TOPIC 1
TOPIC 1
DATA HANDLING APPLICATIONS
Data Tracking: Choosing specific metric (e.g accuracy, validity) to analyze in order to improve your business
and optimize customer experience.
Data Mining: Process of analyzing volumes of data to find patterns, discover trends and gain insight into how
that data can be used.
Data Handling is the process by which data is inputted into computer, stored in DB, processed in some way
and output results in form of reports.
Application used for data handling include:
School reports
Surveys
Address lists
Clubs records
Libraries
ADVANTAGES OF DATA HANDLING APPLICATIONS
Data can be updated, organized, sorted and searched in different ways
Data can be displayed or printed in different formats.
Data can be backed up or moved using storage media.
Huge storage space not required (filling cabinet)
SURVEYS: This is done using data capture forms. It detects what data that need to be collected and
decide questions that should asked.
ADDRESS LIST: Organizations that deal with mail orders needs address list or contact details of
customers.
CLUB AND SOCIETY RECORDS: Members data needs to be stored which includes: contact details,
membership information, payment information etc. you can carry out particular searches (e.g specific age
group)
SCHOOL LIBRARIES: Record of borrowed books and a typical school library system would store some
information like
Book Borrower Loans
ID number ID name book ID
Title name borrower ID
Publisher DOB Date borrowed etc.
SCHOOL REPORTS: A school would typically keep data on student academic performance in a
computerized DB. This helps the school to easily track students’ activities and also print reports
easily. School report should contain:
a) student specific data
b) student progress
c) attendance
d) teacher comments
e) date of report
MODELING APPLICATION IN ICT
A model is something used as an example to follow or imitate. Simulation is mimicking real life systems in
order to see outcomes of different scenarios. Modeling and simulation work hand- in- hand.
Examples of computer model /simulation
1. flight simulator: mimics the skills needed to pilot for a real aircraft comes in two forms:
PC/Laptop simulation (used at home)
Cockpit replica simulation (more expense, looks real)
They are used to practice:
Cockpit control
Navigation
Takeoff/land
Experience and navigate in different environments
2. Finance Simulation: Spreadsheet can be used to simulate
Profit/loss
Answer “what if”
Over budget/within budget
3. Driving simulation
TYPES OF PROCESSING
a) Batch processing b) Online processing and c) Real-time processing
BATCH PROCESSING: Similar tasks are collected/batched and processed by a computer all at once rather than
individually. E.g producing electrical bills for customers require the same calculations hence can be batched
and carried out all at once.
It can be used in producing bills (PHCN), payroll, stock control, processing bank cheques etc.
Merits Demerits
1. human intervention not needed It takes a long time to process
2. long jobs can run through the night when Feeding the input data into the system takes
everyone has gone home time.
ONLINE PROCESSING: User communicates directly with the computer system. If there is any change to data
stored in the computer, computer automatically update and re-process to ensure up-to-date information. E.g
music concert booking system need to use online processing to constantly recalculate number of seats left to
avoid people keep paying when there is no seat available. Online processing system can be used in
Booking systems/ ticket reservations (airlines, cinema, theatre, concerts)
ATM (update the balance left)
Online good purchase (Amazon- to determine the stock)
Merit Demerit
Processing is done automatically without human Needs virus/hacker security especially for online
intervention booking system
REAL-TIME PROCESSING: This is similar to online processing because it does automatic update as changes are
made. The difference is that it uses sensors rather than human input to obtain its data. They are used with
control systems. They can be used in the following areas:
Warning systems on aircraft
Burglar alarms
Guides missiles to their target (update coordinates etc.)
Flood warning systems etc.
Merit Demerit
It can carry out jobs that human are unable to do Very expensive to buy.
System failure can cost lives
TOPIC 2
ROBOTICS
What is Robotics?
The word robot comes from the Czech word “robota” (meaning forced labour) and
the term was first used in 1920’s play “ROSSUM’S Universal robots”. Isaac Asimov
composed the three laws of robotics which are:
a robot may not injure a human through action or inaction
a robot must obey orders given by humans, unless it comes into conflict with
law 1
a robot must protect itself, unless this conflicts with law 1
Definition:
Robotics is a branch of computer science that deals with the design of
computers capable of replicating certain human movements and functions
automatically.
Robots can be found in:
Factories
wielding parts together
spray-painting panels on a car
fitting windscreens to cars
bottling and labelling plants etc.
In the Home
pool cleaning
automatic window cleaners
entertainment (friend robots) etc.
Drones
unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV’s) are either remotely controlled or
totally autonomous.
Used in reconnaissance ( e.g. taking aerial photograph)
Can be used to make parcel deliveries (e.g. amazon)
CHARACTERISTICS OF A ROBOT
To be correctly called a robot, they need to have the following
characteristics:
1. Ability to sense surroundings
This is done via sensors (such as light, pressure, temperature, acoustic, and
so on)
– sensors allow a robot to recognize its immediate environment and gives
it the ability to determine things like size, shape or weight of an object,
detect if something is hot or cold, and so on; all sensor data is sent to a microprocessor
or computer.
2 Have a degree of movement:
– they can make use of wheels, cogs, pistons, gears (etc.) to carry out functions
such as turning, twisting, moving backwards/forwards, gripping or lifting
– they are mechanical structures made up of many parts (for example,
motors, hydraulic pipes, actuators and circuit boards)
– they contain many electrical components to allow them to function
– can make use of end effectors (different attachments to allow them to
carry out specific tasks such as welding, spraying, cutting or lifting).
3 Programmable:
– they have a ‘brain’ known as a controller that determines the action to
be taken to perform a certain task (the controller relies on data sent from
sensors or cameras, for example)
– controllers are programmable to allow the robots to do certain tasks.
TWO IMPORTANT NOTES:
1. Many robots don’t possess artificial intelligence (AI) since they tend to
do repetitive tasks rather than requiring adaptive human characteristics.
2. It is important not to confuse physical robots with software robots such
as:
– search engine bots or WebCrawlers (these ‘robots’ roam the internet
scanning websites, categorising them for search purposes)
– chat bots (these are programs that pop up on websites that seem to enter
some form of conversation with the web user)
According to our definition above, software robots are not true robots.
Physical robots can be classified as independent or dependent:
Independent robots:
– have no direct human control (they are said to be autonomous, for
example, an autonomous vehicle)
– can replace the human activity totally (no human interaction is required
for the robot to function fully).
Dependent robots:
– have a human who is interfacing directly with the robot (the human
interface may be a computer or a control panel).
– can supplement, rather than totally replace, the human activity (for
example, in a car assembly plant where both humans and robots work
together to produce a car).