. Direct combustion of biomass is the usual source of energy for cooking and heating in rural areas of developing countries. Wood, charcoal, crop waste and animal dung come under biomass.

2. How does the adoption of solar cooking save on expenses?

A. When solar cooking is adopted, there is no need to spend money on gas or fuel or kerosene or wood or electricity. That way, expenses are saved.

3. What do you think is meant by 'direct combustion of biomass'?

A. Direct combustion of biomass means directly burning wood, charcoal, crop waste, dung etc to

 cook on.This burning of biomass—

a) emits harmful gases and gives out smoke which pollutes the environment.

b) results in health hazards like burning eyes, asthma and other ailments

c) lessens the forest resources

4. Why do you think application of renewable energy will appeal to rural population?

A. Application of renewable energy will appeal to rural population as it provides income generation and social benefits such as clean drinking water, cottage industry and improved agricultural productivity. It also has economic benefits from reduced kerosene and candle usage.

5. Does consumption of biomass affect forest resources? How?

A. Consumption of biomass obviously affects forest resources. The more fire wood we use, the more trees are cut. It leads to cutting down of many trees over a period of time. Deforestation leads to less or no rainfall which affects the growth of new plants.

Silent Spring--A fable for tomorrow (pages 47-50)

'Silent spring' is a book published in 1962. It is one of the landmark books of the 20th century. Its message resonates loudly today, even after several decades of its publication. It took 4 years for the author Rachel Carson to complete it. She has meticulously described how DDT (a colourless, odorless, tasteless crystalline pesticide) entered the food chain and got accumulated in the fatty tissues of animals including human beings and caused cancer and genetic damage. A single application on crop killed hundreds of varieties of insects for weeks and months. It remained toxic in the environment even after it was diluted by rainwater. 'A fable for tomorrow' is the book's most haunting and famous chapter. With this book, the need to protect the environment became widely accepted and environmentalism was born. Though the DDT was banned in the USA in 1972, we continue to live with its long-lasting effects.

The author describes an imaginary village during the Spring. It was full of life with colourful flowers, green leaves, fruit trees, misty mornings, chirping birds, moving animals and flowing stream. There were anglers that catch the fish and people visited the place to enjoy the nature and watch the birds that have come migrated. They made their living there by raising their houses, sinking their wells and building their barns.

Suddenly, there was some mysterious illness in the village. The roadsides became brown, filled with dried leaves. The birds started dying. They were unable to fly. They trembled like anything. The hens lay eggs, but no hatching happened. The pigs gave birth but the litters were either dying or too small. The fish too died and there were no more anglers. There was no reproduction. There was no pollination. Birds stopped chirping. The spring was so silent. There were sudden deaths among children and elders. Everyone talked about death and illness. People were disturbed. There were sudden and unexplained deaths. The doctors were puzzled by the new kind of sickness. There was a shadow of death, everywhere.

There was no enemy or witchcraft or evil spell on the village. People have done it to themselves. A white granular powder found on the roofs and tiles is the proof. The author says that there are many such villages that have suffered the same consequences. Sadness has crept upon us almost unnoticed. The author warns us that this imagined tragedy may soon become a harsh reality.

Goodbye pictures, hello pixels (pages 53-56)

This is an article published in 2006 in The Hindu. It highlights the importance of updating and upgrading with technology. The printing industry has seen a tremendous change, of late. Earlier it was the block printing and then the offset printing has come into use. This is replaced by digital printing. The IPEX 2006, a world famous exhibition for print industry has witnessed the upcoming change in the print industry. Many small and big printers have participated in it. Almost the entire software for this was developed by Indian engineers at a Bangalore-based developing centre. This is particularly beneficial to the small magazines and localised printing. Going digital at every stage is very important. Printers have to reinvent themselves.

1. What is the advantage of the new 'Copy and Print online' service?

A. Customers can use the web-based facility to create a document, brochure, business card, invitation or whatever; save it as a PDF file and e-mail it to Staples. ‘Staples’ is the world's largest office products company that has launched the new 'Copy and Print Online' service.
The designers will redo the job in a professional manner and send proof copies back to the customer by return mail. If the design is approved of, the material is printed and shipped by courier, to reach the customer the next morning. The advantage is that customer can reflect his style and can receive the product in no time.

2. How is IPEX 2006, the global showcase of the printing business which concluded in Birmingham, U.K., on 11th April 2006, an indication of the new changes in the industry?

A. IPEX 2006 was an interesting barometer of change within industry. The small and big firms, computer related consumer firms and hardcore analogues have understood that it was time to go digital. They were ready to adopt new changes and provide upgraded results in printing.

3. How do you think the Indian players can compete in the global arena? What are the criteria required for this?

A. Adapting, updating and upgrading to latest technology is needed. There are other criteria like reinventing themselves, going digital at every stage, interacting at every stage and doing collaborative work. The slogan is--'Go digital or Die'.

Mass production or production by the masses?(page57-58)

The other name of Production by Masses is—Intermediate technology, self-help technology, democratic technology, people’s technology.

Intermediate technology is superior to primitive technology; cheaper, easier and freer than the super technology of the rich.

MASS PRODUCTION	PRODUCTION BY MASSES
Production in vast and large quantities Eg: heavy industries	Production by people Eg: cottage industries, small scale, medium scale industries
Only the rich and the powerful can afford	Open to all
Needs high capital investment	Uses priceless human resources like clever brains and skilful hands with first class tools
Uses sophisticated technology and advanced machinery	Uses the best modern knowledge and experience
Labour saving technology. Makes people servants to machinery.	Doesn’t make humans servants to machines
Unavoidably violent	Works towards decentralisation
Ecologically damaging	Ecologically compatible
Utmost use of non renewable energies	Gentle use of scarce resources
Worthless for the humans	Designed to serve the humans

Exercise 1 (page 60-61)

1. What does the device (AaWAAZ) consist of?

A. The device consists of

a) a microphone which can pick up and convert sound waves into electric signals
b) a vibrator which conducts the amplified sound to the inner ear through the skull bones.

2. Why would people prefer it to hearing aids?

A. a) AaWAAZ would conceal their disability and also adds style.

     b) No surgery is needed.

     c) It is very cheap in price.

     d) It is not at all risky.

     e) It also enables calls and listening to music on mobiles.

3. Where was the product displayed?

A. At the IIT's annual technical festival, Shaastra '16 at IIT-Madras. It won first place in the    

event, 'Makers Summit'.

4. If the inventors wanted to develop the idea further, what should be the next step?

A. They would also incorporate the device in the headphones, headbands, and hairclips and also in the monkey caps for the people in cold areas. An on and off button can be provided to utilise the device only when needed.

3-D Printing(page 62)

3D Printing, also known as Additive Manufacturing (AM), refers to processes used to create a three-dimensional object in which layers of material are formed under computer control to create an object. Objects can be of almost any shape or geometry and typically are produced using digital model data from a 3D model or another electronic data.

It is an invaluable technology. It brings imagination to life. Artists can bring their ideas to reality. It gives hands-on approach to children and young adults.

Pros (Advantages)

·         3-D printing allows for more manufacturing options.

·         It gives life to imagination

·         Provides hands on approach

·         Helps reducing costs

·         Saves customs duty

·         Saves travel costs

·         Decreases the requirement of huge storage space

·         Creates more personal jobs

Cons (Disadvantages)

·         3-D printing can be made with limited materials like resin, ceramic and plastic

·         It causes manufacturing jobs to decrease

·         Copyright issues may arise

·         There is risk of producing dangerous items

·         Might be used to create more useless products

·         There are some limitations in size and speed of manufacturing

·         Limited production may result in making the product expensive

·         The synthetic fiber gives rough finishing to the surface.