LESSON PROPER

The Uses of Technology Today

Uses of Technology in Our Daily Life (by Anastasia Belyh)

For a moment, think about the activities you do daily at work. Now, imagine
there are no technological tools to help you accomplish them. It would take you
quite a long time. Technology is an irreplaceable part of human life. For office work,
we use application software like Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Excel, and
Powerpoint. To hold an interactive meeting with your employees living on different
continents, We use video conferencing tools like RingCentral Meetings, Zoom, and
UberConference. Technology affects every part of our daily lives. No 21st-century
job can exist without it. We cannot imagine businesses without emails,
smartphones, the internet for communication, and artificial intelligence tools for
automation.

1. Communication Technology in Our Daily Life

Technology improved communication significantly. Long-distance

business communication is possible within seconds thanks to telephones, radio,
television, fax machines, emails, mobile phones, and the internet.

Employees use communication tools to collaborate with customers

effectively. Some of the best team communication tools used to keep the
company’s day-to-day operations running smoothly are Zoom and [Link].

Uses of Technology in Communication

 Video Conferencing: Do you have a crucial business meeting lined up, but
your participants can’t be physically present? Video conferencing helps you
solve this problem. With this tool, you can hold your business meetings and
have everyone join through invites.

 Email: Email is one of the top communication tools used by businesses.

Constant and meaningful communication helps build strong relationships.
Companies can nurture and engage customers and run profitable marketing
campaigns with emails. The best email marketing tools for this purpose are
ActiveCampaign and ConstantContact.

 Smartphone: With your smartphone, you can send emails, make phone and
video calls, surf the internet, and review documents. The smartphone is more
than a communication device. You can run your online business from your
phone.
  Shared Calendars: Calendar-sharing apps allow employees, co-workers, and
clients to share their work schedules. You can improve business
communication by inviting co-workers to see their work calendars. It helps
prevent missing out on working hours or deadlines.

 Collaborative Documents: The internet helps organizations share

documents and have multiple people view and edit them in real time. A good
example is Google Docs which allows different people to contribute to a file.

2. Health Technologies in Our Daily Life

Healthcare is an integral part of our everyday life. Technology and

scientific knowledge have had a positive impact on the healthcare industry. It
improves human life by improving hygiene, diagnosis, and treatment.

The availability of medical technology like MRIs, ventilators, and machines

that produce modern medicine has improved healthcare beyond recognition. For
example, vaccines helped to eradicate diseases such as measles, diphtheria, and
smallpox which once caused massive epidemics.

Uses of Technology in the Health Sector

 Smart Hospital Management: This system improves the hospital experience

for patients and workers. It connects digital systems to ease access to
healthcare information, such as bed occupancy, supply counts, device usage,
and equipment status.

 Remote Healthcare Monitoring: Smartwatches and fitness trackers monitor

health factors like heart rate, blood oxygen, and irregular heartbeat.

 Connected Emergency Response Solutions: Technology makes emergency

response from ambulances swifter. Ambulances, physicians, and first
responders can share data about patients, which helps save human lives.

 Remote Healthcare Services: Conferencing technology is vital in the health

sector. Through a video call, patients can receive online consultations from
physicians and treatment from any location. Telecare became increasingly
popular during the pandemic.

 AI in Healthcare: AI has become an integral part of the healthcare industry. A

well-programmed AI tool offers many benefits, like proactive care predictions
and quicker data analysis.
3. Technological Advancement in Education

Technology improved the learning process for students and

teachers. Students must not be present in a physical classroom to
learn. Education software improves the online learning experience through
engaging and comprehensive lessons.

People with learning disabilities can learn uniquely, thanks to assistive

technology. Text-to-speech software (TTS) helps students with visual impairment
read texts.

Uses of Technology in Education

 Easier Access to Education: Digital education provides engaging learning

opportunities. Many free resources are available for students to learn any
skill from home. You can learn any digital skill with a simple Google or
YouTube video search.

 Online Exams and Lectures: Educators can upload lesson plans, lectures,
and tests to websites in video or written format, making them easy to access.
They can use cloud-based learning apps, discussion boards, and digital
whiteboards for a better learning experience.

 Special Education: Technology improves the quality of education for

students with learning disabilities. Special education tools like dictation
programs, interactive boards, and touchscreens help them learn more
effectively.

 Online Education: There are many online course platforms where

students can learn, while content creators can earn. Websites like Quizlet,
OneClass, Bartleby, and Socratic offer online tutorials for students in
different fields.

4. Technology and Productivity

Technology improves productivity at your workplace. With productivity

tools, tedious data-entry jobs which take much time to finish are doable in minutes.

If you want to maximize your results, your employees should focus more on
high-level tasks. Leave out the low-level activities for automation software to
handle.
 The industrial revolution shifted businesses from small to large-scale
production. Thanks to more effective manufacturing tools, most companies saw
increased production levels.

Imagine the impact future technologies like artificial intelligence and quantum
computers will have on workplace productivity. Surely, exciting times lie ahead.

Uses of Technology in Productivity

 Office Productivity: Technology boosts office productivity. Workers can

effectively carry out tasks with office software like word processing,
spreadsheets, and presentation apps.

 Food Production: Technological advancements in the agricultural industry

increased food production. New technologies replace old tools and techniques
that consume time and energy.

 Engineering: Engineers use computer modeling to simulate structures,

materials, and vehicles. Acquiring valid information on performance before
prototyping is easier and more reliable with advanced technology.

 Business Management: Tools like big data analytics have become vital for
organizations. They speed up productivity by allowing workers to act fast
without constantly waiting on the top-down management structure for
direction.

 Manufacturing: The manufacturing sector uses robotic automation processes

to boost productivity. Autonomous robots and human workers in the factory
work side by side to increase output. This trend leads to more efficient, faster,
and more accurate outcomes in manufacturing,

 Sales and Marketing: Sales and marketing now use augmented reality (AR)
and virtual reality (VR) to improve customers' experience of their products.

 Convenient Work Environments and Conditions: Thanks to internet-

connected devices like smartphones and computers, you can work remotely.
Companies with remote teams use work-from-home tools to create flexible
work environments and better track work progress.

5. Transportation Technology in Our Everyday Lives

Air transport makes traveling from one end of the planet to another within a
day. In the past, people used camels to travel from one city to another and spent
days on the road. Today, AI and machine learning make driverless cars
possible.
Uses of Technology in Transportation

 Lightweight Vehicle Materials: Lightweight vehicles don't consume as much

fuel as regular vehicles. This technology helps you save money and reduce
the reliance on fuel and the environment.

 Internet of things (IoT): This emerging technology connects everything

through networks. IoT in transportation uses intelligent devices, sensors, and
objects for better transit.

 Ride Services: Uber and Lyft changed how people move, especially in large
cities. You can book rides from home to your destination without going to the
nearest bus stop.

 Hyperloop: Hyperloop is a tube-like transport system with incredible speeds.

Passengers can complete a 350-mile trip in thirty minutes if traveling at a top
speed!

6. How Banking Technology Affects Our Daily Lives

Digital banking is a popular way of saving and exchanging

money. Customers use internet banking to perform financial transactions securely.
Digital currencies are not left out, with many countries introducing them to compete
with cryptocurrencies.

Emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning,

blockchain, and robotics promise to improve digital banking services

Uses of Technology in the Banking Sector

 Online Banking: This banking innovation improved the speed an individual can
perform financial transactions. You can use platforms like PayPal, Stripe, and
Payoneer to send and receive international payments.

 ATMs: These lifesavers allow for the convenient withdrawal of cash. No need
to enter a banking hall. It is quick and easy to use; you only require a unique
pin to access your funds.

 Banking Apps: Bank apps are the ultimate lifesaver. You can perform banking-
related activities from the comfort of your home. You can pay for goods and
services, make transfers, check your balance, change your ATM pin, and lodge
complaints.
7. Technology and Record Keeping

Record keeping and retrieval are important uses of technology in our

everyday lives. Most businesses are changing how they process vital information
and manipulate data due to notable technological advancements in data storage
and processing.

Businesses use database software to store, manage, and organize their

data. Paper files are no longer relevant in storing and accessing business records.
Organizations now upload their paper documents online for safer and more
convenient storage.

Uses of Technology in Record Keeping

 Computerized Database System: Electronic databases offer more speed

and accuracy than paper-based systems. With a few clicks and keystrokes, you
can save the time that sorting through piles of documents will take.

 Cloud Storage: Organizations store large files in the cloud to enable easy
access to them when it's needed. This modern technology eliminates the
possibility of losing important files.

8. Entertainment Technologies in Our Every Day Life

Technological progress in the entertainment industry is exciting. You don’t

need to leave your home to get entertained. With the internet, you can stream your
favorite movies on Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime without going to the
cinema.

The impact of technology on the entertainment industry covers areas such as video
gaming, eSports, and computer simulations.

Uses of Technology in Entertainment

 Music Technology: New music like electro-pop, virtual DJ-ing, and other
innovative music tools are born due to technological developments in the
entertainment industry. They create and produce different sounds and hits we
enjoy today.

 VR and AR Technology: The application of technology goes beyond the

gaming world. Theme parks and museums use VR and AR technology to offer
pleasant virtual experiences to people.
9. Automation And Robotics

What's the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word robots?
Aside from the opinions that most movies create about them, they have improved
the modern world.

Automation influences our everyday lives. Vital business operations like

data analysis, office sanitation, building security, warehouse logistics, and email
replies rely on automation.

Imagine the relief when you don't have to handle tedious and tiring jobs.
These software robots do your routine tasks like copying and extracting data and
logging into systems or applications.

Uses of Automation and Robotics in our Daily Lives

 Autonomous Vehicles: Self-driving cars can transport people or goods

without a driver at the wheel.

 Medical Robots: They perform surgeries and assist medical

practitioners in logistics, data management, appointment scheduling,
and enhanced patient care.

 Construction and Assembly: In many industries, automation and

robotic technology help increase production output. For example,
construction companies use automation robotics for road construction
and tunneling.

 Credit Card Applications: When you apply for a credit card, bots
handle some aspects of the process. They collect information and
documents, conduct credit and background checks, and approve the
card without human intervention.

10. Shopping and Our Daily Lives

Every year, the number of eCommerce businesses is increasing. It is a

testament to the popularity of online shopping in our daily lives.

Shoppers don’t need to visit a physical store to make purchases. They can
use the internet to access their favorite eCommerce stores, place their orders, and
receive their deliveries at home.
Uses of Technology in Shopping in Our Daily Lives

 Online Shopping: With many e-commerce platforms and stores, you

can shop for virtually anything on the internet from the comfort of your
home.

 Online Payments: The fintech industry is getting bigger by the day,

partly due to many online shopping activities that happen every day.
Online payment platforms like PayPal and Payoneer make the shopping
experience seamless. You can pay for items with any verified payment
platform with ease.

 Smart Vending Machines: A vending machine is an interactive hub that

offers many products. It has a wide touchscreen that allows you to
explore various items and can give suggestions of which item you may
like. Smart vending machines help to reduce the stress of walking
around a store before finding what you want to buy.

 Digital Price Tags: This tech brings a new flair to shopping. Digital
price tags do not only display product pricing but add vital information,
such as nutritional value or sell-by dates, about the product you want to
purchase. The store owner controls the pricing and other related
information.

Robot Rights

Artificial Intelligence: Should Robots Have Rights? (by Karina Parikh)

In 1950, Alan Turing proposed a test for the ability of a machine to exhibit
intelligent behavior that is indistinguishable from that of a human being. Over the 70
years since, artificial intelligence (AI) has become more and more sophisticated, and
there have already been claims of computers passing the Turing Test. As AI
applications, and especially AI-enabled robots, continue their evolution, at what point do
humans begin to, in fact, perceive them as living beings? And as this perception takes
hold, will humans begin to feel obligated to grant them certain rights?

Researchers and scientists are now pondering the ethics surrounding how robots
interact with human society. With some of these robots having the capability to interact
with humans, people are naturally worried about their effects on humanity.

For example, people have varying perspectives on the effects of robots in the
workplace. Some see them as beneficial, able to perform tedious or dangerous jobs,
leaving humans to perform more interesting work and stay out of harm’s way. Others
see them as hurtful, taking jobs away from people, leading to higher unemployment.
 Some of the struggles facing the public right now are pertaining to robots that
possess the ability to think on their own. It is an issue that divides people due to the fear
associated with the idea of autonomous robots. As a result, the overlaying concern that
must be taken into consideration is whether or not it is ethical to integrate these robots
into our society. By programming these robots with specific algorithms and then training
them with enormous amounts of real-world data, they can appear to think on their own,
generating predictions and novel ideas. When robots get to this stage and start to act
like humans, it will become more difficult to think of them as machines and tempting to
think of them as having a moral compass.

Arguments Supporting Rights for Robots

Although the role of robots and their “rights” may become an issue in society
generally, it is easier to see these issues by focusing on one aspect of society: The
workplace. As robots working alongside humans become smarter and smarter, humans
working with them will naturally think of them as co-workers. As these AI-enable robots
become more and more autonomous, they may develop a desire to be treated the same
way as their human coworkers.

Autonomous robots embody a very different type of artificial intelligence

compared to those that simply run statistical information through algorithm to make
predictions. As Turing suggested, autonomous robots ultimately will become
indistinguishable from humans. If, in fact, robots do develop a moral compass, they may
—on their own—begin to push to be treated the same as humans.

Some will argue that, regardless of the fact that robot behavior is
indistinguishable from human behavior, robots nevertheless are not living creatures and
should not receive the same treatment as humans. However, this claim can be
countered by pointing to examples indicating how close humans and robots can be to
each other. For example, in some parts of the world, robots are providing
companionship to the elderly who would otherwise be isolated. Robots are becoming
capable of displaying a sense of humor or can appear to show empathy. Some are even
designed to appear human. And, as such robots also exhibit independent thinking and
even self-awareness, their human companions or co-workers may see them as
deserving equal rights—or, the robots themselves may begin to seek such rights.

Another argument in favor of giving rights to robots is that they deserve it. AI-
enabled robots have the potential for greatly increasing human productivity, either by
replacing human effort or supplementing it. Robots can work in places and perform
more dangerous tasks than humans can or want to do. Robots make life better for the
human race. If, at the same time, robots develop some level of self-awareness or
consciousness, it is only right that we should grant them some rights, even if those
rights are difficult to define at this time. Just as we treat animals in a humane way, so
we should also treat robots with respect and dignity.
Counterpoint: The Argument Against Rights for Robots

Although some may advocate for giving human-like robots equal rights, there are
others who feel they are facing an even more pressing issue, that robots may
overpower humans. Many fear that artificial intelligence may replace humans in the
future. The fear is that robots will become so intelligent that they will be able to make
humans work for them. Thus, humans would be controlled by their own creations.

It is also important to consider that expanding robots’ rights could infringe on the
existing rights of humans, such as the right to a safe workplace. Today, one of the
benefits of robots is that they can work under conditions that are unsafe or dangerous to
humans—think of robots today that are used to disable bombs. If robots are given the
same rights as humans, then it may get to the point where it is unethical to place them
in harmful situations where they have a greater chance of injury or destruction. If so, this
would be giving robots greater rights than we give animals today, where police dogs, for
example, are sent into situations where it is too dangerous for an officer to go.

A more immediate argument against giving rights to robots is that robots already
have an advantage over humans in the workplace, and giving them rights will just
increase that advantage. Robots can be designed to work more quickly without the
need to take breaks. The problem here is that the robot has an unfair advantage in
competing with a human for a job. Robots have already begun to perform human jobs,
such as delivering food to hotel rooms. Even in this simple task they have advantages.
They don’t get distracted as humans do, but rather they can remain focused for a longer
period of time. It also helps that the employer does not pay payroll taxes for the robot’s
work. This has driven fears that robots will come to dominate human jobs and the
resulting unemployment would negate their benefit to the economy. Even though
humans may not be opposed to robots carrying out simple tasks, there may be
increasing opposition when robots start to fill more complex roles, including many white-
collar jobs.

When it comes to looking at the impact of robots in the workplace, there are
varying perspectives. The argument in favor of granting robots rights is ultimately that
they are coming to have the same capacity for intellectual reasoning and emotional
intelligence as humans. As noted earlier, these supporters argue that robots and other
forms of artificial intelligence should receive the same treatment as humans because
some of them even have a moral compass. On the other side, those who argue against
giving rights to robots deny that robots have a moral compass and thus do not deserve
to be treated the same as humans. In essence, even if they pass the Turing Test, they
are still machines. They are not living beings and therefore should not receive any
rights, even if they are smart enough to demand them. If we were to grant robots this
kind of power, it would enable them to overtake humans as a result of their ability to
work more efficiently.

Whether or not robots and other forms of AI should have rights, these
technologies have the potential to greatly benefit humans or greatly harm us. As the
technologies grow and mature, there may be the need for regulation to ensure that the
risks are mitigated and that humans ultimately maintain control over them.

In 1942, science fiction writer Isaac Asimov formulated his three laws for robots:

 A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being
to come to harm.
 A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders
would conflict with the First Law.
 A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not
conflict with the First or Second Law.

These three laws predate the development of artificial intelligence, but when it comes to
principles to guide regulation, they might just be a good starting point.

References:

Belyh, A. (2023, January 25). Uses of technology in our daily life | FounderJar.
FounderJar. [Link]

Avasant. (2023, February 7). Artificial intelligence: Should robots have rights? -
Avasant. [Link]
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