Various devices and equipment have been invented to provide some peace of mind to human beings who are spending a busy life today. These devices enable us to:
listen to music to overcome a monotonous life,
watch missed TV programmes or movies of our choise,
exchange information between friends and relatives who live abroad or whom we have lost touch through social media,
watch high definition video using technology,
surf the internet. This helps children to do learning activities and play games during the free time,
read e-books on internet,
take photographs of favourite places and store them in the computer.
We can quote some of the systems which are used to enhance the road traffic by minimizing traffic jams.
Example 1 - Closed Circuit TV (CCTV)
This system which uses the CCTV (Closed Circuit TV) is helpful in monitoring the road traffic, accidents and illegal activities and take appropriate actions accordingly.
Example 2 -Traffic Light Control System
These automated lights are positioned at road junctions. These lights are helpful in minimizing accidents by controlling the vehicle traffic and pedestrians.
Example 3 - Parking identification placard This is an entrance pass which is stuck on the windshield of a vehicle. When the vehicle comes close to the gate of the parking space, the sensors read the placard and only open the gates if the vehicle is already pre-registered. This system also helps to avoid building up of traffic at the gates due to its quick processing ability.
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
ICT in Manufacturing Industry and Business
ICT is used in manufacturing high quality products and reduce the cost of production by minimizing the use of human labour in many industries and businesses. Since high quality products are manufactured at low cost, people can buy good quality products at a relatively low price. In the past decades a high level of human labour was needed in the manufacturing industry. Today most of the work performed by the human hands are performed by robots.
Benifits of using robots;
Example 1 - Video Conferencing This technology has enabled different business communities who are geographically separated to convene face to face meetings while in at their own premises. The advantages of this technology are, no need to convene at a special venue, saves time travelling, reducs travelling expenses etc.
Example 2 - Human Resource Managment
The administration of employee activities has become an easy task due to finger print scanner (used to register attendance) and Card Reader (Identity Management). These devices help in recording the times of employees moving in and moving out of the office premises, preparing salaries accordingly, keeping records of leave taking etc. Today, the above devices are not only used in the private sector but also in the public sector in Sri Lanka.
Example 3 - e-Banking System
e-Banking has helped both the business community and all other people to do convenient banking. They are:
• The ability to withdraw cash anytime anywhere at ATM (Automatic Teller Machines) points
• Since banks are connected via internet, inter banking or transactional activities are made possible even within Sri Lanka or abroad.
• When you are registered in a banking network, it gives one the opportunity to pay utility bills, inter-banking transactions, checking the account balance etc using mobile phones.
Example 4 - Online Shopping
Online shopping known as electronic commerce which allows foreign or local company to sell its products or services via internet and the ability for a consumer to buy goods and services via internet. A buyer can order goods or services of his choice from a convenient place. The advantages of online shopping are:
• One can select any global commercial organization which is on the internet.
• Open 24 hours a day.
• able to see things and order at one’s convenient place.
• the ability to pay using the electronic payment methods such as credit cards.
• home delivery of goods. Because of these we can save on transport cost and avoid unnecessary travel related exhaustion
Sensors are placed in different parts of the sea. These sensors convey information on fish concentration in the sea to the computers in fishing trawlers via internet.
Sunday, February 14, 2016
ICT in management of farmhouse
Example 1 - RFID – Radio Frequency Identification Device
The RFID help in identifying and counting the number of animals and also in locating the animals in a large area.
Example 2 - Automated milking and examination of cows
This machine which is programmed to function automatically is helpful in monitoring the health status of the cows and the quality of milk. This also helps in milking cows.
Example 3 -
For Security (Closed Circuit TV CCTV)
CCTV is employed to protect farm from the animals and thieves. When the cameras are connected by Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) the farm can be monitored far away from the farm
Example 4 - Farm Management
Today’s farmer uses various computer applications in portable computers such as laptops, tabs, smart phones to keep track of information on his farm; to calculate profits and losses, to save employees salarydetails etc. Using this portable device which has internet connectivity, he is capable of monitoring the market rates, get updated on latest business information and exchange information.
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Wednesday, February 10, 2016
ICT in Agricultural Industry
ICT has created a new revolution in the field of agriculture. Today ICT is extensively used in agriculture, animal husbandry and fisheries industries. ICT for farming: A range of automatic machines are available today to ease the work of the farmer who worked hard in the field. These machines not only reduce the work of
a farmer but also enables him to produce high quality yields. Below is a some of the machines used in developed as well as developing countries.
Example 1 - Meteorological Devices
These devices are helpful in assessing the weather, climatic changes, rainfall, wind direction etc. Such data are useful in deciding on the crop cultivation and harvesting times.
Example 2 - Automated Insect Control
Devices With the help of this device we can minimize the harmful effects caused by insects. It displays on screen the density of insect population, its growth and movement.
Example 3 - Field conditions measuring devices These devices help in measuring various parameters such as fertility and humidity levels of soil which aid in the determination of cultivation activities.
Example 4 - Drip irrigation
These devices control the supply of water as per the data fed. Wastage of water anddestruction of crops due to lack of water supply are minimized by the use of these devices
Example 5 - Automatic Weed remover This machine runs through the field and removes the weed
s as per instructions provided by identifying crops and weeds separately.
Example 6 - Seedlings planter using Robotics
These robotic machines are used in large fields to carry seedlings across the field and to plant them in an orderly manner.
Example 7 - Crop harvesting using Robots
Robotic machines are used to monitor plant growth levels, record them and harvesting in large scale farm lands. These machines help us overcome difficulties in managing large farm lands.
Example 8 - Greenhouse
The Greenhouse is the best solution to protect crops from natural disasters (too much sun shine, rain, heat, cold, pests, epidemics etc). ICT is used to control light, moisture and air inside the greenhouse.
Hence, farmers are able to make high quality products of rare crops to the market.
Monday, February 8, 2016
Telemedicine
The use of Information Communication Technology
to examine and or provide healthcare to a patient who is far away from the
hospital is called Telemedicine. This is made possible by remotely connecting
the patient with hospital’s specialist unit or specialist doctors. Telemedicine
has several advantages such as:
Example 1 - Emergency Telemedicine Emergency telemedicine is the process of providing emergency care by a trained person in consultation with a specialist in a hospital via telecommunication network and treating him when a patient (who lives in a remote village or flying in a plane or cruising in a ship) can not reach a hospital
Example 2 - Home health medicine
Keeping the patient at home and monitoring his/her condition using networked home monitoring system. The home monitoring of the health condition helps to decide when to transfer the patient to hospital
Example 3 - Telemedicine Consultation
Seeking medical consultation of a specialist at the Emergency Treatment Unit (ETU) when he/she is not physically available at site.
Example 4 - Telesurgery (Remote Surgery)
Remote surgery is the ability of a doctor to perform surgery on a patient in consultation with a specialist (who is not physically present at the same location but in a far away town or abroad) by the use of Telecommunication Technologies.
Example 4 - Telesurgery (Remote Surgery)
Remote surgery is the ability of a doctor to perform surgery on a patient in consultation with a specialist (who is not physically present at the same location but in a far away town or abroad) by the use of Telecommunication Technologies.
Example 5 - Medical Teletraining
Specialists’ consultation and training can be used to obtain the services of a medical professional at a remote place by the use of telecommunication technologies.
Thursday, February 4, 2016
ICT in Health Sector
Many of the difficult
processes in the medical field have become efficient with
through the use of modern equipment.
There are plenty of areas where ICT is
used in the health sector for our well being. Let us consider some of them;
1' Use
of ICT in diagnosis
Today, there are numerous high tech
machines which help us in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Diseases can
be diagnosed at the early stages and the patients can be given treatment accordingly.
Some examples of these machines are:
Example
1 - CAT - Computerized Axial Tomography Machine
Using this machine three dimensional
(3D) images of different parts of body can be made. These images are helpful in
the diagnosis of diseases.
Example 2 - MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging Machine)
This machine can create digitalized images of internal organs of the body by using strong magnetic fields and radio waves. These images are very helpful in the detection and deciding on treatment of diseases.
Example 3 - ECG - Electrocardiogram Machine
This machine is used to monitor
the heart beat. When the heart pumps blood to different parts of the body some electrical impulses are produced. This machine records the electrical impulses.
Example 4 - Cardiac Screening Machine This machine displays the physiology of the heart and it displays the movements inside the heart. Through this machine it is possible to diagnose problems of the heart such as thinning of vains and then recommend treatment.
Example 5 - EEG (Electro-encephalography)
This machine is used to record the activities of the brain. The small electrical probes attached to the head receive the electrical impulses of the brain and display them on a computer screen. This device can retrieve the data in both states where a patient is awake or asleep.
Example 6 - Blood Sugar Testing Machine This device would analyze a sa
mple of blood and determine the blood glucose level.
Example 7 - Blood Pressure Measuring Machine
This device which is worn as wrist band can measure the blood pressure of a person at rest and when he/she is involved in some physical activity.
Monday, February 1, 2016
Applications in the field of education
Days are gone when we were stuck among
piles of books in order to collect the required information. Today you have the
luxury of seeing the entire world at your own convenience, due to all the
advancements of ICT.
There
are many ways as to how ICT helps you in your education. Let us look at some of
them:
a) In
the classroom
There are many
ways the computer and the internet are used for education
in
the classroom:
Creation
of images and video
Videos
on experiments
For
presentations
Desktop publishing of
magazines, letters and documents
Educational
games (Edutainment)
Learning using the CD-ROM media
Gathering
educational information on theinternet
b) Education
- any where anytime
If you have a computer with internet
connection, you can study while at home or any other convenient place. For
this, you can use the following educational websites to do self study and
improve your knowledge.
You can contact with a teacher/trainer
via internet. This is called WBT (Web based Training). While you can do further
studies using WBT, it helps in minimizing the
difficulties of travelling and related expenses
also. At the same time, it helps save time and money.
c) Serves
as a teaching aid for the teacher
ICT
is used mostly as a teaching aid in schools.
Using pictures, animations and
audio-visuals to explane subjects that are difficul to explane
Tomakethelessonsinterestingusing precentations
To organize lessons using the computer
To Obtain the information relevent subjects
d) Learning
Management
In
many countries it has become a common practice to use a Learning Manage the
System (LMS) to manage school system or higher education system. We need an
internet connection to link with the LMS. A person has to register himself/herself
on the official website to access LMS of a school or any other education
institutions. According to the picture 1.14, teachers and students can get many
services from LMS.
Some
services provided by Learning Management System.
e) Higher
education for everyone
With the development of ICT, today a
person from any country can connect with a university or any other learning
center of his choice and pursue higher education at a considerably low cost.
This is called Online Distance Learning.
Features
of Distance Learning:
No daily time tables,
provide the facility to learn at your convenience.
