Impact of Technology on Society

Technology Defined

• Technology is rooted in "techne" and "logos," signifying discourse on arts.
• Machines and tools are also considered technology.
• Technology affects everyone in society, directly or indirectly.
• Many people rely on technological advancements in their daily lives.
• It has become an inseparable aspect of society.
• Using technology can be a necessity or simply something we want.

Benefits of Technology

• Provides convenience.
• Offers pleasure.
• Brings happiness.
• Enables communication.
• Too much of anything, including technology, is bad.

Examples of Common Technologies

• Television sets.
• Mobile phones.
• Computers.

Television

• Kantar Media reports that 92% of urban homes and 70% of rural homes have at least one TV set.
• There were 15.135M households with TV sets in 2012.
• Television is a key medium for advertisements.
• Nearly everyone uses television in some form.
• Television significantly impacts people's lives.
• Paul Gottlieb Nipkow, in the late 1800s, attempted to send images through wires using a rotating metal disk.
• Nipkow's "electric telescope" had a resolution of 18 lines.
• The first public television station was named after Nipkow.
• Alan Archibald Campbell-Swinton and Boris Rosing developed a television system using a cathode ray tube and a mechanical scanner.

Mobile Phones

• Filipinos frequently use mobile phones.
• Over half the Filipino population owns a mobile phone.
• In 2010, Synovate reported 67% product ownership in the Philippines.
• Mobile phones are considered essential for young Filipinos according to a 2010 ABS-CBN News report.
• 1 in 3 Filipinos cannot live without a mobile phone.
• Martin Cooper made the first cell phone call to brag to a rival engineer.
• Cooper's mobile phone weighed 1.1 kg, measuring 228.6 x 127 x 44.4 mm.
• It had a 30-minute talk time and required 10 hours to charge.
• The Motorola DynaTAC 8000x was released in 1983.

Computers and Laptops

• Not all Filipino families can afford a computer or laptop.
• Computer and laptop manufacturers primarily profit from sales to offices, businesses, and schools.
• Increased Internet users in the Philippines face problems with Internet providers.
• Charles Babbage is a notable figure in the history of computing.
• The Osborne 1, released in June 1981 by Osborne Computer Corporation, is considered the first true portable, full-featured computer.

Roles of Technological Advancements

• Television mainly serves as a platform for advertisements and information dissemination, not only in the Philippines but worldwide.
• Television is also a good platform for propagandas and advocacies.
• Television provides way to bond with family.
• Mobile phones are primarily for communication via texting and calling.
• Mobile phones now enable internet surfing and picture-taking.
• Mobile phones are all-in-one and convenient, fitting in pockets or bags.
• Personal computers and laptops serve different functions and roles.
• Laptops are preferred for work due to their wide keyboards.
• A mouse or touchpad makes computers easier to maneuver compared to mobile phones.
• PCs are a top choice for computer games because they allow for comfort and convenience.

Ethical Dilemmas

• Parents often believe that technology makes children lazy and unhealthy.
• People are freely exposed to various content on televisions, mobile phones, laptops, and computers.

Robotics

• A robot is an actuated mechanism programmable in two or more axes with some autonomy which can navigate an environment to perform tasks.
• Autonomy: The capacity to perform intended tasks based on its current state, sensing, without human intervention.

Service Robots

• A robot that performs useful tasks for humans or equipment excluding industrial applications.
• May be classified either as an industrial robot or a service robot.

Personal Service Robot

• A service robot for personal, noncommercial use.
• Includes domestic servant robots, personal mobility assist robots, automated wheelchairs, and pet-exercising robots.

Professional Service Robot

• Used for commercial tasks.
• Usually operated by a properly trained operator.
• Includes cleaning robots for public places, delivery robots, firefighting robots, rehabilitation robots, and surgery robots.
• George Devol was an American inventor.
• Is known for developing the Unimate.
• Unimate was the first material handling robot for industrial production.

Roles Played by Robotics

• Eases workload.
• Makes life more efficient and less stressful.
• Performs complicated activities.
• Provides pleasure and entertainment in parks or exhibits.
• Serves as toys.
• Used in movies.
• Isaac Asimov was an American writer and professor of biochemistry at Boston University.

Isaac Asimov's "Three Laws of Robotics"

• A robot may not injure a human being, or through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
• A robot must obey orders given 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.