About Technology

We live in a technology-driven world — nobody would disagree with you if you said that.
Technology simply means 'craftsmanship,' which refers to the set of techniques, skills, methods,
and processes used to manufacture products or services or to accomplish goals such as scientific
study. Technology can be incorporated into devices that allow people to use it even without a
thorough knowledge of their inner workings.

Technological development is closely related to the advancement of scientific study and

knowledge. During the last 50 years, thanks to the exponential increase in computing power and
microchip design and manufacturing, almost every area of human activity, from health and
transport to industrial development and education, has seen unparalleled innovation and
technological growth.

Technology In Daily Life:

It is the automotive technology that drives today's electric and hybrid vehicles, and that will
power tomorrow's driverless cars, hover-taxis, and space taxis. It is the technology that powers
the ubiquitous cell phones that you can now find in the pockets of even the poorest of the poor in
the world. It is a technology that produces hybrid seeds that withstand inhospitable climatic
conditions and challenging terrain, giving high yields in a shorter time. Advanced medical
technology that allows remote surgery, minimally invasive surgery, and life-saving therapies for
stem cell transplantation. Technology places astronauts on asteroids and distant planets and lets
us see new worlds. Technology separates atoms, exposes their secrets, and gives us ways to use
them to produce electricity, quantum data storage, and virtual reality games.
Technological Growth: Good Or Bad?

Some people strongly condemn technology and believe that it is the end of 'humanity,' and that
we are entering the day when robots will control all. We refer to technology fans as 'techies' or
even 'geeks.' On the other hand, technology advocates call these people Luddites a degrading
term for someone who rejects industrialization, automation, computerization, and emerging
technologies in general. Is that true? Is technology just a curse that is perceived as a blessing?
Many assume that the integration of biotechnology and AI may be the most crucial advancement
of all.

When Technologies Converge:

Over the last five decades, two fields have expanded faster than the rest, powered by innovation
and developments over computing technology. Another is artificial intelligence or AI, and the
other is biotechnology. Huge benefits have arisen from both of them for human beings in
general, such as self-driving cars — which would significantly reduce the death rate from road
accidents — and robotic surgery, which allows accurate, highly effective and targeted surgical
procedures. But visionaries like Yuval Noah Harari, author of the best-selling Homo sapiens and
Deus, are now predicting that the combination of biotechnology and AI will irreversibly and
unpredictably transform both the nature of human life and its challenges over the next few
decades. The facial recognition technology that is present in all picture processing systems is a
perfect example of this. The AI in the app is capable not only of seeing faces in any photograph
but also of identifying the person by name.

The technology has now been extended to allow photo apps to recognize cats, dogs, beaches,
mountains, and cars as well. Computers with AI are now accurately understanding human
emotions by analyzing facial expressions and body movements. Some robots are capable of
imitating human emotions. This is called affective computing, also referred to as artificial
emotional intelligence, and refers to the research and creation of systems and devices that can
perceive, view, process, and replicate human effects.

Why could this have been negative?

When Computers Become Human-Like:

The ability to read or know what a human being is thinking or their emotions are just a small step
away from predicting human emotions. For example, if a device connected to a video camera
might determine which goods the customer is more interested in or which they want to buy, a
range of strategies may be used to manipulate the consumer's purchase. Activists are concerned
that machines that can recognize and predict human needs and impulses by scanning their irises
and analyzing their micro-expressions may also be programmed to mimic and control them.
Another genuine concern is that humanoid computers with human-like skin, voice, and
expressions will jeopardize and dehumanize relationships and create emotional vacuums.

Machines That Do Human Jobs:

The long-lasting fear of Luddites has always been that machines would deprive people of their
livelihoods by taking their jobs and making them more productive at a lower cost. When
computerized computers have started to take over automated and repetitive human tasks, new
opportunities have opened up for people who require thought and analytical skills and judgment,
or social, interpersonal skills. A clear example of this is the global proliferation of call centers.
Once drones were invented, many were worried that the pilots would soon be redundant. Few
people know, however, that it takes about 30 people to fly one military drone, and an additional
50 people to process and make sense of the data being sent back by the drone.
The US Army suffers from a severe shortage of qualified, high-quality drone pilots; anyone who
masters this ability will have a career. But a social scientist warns that in 10 years, it is likely that
robots will be flying, drones and people will be redundant. It is equally possible that some brand-
new ability requirements must have opened up with the advent of technology, calling for new
talents.

How Technology Will Change Careers:

In the 20th century, a young man had to select talent, vocation, or occupation, learn it through
schooling and practice, and then make a living from it before he or she retired. However, the
fast-changing nature of technology makes skills redundant at a higher pace than ever before. To
live, the young man will continue to develop himself and upgrade his skills daily tomorrow. Life
could be challenging if any new talent had a shelf life of just a decade or so. Or maybe one
should look at it the other way — and claim that evolving technology would keep human beings
on their toes all their lives.

Conclusion:

Technology is the product of human inventiveness. We are neither powerful as gorillas or tigers,
nor swift as cheetahs and hawks, but our brains and reasoning powers have earned us the most
significant advantage of any species on the planet. Technology is the product of that. Technology
is not necessarily good or bad; it is the way we use it that makes it so. The separation of a
hydrogen atom is a science at work. As history has shown, technology can also be used to
produce a nuclear weapon that destroys millions — or to create energy that lights up a million
homes.