Changing Technology World
Max Frisch said, "Technology is the knack of so arranging the world that we do not experience it". Thechanging technology world seems to support his claim. Life is becoming mechanical as it is fast-paced. Movies like Matrix and Matrix Reloaded and the Terminator Trilogy demonstrate the possible threats to humanity by “intelligent machines”. Advanced technology produces a host of social, ethical and moral issues like cloning humans, creating humanoids who would soon replace human companions, performing and using genetic tests and many more.
Theodosius Dobzansky says, "There is no doubt that human survival will continue to depend more and more on human intellect and technology. It is idle to argue whether this is good or bad. The point of no return was passed long ago, before anyone knew it was happening". This is unarguably true, especially when we consider the changing technology world. Given below are some examples of present and future innovative technology that will change our perspective and impact our lives significantly.
Global Positioning Satellite System
The global positioning satellite system is a space-based navigation system with 24 artificial satellites orbiting the earth. The GPS provides accurate information about the position, velocity and time of the user anywhere in the world and in any weather condition. Known in the past as Navstar Global Positioning System, it was developed in 1973 and is operated and maintained by the United States Department Of Defense (DOD). The GPS is a system that overcomes the limitations of existing navigation systems and its capabilities are accessible using small inexpensive equipment. The GPS consists of three parts: satellites, control devices on land and receivers that are carried on crafts or in hand.
Space Technology
Space shuttles are used to deploy scientific satellites and transport human and equipment to space stations. The shuttle was to be used as a reusable rocket and spacecraft. Russian and American scientists are also working to complete the International Space Station by the year 2006 hoping that the ISS will provide a more permanent laboratory in space. Shuttles are necessary for the completion of ISS. But the shuttles may retire by 2010, as the scientists are developing new shuttle replacement vehicles after the Columbia tragedy. One such vehicle is the Single Stage To Orbit (SSTO) vehicle with one rocket engine that can be directly sent from earth into orbit. NASA is developing shuttle-like vehicles that may be employed as the shuttle replacement vehicles or shuttle replacement. One such possibility is a space plane that would act as an emergency rescue vehicle.
Innovative Technology
Underwater Robot
Hercules, an underwater remotely operated vehicle (ROV) equipped with mechanical arms, fingers and a variety of tools like acoustic and visual sensors and high definition television, would conduct the first archaeological excavation of shipwrecks and archaeological sites in the deep sea. Undersea explorer Robert Ballard is heading the expedition team, who will revisit recently discovered archaeological sites in the Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea. Hercules was especially designed using innovative technology for excavating and recovering artifacts from underwater archaeological sites and shipwrecks at the bottom of the sea. The expedition begins aboard the Woods Hole research ship R/V Knorr. It was aboard this ship that Richard Ballard discovered the 1985 RMS Titanic.
High Technology
Robots
Scientists feel that someday, robots will be a part of everyday life. Most robots are created for specialized applications and are based on innovative high technology. The aim of the RoboCup is to create a team of robots that can beat the world soccer champions by 2050. Another advanced technology venture involving robots is to make robots that can see, hear, touch and smell their world through sensors, be able to think for themselves and at least move around as much as humans. Such a concept of human like robots is very popular in Japan. Japanese society is becoming very elderly and they think they will need more robots in the home to help out elderly people. ASIMO (Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility) promoted by Honda Motor Company is said to be the most advanced humanoid (an automation that resembles a human being). The robot can interpret the postures and gestures of humans and move independently in response. In a statement, the company says that ASIMO can "greet approaching people, follow them, and move in the direction they indicate, and even recognize their faces and address them by name." They say that the robot can also access information via the Internet and use it to answer people's questions (in Japanese) about the news and weather. Currently, some robots on consumer market perform the household chore of vacuuming. In the filed of medicine, the first robot used in surgery was for hip replacement. Another specialized application for robots is to put them in environs dangerous to humans, for instance, monitoring nuclear reactors and putting them in Mars, and surveillance behind enemy lines. Robots will minimize risk to search and rescue teams while increasing victim survival rates in disasters. But scientists have identified five technological hurdles to the widespread use of robots:
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