Chapter 6 – ICT Applications

6.1 Communication

Communication media

1. Newsletters and posters

- Produced using a word processor
- How a newsletter or a processer is produced on a computer system:
 Word processer application opened
 Obtain photos (digital camera, searching on internet, using scanned in hard copy photos)
- Camera images will then be uploaded to the computer if necessary (connecting camera/memory
card or Bluetooth)
- Photos from all selected sources would then have to be saved to a file on the HDD/SSD
- When the user is finally ready to produce the document, the photos will be imported from the
file stored on the HDD/SSD
- Photos need to be edited and text typed in using a keyboard
- Previously saved text needs to be imported
- Photos will need to be placed in correct position and text wrapped
- Whole document needs to undergo proofreading for errors and then saved.

Why care needs to be taken when using a spell checker:

- Language used in checking spelling may be different

- Names of proper nouns may be highlighted as an error by the spell checker
- Similar sounding words need to be checked
- Correct word may not exist in the spell checker dictionary

Newsletter – useful for getting important information to a target group (either printed or e-publication)
Poster – good way to publicise (e.g sporting event or a movie – printed or e-publication)

Common guidelines to produce an attractive newsletter:

- Don’t squeeze too much info on one page

- Use clear and easy-to-read fonts and use a suitable font size
- Decide on whether to use columns
- Avoid using capital letters
- Use bold text in headings rather than underlining text
- Use real phots rather than clip art to make newsletter more interesting

Features of:

Sporting event poster Movie poster

What the event is and where it will take place Image taken from the movie to give some idea
Date, time and place of event Date of release
Admission fees List of main characters
Contract details
Other information
Advantages and disadvantages of newsletters and posters:

Advantages Disadvantages
Updated regularly Requires distribution
Recipients have a permanent copy No sound/video/animations
Costs of printing
Targeted audience may not receive information
2. Websites
- Collection of webpages, text, graphics, video and sound
- Hosted on a web server on the internet
- Need to write code or use a web authoring application
- Hyperlinks to other pages can be added
- Interactive websites require programming knowledge
- Can use camera, scanner and a microphone to input data
- Usually, hire space from the web hosting company

Advantages Disadvantages
Can add sound/video/animation Can be hacked/virus introduced
Links to other websites can be added in hyperlinks Not as portable as paper-based system
Buttons to navigate website – more info Risk of pharming
Hit counters can see how many people have visited Possible for customers to go to undesirable
the website websites
Seen be a global audience Need for a computer and internet connection
Cannot be defaced or thrown away More difficult to target correct audience
Much easier to update a website – no need to High costs to maintain the website after it is set
reprint and distribute up
Need to find a way for website to be known
3. Multimedia presentations
- Uses animations, video, sound, transitions and hyperlinks to present information
- Produced using software packages and used with a projector so a large audience can view

advantages Disadvantages
Use of sound/animation/video more likely to Need to have special equipment
grab audience attention
Possible to have interactive hyperlinks built into Danger that equipment may fail while giving
presentations multimedia presentations
Use of transition effects allow a presentation to Easy to make a bad presentation with too many
display facts in a chronological order features
Can be interactive Danger that the focus in on the medium rather
than the message or facts
More flexible – tailored to a particular audience May need internet access
4. Media Streaming
- Real-transition of audio and video files over the internet
- Allows users to access content without downloading it to their devices
- Uses buffering – ensures the video plays back smoothly without freezing.
- While buffer receives data packets, it sends data from the previous data packets to playback
device
Advantages and disadvantages of media streaming

Advantages disadvantages
Users can access any information at any time and Not all content available on every streaming
from any location platform
Offers an extensive library of content Stable and high-speed internet connection
required
More cost-effective than traditional cable or If streaming service removes a movie, it may no
satellite TV subscriptions longer be accessible to you

5. e-publications
- digital versions of printed materials (eBooks/eMagazines/eNewspapers)
- read on electronic devices

Advantages and disadvantages of e-publications

Advantages Disadvantages
Aid portability problems Reading from an electronic device for a prolonged
time can cause eyestrain
Often more affordable than paperback books Lack the physical presence that some readers enjoy
Offer interactive elements that enhance the Compatibility issues if ePublications is in a format
reading experience that is unsupported by reader’s device
Mobile Communication

How mobile phones communicate:

- use towers inside many cells networked together to cover large areas
- towers allow transmission of data throughout the mobile phone network
- each tower transmits within its own cell

Mobile phones use either a SIM (subscriber identity module) card or wireless network to connect to
mobile phone cellular network and allow the following features of communication:

1. SMS or text messaging

- Quicker and less expensive than making phone calls as user can just type on keyboards
- Sent at any time of the day even if the recipient’s phone is switched off
- Predictive texting – system completes a word from the first few letters keyed in
2. Phone calls
- No need to look for an operational public phone in case of emergency
- Possible to conduct business or personal phone calls while on the move
- Easier to keep in contact with co-workers at the office no matter where you are
3. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) – technology that allows you to make voice calls using a
broadband internet connection
- Transforms sound captured by the built-in mic of the cell phone into individual data packets that
may be transmitted via the internet to their intended recipient
- Phone calls themselves are free, no matter where in the world the caller and receiver are
- Sound quality (echo and weird sounds)
 - Security issues
- Device’s built-in cameras can also be used so that it becomes a type of video call
- No need special hardware as speakers, cameras and microphones are built-in
4. Internet access - accessing internet from a mobile device that uses wireless broadband
connection or via mobile phone network
- Less expensive
- Lower power consumption
- High quality of service

6.2 Modelling Applications

Simulation – creation of a model of a real system in order to study the behaviour of the system, the
model is computer-generated and is based on mathematical representations

Advantages and disadvantages of using models:

Advantages Disadvantages
Less expensive than building the real thing Simulation depends heavily on programming or
Safer to use a computer model data entered
Allows you to try out different scenarios in Modelling can frequently be a very costly option
advance
Nearly impossible to try out some tasks in People may not trust the results the simulation
advance in real life because of the high produces
risk/remoteness
Often faster to use a computer model than do
the real thing
Applications of using computer modelling:

1. Personal finance
 Using mathematical algorithms and data analysis to simulate various financial scenarios,
aiding individuals in making informed decisions and optimizing their financial goals
2. Bridge and building design
Things to consider when building a:

Bridge Building
Amount of traffic that might be caught in a traffic Effect of natural phenomena
jam on the bridge in the event of an accident
Effects of strong winds Effect of a disaster
Effects of earthquakes How is it possible to move people around the
Effect of tidal waves and ice floes during extreme building efficiently?
weather conditions
Effects of vibrations
Features provided by computer modelling:

- Possible to zoom into images so that fine details can be seen

- Design can be rotated in a number of different ways to allow different views of the design
- Modelling allow potential design flaws to be detected before any construction starts
- Various scenarios can be tried out to see the effect on the design
3. Flood water management
Input system may include:
- Cross-section of rivers and sea inlets
- Dimensions of any bridges, weirs or sluices in the flood area
- Factors that can affect water flow rates
- Boundary conditions
- Start and finishing date for the simulation
- Calibration data
Advantages:
- Sensors could be used in the bay area to monitor sea height and wave height
- Using a computer system is safer
- Data collection is continuous and more accurate than manual measurements
- City can be warned well in advance of any flooding actually taking place
- Data from sensors could also be fed into the simulation modelling the flood area
4. Traffic management
What would need to be collected?
- Number of vehicles passing the junction in all directions
- Time of day and vehicle count
- How many vehicles build up at the junction at different times of the day
- Data should cover weekends and bank holidays
- How long it takes a vehicle to clear the junction
- How long it takes the slowest vehicle to pass through the junction
- Other factors
How is the simulation carried out?
- Data entered into computer and the computer model is tun
- When designers are satisfied that the model simulates real situation accurately, different
scenarios will be carried out
How the system will work in real life?
- Sensors in the road gather data and count number of vehicles at the junction
- Data sent into a control box or computer
- Gathered data is compared to data stored in the system
- Control box/computer decides what action is to be taken
- Signals sent out to traffic lights to change timing if necessary
5. Weather forecasting
Use a variety of sensors to measure:
- Rainfall
- Temperature
- Wind speed and direction
- Barometric pressure
- Humidity
How it works:
- Data input into model and prediction of weather for the next few days is made
- At the end of the forecast period, the model compares its weather forecast with actual weather
that occurred.
 - Model ‘learns’ from previous weather situations and constantly makes new and improved
predictions
- New data input into model and new forecast is made
- Very powerful computer is needed to run this model

6.3 Computer controlled systems

1. Robotics in manufacturing

How they are used: paint spraying of car bodies, welding bodywork on cars, manufacturing of
microchips, manufacturing electrical goods and stock movement in automatic warehouses

How is programming of robot to do a series of tasks done:

- Robot programmed with a sequence of instructions which allow it to carry out the series of tasks
Or
- Human operator manually carries out series of tasks using a robot

Advantages and disadvantages of using robots:

ADV DISADV
Work in environments harmful to human operators Find it difficult to perform unusual tasks
Work non-stop Cause higher unemployment
Less expensive in long-term Certain skills may be lost
Have higher productivity Initial set-up and maintenance costs of
Provide greater consistency robots can be expensive
Can do boring and repetitive tasks
Carry out different tasks by fitting them with different
attachments
2. Production line control (using computers and software to monitor, coordinate and optimize
manufacturing process)

Using robots in production line leads to:

- Faster operations
- Much greater productivity
- Greater consistency
- Built-in quality control
- Reduced cost to customer

3. Autonomous vehicles (self-driving cars and drones guided by computer algorithms)

- Enhance safety
- Reduced traffic congestion
- Increase fuel efficiency
Advantages and disadvantages of using computer-controlled systems rather than humans

ADV DISADV
Increased efficiency and productivity High instalment costs
Greater consistency High maintenance costs
Ability to work in any environment High dependency
Reduced human error Lack of flexibility
Can work with large/delicate items Requires costly backup systems
6.4 School management systems

Advantages and disadvantages of using computer-controlled school management systems:

ADV DISADV
Absenteeism can be addressed more quickly Operating software requires training
Parents kept updated Initial cost of software is very high
Reduced workload for teachers Unauthorized access will have to be prevented as
there is a lot of personal information
1. Registration and attendance records of students
- ID Card with magnetic tapes
 Students swipe ID card which contain student’s name, school’s name, date of birth and
registration ID when they enter and leave the school
- Biometrics
 Every student’s fingerprint is stored on a database along with their personal information –
students must put their finger on a fingerprint scanner to enter or leave school premises

advantages Disadvantages
Fingerprints are unique – no attendance forgery Time-consuming to collect all fingerprints
ID cards could easily be lost Expensive equipment to read fingerprints
ID cards can be affected by magnetic fields If finger is cut/damaged, fingerprint will not read
Easier to clone ID cards than to copy fingerprints Invasion of privacy in storing fingerprints on a
school database
Advantages and disadvantages of Biometrics over ID cards

2. Student’s performance
- Spreadsheets could record test scores of each student over a year
- To produce a report, system would need to have access to:
 Student’s test and exam scores in all subjects studied over the year
 Behavioural data
 CAT scores
- After processing this data, the system could produce the average grades for all students in a
class or class and year group reports showing academic and behavioural performance
3. Computer-aided Learning (CAL)
- Use of computer-based systems to assist in academic learning of students
 Advantages and disadvantages of CAL:

ADV Disadvantages
Students can learn when they want to and at CAL cannot give students the experience of
their own pace handling laboratory equipment
Allows VR to be used – student fully immersed Expensive and time-consuming to integrate CAL
into learning environment properly into the learning environment
Student can stop at any point and return later Students can easily be distracted be distracted
to resume where they left off while online
Possible to re-take tests until student reaches Lead to isolation of a student because they are
required skills level spending their time on their own in front of a
Makes learning more interactive computer screen
Makes use of various multimedia CAL cannot answer unusual questions
Real goal is to stimulate student learning and
not actually replace teacher-based learning
Can make use of MCQs which can be marked
immediately by computer system and giving
instant feedback to student
It can deliver micro-learning
6.5 Booking Systems

Advantages and disadvantages of booking systems:

Advantages Disadvantages
Prevent double-booking Setting up and maintenance is expensive
Customer gets immediate feedback on the All customers need access to computer or mobile
availability of seats and whether or not the phone and a reliable internet connection
booking is successful
Customer can make bookings any time of the day More difficult to cancel booking and get refund
Customer’s email allows booking company to If server is down for maintenance/system breaks
connect ‘special offers’ to their email and inform down, it is impossible to book seats
them of suck offers automatically
Easier to browse seating plans to choose best Websites must be well designed or else it will it
seats will be difficult to make bookings
Possible to reserve a seat for a period of time Does not allow you to build a personal
Tickets don’t have to be printed relationship with travel agent who may offer free
Allows use of modern smartphone and tablet upgrades or special offers which may not be
Apps technology available to online bookings
Examples of use:

1. Travel industry
- Booking flights, hotels and holiday packages provides a convenient platform for travellers to
plan and book their trips
2. Concerts and Cinemas
- Booking in advance enables reserved seats and greater choice of seats
3. Sporting events
- Offers sports enthusiasts an easy way to attend their favourite events
6.6 Banking Systems

1. Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs)

Withdrawal of money from an ATM

Sequence for withdrawing money What goes on behind the scenes

Customer puts card into ATM Contact made with bank’s computer
PIN entered using keypad PIN is checked to see if it is correct
Card is checked to see if it is valid
Transaction closed if card is stolen or number of
PIN attempts is exceeded
Several options are given (change PIN, account
balance, pay in cheques, get a mini statement,
pay a bill, make a money transfer, deposit and
withdraw cash)
Customer selects to withdraw cash and several
cash amounts are shown
Customer accepts one of the cash options/types Customer’s account checked to see if they have
a different amount sufficient funds
Check is then made to see if the daily cash limit
has been exceeded
If limit is not exceeded and other checks are OK,
then transaction is authorized
Machine then counts out the cash
Customer asked If they want a receipt
Card is returned and money is dispensed Customer’s account is updated
Depositing of cheques at ATM:

- User asked to insert debit card and type PIN

- Message then appear asking customer which service they enquire
- Customer chooses to deposit a cheque
- Drawer will open and customer inserts cheque
- Drawer close and OC device will read cheque details including the amount of money
- Amount appears on the screen and the customer confirms the amount
- Customer’s account is updated with the amount on the cheque
- Printed receipt of the cheque is then given to the customer and card is returned to the customer

Advantages and disadvantages of using ATM:

Advantages Disadvantages
Possible to withdraw cash at any time of the day Often in place where theft can take place at night
May offer banking services without need to go to Potential for shoulder surfing and card cloning
bank
Possible to access an account from anywhere in the Some banks charge customers for using ATMs
world
Usually provides a quicker service than witing in a Cash withdrawal limits are often imposed
queue in a bank
Transaction only takes place when debit card isn’t faulty
 2. Electronic funds transfer (EFT)
- System that allows money transfer instructions to be sent directly to a bank’s computer system
- EFTPOS – electronic fund transfer at point-of-sale (credit/debit card used to pay for a purchase
in a store)
- Advantages and disadvantages of EFT

Advantages Disadvantages
Very secure payment method Bank transaction can’t be reversed
Very quick payment method Customer needs to have funds immediately
Less expensive than cheques It cannot guarantee the recipient’s identity
Customer has the right to dispute and EFT
payment for up to 60 days
3. Credit/debit card transactions
- Come with a magnetic stripe and a chip
- Chip stores essential data like the PIN
- Form of EFT to make purchases

Advantages and disadvantages of credit cards:

Adv Disadvantages
Customer protection if ordered goods don’t arrive Can be charged high interest rates
Internationally accepted payment method Annual fees often apply
Can buy items online Easy to end up with credit damage
Interest-free loan if money paid back on time Security risks when using credit cards online
Advantages and disadvantages of debit cards:

Adv Disadv
Money comes from user’s current Less customer protection if goods don’t arrive
account – no interest
Safer than carrying cash No credit allowed – funds are needed at time of purchase
Can make online purchases Security risks in online transactions
4. Cheques
- When issuing a cheque, the payer writes the recipient’s name, payment amount and date on the
cheque.
- Recipient then deposits/presents the cheque to their bank for processing
- Payer’s bank verifies the fund’s availability and upon clearance, the specified amount is
transferred from payer’s account to the recipient’s account

Advantages Disadvantages
More convenient and safe than cash Cheques are not legal tender and can be refused
Possible to stop payments if necessary Slow method of payment
Cheque can be drawn any time Easier for fraudsters than credit card or debit card
payment methods
Cheques can be traced if they are lost Relatively expensive payment method
Cheques can be post-dated
 5. Internet banking
- Enable online access to banking services via a secure website or app, allowing for transfers bill
payments, account management and more

Advantages Disadvantages
Convenience and availability Security of transactions
Easy account management Requires a reliable internet connection
Branch visiting won’t be a requirement More risk of fraud
Interest rates may be better Easier to make errors
More accessible to shop around for the best Physical cash can’t be deposited
account
6.7 Computers in medicine

Information systems in medicine

1. Patient records – healthcare professionals maintain databases to communicate information

between them and pharmacists
2. Pharmacy records – maintain a comprehensive record of patient prescriptions – help track
medication usage and can be used to verify prescription accuracy
3. 3D Printers
- Surgical and diagnostic aids
 Patient scanned using:
CT (computed tomography) – involves producing images of the internal parts of the body in
a series of thin slices less than 0.1mm thick or
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) – uses strong magnetic fields and radio waves to produce
a series of images of the internal organs in the body
 3D printer can then produce 3D representation of a patient’s internal organs, blood vessels,
major arteries, tumours and so on.
- Prosthetics
 3D printers print out artificial body parts – less expensive method of replacing body parts
- Tissue engineering
 Field of combining cells, biomaterials and engineering principles to create functional
tissues/organs, aiming to repair or replace damaged/diseased tissue in the human body
- Artificial blood vessels
 Synthetic structures designed to mimic the function of natural blood vessels, facilitating the
flow of blood and nutrients throughout the body
- Customised medicines
 Personalised drug formulations tailored to individual patients’ specific needs – utilise
advanced technology and precise measurements to create suitable medications
 3D printed medicines are sometimes referred to as printlets (printed tablets)

Advantages of this technology:

 - Suitable to individual
- Better control of medicine release into body
- Save money
- Better targeting of the medicine so its effects can be optimised
- Less chance of an overdose of the medicine

6.8 Expert Systems

- Ai-based computer program that emulates the decision-making capabilities of human experts
- Uses knowledge and rules to provide accurate advice/solutions in a specific domain
- Examples include: diagnostics, mineral prospecting, tax calculations, strategy games,
identification of plants and animals, route scheduling for delivery vehicles

Advantages and disadvantages of expert systems:

Advantage Disadvantage
Offer high level of expertise Users of expert system need considerable
Offer high accuracy training in its use to ensure system is being
Results are consistent sued correctly
Have ability to store vast amounts of ideas and facts Set-up and maintenance costs are very high
Make traceable logical solutions and diagnostics Tend to give very ‘cold’ responses which may
Possible to have multiple types of expertise not be appropriate
Offer a very fast response time Only as good as the information entered into
system
Provide unbiased reporting and analysis of the facts Users sometimes make very dangerous
Indicate the probability of any suggested solution assumption that they are infallible
being correct
How an expert system works:

1. User interface
- Only thing that the end user sees
- Method by which expert system interacts with a user
- Allows interaction through dialogue boxes, command prompts or other input methods
- Questions being asked usually only have yes/no answers and are based on responses to
previous questions
2. Explanation system
- Informs the user of reasoning behind the expert system’s conclusion and recommended actions
- It will supply a conclusion and any suggested actions to take
- It will also give the percentage probability of the accuracy of its conclusions

3. Inference engine
 - Main processing element of the system
- Acts like a search engine examining the knowledge base for information that matches the
queries
- Responsible for gathering information by asking a series of questions and applying responses
where necessary
- Inference engine is the problem-solving part of the expert system, which makes use of inference
rules in the rules base
- Attempts to use information gathered from the user to find a matching object
4. Knowledge base
- Repository of facts
- Stores all the knowledge about an area of expertise obtained from a number of expert revenues
- collection of objects and their attributes
5. Rules base
- Set of inference rules
- Inference rules are used by inference engine to draw conclusions
- Follow logical thinking, usually involving a series of ‘IF’ statements

Setting up an expert system:

- Information needs to be gathered from human experts or from written sources

- Information gathered is used to populate the knowledge base, which needs to be created
- A rules base then needs to be created
- Inference engine itself needs to be set up – complex since it’s the main processing element
- User interface needs to be developed to allow user and expert system to communicate
- Once system is set up, it needs to be fully tested – running system with known outcomes so
results can be compared and anu changes to the expert system made

How an expert system is used to diagnose a medical issue:

- Interactive screen asks questions for the doctor to answer using a keyboard or touch screen
- Inference engine compares the symptoms with the knowledge base, using the rule base to find
matches
- System suggests the possible illness with a probability of cures and recommendations on the
next step
- Explanation system will explain how that particular diagnosis was suggested

6.9 Computers in the retail industry

1. Point-of-sale (POS) terminals

- Computerised systems used at checkout counters to handle purchases and oversee stock
- Extensively used in retail stores to process sales transactions
- Barcode contains country code, manufacturer’s code, product code and a check digit
- Check digit – form of validation which is used to make sure no errors occurred during the
reading of the barcode

Features of POS terminals:

 - Update stock immediately
- Track inventory levels in real-time
- Prevent stock discrepancies and ensure accurate records
- Monitor inventory levels and reorder when stock is lower than a predefined value
- Streamline supply chain management and minimize stockouts
2. Electronic funds transfer at Point-of-sale terminals (EFTPOS)
- Devices for processing electronic payments
- Allow customers to make payments using debit or credit cards by securely transferring funds
from their bank accounts
- EFTPOS terminals authenticate and authorize transactions in real-time
Functions of EFTPOS:
- Chip and PIN
 Enhance security with 2FA
 Require customers to enter a personal identification number (PIN)
 Advantages and disadvantages of chip and pin cards

Advantages Disadvantages
More secure system than magnetic stripe Risk of fraud when entering PIN
cards
Quicker system than magnetic stripe cards Some countries do not accept chip and PIN
and allows for contactless payments to be cards
made
- Contactless cards (Sect 2.2)
 Allow for faster transactions
 Enable customers to tap their card on the terminal
- Near Field Communication (NFC)
 Facilitate payments through smartphones and other devices
 Increase convenience for customers

Sequence when using NFC payment at a POS terminal:

 Electronic device is held close to NFC reader

 When NFC payment is initiated, NFC terminal and electronic device pass encrypted data
back and forth to each other to enable to payment to be made
 Very secure because NFC communications are encrypted and are dynamic
 Mobile phone manufacturers use tokenisation to improve security
- Communication between supermarket computers and bank computers (tokenisation)
 Share transaction details securely
 Enable instant payment processing and verification

Internet shopping
 - Online stores accessible through web browsers
- Wide variety of products and services are available
- Convenient and often open 24/7

Advantages and disadvantages of internet shopping to business:

Advantages Disadvantages
Can target prices and services based on buying data Increased competition
Can update stock availability and prices more quickly Digital fraud and security concerns
than a physical store
Cheaper to publicize special offers Technical issues and downtime
International customer base Costs of delivery and return
Increased profits due to lower staff Fake negative reviews can ruin reputation
Advantages and disadvantages of internet shopping to customers:

Advantages Disadvantages
Access to global market Security concerns
Comparison between different products Cannot correctly examine products before
effortlessly purchase
Can shop from anywhere in the world Products may take long time to deliver
Able to avoid queues and busy stores Additional shipping and handling costs
Lack of face-to-face interaction with staff
6.10 Recognition systems

1. Optical Mark Recognition (OMR)

- School registers: Paper-based registers are fed into OMR to be scanned and stored in a database
- MQ papers – position of a mark is stored in a computer’s memory after being read by the OMR.
Using OMR software, a template is created to map out the X-Y coordinates
- Used at POS terminals for scanning and reading the information stored in barcodes

Advantages Disadvantages
Very fast way of inputting results of a survey Forms must be carefully designed
More accurate than keying in data Problems if they haven’t been filled correctly
More accurate than OCR methods Often only work with black pen or pencil
Not possible to get expansion to answers
2. Optical Character Recognitions (OCR)
- Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems:
 Sensor sends a signal to instruct a camera to capture an image of the front of the vehicle
 Algorithm is used to locate and isolate the number plate from the image taken by the
camera
 Brightness and contrast of the number pl are first adjusted and each character is segmented
 Each character is then recognised using OCR software and the characters are converted into
a string of editable text by the software
 This text string is then stored in a database
 A barrier is raised and the motorist is issued with a ticket – shows date and time of car park
entry
  When the car returns to the car park, they insert their ticket into a machine that calculates
their charges and registers the payment into the database

Advantage Disadvantage
Used to automatically monitor average speed of Lack of manned security car park surveillance
vehicles over a stretch of road – lead to vandalism
No need to employ security guards Could be an invasion of privacy due to
Much faster system than checking ticket at exit recording drivers’ number plates
Automatically control the entry and exit to a car park Damaged/dirty number plates will not be
or private roads recognised
Used as a security system to prevent illegal parking ANPR only recognises number plate - car with
Used to analyse driver behaviour a cloned number plate can bypass car park
security
Used in inner-city congestion charging systems
3. Radio Frequency Identification devices (RFID)
 RFID made of microchip that stores and process info and an antenna which is used to
receive and transmit data/information
- Passports:
 Data on RFID chip is read when passport is scanned
 Photo is clicked and compared to the RFID chip image
 If face recognition passes, some checks are made to ensure you are eligible to enter the
country
 If you are eligible, gate automatically opens
- Automobiles:
 Tags allow or deny access to parking in a secure, private car park
 RFID tags in lorries and delivery vans can be used at weigh stations to ensure vehicles not
carrying too much weight
 Can be used on a car production line to track its progress through assembly
- Contactless payments
 Embedded chip on credit/debit cards and the antenna enables customers to wave their card
over a reader at the point-of-sale terminals to make payments
 Smartphone apps can also be used to make contactless payments
- Tracking of stock (example below is livestock)
 Keep track of whereabouts of every animal on a farm using active tags
 Allow farmers to identify who owns an animal
 Animals graze freely on farms where it is possible for animals to stray into neighbouring
fields
 Keep data about animals on tag

Advantages and disadvantages of RFID

 Advantages Disadvantages
No line-of-sight contact necessary (tags can be Tag collision – signals from two or more tags
read from a distance) overlap
Robust and reliable Easy to jam or interrupt
Tags are more difficult to forge than barcodes Relatively easy to hack into the signal transmitted
Reduce number of staff needed – reduces costs by the tag
Very fast read rate Initial cost of RFID system more expensive than a
comparable barcode system
Allows bi-directional data transfer
Bulk detection possible
4. Near field communication (NFC) – enables short range wireless communication between devices
3 direct modes of operation wit NFC:
- Peer-to peer mode (used by smartphones):
 Allows 2 NFC-enabled devices to exchange info between each other
 Both devices switch between being active (sending data) and being passive (receiving data)
- Read/write mode
 One-way transmission of data
 Passive device links up with another device and reads data from it
 Used when an active tag is sending out advertising data to other devices
- Card emulation mode
 NFC device can function as a smart/contactless card
 Allows card to make payments
 Often used as a way of entering public transport systems where the card is placed on an NFC
reader to allow access to a metro system
5. Biometric recognition systems – automated technologies for authenticating and verifying human
body characteristics
Hand Recognition and Voice Recognition – Chapter 1
Face recognition and Finger and Thumb recognition – Chapter 8
- Retina recognition:
 Retina is the light-sensitive area at the back of eye that has a unique pattern of blood vessels
 Retina can’t be seen without specialised equipment
 Special equipment is used to take an infrared photograph of the retina
 Invasive
 Slower to scan and verify
 Only used in very specialised high-security settings
- Iris recognition:
 Iris is the coloured part of the eye surrounding the pupil
 Digital camera is utilised which uses both visible and infrared right to take a sharp
photograph of a person’s iris
 Produces a unique pattern of a person’s iris by locating and taking an image of the centre
and edge of the pupil, the edge of the iris and the eyelids and eye lashes

6.11 Satellite systems

1. Global positioning system (GPS) and satellite navigation (satnav)

- Used to determine exact location of several modes of transport
- Cars usually refer to GPS as satellite navigation systems
- Satellites surrounding the Earth transmit signals to the surface
- Computers installed in the mode of transport receive and interpret these signals
- Atomic clocks are used in satellites – accurate to within a fraction of a second per day
- Each satellite transmits data indicating its position and time
- Computer on board the mode of transport calculates its exact position based on the information
from at least 3 satellites

advantages Disadvantages
Driver does not have to consult paper maps They can give incorrect instructions if maps
Removes errors are not kept up to date
System can estimate the time of arrival Road closures can cause problems
Possible to program in the fastest route Loss of satellite signals can cause problems
System can also give useful information such If an incorrect start-point or end-point is
as location of petrol stations keyed in the system will give incorrect info
2. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) – computer system that allows us to map, model, query
and analyse large amounts of data, like spatial information, according to their location
Enables the following:
- Amalgamation of information into easily understood maps
- Performance of complex analytical calculations and presentation of the results (maps, table or
graphics)
- Geographers, scientists and engineers are able to see the data in several different ways in order
to see patterns and relationships
- Anything that can be placed on a map is a candidate for GIS
Examples of use of GIS:
- Emergency services use GIS to send the closest emergency personnel to a location
- Biologists and environmentalists use GIS to protect animal life and plants in certain vulnerable
areas
- Used to determine distance between two places
- Use to find nearest petrol station/restaurant/etc.
- Used for crime mapping in a region or in a country
- Use for route monitoring
- Used for management of agricultural crop data
- Address public health issues
- Map of wildfire risks

Advantages Disadvantages
Allows geographical and thematic data of any kind to GIS software is very expensive
be combined to show how they are interconnected Requires large amounts of data to be input
Allows the handling and exploration of huge amounts Learning curve on GIS can be very long
of data
Allows data to be integrated from a wide range of very Difficult to make GIS programs which are both
different sources fast and user-friendly
3. Media Communication Systems – method of delivering and receiving data using
telecommunications
 - Satellites contain antennas, transponders (allow receiving and sending of data), solar panels
(power from the Sun) and propulsion (ensure the satellite is in the correct orbit at all times)
- Signals are converted to analogue and then beamed to satellite from satellite dish on Earth
- Signals are delivered by carrier waves which consist of radio waves
- Each signal has its own frequency and bandwidth
- Once data reaches the satellite, it is then re-sent to Earth
- Satellite boosts signal before sending it back
- Frequency of the signal is changed to prevent the signal received being confused with the signal
sent
- Used by media companies when sending stories/videos/pictures from remote locations

Advantages Disadvantages
Good global coverage Time delay is receipt of the signals
Cheaper, faster and safer than laying cables in Signals received can be affected by bad weather
treacherous terrain
Very high bandwidth Sunspot activity can affect performance of a
Relatively easy to expand network satellite
Security in satellite transmission is good as data is They must be monitored and controlled regularly
coded and receiver requires decoding equipment to remain in the correct orbit
During emergency situations it is relatively easy
to move stations on the ground from one place to
another
Well-suited for broadcasting
Enable mobile communication in very remote
locations