Category 21st Century Technology

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SURFACE WEB AND THE DEEP WEB?

The Surface Web contains less than 10% of the info that is on the Internet.

The Deep Web consists of websites and content that are not searchable by standard search engines such as Google If Google can find the content you are searching for, then its on the Surface Web! The Surface Web contains less than 10 per cent of the information that is on the Internet.

Most people are unaware that the Deep Webs contains benign sites. Examples are your password-protected email and bank account certain sections of paid subscription services like Netflix and sites that can be accessed only through an online form. The Deep Web is estimated to be many many times larger than the Surface Web.

Picture Credit : Google 

WHAT IS 3D PRINTING? HOW DOES THE TECHNOLOGY WORK?

Your mother wants to make a duplicate set of the house keys. That would involve a visit to the local key-maker. Wouldn’t she be relieved if you could make her a set sitting right at home? Well, that day is not too far into the future and best of all, it’s not science fiction. 3D printing is here!

Additive manufacturing

3D printing is not really new. It is a type of additive manufacturing or AD, which itself means creating an object by adding material to it layer by layer. AD is also known as stereo-lithography, 3D layering and 3D printing 3D printing can be compared to stalactites and stalagmites in limestone caves or to coral reefs. Both are built by adding material layer by layer, bit by bit, until they form a solid structure. This natural process is very slow. In 3D printing, the design is precisely engineered with computer software. The computer directs the printer on how to add the layers.

Used in diverse fields

3D printing was earlier used to build prototypes or models of objects. Now there are a variety of printers that can create products in a vast number of fields. Already available in the market are 3D printers that can roll out anything from a precision-moulded car part, a designer chocolate and a customised toy to artificial limbs, dentures and even living human tissue for building organs!

First, a 3-D model is produced on computer using CAD or computer-aided design software. CAD can also tell you how the model will work when made with the kind of material you are using. In fact, the working can be seen using virtual simulation. The second step is converting the CAD model to a format that will work with the designated printer and then transferring it to the computer that controls the printer. Just as with a normal laser or inkjet printer, you can feed in the size and orientation (landscape. portrait, etc). Each kind of printer uses different materials (printing inks/toners) to build the object-cheese or chocolate for food items and liquid polymers or other chemical binders for making inedible objects like car or aeroplane parts or dental fixtures or even live cells to produce human tissue (bioprinting). The object is layered on a tray made of material that is water-soluble. Once the object is created, this support can be easily removed!

The machine may take hours or days to complete the object and it can take more time to cool, set or cure till it is fit to handle and be used.

It’s expensive, right now

3D printers are expensive right now, ranging from $30,000 to $80,000. However, as the technology evolves, the cost is expected to come down and you may eventually be able to print a set of keys at home!

Critics of 3D printing feel that the technology may be misused to print weapons. One nervous state in the U.S. has already passed a law banning 3D plastic and metal guns, and taken down a website that showed people how to make them!

Did you know?

A family in France became the first in the world to move into a 3D printed house in July 2018. The four-bedroom house took 54 hours to print, with an additional four months for contractors to add doors, windows and the roof! The design of the house was programmed into a 3D printer which worked by printing the walls in layers from the floor upwards. The cost of construction was 20 per cent less than that of a traditionally built house.

Picture Credit : Google 

HOW TECHNOLOGY HAS CHANGED THE WAY STUDENTS LEARN TODAY?

The digital revolution has penetrated extensively across the country, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The biggest beneficiaries of the use of technology have been students.

From Wordle to Google classroom, to reels and YouTube channels the digital revolution that began in India in the 90s has penetrated extensively across the country, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Every person with a smartphone is now connected globally via the Internet and has some input (whether in the form of text. photos, videos, audios and charts) to share with the public at large.

The biggest beneficiaries of the use of technology have been the student community. Even before the pandemic most academic institutions had shifted their attention to collaborative instruction by introducing audio-visual elements. However, the forms of communication and collaboration that occurred in online teaching is something that was previously unheard of.

Easy access to information

For years, the teacher was considered the primary source of information and the learners passively received it. This model is still very much in evidence today. However, because of the access to information and educational opportunities that technology offers, the teacher now plays the role of a guide and mentor. Students these days take more responsibility for their own learning, using technology to gather relevant information. They collaborate on group projects using technology-based tools such as wikis and Google docs.

Some of the strongest technology buzzwords in recent years are distance learning, big data, machine learning and Internet of Things (IoT). Eventually, it all boils down to integrating technology into our lives, making learning easier.

Educators bring valuable knowledge to learners, both in theory and in real life. But smart educators are those who can create lessons, enabled by technology, and based on what students want to learn. For instance, eLearning is education or training delivered electronically. It can be in the form of slide-based online activities or an online course that helps a business train employees in necessary skills. This content is delivered to learners through computers, laptops, tablets or smartphones. The decision-making factor, in this scenario, encourages learners to make their own choices on what they want to study next.

New-age scenario

Video-assisted learning is another interesting trend. In this case, animated videos are used to teach lessons, making content easier to understand. Such videos reduce a teacher’s workload and are believed to improve the performance of students.

Then there is blockchain technology which is used in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and ePortfolios to verify skills and knowledge. The Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) in blockchain is beneficial when it comes to data storage. Every time new data is added, it adds another “block” to the system, so the storage is technically limitless.

From hospitals to newsrooms, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is now a ubiquitous presence. Al can automate basic activities in education, like grading. It is now possible for teachers to automate grading when it comes to multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank questions. Next comes immersive learning with VR and AR. The classroom experience has undergone a tremendous change since the introduction of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) in education. The rise in demand for experiential learning has led to a push in the development of learning with VR and AR. The former provides a constructed reality, while AR gives an enhanced view of a real image. Thus, they help explain complex concepts that plain images or even a lab’s hands-on experiments cannot do.

Learning with creativity

STEM  programmes are now STEAM, with the inclusion of Art. This new trend offers meaningful science, technology, engineering, art and math content to solve real-world problems through hands-on learning activities and creative design. It also creates a safe environment for learners to express and experience their ideas while thinking outside the box.

*STEM  programmes are designed to develop a learners skills in science, technology, engineering and maths.

Did you know

Many educational institutes have started using social media as a communication tool in which students can share study materials, discuss with others in a group, or easily comment on someone else’s post.

Picture Credit : Google