Impact of Technology on Everyday Lives
Over the past three decades, technology has become part of the daily lives of individuals to the point that it has taken over the lives of populations of people around the world. If anyone took a moment at any time during the day, all they could see is the computers, video monitoring and gadgets. It is no doubt that tech and gadgets surround the world today. There are many examples of how technology has transformed every aspect of life in the current world. Some of the effects are good while others are negative. Some of the harmful effects of the use of technology are that it has made people lazy for instance in the use of smartphones. With smartphones, the whole world is at fingertips, and people do not have to work or even move around as they did previously to get things done. Other negative effects of technology are; increased unemployment, lack of social bond among individuals and is a threat to human health. However, there is no doubt that technology has had vast positive effects on various aspects of life among which are communication, transport, trade and industry, education, and medicine. Tech has over time made all these aspects simpler and less complicated when compared to the old days when everything was manual. There is a long list of the good side of technology on the current face of the world. Technology will, therefore, have no harm on the future of the world.
Impact of Technology on Healthcare
Technology has had vast impacts on healthcare and accounts for the decline in the rate of preventable deaths with a general improvement in patient well-being. An article by the American Institute Of Medical Sciences And Education “, The Befits of Technology in Healthcare: Patient Care and Economic Boom,” states that “wearable gadgets could result in a significant drop in the number of people hospitalized annually”. More and more useful gadgets enter the everyday lives of people around the world today. There are advancements in smartphones, tablets and various similar devices that already provide the world access to numerous apps that help in monitoring their health. With medical information easily available from a wide range of sources, patients in the modern world and the future are keen on the changes in medical technology. There is a higher demand for dedicated and more accurate health tracking devices that has over time opened up a specialized niche in wearables. This technology comes in the form of accessories or clothing while incorporating various practical features and functions. For instance, there are affordable advanced wearables in the market that monitor the vital signs or any other complications like those related to heart failure, diabetes, UTI and breathing problems. With such advancements, the world is more likely to develop solutions to the most threatening conditions like cancer through earlier detection in the future. Technology, therefore, poses a much brighter future for the healthcare sector. However, in an article written by Amanda Razani, “Are wearables exposing us to unwanted health risks?” Dr Pandey cites that the Electro-Magnetic Radiation (EMR) as well as radio signals released continuously by these gadgets are one of the most toxic forms of pollution and therefore poses a significant health concern. The increased and constant use of these electronic devices that offer connectivity produces hazardous toxins that continue to wreak havoc on the human body slowly but surely. Some countries today have already categorized EMR as a slow poison. Even though wearables and other technologies significantly improve health monitoring and the general health wellbeing of people around the world, individuals need to exercise ultimate care and caution when using these gadgets to minimize on their health risks.
Impact of Technology on Education
Technology has had a profound impact on the improved education around the world. An article by OurICT, “How Has Technology Improved Education” confirms that “technology and other new trends have a significant impact on how students and teachers perceive learning”. Technology happens to be one of the most influential forces today changing the role of both teachers and students. There is a shift from the traditional instructional model based on scarceness of information. Teachers and textbooks were the only sources of information, and there were insufficient ways of delivering information to students. Technology reinvents the role of teachers both within and outside classrooms with an impact on improving the schools, curriculums and even better-educated students. With continued improvements and support for these changes learning in the future will deliver better learning experiences that meet the needs and expectations of the coming new generations of students. However, some studies show that there are no appreciable improvements in the achievements of students in mathematics, reading or sciences in those countries with massive investments in information and communication technology in the education sector (Schleicher). It is also disappointing to find out that technology does very little in bridging the division in skills between disadvantaged and advantaged students. With these facts, there is a need for school systems to get digital agendas right to offer educators with a better learning environment to support twenty-first-century pedagogies while providing children with twenty-first-century skills to help them succeed in the future years.
Impact of Technology on Transport
The transport field is now much safer with efficiency as a result of the advanced technological advancements. An article by Janice King, “How Transportation Technologies Will Change Everything” emphasizes that “connected and autonomous vehicles will help optimize roadway utilization while potentially saving billions in future infrastructure expansion”. Today, there are intelligent transportation systems that make driving and trafficking safer and much better for everyone. ITS will probably transform transportation into a more dynamic, and connected component of cities as systems. There is greater ease of movement, and this has a positive impact on the quality of life as well as commerce for residents and local businesses of different places around the world. Even though the current transport systems can get anyone anywhere they want at any time; the advancements come with numerous flaws. For instance, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that approximately, 1.3 million people die annually on roads around the world. It makes road accidents the ninth leading cause of death in the world and the leading killer of people between the ages of 15 and 29 years (Gordon). Even though transport exhibits some flaws, significant changes in the sector have helped save millions of lives while reducing the cost of movement. Broader incorporation of the human body into planning and designing of transport systems could save more people in the future.
Impact of Technology on Military
The world is at a stage where science and industry play a determinant role in the destructive power of military forces. Apart from technology being a fundamental agent in social change, it offers new opportunities for producing storing and spreading knowledge, particularly in the military realm. An article by Kristin Houser published by Futurism, “What A High Tech Military Means To Our Future” states that “technology is transforming the military as well as the nature of modern warfare”. It cites better transportation, communication and warfare as the primary benefits of technology on the military. Availability of technology determines the nature of war and armies around the world today by taking advantage of the many tools at their disposal to update everything from weaponry to Intel systems as well as soldiers themselves. These militaries have bigger plans for the future. The United States for instance in its fleet has an inexpensive autonomous warship that is capable of patrolling the ocean for about two to three months sans crew. The warship has tanks equipped with specialized cameras linked to soldiers’ combat helmets that give 360-degree visibility for both thermal and optical systems without exposure to risks. In the area of military communication, drones play a significant role in combat missions as well as in the monitoring of enemy activity and as a result act as both an ear and eye of the military. Soldiers working with these technologies are far much better today (Houser). For instance, the Army Expeditionary Warrior experiments (AEWE) program together with the tech company AimLock Inc. aims at transforming every soldier within the military into a sharpshooter. All these advancements mean better warfares that will save more lives in the future. The improved armor for the soldiers also translates to fewer causalities in battlefields while the use of autonomous weaponry will reduce the number of soldiers needed in the battlefield. However, a report released in 2015 by artificial intelligence (AI) researcher including Stephen Hawking, Elon Musk and others urged the governments of the world to ban artificially intelligent soldiers as well as autonomous weapons. They argued that once these weapons reach significant military powers, it would just be a matter of time before they hit black markets and reach the hands of terrorists or individuals who can buy them (Houser). It will make it difficult to stop the attacks for example assassinations, government takeovers or ethnic cleanings. There is much controversy and greater challenges with these new technologies while reality is that such progress could significantly eliminate suffering for millions of both soldiers and veterans. However, it is worth noting that developments in technology will not slow down any time soon, the world should, therefore, look forward to a future with a safer high-tech military.
Impact of Technology on Business
Technological advancements have immensely impacted the business world. Despite the size of an enterprise, technology happens to have both tangible and intangible benefits that would help any business make more money while meeting consumer demand. Technological infrastructure also impacts the efficiency, culture and relationships of business. An article by MyComputerCareer states that “technology is central to the success of most businesses today”. It emphasizes that technology is critical to the survival of businesses in the current and future world. With better technology, processes are now more effective, quicker and easier to document for any future references. It is central to the success of any business from marketing to security as most business operations start in the digital world. IT is essential for effective internal and external communications in enterprises. Most companies do their marketing digitally. It requires technology support teams that support and troubleshoot various forms of soft wares. A capable IT team ensures the success of digital marketing plans. Digital marketing concepts such as blogging, search engine optimization (SEO), website development and social media targeting require expertise knowledge for the provision of consultations in the case of something going awry (MyComputerCareer). Business can also track success and opportunities simplified by soft wares designed for storage of marketing metrics over more extended periods of time. With such advancements, enterprises can efficiently plan, adapt and grow their operations. Technology also streamlines the decision-making process within firms. It offers different ways through which companies can keep track of their financial resources, customer satisfaction and market conditions. A good IT plan enables companies to see these data quickly while at the same time they can decide on what steps to take to improve and reach their objectives. However, internet technology such as Skype, chat rooms and other technologies decrease the personal aspect of business relationships. It reduces the physical proximity thereby minimizing on brainstorming and other communications that mainly depend on personal touch (Hanly). The popularity of e-commerce has negative impacts on the many brick-and-mortar retail stores in the world. Smaller stores will find it harder and challenging to compete fairly with larger retail stores and internet businesses. For instance, small community stores in the United States have to compete with large stores like Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com that both sell online and in person. Such cases increase the chances of small businesses going out of business. Additionally, according to research by New York University under Professor Howard Basser, the installation of monitoring soft wares at the workplaces reduces employees’ morale as it sends a message that the company does not trust them. In spite of the few downsides of technology in business, it is evident that the use of technology is critical to the success and competitiveness of any company both in the current world and the future. There is a shift from the traditional shopping habits and all such activities today happen solely on the internet.
Future Impact of Technology
There is no doubt that new technology will have more advantages on the future of humankind. It will significantly affect every aspect of life. Tech will have positive effects on education, transport, healthcare, military and business. With emerging technologies like 3D printing and cloud computing, technology will open more opportunities for exploitation in the field of education. In the medical sector, robots of the future will perform more complicated and accurate surgeries since they are more precise than people. At times of war, autonomous weapons and machines will take over the role previously played by soldiers and thus put fewer people at risk while saving more lives. Businesses will also see an increase in profits for their operations due to the reduced costs and increased efficiency of decision-making processes. Relating to the transport sector, people will travel faster and more safely at lower costs. With the rapid changes in technology, the world should possibly be able to solve the many social, environmental, economic and other problems facing it today. All these changes will create improvements in the lives of people around the world.
Works Cited
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Gordon, Cameron. "Is Modern Transport Making War on the Human Body?" The Conversation, 20 Dec. 2012, theconversation.com/is-modern-transport-making-war-on-the-human-body-10335. Accessed 14 May 2018.
Hanly, Samantha. "Technology's Negative Impact on Business." Small Business - Chron.com, 18 Aug. 2011, smallbusiness.chron.com/technologys-negative-impact-business-19118.html. Accessed 14 May 2018.
Houser, Kristin. "What A High-Tech Military Means for Our Future." Futurism, 31 Jan. 2017, futurism.com/what-a-high-tech-military-means-for-our-future/. Accessed 14 May 2018.
"The Importance of Technology for Modern Business Survival." MyComputerCareer, 9 Sept. 2016, www.mycomputercareer.edu/news/the-importance-of-technology-for-modern-business-survival/. Accessed 14 May 2018.
King, Janice. "How Transportation Technologies Will Change Everything." Government Technology: State " Local Government News Articles, 4 Nov. 2014, www.govtech.com/transportation/How-Transportation-Technologies-Will-Change-Everything-.html. Accessed 14 May 2018.
Our ICT. "How Has Technology Has Improved Education?" IT Support for Schools " ICT Services for Education: Our ICT, 19 Mar. 2014, www.ourict.co.uk/technology-improved-education/. Accessed 14 May 2018.
Razani, Amanda. "Are Wearables Exposing Us to Unwanted Health Risks?" ReadWrite, 13 Apr. 2016, readwrite.com/2016/04/13/wearables-health-risks-radiation-dl4/. Accessed 14 May 2018.
Schleicher, Andreas. "School Technology Struggles to Make an Impact." BBC News, 15 Sept. 2015, www.bbc.com/news/business-34174795. Accessed 14 May 2018.
