The Ways in Which IT is Used - BH

8/22/2019 The Ways in Which IT is Used - BH

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The Ways in Which IT is used


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a) communication applications(such as the Internet, electronic mail, fax, electronicconferencing and mobile telephones);

b) applications for publicityand corporate image publications (such as business cards,letterheads, flyers and brochures);

c) applications in manufacturing industries(such as robotics in manufacture and

production line control);d) applications for finance departments(suchas billing systems, stock control and payroll);

e) school management systems(including registration, records and reports);

f) booking systems(such as those in the travel industry, the theatre and cinemas);

g) applications in banking(including Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), cash machines,credit/debit cards, cheque clearing and home banking);

h) applications in medicine(including doctors' information systems, hospital and pharmacyrecords, monitoring, and expert systems for diagnosis);

i) applications in libraries(such as records of books, borrowers and issue of books);

j) the use of expert systems(for example in mineral prospecting and car engine faultdiagnosis).

k) applications in the retail industry(stock control. POS, EFTPOS, internetshopping,automatic re- ordering).

Knowledge and Understanding

SECTION 7

The ways in which IT is used work related


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Computers and Work

Examples of new jobs inthe IT industry Programmers

System Managers

Network managers

Technicians Data Processing

Systems Analysts

Network designers

Web designers

Technical authors Trainers and consultants

New Industries as a result

of computer technology

- Mobile phones- ATMs


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Retailing

When prices change,pricing labels have to be changed

by hand.

Thepriceshave to be manually enteredinto a till.

Itemized receiptshave to be hand written.

Checking the stock levelsin the shop and re-ordering

have to be done by individually counting the different

product lines

Small shops where computers are not used


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Retailing

Large shops/stores that use computers

Stock Control Bar codesdetails about the productend with check digit

Goods do not need to be individually priced

EPOSbar code scanned - price held centrally on a database

and sent back to POS terminalenables itemised receipt Re-order level- stock levels are automatically updated.

When the stock of a product gets too low, the product can be

automatically re-ordered from the warehouse and delivered

the next day. Sales Figures- Supermarket managers get instant access to

sales figures - they can see which items are selling well at

any branch in the country.


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Retailing

loyalty cardscontain customer details. Purchase details are

added

Store knows what each person buys and whenmail shots Store encourages loyalty cards with discounts

No need for cash

EFTPOS- Payment by credit/debit cards - swiped through a

reader. Money is automatically transferred from buyers

account to the supermarket's account.

Buying Patterns


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E-Commerce

Using the Internetfor e-

commerceand selling

goods and services direct to

customers is worth millions

of pounds.
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Banking Systems Process Cheques

MICRreads numbers at bottom of

cheques (transfer money from

account to account)

Salariesautomatically paid into

accounts and bills paid using direct

debits. ATMs

Allow customers to withdraw cash

and check their account details -

throughout the world. Enable customers tobuy goods

and services at retail outlets - cost

automatically debited to the

customers' accounts.

Cheque processing using MICR


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Home banking

24 hour access

Transfer paymentsfrom one account to another easily while at

home Reduces costs to banksstaff and office space

Problem of security

Salaries paiddirectly to banks


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Computers in Schools

CMIS Produce timetables

Class lists

Attendance registersuse of OMR

lead to absence lists and reportdetails

Mail merge for pupil reports

Finance software for accounts

Benefits

Less time spent reproducing the same thing

Information circulated easily

Problems

Cost of equipment

Training

Use of internet and

intranet

CAL software

Interactive boards and

projectors

Teaching and learning


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Manufacturing

Computer-aided design and

manufacturing (CAD/CAM)is

in widespread use as computer

systems are used to design and

make products.

IT in manufacturing

industries

Robotsare used in the electronics and vehicles industries. Unlike

humans, robots do not need a break. They can save on labour costs

and can work in dangerous conditions.


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Computers in the Office

E-mailsused internally Intranetdocuments produced and made available on the intranet

Presentationstraining

EDIto transfer information, invoices etc

Benefits

Paper costs

Find relevant information

quickly

Problems

Cost of equipment

Training

Security

camera and microphone

connected to computer

Multi people connected

Real time

Reduces costs

Teleconferencing


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Computers in Medicine

Sensors detecting how much a

part of a body absorbs rays

Build up an image of the body

cross sections or 3D

Allow detection and treatment of

such things as tumours

Body scanners

Patient monitoring

Sensors attached to the patient todetect changes in pulse, heart rate

blood pressure etc

Data logged over long term

Linked to alarm system if there are

changes

Organ transplants

Database of organ and patientdetails to help find matches

Patient records

Database instead of paper-based

records as patients are transferred

around the hospital

Includes personal and medical

data


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Computers in the Home

Games

Internet and e-mails

Use of major applications

PCs

Control

Burglar alarms

ACs / Central heating

Collects data from input sensors

Information sent to a processor to decide what to do Output

Embedded computers Microwaves

Video recorders

Washing machines

Remote controlled devices


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Cars and Traffic Management

DVLA Database

Data on all cars- knows when tax and MOT are duesends

reminders

Data on all driverspersonal details and penalty points;

accessed by the police

Control

Traffic lightsfixed time or vehicle activated

Speed camerasuse light sensors to measure speed

Car park managing systemscalculate how many spacesavailable

GISto plan routes


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Computers in other Industries

Weather forecasting

Use of data logging

Weather map produced by GIS

Fed into a computer model to see patterns

Estate Agents Database of houses

DTP software to produce house details

Use of digital cameras for virtual tours

Interior design and garden planners Use of 3D modelling packages


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Pressure sensor

Temperature sensor

Time sensor

9. Empty the water

10. If clothes are very dirty, Goto command 2

11. Bring water in

12. Spin the clothes to rinse them

13. ?

14. Spin dry the clothes

15. ?

1. Lock the door

2. Bring water in

3. ?4. Heat water up

5. ?

Control the Washing Machine

6. Bring in powder

7. Spin

8. ?


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How Can Computers Measure Things?

A sensorcan be connected to a computer. The computer

monitors the signal from the sensor, reacting to changes, or

records the dataat predefined time intervals.Note: If the sensor is an analogue one then an analogue-to-

digital convertor(ADC) will be required.

Where is Computer Measurement Used?

Anywhere that data needs to be gathered regularly:

Scientific experiments

experiments set-up and run with a data-logging systemmeasuring things like the temperatureof a liquid, etc.

Weather stations

placed in very remoteareas to collect data about rainfall,

temperature, wind-speed, wind-direction, etc. Data needs to

be gathered all day, every day. This data can then be used by

weather forecasters to help predict the weather Environmental monitoring

Computer-based data-logging is used to help gather evidence

of these effects: thelevel of waterin a dam, the speedof

waterflowing down a river, the amount of pollutionin the

air, etc.
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Why Use Computers to Measure Things?

Computers do not need to take breaks- they can logdata all day, every day, without stopping

Computers take much more accuratereadings than

humans can

Computers can take data readings more frequently

(1000s of times a second if necessary)

Since the logged data is already in a computer, the datacan be analysed more quickly and easily(graphs

drawn instantly, etc.)

Data logging systems can operate in difficult

environments(e.g. in the Arctic, or on top of a

mountain)

People are free to do other more useful tasks (ratherthan watching a thermometer)


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How Can Computers Control Things?

A computer control system, like any system is

made up of three parts...

1. Inputdevices called sensors feed data intothe

computer

2. The computer then processesthe input data (by

following a set of instructions)

3. As a result of the processing, the computer can

turn on or offoutputdevices called actuators.

The best way to understand how a

computer can control things is to think

about how a personcontrolssomething...

For example, how does a human

control a carwhen he/she is driving?

The person looksahead at the road to

see what is approaching, thinksaboutwhat he/she has seen, then actsupon it

(turns the steering wheel and/or

presses the pedals).

In other words the person reactsto

what is happening in the world aroundthem.

Computer-controlled systems work in

a similar waythe system detects

what is happening in the world around

it, processesthis information, and

then actsupon what it has detected.


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Sensors

Sensor What it Detects

Temperature Temperature

Light Light / dark

Pressure Pressure (e.g. someone standing on it)Moisture Dampness / dryness

Water-level How full / empty a container is

Movement Movement nearby

Proximity How close / far something is

Switchor button If something is touching / pressing it

A normal PC has no senses. We can connect sensors to it...A sensor is a device that converts

a real-world property (e.g. temperature) into data that a computer can understand


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Actuators

A normal PC has no way of affectingwhat is happening around

it. It cant turn on the lights, or make the room hotter. How do

we change what is happening around us? We use our musclesto

move things, press things, lift things, etc.

we can give a computer the ability to do lots of things by

connecting a range of actuatorsto it

An actuatoris a device, controlled by a computer, that can

affect the real-world.

Actuator What it Can Do

Light bulbor LED Creates light

Heater Increases temperatureCooling Unit Decreases temperature

Motor Spins things around

Pump Pushes water / air through pipes

Buzzer/ Bell/ Siren Creates noise


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Documents

The Ways in Which IT is Used - BH