Current technological trends
- These are improvement with the use of technology in a specific field or area that is becoming the norms of every day life. These specific areas/fields are:
- Education
- E-learning - This involves the ability to learn and teach over vast distances via the internet.
- Banking and business
- ATM - Automated Teller Machine. These are machines that allow you to withdraw money from your account.
- EFT- Electronic Funds Transfer. The transferring of money electronically from one person directly to another.
- Telemarketing - Direct marketing being done via the use of the telephone between buyer and seller.
- Teleconferencing - The live exchange of information among several persons and machines remote from each other but linked via telecommunication systems
- Engineering and Manufacturing
- CAD & CADD - Computer Aided Design & Computer Aided Design and Design. These are hardware and software to draw designs in architecture, engineering and clothing. These trends reduces the time frame in sketching design drawings.
- CAM - Computer Aided Manufacturing. Systems that are used to control manufacturing plant equipment and production equipment.
- CAE - Computer Aided Engineering. These are systems used to analyse designs (engineering), by simulating varying conditions to determine in advance whether the design is likely to work.
- AI - Artificial Intelligence
- Robotics - Computer-controlled machines that are used in industries to take the place of humans in doing repetitive tasks.For example in car construction.
- Expert systems - Systems with vast database of information, which makes decisions based on the results from a user.
- Entertainment
- CGI - Computer Generated Images. These are the use of computer systems to generate images/animations for games & movie.
- Other areas
- NLP - Natural Language Processing. Systems that offer voice recognition, voice synthesis and language comprehension.
Jobs in I.T.
- Computers have changed the way we do our jobs. They have even created new avenues of employment for us. These new avenues of employment in IT are:
- Data processing managers - Responsible for planning, co-ordinating, managing and staffing the Data Processing department of a large organization.
- System analysts - responsible for developing a system from start to finish. They analyse the problem to find a solution, then develop the system and implement and test the system.
- Programmers - develop both application software and system software. They discuss programs specifications with system analysts.
- Network Administrators - Creates, manage and secure computer networks in their organization. They troubleshoot problems, issue passwords, and allow access to system by setting up user accounts.
- Operations manager - In charge of the daily operation of the computer department. They are responsible for supervising the use and maintenance of the computer equipment, supervising the receiving and preparation of data, scheduling processing activities, allocating duties to staff and consulting with the data processing manager.
- Computer Operators - monitor and control the central computer system (or console) by starting up and shutting down the system. They also perform routine maintenance such as cleaning drivers, loading input and output systems such as tape drives, or paper in printers and keeping logs on system performance.
- Data-Entry Operator - Enter data into the system from the source documents. They keep records of the data that they have entered and verify the data.
- File librarians - Keep all of a company's data files and software organised through the cataloging and storing of tapes and disks. They maintain and protect that type. They also clean and inspect the data storage media.
- Data security specialists - Look after the security and protection of the company's data. They protect the company's computer systems against threats form hackers, viruses, power outages, fraud, theft and invasion of privacy.
- Web Page Designers - build and maintain websites using programming languages such as HTML and Java. They maintain and improve web pages.
- Web Masters - Internet specialists whose responsibilities range from monitoring Internet traffic on web severs to answers queries about the web site's operations. There duties may also include those of the Web Designer or someone who updates the web pages.
- Computer engineers - design components, test and assemble them. Item such as microprocessors and circuit boards, as well as computer peripherals, are examples of these components.
Impact of IT on jobs and careers
- Education
- Education has evolved form just being paper, pen and white board in one room to being over vast distances. Computers are used to aid students in learning through e-learning. E-learning takes the form as drills, tutorials and simulations. For example: Monroe University offers degrees via online studies to people across the lobe.
- Banking
- Banks have evolved from the use of cheques to a swipe/contact of a card. Banks can now transfer money electronically via EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer).
- Engineering and Manufacturing
- I.T. has evolved the designing and manufacturing process in such away that diminishes the time and effort need tremendously. CAD(Computer Aided Design) , CADD(Computer Aided Design and Design), CAM(Computer Aided Manufacturing) and CAE(Computer Aided Engineering)are all implementation of I.T. in the engineering and manufacturing field.
- Law Enforcement
- I.T. has enable Law enforcement officers the benefits of using security cameras, fingerprinting, traffic control, surveillance and computer assisted facial image recognition/identification systems in the persecution of individuals.
- Medicine
- The impact of I.T. has enable hospitals to better monitor patients records (databases) and patients vital signs(heart rate, blood pressure, temperature) using sensors.
- Entertainment
- I.T. has evolved entertainment tremendously (in music, movies and games). I.T. has enable the playback of high quality movies and music on i-pods and tablets. Advance games with detail graphically images and advance instruction rules is also an impact of I.T. on games.
