The Intellectual Revolution Martin Heidegger says that technology is a mode of revealing:

"Technology comes to presence in the realm where revealing and

The Intellectual revolution pertains to the period of paradigm shifts or unconcealment take place, where alétheia, truth, happens." 4
changes in the scientific beliefs that have been widely embraced and Thus, technology reveals the Truth of the world, and revealing is
accepted by the people something that gives or shows itself.
The scientific revolution laid the foundations for the Age of B. Technology as Poiesis: Applicable to Modern Technology
Enlightenment, which centered on reason as the primary source of
authority and legitimacy, and emphasized the importance of the Poiesis means revealing, or bringing something into existence that
scientific method. did not exist before. This is a very useful way to look at technology
in our modern, technological world. Indeed, our world is
Copernican Revolution. Shift in the field of astronomy from a dominated and run by changes in hightech products.
geocentric understanding of the universe, centred around Earth, to a
heliocentric understanding, centred around the Sun, as articulated by Heidegger explains that the Greek word techne, from which
the Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus in the 16th century. "technology" derives, at one time also meant the "bringing-forth of
the true into the beautiful" and "the poiesis of the fine arts."
Darwinian Revolution. Charles Darwin's revolutionary theory was
that new species arise naturally, by a process of evolution. C. Questioning as the Piety of Truth

Darwin's theory consisted of two main points; 1) diverse groups of "Questioning is the piety of thought" means to question things and
animals evolve from one or a few common ancestors; 2) the interrogate them to understand new concepts. A person who
mechanism by which this evolution takes place is natural selection. doesn't raise any questions means he doesn't think because when
you think, you always have questions.
Freudian Revolution. Relates to the ideas or methods of Sigmund
Freud, especially those about how people's hidden thoughts and D. Enframing: Way of Revealing in Modern Technology
feelings influence their behavior with respect to the causes and
For Heidegger, "enframing" [Gestell in German] is using
treatment of neurotic and psychopathic states, the interpretation of
technology to turn nature into a resource for efficient use. Modern
dreams, etc.
technology, says Heidegger, lets us isolate nature and treat it as a
Science, Technology and Nation Building "standing reserve" [Bestand]—that is, a resource to be stored for
later utility.
A. Pre-colonial Period
B. Colonial Period According to Heidegger, enframing is the manner in which Being
C. Post-Colonial Period manifests itself in the age of technology. Enframing allows human
being to reveal reality as standing reserve (Bestand). In this
Read: A History of Science and Technology in the Philippines by Olivia C. Caoili
sense, technology is totalising.
Science, Technology, Society and the Human Condition

A. Technology as a Mode of Revealing

 Enframing also structures the way humans experience these What is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights? The
objects and the raw materials they manipulate. Humans, Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a milestone
machines, materials: Enframing orders all of these things as document in the history of human rights. Drafted by representatives
potential resources—a "standing reserve" of past, present, and with different legal and cultural backgrounds from all regions of the
future use. world, the Declaration was proclaimed by the United Nations General
Assembly in Paris on 10 December 1948 (General Assembly
Heidegger believes that enframing is both a "danged' and a
resolution 217 A) as a common standard of achievements for all
"saving power. It is a "danger" as humanity can be destructive with
peoples and all nations. It sets out, for the first time, fundamental
too much control over nature and lose sight of the world revealing
human rights to be universally protected and it has been translated
itself, and knowing truth.
into over 500 languages. The UDHR is widely recognized as having
E. Human Person Swallowed by Technology inspired, and paved the way for, the adoption of more than seventy
human rights treaties, applied today on a permanent basis at global
If we allow ourselves to get swallowed by modern technology, we and regional levels (all containing references to it in their preambles).
lose essence of who we are as beings in this world. -The United Nations
F. Art as a Way Out of Enframing Article No.
Art provides us with a way out of enframing by bringing us closer 1. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
to poieses and further away from techne. Art activates human They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act
sensitivity if it even exists in an individual. The use of imagination towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
and actually seeing things the way they are is part of poieses. 2. Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in
The Good Life: Nicomachean Ethics and Modern Concepts this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race,
colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion,
Nicomachean Ethics is Aristotle's best-known work on ethics, the national or social origin, property, birth or other status.
science of the good for human life, which is the goal or end at which Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the
all our actions aim. political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or
Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics and the good life: Happiness (or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent,
flourishing or living well) is a complete and sufficient good. This trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of
implies (a) that it is desired for itself, (b) that it is not desired for the sovereignty.
sake of anything else, (c) that it satisfies all desire and has no evil 3. Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.
mixed in with it, and (d) that it is stable. 4. No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the
slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.
The achievement of happiness, according to Aristotle, is the end goal 5. No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or
of every man. His reasoning is thus: All human activities are done in degrading treatment or punishment.
order to attain something that is good. We don't do something 6. Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person
because we think it will be bad for us. before the law.
7. All are equal before the law and are entitled without any
discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to
 equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this 16. (1) Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to
Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination. race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to
8. Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage,
competent nationaf tribunals for acts violating the fundamental during marriage and at its dissolution. (2) Marriage shall be
rights granted him by the constitution or by law. entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending
9. No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or spouses. (3) The family is the natural and fundamental group
exile. unit of society and is entitled to protection society and the
10. Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing State.
by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination 17. (1) Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in
of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against association with others. (2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived
him. of his property.
11. (1) Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be 18. Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and
presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or
public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others
for his defense. (2) No one shall be held guilty of any penal and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in
offence on account of any act or omission which did not teaching, practice, worship and observance.
constitute a penal offence, under national or international law, 19. Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression;
at the time when it was committed. Nor shall a heavier penalty this right includes freedom to hold opinions without
be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the interference and to seek, receive and impart information and
penal offence was committed. ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
12. No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his 20. (1) Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly
privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon and association. (2) No one may be compelled to belong to
his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the an association.
protection of the law against such interference or attacks. 21. (1) Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his
13. (1) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and country, directly or through freely chosen representatives. (2)
residence within the borders of each State. (2) Everyone has Everyone has the right to equal access to public service in his
the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return country. (3) The will of the people shall be the basis of the
to his country. authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic
14. (1) Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal
countries asylum from persecution. (2) This right may not be suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free
invoked in the case of prosecutions genuinely arising from voting procedures.
non-political crimes or from acts contrary to the purposes and 22. Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social
principles of the United Nations. security and is entitled to realization, through national effort
15. (1) Everyone has the right to a nationality. (2) No one shall be and international cooperation and in accordance with the
arbitrarily deprived of his nationality nor denied the right to organization and resources of each State, of the economic,
change his nationality. social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the
free development of his personality.
23. (1) Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of right to the protection of the moral and material interests
employment, to just and favorable conditions of work and to resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of
protection against unemployment. (2) Everyone, without any which he is the author.
discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work. (3) 28. 28. Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in
Everyone who works has the right to just and favorable which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can
remuneration ensuring for himself and his family an existence be fully realized.
worthy of human dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by 29. (1) Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the
other means of social protection. (4) Everyone has the right to free and full development of his personality is possible. (2) In
form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests. the exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone shall be
24. Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including subject only to such limitations as are determined by law solely
reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays for the purpose of securing due recognition and respect for the
with pay. rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the just
25. (1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for requirements of morality, public order and the general welfare
the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including in a democratic society. (3) These rights and freedoms may in
food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social no case be exercised contrary to the purposes and principles
services, and the right to security in the event of of the United Nations.
unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or 30. Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for
other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control. (2) any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity
Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the
assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, rights and freedoms set forth herein. 
shall enjoy the same social protection.
26. 1) Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be The History of Information Technology
free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Past and present IT
Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and
professional education shall be made generally available and An Introduction to IT
higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis In a modern context, the term 'IT' is commonly used to describe
of merit. (2) Education shall be directed to the full computers and networks within a business environment. It refers to
development of the human personality and to the their applications in: generating, manipulating, storing, regaining,
strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental transmitting, handling, exchanging, studying and securing all data or
freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and information in an electronic format. IT is also used as an umbrella
friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and term to cover: television, telecommunication equipment, software, e-
shall further the activities of the United Nations for the commerce and the internet.
maintenance of peace. (3) Parents have a prior right to choose
the kind of education that shall be given to their children. When thinking about IT you need to consider IT support within both
27. (1) Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural your personal and private life. Especially when it comes to the
life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in increasingly sophisticated level of cybercrime we see every day. This
scientific advancement and its benefits. (2) Everyone has the is so that when you are surfing the web on your computer or receiving
an email, your personal and business data is kept safe. IT support operating speeds and were eventually succeeded by faster all electric
also covers technical problems you may come across, ensuing you machines, such as the first fully automatic 1941 Z3, also created by
are using the most up to date software and finding the best tools Zuse. Colossus, a set of computers created between 1943 — 1945,
possible to effectively complete tasks. are widely recognized as the world's first programmable electronic
digital computers. Popularized by its use during World War Il
Humanity has been manipulating, storing, and communicating
Colossus were used in intercepting and deciphering encrypted
information since the early Sumerians pioneered the written word in
German communications from the Enigma machine. English computer
ancient Mesopotamia, circa 3000 BC. The term IT did not appear until
scientist, mathematician, and theoretical biologist Alan Turing
the mid-20th century however when an influx of early office
conceptualized modern computers in his 1936 seminal paper 'On
technology appeared. The term was first published in the 1958
Computable Numbers', whereby programmable instructions are
Harvard Business Review when authors Harold J. Leavitt and Thomas
stored in the memory of a machine.
C. Whisler said "the new technology does not yet have a single
established name. We shall call it Information Technology." Another early programmable computer was the Manchester Mark 1
developed by the Victoria University of Manchester. Frederic C.
Timeline of important IT milestones Williams, Tom Kilburn, and Geoff Tootill began working on the
Although this section could go as far back as 2400 BC with the machine in August of 1948, but the first operational version of the
production of the first known calculator (abacus) in Babylonia, it will computer was not available for use until 1949. The Manchester Mark
focus on the information technology boom in recent centuries. 1 caused controversy when British media outlets referred to it as an
electronic brain, which provoked a long-running debate with the
The first mechanical computer device was conceptualized and department of Neurosurgery at Manchester University. They asked
invented by English mechanical engineer and polymath Charles whether an electronic computer could ever be truly creative. It was
Babbage in the early 19th century. Called the 'Difference Engine,' it not until 1951 when electrical engineering company Ferranti
was originally created to aid in navigational calculations. Often International plc created the Ferranti Mark 1; that the world's first
referred to as the 'Father of the Computer', Babbage came up with the general-purpose computer was commercially available. Also called
more general 'Analytical Engine' in 1833 which could be used in fields the Manchester Electronic Computer, the Ferranti Mark 1 was first
other than navigation. Funding constraints meant that Babbage died utilized by the Victoria University of Manchester.
without seeing his machine completed, however his son Henry
completed a much simpler version of the machine in 1888, which was
successfully demonstrated to the public in 1906. The first computer used in processing commercial business
Early computers were not developed until the mid-1900s, when a applications was developed by the Lyons Tea Corporation to increase
more compact analogue electromechanical computer, that used business output in 1951 — Leo I.
trigonometry, was installed on a submarine to solve a problem with A brief timeline of some other important events is listed below:
firing torpedoes at moving targets.
1835 – Morse Code invented by Samuel Morse
The Z2, the first electromechanical digital computer, invented by
Engineer Konrad Zuse in 1939, used electric switches to drive, and 1838 – Electric Telegraph invented by Charles Wheatstone and
relays to perform calculations. Devices like the Z2 had very low Samuel Morse
1843 – Typewriter invented by Charles Thurber 1967 – Hypertext software invented by Andries Van Dam and Ted
Nelson
1877 – Microphone invented by Emile Berliner
1971 – E-mail invented by Ray Tomlinson
1888 – Hertz produces radio waves
- Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) invented by James Fergason
1893 – Wireless communication invented by Nikola Tesla
- Floppy Disk invented by David Noble
1895 – Radio signals invented by Guglielmo Marconi - First commercially available microprocessor, the Intel 4004 is
invented 1972 — The first video game console designed for
1898 – Remote control invented by Nikola Tesla use on TV's is invented — the Magnavox Odyssey
1907 – Radio amplifier invented by Lee DeForest 1973 – Ethernet invented by Bob Metcalfe and David Boggs
1919 – James Smathers develops the first electric typewriter - Personal computer invented by Xerox
1923 – Electronic Television invented by Philo Farnsworth 1933 - FM 1976 –The inkjet digital printer is invented by Hewlett-Packard
radio is patented by inventor Edwin H. Armstrong
1982 – WHOIS (pronounced who is) is released as one of the earliest
1937 – Alan Turing conceptualizes the computing machine domain search engines
1948 – One of the first programmable computers, the Manchester 1984 – The first laptop computer enters the commercial market
Mark 1 designed by Frederic C. Williams, Tom Kilburn, and Geoff
Tootill 1989 – World Wide Web (the internet) invented by Sir Tim-Berners
Lee
1951 – MIT's Whirlwind becomes the first computer in the world to
allow users to input commands with a keyboard 1990 – A student at McGill University in Montreal develops the first
search engine named Archie
1956 – Optical fibre invented by Basil Hirschowitz, C. Wilbur Peters,
and Lawrence E. Curtis 1992 – Complete I.T. Founded

- The hard disk drive invented by IBM 1993 – Benny Landau unveils the E-Print 1000 as the world's first
digital colour printing press
1958 – Silicon Chip: the first integrated circuit is produced by Jack
Kilby and Robert Noyce - Xerox 914 is released as the first successful commercial plain
paper copier 1996 — The Nokia 9000 Communicator is
1959 – The first photocopier, the Xerox Machine enters the consumer released in Finland as the first internet enabled mobile device
market
1998 – Google established
1961 – Optical disc invented by David Paul Gregg
- PayPal is launched, enabling large scale payment via the
1963 – Computer mouse invented by Douglas Engelbart internet
- Cloud computing invented by Joseph Carl Robnett Licklider 2000 – Microsoft develop the first tablet computer
2001 – Digital Satellite Radio - Mobile devices overtake wired devices as a means of using
the internet
- Apple releases the iPod
2017 – 10 nanometre chips enter service
2003 – WordPress, an open source website content management
system is launched by Mike Little and Matt Mullenweg — Linkedln is Implications of IT in the workplace
established
No matter the size of a company, IT systems have had tangible and
2004 – Emergence of Web 2.0 — Humans move away from intangible applications and implications across all areas of a
consumers of internet material to active participation business' operations. Company communications, efficiency,
mobility, culture have all been affected by the introduction of
- Facebook established by Mark Zuckerberg
information technology.
2005 – USB Flashdrives replace floppy disks
Businesses will either have an internal support team or outsource
- Google Analytics established their IT to a Managed Support Provider to manage their IT, ensuring
- YouTube is launched as a video platform they are working effectively and fixing any problems that may arise.

2006 – Twitter is launched to the public

2007 – Apple Inc. debuts the iPhone Communication

- Amazon releases the Kindle, marking a new era in reading Employees are no longer limited to inter-office written mail or phone
and book technology calls. Electronic mail (e-mail) allows for the instant communication of
information without interrupting the recipient. Modern digital
2009 – Bitcoin is developed by unknown programmers under the communication tools such as e-mail also allow for quick and clear
name of Satoshi Nakamoto communication with customers and clients, a particularly useful
2010 – Apple debuts the iPad commodity in a world where people now want things instantly. Tools
such as websites also allow customers to interact with a business out
- The beginning of responsive website design of usual office opening hours, offering a place to provide feedback,
2011 – 22 nanometre computer chips enter mass production testimonials, or to order products and services. Additionally, live chat
services allow instant messages to be sent between co-workers,
2012 – Quad-core smartphones and tablets are releases, offering businesses and consumers.
faster processing power
Efficiency
2014 – 14 nanometre computer chips are released

- The market for smart watches reaches 5 million

2015 – Apple releases the Apple Watch

2016 – Supercomputers reach 100 petaflops

Information technology increases workflow efficiency. By utilizing other members of staff to send them work, as work can be shared
technology such as email and faster hardware such as laptops and instantly using modern IT systems, removing inter-staff hostilities,
tablets, businesses save time and increase productivity. Digital filing reducing inefficiencies and frustrations.
conserves office space and reduces annual paper and print costs,
What did people think future IT would look like when computers
with any alterations able to be made immediately, at the click of a
were first introduced
button. By connecting afi of these systems together, working life is
made easier, quicker, and more efficient, saving time and money. Since the introduction of digital tools, the pace of work and life has
irreversibly changed. When these first computers were introduced,
Microsoft 365 is an integrated solution, bringing together the best-in-
many futurists believed that the human workforce would drop to 2%.
class productivity of Microsoft 365 Business Standard (formerly Office
They believed that humanity would return to the Ancient Greek
365) with advanced security and device management capabilities.
Hellenic concept of leisure, whereby slaves did the hard work and the
Using Microsoft Teams within 365 as an example, it allows your team
Greeks focused on challenging their minds, in the modern version of
to communicate and collaborate in real-time, from anywhere at any
the concept machines would do the work.
time and on any device.
Other scientists thought that the coming of the millennium in 2000
Mobility
would change everybody's lives forever. The belief was that the
The original computers of decades past required whole teams of computers everyone had grown dependant on would malfunction,
people to operate them simultaneously, making them costly and taking humanity back to a time without electricity. These predictions
completely immobile. Information technology today can be transported added to a growing 'computerphobia' that formed in the 1980's when
at will due to a drastic reduction in the size of devices. They can also personal computers became mainstay household items. People
be operated by one person. This increases productivity by allowing believed they could and would be replaced by machines, or damage a
staff to work from any location, away from office distractions. The computer's internal mechanisms by touching it.
ability to work anywhere can attract employees to a company by
What are modern computer systems like now?
reducing travel costs. Aside from the mobility benefits to employees,
a business can directly profit from the movement brought about by IT. Computer systems today are vastly different to their predecessors.
An organization can establish a global presence very easily and at a Devices of the past used to fill entire rooms and required whole teams
fraction of the cost by ascertaining small offices in several countries to operate them because of their size. The first personal computers
and keeping them connected by storing data in the Cloud. They can were not so different, usually taking up entire desks and not leaving
also utilize modern functions such as video conferencing to enable much room for anything else. Machines today are much more
staff to communicate as if they were in the same room. IT enables for compact, and lighter. Devices like tablets and smartphones are small
growth and expansion, quickly, and brings even more benefits. enough to hold in your hand, making them much easier to transport.
The storage capabilities of these devices is massively increasing
Culture
whilst the devices themselves are decreasing in size, making them a
IT can vastly improve company culture. If file sharing technology is lot more useful in both business and personal environments.
utilized then employees can work collaboratively, get to know each
The first personal computers were made of heavy metals and dense
other and improve the general feel of a business, from anywhere
plastics such as Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) which were
around the world. Additionally, employees do not have to wait for
susceptible to damage and could not be moved easily. Because of
increasing calls for recyclable materials to combat climate change Internal components are also getting smaller (in accordance with
today, computing devices are being created with materials that are Moore's Law), which therefore makes the devices smaller and more
lightweight and sturdier, making them easier to transport. lightweight, some of which can fit into a pocket or onto a wrist.

When computers first appeared, their functions were quite limited, Furthermore, whilst devices have gotten smaller, their storage
only really being able to perform basic computational tasks such as capacity has gotten much bigger. In the past 20 years, hard drives
typing text and saving data. When personal computers arrived in the have been continuously innovated, transforming them from disks that
late 20th century, they were more capable than their predecessors, measures 52 feet that held 5mb (5,000,000 bytes) of data, to 3.5
but lacked the conveniences of devices today. Modern computers inches in size and capable of storing one terabyte
also have a wide array of uses, and the inter-connectivity of devices (11000,000,000,000) of information
brings a modern convenience that computer users prior did not have.
Other scientists thought that the coming of the millennium in 2000
The functions of a computer are no longer seen as limited and would change everybody's lives forever. The belief was that the
instead, they are high tech and effective productivity tools, such as computers everyone had grown dependant on would malfunction,
using Microsoft Office 365 an integrated solution, bringing together taking humanity back to a time without electricity. These predictions
the best-in-class productivity of Microsoft 365 Business Standard added to a growing 'computerphobia' that formed in the 1980's when
(formerly Office 365) with advanced security and device personal computers became mainstay household items. People
management capabilities. believed they could and would be replaced by machines, or damage a
computer's internal mechanisms by touching it.
How do modern systems compare to their predecessors?
Mobility
The pace of technology growth in recent years is staggering.
Businessman and co-founder of the Intel Corporation, Gordon Moore Because devices today are shrinking in size and the technology that
theorized the rate at which internal computer mechanisms would grow drives their components is becoming more advanced, they are
in capability. Named 'Moore's Law, he predicted that the number of growing more mobile. In 2016 mobile browsing overtook desktop
transistors in any given computer circuit would double every two browsing for the first time ever in history. Personal machines in the
years, meaning that tomorrow’s computers could outdate current past had very little charge time, so required hefty battery packs to be
technology in just two years! carried around with them, just to keep them running. Today's
computers are capable of being charged for an hour by a small and
Modern devices are better than their predecessors in every way,
easily transportable charger, and can sustain function for an entire
including size, weight, mobility, input and output, capacity, and
day. This increase in mobility has allowed such devices to be used
functionality.
anywhere in the world, whereas previous devices tied the user to a
Size and Weight single location.

As previously mentioned, the first computers, such as the Electronic Input/Output

Delay Storage Automatic Calculator, which was used to solve
Early personal computers had very little to no input or output ports,
differential biology equations, filled an entire room. Modern computers
they were only really compatible with the floppy disk (an early form of
are made with lightweight polycarbonates and synthetic plastics, and
storage media), keyboard and printer.
it is rare to find computers today that are made with mostly metal.
Machines today can work in conjunction with many different pieces of Some of the basic functionalities are:
equipment, including:
 Robots have mechanical structure and design to complete
 Graphics Tablets tasks
 Cameras  Robots have electrical parts to power and control various
 Video Capture Hardware actuations Robots have minor computer programs integrated
 Trackballs which ensures proper functionality
 Barcode Readers The main aim behind creating robots is to ease the work load on
 Joysticks people. Through programming, robots can perform tasks such as
 Microphone moving, picking, packaging, perceiving, modifying objects etc. By this,
 MIDI keyboards robots can ease manpower from mundane and repetitive tasks.
 Mouse
What is the major application of robotics?
 Webcams
 Touchpads  Industries – Robots can do various tasks such as handling
 Headphones material, cutting, welding, colour coating, drilling, polishing,
 Universal Serial Bus (USB) packaging etc.
 Military – Autonomous robots can be used in war zones
Functionality
where infantry cannot operate. They can also be used to
The performance and speed of computation can be measured in detect and defuse bombs.
Million Instructions per Second (MIPS). The first personal computer  Medicine – Robots can not only perform multiple medical tests
produced in the US in 1951, the UNIVAC l, could perform tasks at at the same time, but they can also be directed to perform
0.002 MIPS, whilst a prototype processor today, the Intel Polaris, is complicated surgeries such as removal of brain tumors,
able to work at 1 MIPS. Additionally, the first computers invented were without any doubt of mistake because they work on ingrained
only capable of doing tasks that were input by human operators, instructions.
today's devices are completely programmable and store vast amounts  Space or Underwater exploration – Robots are already in
of instructions on the hard drive, freeing the computer to perform use for exploring places in space or underwater that is both
vastly different functions. dangerous and inaccessible to humans.
 Entertainment – Today robots are being effectively used to
Robotics vs Artificial Intelligence
create animated movies, operate cameras, carryout
What is robotics? mechatronics actions etc.

Robotics is a technology that deals with the design and So, what is Artificial Intelligence?
implementation of robots. Robots are programmable machines that
The father of Artificial Intelligence, John McCarthy, says, "Al is the
can perform actions independently or semi-autonomously. So, a
science and engineering of making intelligent machines, especially
designed, built and programmed robot can function upon receiving
intelligent computer programs". Artificial Intelligence (Al) is a sub
commands or actuate on its own using inbuilt memory.
section of computer science that deals with the development of
programs that perform actions similar to human intelligence. Al is etc., where the computer has to think of all the possible ways
developed with extensive studies of psychology, mathematics, to challenge the players
philosophy, sociology, neuron science, computer science, and  Basic Language Processing — Interactive computers that can
biology. understand the basic language spoken by humans and
function accordingly
The main aim behind creating Artificial intelligence is to create expert
 Aid Systems — Systems with software to provide aid, advice
systems that can act as aid to humans, and to enable machines to
and suggestions to the users in need
function with human like intelligence.
 Vision Systems - These systems have to decipher, analyze
Without Al, a program can only answer some pre-set questions. and interpret visual inputs. For example —
Modifications can only be done by making changes in the system and o Drones used in mapping of areas
structure of the overall program. o Doctors using medical aid systems to perform
Whereas with Al, a program can answer commonly asked questions diagnosis
about any problem, as it adapts and learns on its own. So, any o Military intelligence using software to identify criminal
modification that needs to be done is easier to implement without and terrorists through sketches
having any overall effect on the program.  Speech Recognition — Some intelligent programs can identify
languages, dialects, sentences or words spoken around and
The main functional areas of Al are: can process the accents as well
 Expert systems — to process the digital world efficiently  Handwriting Recognition — Some programs can read
handwritings and decipher even cursive or crooked letters and
 Natural language processing — for social skills and aid
then process it to convert it to common text
 Robotics — to create advanced, artificially intelligent, human-
like robots What is the basic difference between robotics and artificial
 Fuzzy logic systems — for observation and implementation, intelligence?
consumer aid, logical reasoning
In short, a robot is a machine which may or may not require
 Some functions that an Artificial Intelligence program needs to
intelligence to perform specific tasks and has a physical form.
perform are — learn, perceive, understand languages, solve
problems, and have logical reasoning. It also has complex Whereas an Al is a program so it doesn't need to be physical.
programs like language detection, speech detection, face
detection, etc. Al can function in cell phones, laptops, robots even, and performs
tasks which are most likely related to systems, algorithm and
 Almost all the smart phones and laptops these days have Al
information — analyzing and computing a certain result.
programs. Classic examples are Google Assistant, Siri,
Cortana, Alexa etc. There is one type of robot that is immobile and doesn't have a body,
 And you might be reading this article with the help of an Al such as the popular chatbots, that function inside programs. Some
people may argue that these cannot classify as robots because robots
Major applications of Al:
need to be physical and function accordingly.
 Gaming — Artificial Intelligence plays an important role in
So, could these chat bots classify as Artificial Intelligence?
strategic and stimulating games like chess, poker, tic-tac-toe,
Yes, because these chat bots do use Al to function effectively and An added benefit of using Artificial Intelligence in robotics is computer
has the ability to learn and execute tasks on their own. vision. Computer vision is an innovation under Al that gives the robot
a vision. Computer vision plays an important role in aspects of
Even the assistant that you are seeing in this window is a classic
security, health, aid, entertainment etc.
example of Al integrated Chabot. You can simply ask any question to
the bot and get a spontaneous and relevant reply immediately. And It can independently identify, analyze and understand important
this bot can process millions of such queries at the same time without information from one or many images and thus enables visual
pulling a single muscle. comprehension.

Super awesome right? Some tasks that it can perform are:

So, one can summarize it as — Artificial Intelligence exists inside  Detect, interpret and convert handwritten or scanned text into
systems, in software and robots need to have a body and perform workable text using optical character recognition
physical tasks.  Facial detection and recognition, identifying various human
expressions that add to sorted information and learning
What is artificial intelligence integrated robots?
 Object recognition that can help register data, along with the
Artificially Intelligent robots are the merge of Artificial Intelligence and estimate of the distance between the object and the robot, or
robotics, where Artificial Intelligence programs are embedded onto human.
Robot systems. Artificial Intelligence plays a key role in making robots
intelligent. Domains that computer vision can help with are — Agriculture,
Industries, Face recognition, Forensics, Security, Pollution Monitoring,
Artificial Intelligence questions the knowledge required in various Robotics, Transport, Gesture detection, Automatic Vehicles, Medical
forms of thinking. From how the knowledge should be represented to aid and detection.
how it should be used. On the other hand, Robotics brings artificial
intelligence into the real world and deal with objects in real time. Realizing the importance of computer vision technology, we at Skyfi
Labs had launched some project-based courses on it to help you get
Certain methods and processes developed for solving cognitive skilled. These courses are designed to make you learn the concept of
issues don't always merge Al and robotics. While robotics deals with computer vision by developing innovative working projects.
mechanical components such as computers, effectors and sensors;
Artificial intelligence contributes to the reasoning and perception of it. What are the applications of artificial intelligence on robotics?

So, together, Robotics and Al can create new problem-solving With the help of Artificial Intelligence, robots are able to perform tasks
methods and function effectively, complementing each other. better with multiple sensors and information processors. Adding
computer vision, speech detection, locomotion and data
Robots usually have preset programs where they are programmed to understanding makes Artificial Intelligent robots more efficient than we
do a certain set of tasks with some limitations. But a programmed can ever imagine.
artificially intelligent robot can do tasks like perceiving and analyzing
objects spontaneously. And even software robots like web crawlers Artificially Intelligent Robots are also capable of performing tasks on
can search the entire Internet in no time and de-clutter data. human commands. They are equipped with sensors to detect physical
information like temperature, sound, light, movement etc. They have
expert processors to use these modules effectively. They are also health and lives of people, as well as the society and environment.
adaptable and have self-learning skills. Bioethics is a portmanteau of the words "bio" and " ethics".

Artificial Intelligence help robots to not only grasp information using Because of that, this discipline is concerned about the determination
sensors from their surroundings but also convert that information to an of the rightness or wrongness of the discoveries and developed
application when assigned a task. It also makes the robot to store the technologies in science, as well as the incorporation of human rights
information for later use, perceive and learn from it. Artificial and values to health and life.
intelligence also enhances the robot's decision-making skills.
The following topics are the most common scientific topics and
Two types of artificial intelligence are compatible with robotics. First is advancements that seem to have gotten the attention of bioethics
the software intelligence (provided by microprocessors, supporters, media, and the general public.
microcontrollers) that controls the hardware to carry out various
1. Abortion
actuations and make decisions. The program further teams and
adapts with experience. It refers to the premature ending of a pregnancy which occurred in
itself (known as miscarriage or spontaneous abortion) or by force
The second type is hardware intelligence where the robot is allowed
through surgery or taking medications. The topic of abortion raises
to imitate how humans process information through learning circuits.
intense personal issues about many topics such as morals, religion,
What are the advantages of integrating artificial intelligence on sexuality, autonomy, politics, and science and medicine.
robotics?
During the abortion, the central question is focused whether or not
 The major advantages of artificially intelligent robots are social unborn children (called fetuses) have moral status and significance.
care. They can guide people, especially come to aid for elderly Aside from that, questions regarding parental responsibilities and
people, with chatbot like social skills and advanced obligations as well as the issue of personhood arise.
processors.
Although abortion has long been debated in almost all issues in
 Agricultural Al bots help farmers to ease their work load
bioethics, there is still no moral consensus achieved.
 Military bots can spy through speech and vision detectors,
along with saving lives by replacing infantry 2. The next bioethical issue in our list is Surrogacy. Surrogacy refers
 They can also be used for exploration in places where humans to the process of assisting the reproduction of parents who are
can be harmed. Like volcanoes, deep oceans, or extremely incapable of doing so (e.g.: same-sex couples, single men, single
cold conditions, or even in space. women or man/wife). Most of the time, surrogacy is carried out by
 They can also perform complex surgeries that have a higher women (known as gestational women or gestational surrogate) who
risk of mistake by humans, but with a pre-set of instructions carries the child in their womb.
along with added intelligence. Al integrated robotics could The bioethical concern here is the confusion in the identity of the
reduce the number of casualties greatly.  child, whether or not his biological parents are considered his "true"
Top 15 Bioethical Issues in Biological Advancements parents.

Bioethical Issues: Bioethics refers to the study and evaluation of the 3. Whole Genome Diagnosis
decisions done in scientific research and medicine to touch upon the
Advancements in technology are now able to allow researchers and While stem cell research canalleviate human diseases and suffering,
physicians to view and have access to the whole genome of a the creation of stem cell lines may lead to the uncontrolled
newborn. Such screening is used to determine the individual's commodification of cells and life.
chances of acquiring and developing certain diseases.
6. Eugenics
However, this process seems to draw criticisms primarily because of
In philosophy, eugenics refers to the social movement that believes
the lack of consent from the individual (a.k.a. the newborn).
on the possibility of creating the best human society and race by
4. Cloning promoting the reproduction of populations with positive or desirable
traits while controlling and prohibiting the reproduction of populations
Cloning refers to the process of creating a new population of
with negative or undesirable traits.
genetically-similar and identical naturally occurring organisms. The
usual targets for cloning include bacteria, plants, and animals. Eugenics became very popular when Adolf Hitler ordered the killing of
disabled and medically unfit people as well as the murdering of the
In particular, the bioethical issues regarding cloning focus on the fact
Jews.
that humans become the subject of such experiments.
Because of the advancement of science and technology, many people
The moral status of the cloned organism, created mainly for
fear that another era where the principle of genetics will prevail.
destruction and as a source for organs, has become the primary
Ethical issues about eugenics are concerned with the moral principle
concern in bioethics. Issues such as health risks to both mother and
associated with racial equality and the subjective belief on perfection.
child, damage to the clone, very low success rates even if there are a
lot of trials and samples, psychological effect to the clone, and 7. GMOs
commodification and commercialization of life itself. Refer to pros and
GMOs, or genetically modified organisms, are organisms that have
cons of cloning.
been transplanted with a gene or a DNA sequence of interest from
5. Stem Cells another organism. This process is somewhat similar to the process of
eugenics wherein an organism with the best traits is produced.
In biology, stems cells are a type of undifferentiated (not mature and
undeveloped) cells that can divide and differentiate into specialized However, unlike eugenics, the process of creating GMOs requires
cells. works on the genetic level and is usually done in crops and animals.

The bioethical issue concerning stem cells is pretty much like the While the production and use and creation of genetically modified
issues with cloning. organism are still new, with its long-term impacts on health are still yet
to be seen, bioethical issues about it are the same with cloning, stem
Respect for life per se requires that people show respect to all of its
cell research, and eugenics.
forms. Supporters of bioethics believe that stem cell research violates
this notion because the source organism (usually an embryo) is 8. Healthcare
destroyed during the process.
As alluded to earlier, several technological advancements have paved
the way for the improvement in health care.
Aside from that, issues regarding the allocation of funds, decision- stem cell research, organ donation has raised numerous moral,
maker and recipient of the benefit, cost-efficiency, and measurement societal, and ethical concerns about the use of living people as
of success are ethical concerns. Aside from that, many people believe donors.
that health care may only promote health inequality.
The first bioethical issue on organ donation is that there is a big
9. Aged Care shortage of organs for those who need. There are thousands of
people on the waiting list to receive the organ transplants either from
A portion of the world's population is composed of elderly citizens,
living or deceased. Check out United Network for Organ Sharing
and naturally, they become the priority for funding and public policy
(UNOS) for the updated waiting list, statistics around how many
through the establishments of aged care and other accommodation
people are being added to the list per minute, how many people are
services.
getting the transplant and how many people die every day during the
However, similar to health care, these policies raise concerns about transplant surgeries & more.
who should provide support for the elderly and what should be their
The next bioethical issue on this matter is equal access of organs
standards of living.
(aka distributive justice theory) to those who need by the length of
In addition to that, questions about balance, freedom, and safety are waiting time and by their age. According to this theory, the patients
also being asked. who wait for transplant could not move up the waiting list if their poor
lifestyle caused the damage to organs (like smoking or substance
10. Euthanasia abuse) over patients who have no control on their diseases.
Literally meaning "good death", euthanasia is the process of intending Another biggest ethical issue is that as there is a big demand for
to end the life an individual tostop his or her pain and suffering. organ transplants, there is a fear of illegal organ stealing from livings
Euthanasia is also loosely called as a mercy-killing, assisted suicide, (human trafficking) without their consent to create organ farming to
or doctor-assisted suicide. sell body parts for big prices.
While some people believe that euthanasia is just a matter of ending a 12. Head Transplant
life painlessly, many people (especially those who support bioethics)
believe the otherwise. Absurd as it may sound, experiments about the transplantation of an
organism's head to another are being done. In fact, during the 1970s,
In many countries around the globe, the practice of euthanasia is the first ever head transplant in monkeys have occurred successfully
illegal, regardless of the circumstances. (the recipient only lived for ten days).
Euthanasia challenges the belief that is concerned with the sanctity While such application on humans is still being studied, serious health
and equality of all life forms. Euthanasia is believed to corrupt the and bioethical concerns are associated with it. Questions like the
practice of medicine as well as undermine the value of suicide reaction of the brain to the new body, as well as the memory and
prevention. individual identity are of concerns.
11. Organ Donation 13. Cryonics
Despite being almost common, the practice of donating or receiving
an organ seem to give rise to ethical issues. Similar to cloning and
Cryonics refers the scientific method of freezing a newly-dead Sound is technically just a vibration of particles. Most people generally
individual to reanimate or bring him to life at a later period. Because think of vibrations in the air when they think of sound, but sound can
this process involves the reversing the process of death, several also travel through solids and liquids. Therefore, flesh and bone can
bioethical issues were raised against it. function as a speaker, because particles in a solid can vibrate too. In
fact, solids transmit sound faster than air and water, because the
One of the main problems about cryonics is immortality. While
particles in a solid are the most tightly packed together. This makes
immortality is believed by some to be beneficial, supporters of
solids the best conductors of sound, followed by water, then air, which
bioethics believe that this idea should not prevail given that the planet
have looser particle configurations.
is already under the crisis of unsustainable population and limited
resources. This may seem counterintuitive, as listeners generally experience
distortions in sound when trying to hear something through a liquid or
14. Bone Conduction Technology
solid. If a listener is underwater, someone speaking above the surface
It involves the replacement of an individual's ear bones to transducers would sound garbled. If loud music is playing next door, the listener
that can transmit sounds. generally perceives it as muffled. These distortions occur not because
liquid and solid are worse sound conductors, but because in both
Despite being promising, the problem with this technology is that it examples, the sound is first passing through air, then into the other
basically can transform an individual into a billboard with countless medium.
advertisement. In this case, the consent of the individual is not a
concern. Bonephones are designed to account for this fact. Most models have
a strap that wraps around the back of the user's head, securing
Bone conduction headphones — sometimes called 'bonephones'— vibration-generating pads against the skin just above each ear. The
are headphones that transmit sound waves through the bones in a pads curl over the top of the ear slightly to help hold the device in
user's skull instead of their ear canal. When in use, the bones in a place on the user's head. Securing these pads against the user's skin
user's skull will vibrate to amplify the sound waves, allowing users to minimizes sound distortions because the sound travels directly from
listen to device audio, while keeping their ears free. This benefits the pads through the skull in one straight shot, without air in, between.
people with a hearing disability, or who need to use their ears for
staying aware of their surroundings. Uses

How bone conduction headphones work? In general, bonephones are used to allow individuals to listen to audio
privately and while on the move, just like regular headphones.
Bonephones use a method called bone conduction audio technology. However, bonephones are different because they bypass the outer
In this method, a transducer converts audio data to vibrations, which and middle ear entirely. They also have a unique design that lends
travel along the user's bone structure to the cochlea, an inner ear itself to physical activity, unlike most basic headphones. For these
structure that transmits the information along the auditory nerve as a reasons, they may be preferred over regular headphones by:
signal to the brain. In effect, the user's skull is the device's speaker.
This is contrasted against normal headphones, which emit vibrations  gym-goers and other physically active people who need
through speakers placed in or on top of the outer ear. headphones designed to stay on their head while exercising;
 joggers or bikers who want to keep their ears open for
approaching traffic or people trying to say something to them;
  users who listen to audio in a social environment and need to Many users agree that the sound quality in bonephones is worse than
be at least partially attuned to what peers or announcements regular headphones. Specifically, users report that they are generally
are saying; quieter and have weaker bass frequencies.
 users with impaired hearing, whose use of standard
There are also downsides to the physical design. Some users note
headphones may be physically obstructed by assistive
that playing music at higher volumes causes an unpleasant or strange
technology; and
vibrating sensation in their face. This design also causes a certain
 users with impaired hearing who would likely experience better amount of sound leakage, which may be a problem for those who
sound quality through bone conduction than through damaged want to listen to something privately or listen to something in a quiet
ears. setting without disturbing anyone. Other users complain about the fit
Advantages of the headphones, which, depending on the user and model, can be
uncomfortable.
The central advantage of bonephones is that they don't use the ears.
For many users, this is beneficial because they can use their Bone conduction headphones are also significantly more expensive
headphones while remaining attuned to the outside world. than run-of-the-mill earbuds. In 2020, basic Apple earbuds cost
approximately $30, whereas some popular bone conduction models
Bypassing the ears makes bonephones especially beneficial for are priced at $130. For this price, users could buy normal headphones
hearing-impaired users as well because it enables them to listen to with far better sound quality than several bone conducting models.
audio with more clarity than they were previously able to through There are some very cheap bonephones available, but the majority
standard earbuds. For example, a listener who is deaf in one ear are much pricier than the alternative.
would be able to hear audio in stereo through bonephones.
Additionally, if the listener has a hearing aid, they can leave it in while Although the concept of using bones as an amplifier seems futuristic,
still listening to music through bone conducting headphones. the idea has been around for centuries. The classical music composer
Beethoven used bone conduction to help him continue writing music
Bonephones also eliminate the risk of hearing damage that comes after going deaf. He would put one end of a rod in his mouth and the
with listening to audio too loud through standard headphones. The other end against the piano, sending the vibrations through the rod
eardrum is much more fragile than the flesh and bone that into his skull, allowing him to "hear" the music he was playing. Some
bonephones act on. animals are also able to communicate through bone vibrations.
Their thin and secure design also makes them appealing to physically 15. Artificial Exoskeleton
active users. One bonephones manufacturer -- AfierShokz -- originally
designed bonephones for use in the military. Some bone conduction Last but not the least bioethical issue is the development of an
headphones also have memory, and users can upload songs directly artificial skeleton for the elderly to improve their strength and help
to them. This may be another selling point for especially active users. them move. This artificial skeleton can give them the ability to walk,
run, bend like someone who is younger than them.
Disadvantages
The bioethical concern with this is the possible abuse that the elderly
Despite the novelty and select usefulness of bonephones, they have may experience when they are forced to work longer before and even
been met by consumers with mixed responses. after retirement age.