Domain/Features of AI

 Machine learning. This is the science of getting a computer to act without

programming. Deep learning is a subset of machine learning that, in very simple
terms, can be thought of as the automation of predictive analytics.
 Computer vision. This technology gives a machine the ability to see. Machine
vision captures and analyzes visual information using a camera, analog-to-digital
conversion and digital signal processing. It is often compared to human eyesight,
but machine vision isn't bound by biology and can be programmed to see
through walls, for example. It is used in a range of applications from signature
identification to medical image analysis. Computer vision, which is focused on
machine-based image processing, is often conflated with machine vision.
 Natural language processing (NLP). This is the processing of human language
by a computer program. One of the older and best-known examples of NLP is
spam detection, which looks at the subject line and text of an email and decides
if it's junk. Current approaches to NLP are based on machine learning. NLP
tasks include text translation, sentiment analysis and speech recognition.
 Deep learning
 Neural Networks
 Cognitive Computing
 Sound Recognization

Advantages of AI

1) Reduction in Human Error:

The phrase “human error” was born because humans make mistakes from time to
time. Computers, however, do not make these mistakes if they are programmed
properly. With Artificial intelligence, the decisions are taken from the previously
gathered information applying a certain set of algorithms. So errors are reduced and
the chance of reaching accuracy with a greater degree of precision is a possibility.

Example: In Weather Forecasting using AI they have reduced the majority of

human error.

2) Takes risks instead of Humans:

This is one of the biggest advantages of Artificial intelligence. We can overcome

many risky limitations of humans by developing an AI Robot which in turn can do
the risky things for us. Let it be going to mars, defuse a bomb, explore the deepest
parts of oceans, mining for coal and oil, it can be used effectively in any kind of
natural or man-made disasters.

Example: Have you heard about the Chernobyl nuclear power plant explosion in

Ukraine? At that time there were no AI-powered robots that can help us to
minimize the effect of radiation by controlling the fire in early stages, as any human
went close to the core was dead in a matter of minutes. They eventually poured
sand and boron from helicopters from a mere distance.

AI Robots can be used in such situations where intervention can be hazardous.

3) Available 24x7:

An Average human will work for 4–6 hours a day excluding the breaks. Humans
are built in such a way to get some time out for refreshing themselves and get ready
for a new day of work and they even have weekly offed to stay intact with their
work-life and personal life. But using AI we can make machines work 24x7 without
any breaks and they don’t even get bored, unlike humans.

Example: Educational Institutes and Helpline centers are getting many queries and
issues which can be handled effectively using AI.
4) Helping in Repetitive Jobs:

In our day-to-day work, we will be performing many repetitive works like sending a
thanking mail, verifying certain documents for errors and many more things. Using
artificial intelligence we can productively automate these mundane tasks and can
even remove “boring” tasks for humans and free them up to be increasingly
creative.

Example: In banks, we often see many verifications of documents to get a loan

which is a repetitive task for the owner of the bank. Using AI Cognitive
Automation the owner can speed up the process of verifying the documents by
which both the customers and the owner will be benefited.

5) Digital Assistance:

Some of the highly advanced organizations use digital assistants to interact with
users which saves the need for human resources. The digital assistants also used in
many websites to provide things that users want. We can chat with them about what
we are looking for. Some chatbots are designed in such a way that it’s become hard
to determine that we’re chatting with a chatbot or a human being.

Example: We all know that organizations have a customer support team that needs
to clarify the doubts and queries of the customers. Using AI the organizations can
set up a Voice bot or Chatbot which can help customers with all their queries. We
can see many organizations already started using them on their websites and mobile
applications.

6) Faster Decisions:

Using AI alongside other technologies we can make machines take decisions faster
than a human and carry out actions quicker. While taking a decision human will
analyze many factors both emotionally and practically but AI-powered machine
works on what it is programmed and delivers the results in a faster way.
Example: We all have played Chess games in Windows. It is nearly impossible to
beat CPU in the hard mode because of the AI behind that game. It will take the best
possible step in a very short time according to the algorithms used behind it.

7) Daily Applications:

Daily applications such as Apple’s Siri, Window’s Cortana, Google’s OK

Google are frequently used in our daily routine whether it is for searching a
location, taking a selfie, making a phone call, replying to a mail and many more.

Example: Around 20 years ago, when we are planning to go somewhere we used to

ask a person who already went there for the directions. But now all we have to do is
say “OK Google where is Visakhapatnam”. It will show you Visakhapatnam’s
location on google map and the best path between you and Visakhapatnam.

8) New Inventions:

AI is powering many inventions in almost every domain which will help humans
solve the majority of complex problems.

Example: Recently doctors can predict breast cancer in the woman at earlier stages
using advanced AI-based technologies.
Disadvantages of AI

1) High Costs of Creation:

As AI is updating every day the hardware and software need to get updated with
time to meet the latest requirements. Machines need repairing and maintenance
which need plenty of costs. It’ s creation requires huge costs as they are very
complex machines.

2) Making Humans Lazy:

AI is making humans lazy with its applications automating the majority of the
work. Humans tend to get addicted to these inventions which can cause a problem
to future generations.

3) Unemployment:

As AI is replacing the majority of the repetitive tasks and other works with
robots,human interference is becoming less which will cause a major problem in the
employment standards. Every organization is looking to replace the minimum
qualified individuals with AI robots which can do similar work with more
efficiency.

4) No Emotions:

There is no doubt that machines are much better when it comes to working
efficiently but they cannot replace the human connection that makes the team.
Machines cannot develop a bond with humans which is an essential attribute when
comes to Team Management.

5) Lacking Out of Box Thinking:

Machines can perform only those tasks which they are designed or programmed to
do, anything out of that they tend to crash or give irrelevant outputs which could be
a major backdrop.

 What are the applications of AI?

 Artificial intelligence has made its way into a wide variety of markets. Here
are nine examples.
 AI in healthcare. The biggest bets are on improving patient outcomes and
reducing costs. Companies are applying machine learning to make better and
faster diagnoses than humans. One of the best-known healthcare
technologies is IBM Watson. It understands natural language and can
respond to questions asked of it. The system mines patient data and other
 available data sources to form a hypothesis, which it then presents with a
confidence scoring schema. Other AI applications include using online
virtual health assistants and chatbots to help patients and healthcare
customers find medical information, schedule appointments, understand the
billing process and complete other administrative processes. An array of AI
technologies is also being used to predict, fight and understand pandemics
such as COVID-19.
 AI in business. Machine learning algorithms are being integrated into
analytics and customer relationship management (CRM) platforms to
uncover information on how to better serve customers. Chatbots have been
incorporated into websites to provide immediate service to customers.
Automation of job positions has also become a talking point among
academics and IT analysts.
 AI in education. AI can automate grading, giving educators more time. It
can assess students and adapt to their needs, helping them work at their own
place. AI tutors can provide additional support to students, ensuring they
stay on track. And it could change where and how students learn, perhaps
even replacing some teachers.
 AI in finance. AI in personal finance applications, such as Intuit Mint or
TurboTax, is disrupting financial institutions. Applications such as these
collect personal data and provide financial advice. Other programs, such as
IBM Watson, have been applied to the process of buying a home. Today,
artificial intelligence software performs much of the trading on Wall Street.
 AI in law. The discovery process -- sifting through documents -- in law is
often overwhelming for humans. Using AI to help automate the legal
industry's labor-intensive processes is saving time and improving client
service. Law firms are using machine learning to describe data and predict
outcomes, computer vision to classify and extract information from
documents and natural language processing to interpret requests for
information.
 AI in manufacturing. Manufacturing has been at the forefront of
incorporating robots into the workflow. For example, the industrial robots
 that were at one time programmed to perform single tasks and separated
from human workers, increasingly function as cobots: Smaller, multitasking
robots that collaborate with humans and take on responsibility for more parts
of the job in warehouses, factory floors and other workspaces.
 AI in banking. Banks are successfully employing chatbots to make their
customers aware of services and offerings and to handle transactions that
don't require human intervention. AI virtual assistants are being used to
improve and cut the costs of compliance with banking regulations. Banking
organizations are also using AI to improve their decision-making for loans,
and to set credit limits and identify investment opportunities.
 AI in transportation. In addition to AI's fundamental role in operating
autonomous vehicles, AI technologies are used in transportation to manage
traffic, predict flight delays, and make ocean shipping safer and more
efficient.
 Security. AI and machine learning are at the top of the buzzword list
security vendors use today to differentiate their offerings. Those terms also
represent truly viable technologies. Organizations use machine learning in
security information and event management (SIEM) software and related
areas to detect anomalies and identify suspicious activities that indicate
threats. By analyzing data and using logic to identify similarities to known
malicious code, AI can provide alerts to new and emerging attacks much
sooner than human employees and previous technology iterations. The
maturing technology is playing a big role in helping organizations fight off
cyber attacks.

What Is Robotics?
Robotics is the intersection of science, engineering and technology that produces
machines, called robots, that substitute for (or replicate) human actions. Pop
culture has always been fascinated with robots. R2-D2. Optimus Prime. WALL-E.
These over-exaggerated, humanoid concepts of robots usually seem like a
caricature of the real thing...or are they more forward thinking than we realize?
Robots are gaining intellectual and mechanical capabilities that don’t put the
possibility of a R2-D2-like machine out of reach in the future.
 Robots were the first-known automated type machines people got to know. There
was a time when robots were developed for performing specific tasks, yes such
machines were earlier developed without any artificial intelligence (AI) to perform
only repetitive tasks.
But now the scenarios are different, AI in getting integrated into robots to develop
the advanced level of robotics that can perform multiple tasks, and also learn new
things with a better perception of the environment.

AI in robotics helps robots perform the crucial tasks with a human-like

vision to detect or recognize the various objects. Nowadays, robots are developed
through machine learning training. A huge amount of datasets is used to train
the computer vision model, so that robotics can recognize the various objects and
carry out the actions accordingly with right results.
And, further, day-by-day, with more quality and precise machine learning
processes, robotics performance is getting improved.

Difference in Robot System and Other AI Program

Here is the difference between the two −

AI Programs Robots

They usually operate in They operate in real physical world.

computer-stimulated worlds.

The input to an AI program Inputs to robots is analog signal in

is in symbols and rules. the form of speech waveform or
images

They need general purpose They need special hardware with

computers to operate on. sensors and effectors.
ASSIGNMENTS 1:

1. What do you mean by AI? Write down its features in brief.

2. What are the pros(advantages) and cons(disadvantages) of AI? Explain
them.
3. What are the different application areas of AI? Explain them in short.
4. Define robotics.Why AI is used in robotics?

What Is Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing is the delivery of different computing services through the
Internet. These resources include tools and applications like data storage, servers,
databases, networking, and software.

Rather than keeping files on a proprietary hard drive or local storage

device, cloud-based storage makes it possible to save them to a remote database.
As long as an electronic device has access to the web, it has access to the data and
the software programs to run it.

Cloud computing is a popular option for people and businesses for a number of
reasons including cost savings, increased productivity, speed and efficiency,
performance, and security.

Characteristics of Cloud Computing

There are basically 5 essential characteristics of Cloud Computing.
1. On-demand self-services:
The Cloud computing services does not require any human administrators, user
themselves are able to provision, monitor and manage computing resources as
needed.
2. Broad network access:
The Computing services are generally provided over standard networks and
heterogeneous devices.
3. Rapid elasticity or expansion:
The Computing services should have IT resources that are able to scale out and
in quickly and on as needed basis. Whenever the user require services it is
provided to him and it is scale out as soon as its requirement gets over.
4. Resource pooling:
The IT resource (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services)
 present are shared across multiple applications and occupant in an uncommitted
manner. Multiple clients are provided service from a same physical resource.
5. Measured service:
The resource utilization is tracked for each application and occupant, it will
provide both the user and the resource provider with an account of what has
been used. This is done for various reasons like monitoring billing and
effective use of resource.

Types of cloud computing

Public cloud
Public clouds are owned and operated by a third-party cloud service providers,
which deliver their computing resources, like servers and storage, over the Internet.
Microsoft Azure is an example of a public cloud. With a public cloud, all
hardware, software, and other supporting infrastructure is owned and managed by
the cloud provider. You access these services and manage your account using a
web browser. 
Private cloud
A private cloud refers to cloud computing resources used exclusively by a single
business or organization. A private cloud can be physically located on the
company’s on-site datacenter. Some companies also pay third-party service
providers to host their private cloud. A private cloud is one in which the services
and infrastructure are maintained on a private network. 
Hybrid cloud
Hybrid clouds combine public and private clouds, bound together by technology
that allows data and applications to be shared between them. By allowing data and
applications to move between private and public clouds, a hybrid cloud gives your
business greater flexibility, more deployment options, and helps optimize your
existing infrastructure, security, and compliance. 

Cloud Service Models

There are the following three types of cloud service models -

1. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

2. Platform as a Service (PaaS)
3. Software as a Service (SaaS)
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

IaaS is also known as Hardware as a Service (HaaS). It is a computing

infrastructure managed over the internet. The main advantage of using IaaS is that
it helps users to avoid the cost and complexity of purchasing and managing the
physical servers.

Characteristics of IaaS

There are the following characteristics of IaaS -

o Resources are available as a service

o Services are highly scalable
o Dynamic and flexible
o GUI and API-based access
o Automated administrative tasks

Example: DigitalOcean, Linode, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure,

Google Compute Engine (GCE), Rackspace, and Cisco Metacloud.

Hello Java Program for Beginners

Platform as a Service (PaaS)

PaaS cloud computing platform is created for the programmer to develop, test, run,
and manage the applications.

Characteristics of PaaS
There are the following characteristics of PaaS -

o Accessible to various users via the same development application.

o Integrates with web services and databases.
o Builds on virtualization technology, so resources can easily be scaled up or
down as per the organization's need.
o Support multiple languages and frameworks.
o Provides an ability to "Auto-scale".

Example: AWS Elastic Beanstalk, Windows Azure, Heroku, Force.com, Google

App Engine, Apache Stratos, Magento Commerce Cloud, and OpenShift.

Software as a Service (SaaS)

SaaS is also known as "on-demand software". It is a software in which the

applications are hosted by a cloud service provider. Users can access these
applications with the help of internet connection and web browser.

Characteristics of SaaS

There are the following characteristics of SaaS -

o Managed from a central location

o Hosted on a remote server
o Accessible over the internet
o Users are not responsible for hardware and software updates. Updates are
applied automatically.
o The services are purchased on the pay-as-per-use basis

Example: BigCommerce, Google Apps, Salesforce, Dropbox, ZenDesk, Cisco

WebEx, ZenDesk, Slack, and GoToMeeting.

Difference between IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS

The below table shows the difference between IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS -
 IaaS Paas SaaS

It provides a virtual It provides virtual platforms It provides web software

data center to store and tools to create, test, and and apps to complete
information and create deploy apps. business tasks.
platforms for app
development, testing,
and deployment.

It provides access to It provides runtime It provides software as a

resources such as environments and service to the end-users.
virtual machines, deployment tools for
virtual storage, etc. applications.

It is used by network It is used by developers. It is used by end users.

architects.

IaaS provides only PaaS provides SaaS provides

Infrastructure. Infrastructure+Platform. Infrastructure+Platform
+Software.

Benefits of cloud computing

Cost saving
The cost of maintaining and managing the IT systems are reduced on moving to
the cloud. The resources provided by cloud computing can reduce the cost of
purchasing expensive systems for the business. The operating cost will be reduced
as:
 There will be no cost of the system upgrade, as no new hardware and software will
be required.
 The company has to no longer pay wages to staff for handling the IT equipment.
 As there will be no IT systems, there will be a reduction in energy consumption.
 The time delays are minimal.
Security
There is always stress from the business owners which makes them protect their
Data throughout the night. Well, with the advent of cloud-based technology this
stress can be reduced. There are always arguments regarding the cloud-based
platforms being at risk by the hackers. However, the heavy encryption of the data
in the cloud reduces the risk of data being hacked.
Scalability
The availability of the cloud system offers the business to scale up or scale down
quickly as per the situation and the change in needs. Further using the cloud frees
up the time of the organizations which can be utilized in running the business.
Highly availability
The cloud service providers are quite reliable in offering the services. They
maintain an uptime of 99.9%. Also, with the facility of some applications provided
to be functional even being offline, the workers can get the applications basically
from anywhere.

Assignment 2

1. Define cloud computing. Explain its features.

2. Explain different types of cloud computing.

3. Explain different types of cloud service model.

4. What are the benefits of cloud computing? Explain them.

Concept of Big Data

Big Data is a collection of data that is huge in volume, yet growing exponentially
with time. It is a data with so large size and complexity that none of traditional data
management tools can store it or process it efficiently. Big data is also a data but
with huge size. Big data is a collection of large datasets that cannot be processed
using traditional computing techniques. It is not a single technique or a tool, rather
it has become a complete subject, which involves various tools, technqiues and
frameworks.
Examples of Big Data

Social Media

The statistic shows that 500+terabytes of new data get ingested into the databases
of social media site Facebook, every day. This data is mainly generated in terms of
photo and video uploads, message exchanges, putting comments etc.

A single Jet engine can generate 10+terabytes of data in 30 minutes of flight time.

With many thousand flights per day, generation of data reaches up to
many Petabytes.
Types Of Big Data
Following are the types of Big Data:

1. Structured
2. Unstructured
3. Semi-structured

Structured
Any data that can be stored, accessed and processed in the form of fixed format is
termed as a ‘structured’ data. Over the period of time, talent in computer science
has achieved greater success in developing techniques for working with such kind
of data (where the format is well known in advance) and also deriving value out of
it. However, nowadays, we are foreseeing issues when a size of such data grows to
a huge extent, typical sizes are being in the range of multiple zettabytes.

Examples Of Structured Data

An ‘Employee’ table in a database is an example of Structured Data

Employee_ID Employee_Name Gender Department Salary_In_lacs

2365  Rajesh Kulkarni  Male  Finance 650000

3398  Pratibha Joshi  Female  Admin  650000

7465  Shushil Roy  Male  Admin  500000

7500  Shubhojit Das  Male  Finance  500000

7699  Priya Sane  Female  Finance  550000

Unstructured
Any data with unknown form or the structure is classified as unstructured data. In
addition to the size being huge, un-structured data poses multiple challenges in
terms of its processing for deriving value out of it. A typical example of
unstructured data is a heterogeneous data source containing a combination of
simple text files, images, videos etc. Now-a-days, organizations have wealth of
data available with them but unfortunately, they don’t know how to derive value
out of it since this data is in its raw form or unstructured format.
Examples Of Un-structured Data

The output returned by ‘Google Search’

Example Of Un-structured Data

Semi-structured
Semi-structured data can contain both the forms of data. We can see semi-
structured data as a structured in form but it is actually not defined with e.g. a table
definition in relational DBMS. Example of semi-structured data is a data
represented in an XML file.

Examples Of Semi-structured Data

Personal data stored in an XML file-

<rec><name>Prashant Rao</name><sex>Male</sex><age>35</age></rec>
<rec><name>Seema R.</name><sex>Female</sex><age>41</age></rec>
<rec><name>Satish Mane</name><sex>Male</sex><age>29</age></rec>
<rec><name>Subrato Roy</name><sex>Male</sex><age>26</age></rec>
<rec><name>Jeremiah J.</name><sex>Male</sex><age>35</age></rec>
Characteristics Of Big Data
Big data can be described by the following characteristics:

 Volume
 Variety
 Velocity
 Variability

(i) Volume – The name Big Data itself is related to a size which is enormous. Size
of data plays a very crucial role in determining value out of data. Also, whether a
particular data can actually be considered as a Big Data or not, is dependent upon
the volume of data. Hence, ‘Volume’ is one characteristic which needs to be
considered while dealing with Big Data solutions.

(ii) Variety – The next aspect of Big Data is its variety.

Variety refers to heterogeneous sources and the nature of data, both structured and
unstructured. During earlier days, spreadsheets and databases were the only
sources of data considered by most of the applications. Nowadays, data in the form
of emails, photos, videos, monitoring devices, PDFs, audio, etc. are also being
considered in the analysis applications. This variety of unstructured data poses
certain issues for storage, mining and analyzing data.

(iii) Velocity – The term ‘velocity’ refers to the speed of generation of data. How

fast the data is generated and processed to meet the demands, determines real
potential in the data.

Big Data Velocity deals with the speed at which data flows in from sources like
business processes, application logs, networks, and social media sites,
sensors, Mobile devices, etc. The flow of data is massive and continuous.

(iv) Variability – This refers to the inconsistency which can be shown by the data
at times, thus hampering the process of being able to handle and manage the data
effectively.

Benefits or advantages of Big Data

Following are the benefits or advantages of Big Data:

➨Big data analysis derives innovative solutions. Big data analysis helps in
understanding and targeting customers. It helps in optimizing business processes.
➨It helps in improving science and research.
➨It improves healthcare and public health with availability of record of patients.
➨It helps in financial tradings, sports, polling, security/law enforcement etc.
➨Any one can access vast information via surveys and deliver answer of any
query.
➨Every second additions are made.
➨One platform carry unlimited information.

Applications of Big Data

Travel and Tourism

Travel and tourism are the users of Big Data. It enables us to forecast travel
facilities requirements at multiple locations, improve business through dynamic
pricing, and many more.

Financial and banking sector

The financial and banking sectors use big data technology extensively. Big

data analytics help banks and customer behaviour on the basis of investment
patterns, shopping trends, motivation to invest, and inputs that are obtained
from personal or financial backgrounds.

Healthcare

Big data has started making a massive difference in the healthcare sector, with the
help of predictive analytics, medical professionals, and health care personnel. It
can produce personalized healthcare and solo patients also.
Difference between JDK, JRE, and JVM
Telecommunication and media

Telecommunications and the multimedia sector are the main users of Big Data.
There are zettabytes to be generated every day and handling large-scale data that
require big data technologies.
Government and Military

The government and military also used technology at high rates. We see the figures
that the government makes on the record. In the military, a fighter plane requires to
process petabytes of data.
Government agencies use Big Data and run many agencies, managing utilities,
dealing with traffic jams, and the effect of crime like hacking and online fraud.
Aadhar Card: The government has a record of 1.21 billion citizens. This vast data
is analyzed and store to find things like the number of youth in the country. Some
schemes are built to target the maximum population. Big data cannot store in a
traditional database, so it stores and analyze data by using the Big Data Analytics
tools.
E-commerce

E-commerce is also an application of Big data. It maintains relationships with

customers that is essential for the e-commerce industry. E-commerce websites
have many marketing ideas to retail merchandise customers, manage transactions,
and implement better strategies of innovative ideas to improve businesses with Big
data.
o Amazon: Amazon is a tremendous e-commerce website dealing with lots of
traffic daily. But, when there is a pre-announced sale on Amazon, traffic
increase rapidly that may crash the website. So, to handle this type of traffic
and data, it uses Big Data. Big Data help in organizing and analyzing the
data for far use.

Social Media

Social Media is the largest data generator. The statistics have shown that
around 500+ terabytes of fresh data generated from social media daily, particularly
on Facebook. The data mainly contains videos, photos, message exchanges, etc. A
single activity on the social media site generates many stored data and gets
processed when required. The data stored is in terabytes (TB); it takes a lot of time
for processing. Big Data is a solution to the problem.

Assignment 3
1. What do you mean by big data? What are the types of big data? Explain
them in brief.
2. What are the 3V’s of big data? Explain them.
3. Explain the characteristics of big data.
4. What are the advantages of big data?
 5. Explain different application areas of big data.

Virtual reality
Virtual reality is an artificial environment that is created with software and
presented to the user in such a way that the user suspends belief and accepts it as a
real environment. On a computer, virtual reality is primarily experienced through
two of the five senses: sight and sound.
The simplest form of virtual reality is a 3-D image that can be explored
interactively at a personal computer, usually by manipulating keys or the mouse so
that the content of the image moves in some direction or zooms in or out. More
sophisticated efforts involve such approaches as wrap-around display screens,
actual rooms augmented with wearable computers, and haptics devices that let you
feel the display images.
Virtual reality can be divided into:
 The simulation of a real environment for training and education.

 The development of an imagined environment for a game or interactive story.

The Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) allows the creator to specify
images and the rules for their display and interaction using textual language
statements.
Virtual reality (VR) translates to a computer-generated experience in which a
person uses electronic devices, such as special glasses with a screen or gloves with
sensors, to participate in a virtual three-dimensional world.
 
An example of virtual reality is a virtual tour. You will not actually be in that
place, but by using special equipment you will be able to explore it as if you were
there.
 
Types of Virtual Reality
1- Non-immersive Virtual Reality
Non-immersive virtual reality is a type of virtual reality in which you interact with
a virtual environment usually through a computer where you can control some
characters or activities within the experience, but the virtual environment is not
directly interacting with you.
 
A good example of non-immersive virtual reality would be a computer game like
Dota 2. You can control aspects of your character and they will have an effect on
the virtual environment of the game. Technically you are interacting with a virtual
environment but not directly. Your character in the game does that.
 
2-Fully Immersive Virtual Reality
Fully immersive virtual reality is the opposite of non-immersive virtual reality. It
ensures a realistic virtual experience. It would feel as if you are physically present
in the virtual world and the events occurring there are happening to you.
 
Special equipment like VR glasses, gloves, body detectors equipped with sense
detectors is required to provide a realistic virtual experience. The data from these
sensors is used by the computer and the virtual world responds to that in real-time
to provide users with a realistic virtual experience.
 
An example of this would be a Virtual Gaming Zone, where using special gear you
and other players can interact with the virtual environment, all at the same time,
and play with or against each other.
3- Semi-Immersive/Web-based Virtual Reality
A semi-immersive virtual reality is something in between non-immersive and fully
immersive virtual reality. Using a computer screen or VR glasses, you can move
around in a virtual environment but other than your visual experience you will
have no physical sensations to enhance the experience.
 
A virtual tour can be a good example of semi-immersive virtual technology. It can
be device-based or web-based. Many businesses are opting for this technology as
participants can roam around the place without having to be there physically.
4- Augmented Virtual Reality
Augmented Reality is a type of virtual reality that lets the user see the real world
usually through a phone screen and make virtual changes to it on the screen. A
good example that will help you better understand augmented reality is the mobile
game application Pokémon Go. You can turn on your phone’s camera and point it
to a place where you suspect Pokémon will be. Your phone screen would then
display the Pokémon on your screen, as though it’s in the photo’s frame. They only
appear in the environment of your screen and there’s no physical addition to the
area being filmed.

5- Collaborative VR
This is a type of virtual reality where users from different locations can come
together in a virtual environment in the form of 3D projected characters. A virtual
environment of a mobile game like PlayerUnknowns Battlegrounds (PUBG),
where virtual 3D characters of different players come together and they all interact
with each other’s virtual persons in that environment, is a good example of
Collaborative VR.
Application of Virtual Reality
1. Healthcare
The most important way VR is modernizing healthcare is through training. VR
facilitates an environment to learn and grow outside in real-world situations. 
With VR, specialists who need to perform very precise operations can practice
without being in the midst of an emergency. 
And practitioners who need to get familiar with the hospital environment can do so
without the extra stress involved. 
The technology is also being used in cognitive behavior therapy where patients
with phobias and anxieties work through their problems in a controlled
environment.
2. Entertainment
The entertainment industry was one of the first to incorporate VR and still remains
one of the strongest examples of how it can be applied. If you look at online and/or
console gaming, you will see that VR has a strong presence in this industry.
Similarly, VR is being introduced to cinemas and theme parks to simulate movie-
like adventures and let people experience their favorite cinematographic
masterpieces.
3.Education 
Even though education is believed to be a rather slow industry to pick up new
trends and technologies, VR has already shown a lot of promise. 
For adults, it means that any industry can provide professional training to their
employees. But for younger students, VR is part of educational games, field trips,
and in general experiencing the world.
4. Space & Military
Given that these two industries have to operate in rather dangerous environments
that can’t be easily accessed, VR provides conditions for making things as close to
reality as possible for training. 
VR enables trainees to go through preparation with minimal risks and even helps
soldiers suffering from battlefield trauma to overcome these conditions and prepare
for new or unexpected situations.
5. Architecture 
Using VR, architects can not only envision what they’re building but understand
how it feels as well. This allows them to experience the space before it is built and
make real-time changes to deliver customer satisfaction. 

6. Digital Marketing
While most people don’t like commercials, experiencing the use of a product
close-up can actually be an entertaining and enlightening experience. There are a
variety of applications of VR in digital marketing. 
For example, retailers can show potential customers how a product will look in
their home. Or nonprofits can create more empathetic messaging for political
issues. 
7. Tourism
Try a holiday before you buy it. No, seriously. One pointed virtual reality
application is tourism.
You can go on guided virtual tours of hotels, landmarks, restaurants, and whatever
else you may want to visit on your next vacation. And then when you do go, you
know you won't be disappointed. 

Assignments 4
1. What do you understand by virtual reality?
2. What are the types of virtual reality? Explain them.
3. In which sector, VR is being used? Explain them in brief.

Concept of E-Commerce, E-Medicine, E-Government

E-Commerce or Electronic Commerce means buying and selling of goods, products,

or services over the internet. E-commerce is also known as electronic commerce or
internet commerce. These services provided online over the internet network.
Transaction of money, funds, and data are also considered as E-commerce. These
business transactions can be done in four ways: Business to Business (B2B),
Business to Customer (B2C), Customer to Customer (C2C), Customer to Business
(C2B). The standard definition of E-commerce is a commercial transaction which is
happened over the internet. Online stores like Amazon, Flipkart, Shopify, Myntra,
Ebay, Quikr, Olx are examples of E-commerce websites. By 2020, global retail e-
commerce can reach up to $27 Trillion. Let us learn in detail about what is the
advantages and disadvantages of E-commerce and its types.
Types of E-Commerce Models

Electronic commerce can be classified into four main categories. The basis for this
simple classification is the parties that are involved in the transactions. So the four
basic electronic commerce models are as follows,

1. Business to Business

This is Business to Business transactions. Here the companies are doing business
with each other. The final consumer is not involved. So the online transactions only
involve the manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers etc.

2. Business to Consumer

Here the company will sell their goods and/or services directly to the consumer. The
consumer can browse their websites and look at products, pictures, read reviews.
Then they place their order and the company ships the goods directly to them.
Popular examples are Amazon, Flipkart, Jabong etc.

3. Consumer to Consumer

Consumer to consumer, where the consumers are in direct contact with each other.
No company is involved. It helps people sell their personal goods and assets directly
to an interested party. Usually, goods traded are cars, bikes, electronics etc. OLX,
Quikr etc follow this model.

4. Consumer to Business

This is the reverse of B2C, it is a consumer to business. So the consumer provides a

good or some service to the company. Say for example an IT freelancer who demos
and sells his software to a company. This would be a C2B transaction.
Examples of E-Commerce

 Amazon
 Flipkart
 eBay
 Daraz
 Sastodeal
 Hamro bazzar
 Pathao

Advantages of E-Commerce

 E-commerce provides the sellers with a global reach. They remove the barrier of
place (geography). Now sellers and buyers can meet in the virtual world, without
the hindrance of location.
 Electronic commerce will substantially lower the transaction cost. It eliminates
many fixed costs of maintaining brick and mortar shops. This allows the
companies to enjoy a much higher margin of profit.
 It provides quick delivery of goods with very little effort on part of the
customer. Customer complaints are also addressed quickly. It also saves time,
energy and effort for both the consumers and the company.
 One other great advantage is the convenience it offers. A customer can shop
24×7. The website is functional at all times, it does not have working hours like
a shop.
 Electronic commerce also allows the customer and the business to be in touch
directly, without any intermediaries. This allows for quick communication and
transactions. It also gives a valuable personal touch.

Disadvantages of E-Commerce

 The start-up costs of the e-commerce portal are very high. The setup of the
hardware and the software, the training cost of employees, the constant
maintenance and upkeep are all quite expensive.
 Although it may seem like a sure thing, the e-commerce industry has a high risk
of failure. Many companies riding the dot-com wave of the 2000s have failed
miserably. The high risk of failure remains even today.
 At times, e-commerce can feel impersonal. So it lacks the warmth of an
interpersonal relationship which is important for many brands and products. This
lack of a personal touch can be a disadvantage for many types of services and
products like interior designing or the jewelry business.
 Security is another area of concern. Only recently, we have witnessed many
security breaches where the information of the customers was stolen. Credit card
theft, identity theft etc. remain big concerns with the customers.
 Then there are also fulfillment problems. Even after the order is placed there can
be problems with shipping, delivery, mix-ups etc. This leaves the customers
unhappy and dissatisfied.

E-Medicine
E-Medicine is an online clinical medical knowledge base that was founded in 1996
by two medical doctors, Scott Plantz and Richard Lavely. The website is
searchable by keyword and consists of approximately 6,800 articles, each of which
is associated with one of 62 clinical subspecialty textbooks. Pediatrics, for
example, consists of 14 subspecialty textbooks (endocrinology, genetics,
cardiology, pulmonology, etc.). For example, 750 articles comprise the textbook on
emergency medicine. Each article is authored by board certified specialists in the
subspecialty to which the article belongs. The article's authors are identified with
their current faculty appointments. Each article is updated yearly and the date is
published on the article.
E-Governance
E-Governance is the implementation of ICT. The ICT stands for Information and
Communication Technology in the government department. Likewise, the central
E-Governance is to make government services efficient, accessible and convenient.
The use of E-governance is to overcome the boundaries. That is of a traditional
paper-based system. It is the enhancement of current government. And it also helps
to provide better government services to the citizen. Hence, E-governance delivers
SMART government.
S- Simple
M-Moral
A-Accessible
RT-Responsive Government
The E-Governance is not only a website on the internet. E-governance is providing
governmental services that are accessible through the internet. It refers to any
government process or function that is out online in digital form.
Similarly, E-governance is the involvement of digital democracy, online service
delivery. Likewise, it is also as online citizen participation. An ordinary citizen
gets the government facility through the internet. E-governance is the network that
includes government, public, and business organizations.

E-Governance is of 4 types depending on the specific types of services.

1. Government-to-Citizen(G2C)
The Government-to-citizen refers to the government services that are accessed by
the familiar people. And Most of the government services fall under G2C.
Likewise, the primary goal of Government-to-citizen is to provide facilities to the
citizen. It helps the ordinary people to reduce the time and cost to conduct a
transaction. A citizen can have access to the services anytime from anywhere.
Furthermore, Many services like license renewals, and paying tax are essential in
G2C. Likewise, spending the administrative fee online is also possible due to G2C.
The facility of Government-to-Citizen enables the ordinary citizen to overcome
time limitation. It also focuses on geographic land barriers.

2. Government-to-business (G2B)
The Government to business is the exchange of services between Government and
Business organizations. It is efficient for both government and business
organizations. G2B provides access to relevant forms needed to comply. The G2B
also consists of many services exchanged between business sectors and
government.
Similarly, the Government to business provides Timely business information. And
A business organization can have easy and convenient online access to government
agencies. G2B plays a crucial role in business development. It enhances the
efficiency and quality of communication and transparency of government projects.

3. Government-to-Government (G2G)
The Government-to-Government refers to the interaction between different
government department, organizations, and agencies. This increases the efficiency
of government processes. In G2G, government agencies can share the same
database using online communication. The government departments can work
together. This service can increase international diplomacy and relations.
In conclusion, G2G services can be at the local level or the international level. It
can communicate with global government and local government as well. Likewise,
it provides safe and secure inter-relationship between domestic or foreign
government. G2G constructs a universal database for all member states to enhance
service.

4. Government-to-Employee (G2E)
The Government-to-Employee is the internal part of G2G sector. Furthermore,
G2E aims to bring employees together and improvise knowledge sharing.
Similarly, G2E provides online facilities to the employees. Likewise, applying for
leave, reviewing salary payment record. And checking the balance of holiday. The
G2E sector provides human resource training and development. So, G2E is also the
relationship between employees, government institutions, and their management.
Advantages of E-Governance
Speed 
Technology makes communication swifter. Internet, smartphones have enables
instant transmission of high volumes of data all over the world.
Saving Costs 
A lot the Government expenditure goes towards the cost of buying stationery for
official purposes. Letters and written records consume a lot of stationery. However,
replacing them with smartphones and the internet can saves crores of money in
expenses every year.
Transparency 
The use of e-governance helps make all functions of the business transparent. All
Governmental information can be uploaded onto the internet. The citizens access
specifically access whichever information they want, whenever they want it, at the
click of a mouse, or the touch of a finger.
However, for this to work the Government has to ensure that all data as to be made
public and uploaded to the Government information forums on the internet.
Accountability
Transparency directly links to accountability. Once the functions of the
government are available, we can hold them accountable for their actions.

Disadvantages of  E-Governance

Loss of Interpersonal Communication 
The main disadvantage of e-governance is the loss of interpersonal communication.
Interpersonal communication is an aspect of communication that many people
consider vital.
High Setup Cost and Technical Difficulties 
 Technology has its disadvantages as well. Specifically, the setup cost is very high
and the machines have to be regularly maintained. Often, computers and internet can
also break down and put a dent in governmental work and services.

Illiteracy 
A large number of people in Nepal are illiterate and do not know how to operate
computers and smartphones. E-governance is very difficult for them to access and
understand.
Cybercrime/Leakage of Personal Information
There is always the risk of private data of citizens stored in government serves being
stolen. Cybercrime is a serious issue, a breach of data can make the public lose
confidence in the Government’s ability to govern the people.

Assignments 5
1. What do you mean by e-commerce? Write its pros and cos.
2. Explain different types of e-commerce models.
3. Write short notes on ‘E-Medicine’.
4. Define e-governance. What are the different types of e-governance?
Explain them in brief.
5. What are the advantages and disadvantages of e-governance?

Concept of Mobile Computing

Mobile Computing is a technology that allows transmission of data, voice and
video via a computer or any other wireless enabled device without having to be
connected to a fixed physical link.
The major elements of mobile computing are mobile communication, mobile
hardware, and mobile software.
 
 Mobile Communication: This refers to the communication infrastructure set in
place, including wireless network infrastructure, protocols, data formats,
bandwidths, and portals necessary to ensure seamless connectivity and
communication.
 
 Mobile Hardware: The hardware is the mobile computing devices and supporting
devices, with the capabilities required to perform their required operations and
connect to networks.
 
 Mobile Software: The most important software component is the operating
system, which is the brain of any computing system. For a laptop, this may be
Windows, Linux or macOS, and for a smartphone, it may be Android or iOS. The
different applications running on a device are also part of the mobile software.
Advantages of mobile computing 
 
 Portability
 
Mobility is the biggest benefit that mobile computing devices offer. With the
advent of mobile computing, it became possible for people to carry around
computing devices with great capabilities. There is no need to go to a physical
location to access the internet or work with a particular software.
 
 Affordability
 
With each passing year, mobile computing devices are becoming cheaper and
offer more capabilities. Even those who are economically struggling can easily
invest in a smartphone. With affordability comes accessibility, and eventually,
this would also result in closing the digital divide.
 
 Data Access
 
The internet opened up a trove of an incomprehensible amount of data, and
mobile computing devices made that data accessible to everyone. Gone are the
days when you had to pore over huge books in a library to compile a research
paper, or look through phone books, or ask for directions at every street corner.
 
 Increased Productivity
 
The above benefits facilitate a great increase in productivity. People can work
from their homes at any and all times. They have access to large amounts of
information and can teach themselves anything and do anything. 
 
 Entertainment
 
A lot of us would’ve reached the breaking point during the lockdown periods if
it weren’t for Netflix and Amazon Prime. Access to a wide variety of movies,
 educational and informative content is now simple. Thanks to the availability
of relatively inexpensive high-speed data connections, you can live stream
anything anywhere.
 
 Cloud Computing
 
Advancements in cloud computing have greatly increased the capabilities of
mobile computing. The limitations in physical capabilities that mobile
computing devices face can be overcome by storing information and accessing
applications in the cloud.
 
Limitations of mobile computing-
 
 Security
 
There are several security concerns associated with the increased popularity of
mobile computing devices. Keeping a device constantly connected to the
internet makes it vulnerable to threats. Cybersecurity concerns like data
breaches and unethical practices such as hacking, pirating, and so on, are
becoming increasingly difficult to keep in check.
 
 Issues with Connectivity
 
Mobile devices need either WiFi connectivity or mobile network connectivity
to access most of their capabilities. Most applications don’t function without
internet connectivity, and the lack of it makes devices very limited.
 
 Device Size Limitations
 
The portability of mobile computing devices demands smaller sizes. And the
limitations in size puts limitations on features like processing power, storage,
and screen resolution.
 
 Power Consumption
 
 Rechargeable batteries are always limited by the time it needs before it needs
to be plugged in. A possible lack of availability of power sources and charging
stations can render mobile computing devices useless.
 
 Dependency
 
Because mobile computing devices are lacking in some ways, as mentioned
above, increased dependency on them can prove dangerous. Nowadays we
always expect to have our smartphone with us to help us solve any problem,
and we would be lost if it runs out of juice. 
 
We don’t know our way around without Google Maps, can’t do basic math
without a calculator, rely on digital payments and don’t carry around cash, and
don’t know how to store memories without pictures. No matter how much
technology advances, there will be a certain amount of unreliability associated
with mobile computing, and it would be good for us to keep that in mind.

Concept of Internet of Things (IoT)

“The Internet of Things (IoT) is a system of interrelated computing devices,
mechanical and digital machines, objects, animals or people that are provided
with unique identifiers and the ability to transfer data over a network without
requiring human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction.”

Multi-technology, multi-network IoT connectivity solutions deliver maximum

value by combining the benefits of 3G, 4G, and soon-to-be 5G cellular solutions
across CDMA, GSM, and LTE networks with the benefits of non-cellular
technologies, such as low power wide area networks (LPWA), Wi-Fi, and more.

Connecting things to the internet yields many amazing benefits. We’ve all seen
these benefits with our smartphones, laptops, and tablets, but this is true for
everything else too. And yes, I do mean everything.

The Internet of Things means taking all the things in the world and connecting
them to the internet.
What are the benefits of IoT to organizations?
The internet of things offers several benefits to organizations. Some benefits are
industry-specific, and some are applicable across multiple industries. Some of the
common benefits of IoT enable businesses to:

 monitor their overall business processes;

 improve the customer experience (CX);
 save time and money;
 enhance employee productivity;
 integrate and adapt business models;
 make better business decisions; and
 generate more revenue.

IoT encourages companies to rethink the ways they approach their businesses and
gives them the tools to improve their business strategies.

Generally, IoT is most abundant in manufacturing, transportation and utility

organizations, making use of sensors and other IoT devices; however, it has also
found use cases for organizations within the agriculture, infrastructure and home
automation industries, leading some organizations toward digital transformation.

IoT can benefit farmers in agriculture by making their job easier. Sensors can
collect data on rainfall, humidity, temperature and soil content, as well as other
factors, that would help automate farming techniques.

The ability to monitor operations surrounding infrastructure is also a factor that

IoT can help with. Sensors, for example, could be used to monitor events or
changes within structural buildings, bridges and other infrastructure. This brings
benefits with it, such as cost saving, saved time, quality-of-life workflow changes
and paperless workflow.
A home automation business can utilize IoT to monitor and manipulate mechanical
and electrical systems in a building. On a broader scale, smart cities can help
citizens reduce waste and energy consumption.

IoT touches every industry, including businesses within healthcare, finance, retail

and manufacturing.

Pros and cons of IoT

Some of the advantages of IoT include the following:

 ability to access information from anywhere at any time on any device;

 improved communication between connected electronic devices;
 transferring data packets over a connected network saving time and money; and
 automating tasks helping to improve the quality of a business's services and
reducing the need for human intervention.

Some disadvantages of IoT include the following:

 As the number of connected devices increases and more information is shared

between devices, the potential that a hacker could steal confidential information
also increases.
 Enterprises may eventually have to deal with massive numbers -- maybe even
millions -- of IoT devices, and collecting and managing the data from all those
devices will be challenging.
 If there's a bug in the system, it's likely that every connected device will become
corrupted.
 Since there's no international standard of compatibility for IoT, it's difficult for
devices from different manufacturers to communicate with each other.
Assignment 6
1. What do you mean by mobile computing? Explain its major components.
2. What are the pros and cons of mobile computing? Explain in brief.
3. Define the term ‘Internet of Things’.
4. What are the benefits of IoT to an organization?
5. What are the advantages and disadvantages of IoT?