HAWASSA UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE OF

TECHNOLOGY
Faculty of Informatics

Department of Computer Science

Emerging Technology- Assignment I

for Pre-Engineering Students

Done by:
Abdi Tilahun Geleto

ID number:
NaScR/0019/12

Section:
1

 Submited to: Mr. Solomon Tsegaye

 Submission date: Feb. 8, 2021

Hawassa, Ethiopia
1. What are the root causes that bring emerging
technologies and what impact do they have on Individuals,
Society, and Environment?
Technology has emerged with years and it has changed the way we purchase products, the
way we live, the way we communicate, the way we travel, the way we learn and so many
changes have been brought about by these continuous technological advancements. As
people’s demands and lifestyle change, the demand for emerging the type of technology
we use is high.

Almost everything we use has been innovated to better standards, a good example is the
“Mobile Phone”, the type of mobile phones we had in 1995 is no longer on demand in this
century, the demands of mobile phone users have changed greatly, and this has resulted in
the emergence of mobile phone technologies. Technological advancements have helped
businesses and organizations save time and cost of production, which has been an
advantage to all businesses, they manage these advancements to gain competitive
advantage. A good example is that 3G / 4G broadband, small businesses have taken
advantage of this superfast internet to reach target markets with fewer costs of operation.

The Impact of Technology On society

Technology has changed society throughout history. Over the last few decades, cellular
devices, iPads, iPods, computers, and most importantly the internet have completely
overhauled the way people interact in society and the way educators work in schools.
Technology implementation in schools is pivotal to student success post high school due to
the changing times and high demands for tech savvy personnel. The growth of the personal
computer and the use of the internet have forced a shift in society that will never look back.
Computers help perform tasks effectively and efficiently so that human error can be
avoided.

The Impact of Technology on the Environment

The industrial revolution has brought about new technologies with immense power. This was
the transition to new manufacturing processes in Europe and the United States, in the
period from about 1760 to 1840. This has been succeeded by continued industrialization
and further technological advancements in developed countries around the world, and the
impact of this technology on the environment has included the misuse and damage of our
natural earth.
These technologies have damaged our world in two main ways; pollution and the depletion
of natural resources.
1. Air and water pollution
Air pollution occurs when harmful or excessive quantities of gases such as carbon dioxide,
carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitric oxide and methane are introduced into the earth’s
atmosphere. The main sources all relate to technologies which emerged following the
industrial revolution such as the burning of fossil fuels, factories, power stations, mass
agriculture and vehicles. The consequences of air pollution include negative health impacts
for humans and animals and global warming, whereby the increased amount of greenhouse
gases in the air trap thermal energy in the Earth’s atmosphere and cause the global
temperature to rise.
2. Depletion of natural resources
Resource depletion is another negative impact of technology on the environment. It refers to
the consumption of a resource faster than it can be replenished. Natural resources consist
of those that are in existence without humans having created them and they can be either
renewable or non-renewable. There are several types of resource depletion, with the most
severe being aquifer depletion, deforestation, mining for fossil fuels and minerals,
contamination of resources, soil erosion and overconsumption of resources. These mainly
occur as a result of agriculture, mining, water usage and consumption of fossil fuels, all of
which have been enabled by advancements in technology.

The Impact of Technology On Individuals

Mainstream devices like touch-screen computing and body tracking motion controllers were
originally intended for the general public, however these technologies have application that
address functional needs for people with disabilities. Technologies are emerged to address
specific functional needs of individuals with disabilities, such as smart memory aids for
individuals with cognitive disabilities, speech controlled devices that allow individuals with
physical disabilities to perform multiple functions hands free, 3D printing as a teaching tool
for individuals with visual impairments, smart apps that allow deaf or hard of hearing
individuals to have face to face communication with hearing individuals in real time, and the
importance and implications of crowd source funding in reaching the financial goals of
developing these types of technologies.
2. Discuss negative and positive impact of industrial
revolution on individuals, society, and environment.

Environmental Advantages
Urbanization
1. New districts of identical rows of houses built quickly and cheaply to house factory and
foundry workers in rapidly growing industrial towns

2. Expansion of small villages near coalfields into new industrial towns

3. Much poor quality housing—densely packed, with little sunlight and few amenities

Social Advantages
It created a demand for laborers and a production of mass products. It transpired from the
inventions of machines and the production of new things. There have been many immense
and influential impacts on society due to the development of the computer. Computers have
had an unbelievably positive impact on society. Due to the advancement of computers,
space exploration took place, vehicles were designed differently, the entertainment world
became more entertaining, and medical science made more cures for diseases.

Individual Advantages

 It creates labor employment for millions of individuals

 Ideas and thoughts and human understanding of work have been changed through
industrial revolution. It changes the way individuals perceive things politically ,
economically and socially.
 Productive skilled man power advanced the world due to the industrial revolution.
Many technologies emerged and innovated as the result of widespread industrial
revolution.

Environmental Disadvantages
One negative byproduct of industrialization is environmental pollution that can adversely
impact human health. When companies do not pay tor the environmental damage they
cause, or when these harms are not captured in pricing, this is considered a
negative externality. The cost burden is placed on human society in the form of
deforestation, extinction of species, widespread pollution, excessive waste and other forms
of environmental degradation.

In the U.S, President Richard Nixon created the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to
push for environmental standards and seek ways to minimize the impact that industries
have on the environment

Social Disadvantages
Industrialization typically leads to the migration of workers to cities, automation and
repetitive tasks. Due to these factors, factory workers tend to lose their individuality, have
limited job satisfaction and feel alienated. There can also be health issues brought on by
dangerous working conditions or factors inherent to the working conditions, such as noise
and dirt.

Rapid urbanization brought on by industrialization typically leads to the general

deterioration of workers' quality of life and many other problems for society, such as crime,
stress and psychological disorders. Long working hours usually lead to poor nutrition and
consumption of quick and low-quality foods, resulting in increased incidences of diseases
such as diabetes, heart attacks and stroke.

Individual disadvantage
One of the biggest concerns is the impact on jobs in developing countries. Increasing
automation of production processes and the displacement of workers by machines is likely
to eliminate routine types of jobs, decrease demand for cheap labor in low-end
manufacturing, increase inequality, and cause migration. A global net decrease in jobs
could be especially challenging for developing countries where, unlike developed
economies, millions of young people are entering the job market every year.

3. Discuss briefly the fundamental transitions that happened

during Industrial Revolution 1.0 and revolution 4.0.
The First Industrial Revolution, was the transition to new manufacturing processes in Europe
and the United States, in the period from about 1760 to sometime between 1820 and
1840. This transition included going from hand production methods to machines,
new chemical manufacturing and iron production processes, the increasing use of steam
power and water power, the development of machine tools and the rise of
the mechanized factory system. The Industrial Revolution also led to an unprecedented rise
in the rate of population growth.
Textiles were the dominant industry of the Industrial Revolution in terms of employment,
value of output and capital invested. The textile industry was also the first to use modern
production methods.
The Industrial Revolution began in Great Britain, and many of the
technological innovations were of British origin. By the mid-18th century Britain was the
world's leading commercial nation, controlling a global trading empire with colonies in
North America and the Caribbean, and with major military and political hegemony on
the Indian subcontinent, particularly with the proto-industrialized Mughal Bengal, through
the activities of the East India Company. The development of trade and the rise of business
were among the major causes of the Industrial Revolution.
The Industrial Revolution marks a major turning point in history; almost every aspect of daily
life was influenced in some way. In particular, average income and population began to
exhibit unprecedented sustained growth. Some economists have said the most important
effect of the Industrial Revolution was that the standard of living for the general population
in the western world began to increase consistently for the first time in history, although
others have said that it did not begin to meaningfully improve until the late 19th and 20th
centuries.
The Fourth Industrial Revolution describes the exponential changes to the way we live, work
and relate to one another due to the adoption of cyber-physical systems, the Internet of
Things (IoT), big data, AI (Artificial Intelligence), and its combined technologies. As we
implement smart technologies in our factories and workplaces, connected machines will
interact, visualize the entire production chain and make decisions autonomously for home
and car. This revolution is expected to impact all disciplines, industries, social pattern, and
economies. While in some ways it's an extension of the computerization of the 3rd
Industrial Revolution, due to the velocity, scope and systems impact of the changes of the
fourth 10 revolution. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is disrupting almost every industry in
every country and creating massive change in a non-linear way at unprecedented speed.
This revolution will give an impact bigger than the previous one to under developing or
advanced country at the same time. The country that do not prepared will be merged socially
and economically.

4. What are the major inventions during the industrial

revolution?
The Industrial Revolution (1750–1900) forever changed the way people in Europe and the
United States lived and worked. These inventors and their creations were at the forefront of a
new society.
Spinning and weaving

The creation of the following ingenious machines made possible the mass production of
high-quality cotton and woolen thread and yarn and helped transform Great Britain into the
world’s leading manufacturer of textiles in the second half of the 18th century.

The steam engine

Through its application in manufacturing and as a power source in ships and railway
locomotives, the steam engine increased the productive capacity of factories and led to the
great expansion of national and international transportation networks in the 19th century.

The telegraph and the telephone

Two inventions of the 19th century, the electric telegraph and the electric telephone, made
reliable instantaneous communication over great distances possible for the first time. Their
effects on commerce, diplomacy, military operations, journalism, and myriad aspects of
everyday life were nearly immediate and proved to be long-lasting.

The internal-combustion engine and the automobile

Among the most-consequential inventions of the late Industrial Revolution were

the internal-combustion engine and, along with it, the gasoline-powered automobile. The
automobile, which replaced the horse and carriage in Europe and the United States, offered
greater freedom of travel for ordinary people, facilitated commercial links between urban
and rural areas, influenced urban planning and the growth of large cities, and contributed to
severe air-pollution problems in urban areas.

Computer hardware

This is the physical technology that works with information. Hardware can be as small as
a smartphone that fits in a pocket or as large as a supercomputer that fills a building.
Hardware also includes the peripheral devices that work with computers, such as keyboards,
external disk drives, and routers. With the rise of the Internet of things, in which anything
from home appliances to cars to clothes will be able to receive and transmit data, sensors
that interact with computers are permeating the human environment.

Computer software
The hardware needs to know what to do, and that is the role of software. Software can be
divided into two types: system software and application software. The primary piece of
system software is the operating system, such as Windows or iOS, which manages the
hardware’s operation. Application software is designed for specific tasks, such as handling
a spreadsheet, creating a document, or designing a Web page.

5. Mention and briefly describe the four basic types of

device in digital electronics system.
There are four basic kinds of devices in digital electronic system : memory, microprocessors,
logic, and networks.

Memory :- devices store random information such as the contents of a spreadsheet or

database.

Microprocessors : - execute software instructions to perform a wide variety of tasks such as

running a word processing program or video game.

Logic :- devices provide specific functions, including device-to-device interfacing, data

communication, signal processing, data display, timing and control operations, and almost
every other function a system must perform.

Network :- is a collection of computers, servers, mainframes, network devices, peripherals,

or other devices connected to one another to allow the sharing of data .

Any of a number of devices is used to enter data and program instructions into a computer
and to gain access to the results of the processing operation. Common input devices
include keyboards and optical scanners; output devices include printers and monitors. The
information received by a computer from its input unit is stored in the main memory or, if not
for immediate use, in an auxiliary storage device. The control unit selects and calls up
instructions from the memory in appropriate sequence and relays the proper commands to
the appropriate unit. It also synchronizes the varied operating speeds of the input and
output devices to that of the arithmetic-logic unit (ALU) so as to ensure the proper
movement of data through the entire computer system. The ALU performs the arithmetic and
logic algorithms selected to process the incoming data at extremely high speeds—in many
cases in nanoseconds (billionths of a second). The main memory, control unit, and ALU
together make up the central processing unit (CPU) of most digital computer systems, while
the input-output devices and auxiliary storage units constitute peripheral equipment.
6. Describe about the following network enabling devices
such as MODEM, Router & Switch.

A modem – a portmanteau of "modulator-demodulator" – is a hardware device that

converts data from a digital format, intended for communication directly between devices
with specialized wiring, into one suitable for a transmission medium such as telephone lines
or radio. A modem modulates one or more carrier wave signals to encode digital
information for transmission, and demodulates signals to decode the transmitted
information. The goal is to produce a signal that can be transmitted easily and decoded
reliably to reproduce the original digital data.
Modems can be used with almost any means of transmitting analog signals, from light-
emitting diodes to radio. A common type of modem is one that turns the digital data of
a computer into a modulated electrical signal for transmission over telephone lines, to be
demodulated by another modem at the receiver side to recover the digital data.
A router is a networking device that forwards data packets between computer networks.
Routers perform the traffic directing functions on the Internet. Data sent through the
internet, such as a web page or email, is in the form of data packets. A packet is
typically forwarded from one router to another router through the networks that constitute
an internetwork (e.g. the Internet) until it reaches its destination node.
A router is connected to two or more data lines from different IP networks. When a data
packet comes in on one of the lines, the router reads the network address information in the
packet header to determine the ultimate destination. Then, using information in its routing
table or routing policy, it directs the packet to the next network on its journey.
The most familiar type of IP routers are home and small office routers that simply forward IP
packets between the home computers and the Internet. More sophisticated routers, such as
enterprise routers, connect large business or ISP networks up to the powerful core
routers that forward data at high speed along the optical fiber lines of the Internet
backbone.
A network switch (also called switching hub, bridging hub, and, by the IEEE, MAC bridge)
is networking hardware that connects devices on a computer network by using packet
switching to receive and forward data to the destination device.
A network switch is a multiport network bridge that uses MAC addresses to forward data at
the data link layer (layer 2) of the OSI model. Some switches can also forward data at
the network layer (layer 3) by additionally incorporating routing functionality. Such switches
are commonly known as layer-3 switches or multilayer switches.
Switches for Ethernet are the most common form of network switch. The first Ethernet switch
was introduced by Kalpana in 1990. Switches also exist for other types of networks
including Fibre Channel, Asynchronous Transfer Mode, and InfiniBand.
Unlike repeater hubs, which broadcast the same data out of each port and let the devices
pick out the data addressed to them, a network switch learns the identities of connected
devices and then only forwards data to the port connected to the device to which it is
addressed.
7. List and describe about at least two emerging
technologies in 2021 G.C
“But for all the changes that the pandemic has brought, the key megatrends shaping the
future are still in force. Technologies that support these transitions, such as autonomous
vehicles, alternative proteins, and green hydrogen, will maintain their momentum,” added
Holman, also the report’s lead author.

The technologies were chosen based on innovation interest scores from the Lux Tech Signal,
a composite measure assembled from a variety of innovation data sources, along with input
from Lux’s experts.

1. Autonomous vehicles
Increased levels of vehicle automation continue to be on the horizon — with expectations
that the need for drivers in both consumer and commercial vehicles will eventually be
removed.

“Improvements in safety and efficiency are happening at all levels of vehicle automation,
benefiting both consumer vehicles and commercial applications,” says the report.

For those interested in this technology, Lux suggests tapping into emerging opportunities in
areas like sensors and connectivity for autonomous vehicles, while also planning for the
impact on mobility businesses more broadly.

2. Natural language processing

Tools and techniques used to process, analyze and generate text are another emerging
technology to watch in 2021. This includes areas like voice assistants, machine translation
and chatbots.

According to Lux, natural language processing patents have had a 44 percent compound
annual growth rate over the past five years, now reaching more than 3,000 publications
annually.
“Due to advances in machine learning and specifically deep learning, natural language
processing is rapidly reaching human performance in a variety of pattern recognition tasks,”
said Lux. “However, the technology is still far away from human-level comprehension and
understanding of text and must often be combined with other AI tools like computer vision
to process multimodal data.”

3. Plastic recycling
Another trend that Lux analysts will be watching next year are innovations that can convert
plastic waste into a variety of valuable products ― enabling a circular economy and avoiding
pollution.

“Concerns about plastic waste from consumers and regulators have only grown, and major
consumer product companies from food to apparel have made commitments to increase
recycling rates and usage of recycled content,” says the report. “Innovations that can
convert waste into higher-value products are in high demand to meet the challenge.”

4. AI-enabled sensors
Lux data shows companies developing or using AI-enabled sensors have raised more than
$1.8 billion.

“Sensors of all kinds now can provide more impactful insights when coupled with machine
learning and AI,” reads the report. “Recent advancements in machine learning capabilities
enable developers and operators to extract more value out of sensors; this is an opportunity
to create new products and improve internal processes by generating deeper insights off
existing hardware.”

5. Bioinformatics
The largest use of bioinformatics is currently in pharmaceutical discovery, but new and far-
reaching opportunities, including risk assessment, safety, personalization, diagnostics and
traceability, are making bioinformatics impactful across multiple industries, including food
and agriculture, according to Lux.

Looking specifically at health and pharma, which have been critical topics in 2020 due to
the pandemic, Lux says bioinformatics has become a critical component in the early stages
of drug discovery, particularly in target discovery.
“As the pharmaceutical and biotech industry increasingly shifts towards biological
treatments, bioinformatics will play a larger role throughout the development process,” says
Lux’s most recent research on the topic.

6. Green hydrogen
With the increased phase out of internal combustion engine vehicles, interest in hydrogen
fuel cells has increased. For Lux they remain an unfulfilled dream, but analysts at the
research firm still believe green hydrogen can help clean up otherwise hard-to-decarbonize
industrial processes.

“‘Green’ hydrogen produced from renewable electricity can enable storage and
transportation of clean electricity for a more robust and flexible energy transition,” analysts
say in the report.

According to Lux data, there have been more than 10,000 patent publications in water
electrolysis for green hydrogen over the past decade, rising at a 14 percent compound
annual growth rate.

8. What is Human Computer Interaction (HCI) ? Discuss the

main goals of HCI.

What is Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)?

Human–computer interaction (HCI) studies the design and use of computer technology,
focused on the interfaces between people (users) and computers. Researchers in the field of
HCI observe the ways in which humans interact with computers and design technologies
that let humans interact with computers in novel ways.
As a field of research, human-computer interaction is situated at the intersection
of computer science, behavioural sciences, design, media studies, and several other fields
of study. The term was popularized by Stuart K. Card, Allen Newell, and Thomas P. Moran in
their seminal 1983 book, The Psychology of Human–Computer Interaction, although the
authors first used the term in 1980[1] and the first known use was in 1975.[2] The term
connotes that, unlike other tools with only limited uses (such as a wooden mallet, useful for
hitting things, but not much else), a computer has many uses and this takes place as an
open-ended dialog between the user and the computer. The notion of dialog likens human–
computer interaction to human-to-human interaction, an analogy which is crucial to
theoretical considerations in the field.[
Goals of Human-Computer Interaction
 Create usable software-enabled products and user-interfaces.
 Enhance the usability of existing products
 Identify problems and tasks (such as in the workplace) that can be addressed with
software products

9. Discuss some of the future trends of Emerging

Technologies.

The technological advances of the Fourth Industrial Revolution have fundamentally altered
society in ways both seen and unseen. This digital transformation has changed how people
live and work, and everything in-between. One area of daily life, however, seems to be
largely missing out on this revolution: infrastructure. It remains one of the least digitally
transformed sectors of the economy. While individual examples of highly advanced
infrastructure systems exist, the sector at large lags behind others in innovation, a fact
made all the more apparent by infrastructure’s ubiquity. When the World Economic Forum
Global Future Council on Infrastructure gathered for its annual meeting in Dubai in
November 2018, it sought to understand why.As it began to think through solutions, the
Council found a situation full of opportunity. Infrastructure is far from being a staid industry
devoid of innovation – indeed, new technologies and ideas are flourishing. Integrating these
innovations, which could change the way infrastructure is designed, developed and
delivered, requires aligning stakeholders, implementing effective strategies and creating
fertile enabling environments. This will allow existing innovation into the space and provide
opportunities for new ideas.The Council thus decided to create a guidebook, contained
here, that explores major questions about how to bring the Fourth Industrial Revolution to
infrastructure. The guidebook surveys some of the fundamental issues and provides robust
frameworks that can help public- and private-sector decision-makers decide how to create
the right enabling environments for their situations. It also contains case studies to help
illustrate how public- and private-sector entities can work together to integrate exciting
existing technologies into infrastructure and spur the creation of new innovations. Overall,
the content illustrates three main imperatives: (1) The importance of focusing on community
outcomes, not physical assets: It is tempting to define future infrastructure requirements in
terms of specific assets: “this city needs light rail” or “we must expand our motorway” are
some examples. Defining projects in terms of social outcomes, such as delivering affordable
public mobility between specific points, leaves an opening forechnological innovation to
deliver those outcomes. (2) The need to adopt a “flexible architecture” approach to
infrastructure planning: The technological transformation of infrastructure can be
accelerated by recognizing that, while technology-driven disruption cannot be predicted, it
can be allowed for and positively leveraged. Planning traditional infrastructure with a more
flexible architecture is a way of achieving this; it allows for change and innovation at the
edges while protecting and extending the life of core elements. It also permits the use of
policy frameworks to allow new innovations to move from idea to commercial success. (3)
The necessity of recognizing and respecting infrastructure’s “data layer”: As the world moves
into an era of ubiquitous sensors and an ever-connected internet of things, infrastructure
assets will become data assets. These technologies offer great potential to increase the
social and economic value of infrastructure assets through predictive maintenance, real-
time optimization and peak demand management. Much like traditional infrastructure
assets such as airports, utilities and community facilities, these data pools will become
highly valuable and highly sensitive assets, requiring owners with the right character
operating under the right oversight. For planners and policy-makers, there is potential for
enhancing efficiency, value and user experience for the publics they serve. Infrastructure
owners have the prospect of improving long-term viability, project development and asset
management. Technology providers could develop new innovations, forging new
partnerships and technologically transforming a new sector. Using this guidebook, decision-
makers can begin the conversation on how technological innovation can be nurtured in
infrastructure to continue to meet the challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
References
1. Scientific America
2. Wikipedia