Just Tech Me At
December 2022
Looking back over the past 50 years, the world of technology has advanced greatly. It has moved from static hypertext websites, floppy disks, and analog communications systems to dynamic and responsive web experiences, dense memory cards, and digital communication systems that can transfer data at a rate of 1 Gbps. With each year comes technological nuances. It's hard to keep up with the rate of innovation.
Here's a list of technology trends to learn about and watch.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has become one of the most exciting and promising fields of science and technology. AI is the area of STEM that deals with systems that can think and behave like humans. It is the umbrella term used to describe the process of making a computerized system think as intelligently as the human mind. AI systems can carry out tasks and improve upon its own intelligence by collecting data and transforming that data into intelligent information.
Cognitive Computing is also a part of AI. It deals primarily with how the human brain senses, reasons, and responds to stimulus. It is the area of AI that provides an understanding of brain signal processing. The term is used to refer to new hardware and/or software that mimics the functioning of the human brain and attempts to simulate human decision-making.
Machine Learning (ML) is a subset of AI which focuses on the use of algorithms to learn from data. These algorithms take in data, analyzes data, and learns from data in a way that allows for the prediction of future outputs. Engineers might combine cognitive computing and ML by taking the output of a cognitive computing program as input to a machine learning model.
When working on business process automation, software developers normally have a preset list of tasks for which they want to automate.
In telecommunications, 5G is the fifth-generation technology standard for broadband cellular networks. 5G networks are cellular networks with higher download speeds than its predecessors. It has the potential to transfer data at rates of up to 10 gigabits per second (Gbit/s). 5G also has a higher bandwidth allowing it to be connected to more types of devices.
Blockchain is a distributed database that is both peer-to-peer and consensus-based. It is different from a distributed ledger in that the database is a structured in blocks that are consecutively chained together. That is why it is called "Blockchain." Its peer-to-peer service allows two individual computers to interact directly with each other. Each peer (a participating computer) is called a node. Nodes share the data of this distributed database.
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The transactions of the blockchain are synchronized across multiple nodes. A network node not only has access the recordings shared across that network, it can own an identical copy of it. Any changes or additions made to the blockchain must first pass through a consensus process before being copied to all node participants. That is, every single node on the network processes every transaction. Each node comes to its own conclusions and votes on those conclusions in order to arrive at a consensus. Once there is a consensus, the chain is updated. All nodes maintain their own identical copy of the new transaction.
Augmented reality (AR) is an interactive experience that combines real world experiences with computer-generated content. It engages multiple senses including visual, auditory, touch, and smell. With it, users enjoy real-time interaction and accurate 3D representations of virtual and real objects.
Virtual reality (VR), on the other hand, provides an environment in which the users' perception of reality is completely based on virtual information (no integration of real world elements).
Metaverse, a Meta (Facebook) creation, has recently gotten a great deal of attention. Investopedia describes Metaverse as a digital reality that combines aspects of social media, online gaming, augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and cryptocurrencies. It allows users to interact virtually.
Hyperautomation is not a technology itself. The term "hyperautomation" is a term coined by Gartner, the technological research and consulting firm. It is used to describe a system model that involves the use of multiple tools and technologies including: Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, event-driven software architecture, RPA, Business Process Management (BPM), Intelligent Business Process Management Suites (iBPMS), Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS), low-code/no-code tools, and other automation tools. Hyperautomation is the layering of automation tools.
It's an exciting time for science and technology. The world is constantly changing and technology is keeping pace or perhaps even setting the pace. Every day new exploratory projects and breakthroughs are announced. For tech, it is clear that we are looking towards a digital world. The current technological trends mentioned give insight into what can be expected in the years to come. Advances in technology are sure to have a big impact on our lives.
Continue to gauge the industry as it moves into 2023 and beyond. Tune into conversations of law and ethics that are stirred up by innovation. As computer scientists and engineers push the envelope of possibilities, the courts, regulators, and policy makers will be hard at work forming frameworks that either support or bridle their advances.
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