LIVING IN

THE IT ERA
 MODULE 5:
IT CULTURE AND THE
SOCIETY
Overview
Technology is changing every aspect of our lives. The benefits provided by new
digital approaches are having a huge impact on our societies. However, one of the
greatest business challenges is not about the devices, software or solutions – it is about
how we manage the process of cultural change and its effect to our society. In this
module we will learn what are the different technological advancements and future
trends in technology that could potentially change and shaped the way we live our lives.

Objectives
At the end of this module, learners are expected to:

• Identify what are the current and emerging trends in technology;

• Understand how technology affects culture and society trough through the
different advancements in technology;
• Asses the positive and negative effects of said advancement.

Lesson 1: Internet of Things

The "Internet of things" (IoT) is becoming an increasingly growing topic of
conversation both in the workplace and outside of it. It's a concept that not only has the
potential to impact how we live but also how we work. But what exactly is the "Internet
of things" and what impact is it going to have on you, if any? Lightbulbs, along with
refrigerators, coffee makers, microwave ovens, baby monitors, security cameras,
speakers, televisions, and thermostats have, in the past few decades, transformed from
ordinary objects into conduits for the future. Embedded with sensors that see, hear, and
touch the world around them, they can turn physical information into digital data.
Collectively, these devices— and there are billions of them around the world—make up
the “internet of things.” The "Internet of things" (IoT) is becoming an increasingly
growing topic of conversation both in the workplace and outside of it. It's a concept that
not only has the potential to impact how we live but also how we work. But what exactly
is the "Internet of things" and what impact is it going to have on you, if any? Lightbulbs,
along with refrigerators, coffee makers, microwave ovens, baby monitors, security
cameras, speakers, televisions, and thermostats have, in the past few decades,
transformed from ordinary objects into conduits for the future. Embedded with sensors
that see, hear, and touch the world around them, they can turn physical information
into digital data. Collectively, these devices— and there are billions of them around the
world—make up the “internet of things.”

Figure 1.1 Internet of Things

Just about anything with network connectivity belongs to the internet of things, from
security cameras and speakers to smart watches and denim jackets. In the “smart
home,” these internet enabled gadgets liberate us from our chores, give us back some of
our time, and add a dash of novelty to ordinary experiences. (“Alexa, turn on the disco
lights.”) But the internet of things is about more than just using your voice to preheat
the oven or using your phone to turn off the lights.

The real promise of the internet of things is making our physical surroundings
accessible to our digital computers, putting sensors on everything in the world and
translating it into a digital format. Internet-connected objects could be the key to
unlocking predictions about everything from consumer behavior to climate events, but
those same objects could invite hackers into personal spaces and leak intimate data.
Depending on who you ask, the growing internet of things either represents the promise
of technology—the thing that will reinvent modern life as we know it—or that which will
be our technological undoing.

How IoT works

An IoT ecosystem consists of web-enabled smart devices that use embedded systems,
such as processors, sensors and communication hardware, to collect, send and act on
data they acquire from their environments. IoT devices share the sensor data they
collect by connecting to an IoT gateway or other edge device where data is either sent to
the cloud to be analyzed or analyzed locally. Sometimes, these devices communicate
with other related devices and act on the information they get from one another. The
devices do most of the work without human intervention, although people can interact
with the devices -- for instance, to set them up, give them instructions or access the data.

The connectivity, networking and communication protocols used with these web-
enabled devices largely depend on the specific IoT applications deployed.
IoT can also make use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to aid in
making data collecting processes easier and more dynamic.

Why IoT is important

The internet of things helps people live and work smarter, as well as gain complete
control over their lives. In addition to offering smart devices to automate homes, IoT is
essential to business. IoT provides businesses with a real-time look into how their
systems really work, delivering insights into everything from the performance of
machines to supply chain and logistics operations IoT enables companies to automate
processes and reduce labor costs. It also cuts down on waste and improves service
delivery, making it less expensive to manufacture and deliver goods, as well as offering
transparency into customer transactions.

As such, IoT is one of the most important technologies of everyday life, and it will
continue to pick up steam as more businesses realize the potential of connected devices
to keep them competitive.

How Does This Impact You?

The new rule for the future is going to be, "Anything that can be connected, will be
connected." But why on earth would you want so many connected devices talking to
each other? There are many examples for what this might look like or what the potential
value might be. Say for example you are on your way to a meeting; your car could have
access to your calendar and already know the best route to take. If the traffic is heavy
your car might send a text to the other party notifying them that you will be late. What if
your alarm clock wakes up you at 6 a.m. and then notifies your coffee maker to start
brewing coffee for you? What if your office equipment knew when it was running low on
supplies and automatically re-ordered more? What if the wearable device you used in
the workplace could tell you when and where you were most active and productive and
shared that information with other devices that you used while working?

On a broader scale, the IoT can be applied to things like transportation networks: "smart
cities" which can help us reduce waste and improve efficiency for things such as energy
use; this helping us understand and improve how we work and live. The reality is that
the IoT allows for virtually endless opportunities and connections to take place, many of
which we can't even think of or fully understand the impact of today.

IoT through the Years

1990
John Romkey creates the first IoT device: a toaster that he controls with his computer

1999
Kevin Ashton coins the term “internet of things” to describe the eyes and ears of a
computer

2000
LG introduces its first connected refrigerator with a $20,000 pricetag

2008
The world’s first IoT conference is held in Zurich, Switzerland

2010
Tony Fadell founds Nest, maker of the smart thermostat

2013
Oxford Dictionary adds the term “internet of things”

2014
Amazon introduces the Echo speaker, along with the Alexa voice assistant—a new way to
control the smart home

2016
The Mirai botnet infects over 600,000 IoT devices with malware

2020
The number of internet-connected devices, by some estimates, exceeds 20 billion
The first internet-connected “thing” to make use of this new protocol was a toaster. John
Romkey, a software engineer and early internet evangelist, had built one for the 1990
showfloor of Interop, a trade show for computers. Romkey dropped a few slices of bread
into the toaster and, using a clunky computer, turned the toaster on. It would still be a
decade before anyone used the phrase “internet of things,” but Romkey’s magic little
toaster showed what a world of internet-connected things might be like. (Of course, it
wasn’t fully automated; a person still had to introduce the bread.) It was part gimmick,
part proof of concept—and fully a preview of what was to come.

The term “internet of things” itself was coined in 1999, when Kevin Ashton put it in a
PowerPoint presentation for Procter & Gamble. Ashton, who was then working in supply
chain optimization, described a system where sensors acted like the eyes and ears of a
computer—an entirely new way for computers to see, hear, touch, and interpret their
surroundings.

As home internet became ubiquitous and Wi-Fi sped up, the dream of the smart home
started to look more like a reality. Companies began to introduce more and more of
these inventions: “smart” coffee makers to brew the perfect cup, ovens that bake cookies
with precision timing, and refrigerators that automatically restocked expired milk. The
first of these, LG’s internet-connected refrigerator, hit the market in 2000. It could take
stock of shelf contents, mind expiration dates, and for some reason, came with an MP3
player. It also cost $20,000. As sensors became cheaper, these internet-connected
devices became more affordable for more consumers. And the invention of smart plugs,
like those made by Belkin, meant that even ordinary objects could become “smart”—or,
at least, you could turn them on and off with your phone.

Any IoT system today contains a few basic components. First, there’s the thing outfitted
with sensors. These sensors could be anything that collects data, like a camera inside a
smart refrigerator or an accelerometer that tracks speed in a smart running shoe. In
some cases, sensors are bundled together to gather multiple data points: a Nest
thermostat contains a thermometer, but also a motion sensor; it can adjust the
temperature of a room when it senses that nobody’s in it. To make sense of this data, the
device has some kind of network connectivity (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular, or satellite)
and a processor where it can be stored and analyzed. From there, the data can be used to
trigger an action—like ordering more milk when the carton in the smart refrigerator
runs out, or adjusting the temperature automatically given a set of rules.

Most people didn’t start building an ecosystem of “smart” devices in their homes until
the mass adoption of voice controls. In 2014, Amazon introduced the Echo, a speaker
with a helpful voice assistant named Alexa built in. Apple had introduced Siri, its own
voice assistant, four years prior— but Siri lived on your phone, while Alexa lived inside
the speaker and could control all of the “smart” devices in your house. Positioning a
voice assistant as the centerpiece of the smart home had several effects: It demystified
the internet of things for consumers, encouraged them to buy more internet-enabled
gadgets, and encouraged developers to create more “skills,” or IoT commands, for these
voice assistants to learn.
The same year that Amazon debuted Alexa, Apple came out with HomeKit, a system
designed to facilitate interactions between Apple-made smart devices, sending data back
and forth to create a network. These unifying voices have shifted the landscape away
from single-purpose automations and toward a more holistic system of connected
things. Tell the Google Assistant “goodnight,” for example, and the command can dim
the lights, lock the front door, set the alarm system, and turn on your alarm clock. LG’s
SmartThinQ platform connects many home appliances, so you can select a chocolate
chip cookie recipe from the screen of your smart fridge and it’ll automatically preheat
the oven. Manufacturers bill this as the future, but it’s also a convenient way to sell more
IoT devices. If you already have an Amazon Echo, you might as well get some stuff for
Alexa to control.

By 2014, the number of internet-connected devices would surpass the number of people
in the world. David Evans, the former chief futurist at Cisco, estimated in 2015 that “an
average 127 new things are connected to the internet” every second. Today, there are
over 20 billion connected things in the world, according to estimates from Gartner. The
excitement around the brave new internet connected world has been matched with
concern. All of these objects, brought to life like Pinocchio, have made the world easier
to control: You can let the delivery man in the front door, or change the temperature
inside the house, all with a few taps on a smartphone.

IoT benefits to organizations

The internet of things offers several benefits to organizations. Some benefits are
industry-specific, and some are applicable across multiple industries. Some of the
common benefits of IoT enable businesses to:

• monitor their overall business processes;

• improve the customer experience;
• save time and money;
• enhance employee productivity;
• integrate and adapt business models;
• make better business decisions; and
• generate more revenue.

IoT encourages companies to rethink the ways they approach their businesses and gives
them the tools to improve their business strategies.

Generally, IoT is most abundant in manufacturing, transportation and utility

organizations, making use of sensors and other IoT devices; however, it has also found
use cases for organizations within the agriculture, infrastructure and home automation
industries, leading some organizations toward digital transformation.

IoT can benefit farmers in agriculture by making their job easier. Sensors can collect
data on rainfall, humidity, temperature and soil content, as well as other factors, that
would help automate farming techniques.
The ability to monitor operations surrounding infrastructure is also a factor that IoT can
help with.

Sensors, for example, could be used to monitor events or changes within structural
buildings, bridges and other infrastructure. This brings benefits with it, such as cost
saving, saved time, quality-of-life workflow changes and paperless workflow.

A home automation business can utilize IoT to monitor and manipulate mechanical and
electrical systems in a building. On a broader scale, smart cities can help citizens reduce
waste and energy consumption.

IoT touches every industry, including businesses within healthcare, finance, retail and
Manufacturing

Pros and cons of IoT

Advantages of IoT
• Ability to access information from anywhere at any time on any device;
• improved communication between connected electronic devices;
• transferring data packets over a connected network saving time and money; and
• automating tasks helping to improve the quality of a business's services and reducing
the need for human intervention.

Disadvantages of IoT
• As the number of connected devices increases and more information is shared between
devices, the potential that a hacker could steal confidential information also increases.
• Enterprises may eventually have to deal with massive numbers -- maybe even millions
– of IoT devices, and collecting and managing the data from all those devices will be
challenging.
• If there's a bug in the system, it's likely that every connected device will become
corrupted.
• Since there's no international standard of compatibility for IoT, it's difficult for devices
from different manufacturers to communicate with each other.

Consumer and enterprise IoT applications

There are numerous real-world applications of the internet of things, ranging from
consumer IoT and enterprise IoT to manufacturing and industrial IoT (IIoT). IoT
applications span numerous verticals, including automotive, telecom and energy.
In the consumer segment, for example, smart homes that are equipped with smart
thermostats, smart appliances and connected heating, lighting and electronic devices
can be controlled remotely via computers and smartphones.

Wearable devices with sensors and software can collect and analyze user data, sending
messages to other technologies about the users with the aim of making users' lives easier
and more comfortable. Wearable devices are also used for public safety -- for example,
improving first responders' response times during emergencies by providing optimized
routes to a location or by tracking construction workers' or firefighters' vital signs at life-
threatening sites.

In healthcare, IoT offers many benefits, including the ability to monitor patients more
closely using an analysis of the data that's generated. Hospitals often use IoT systems to
complete tasks such as inventory management for both pharmaceuticals and medical
instruments.

Smart buildings can, for instance, reduce energy costs using sensors that detect how
many occupants are in a room. The temperature can adjust automatically -- for example,
turning the air conditioner on if sensors detect a conference room is full or turning the
heat down if everyone in the office has gone home.

In agriculture, IoT-based smart farming systems can help monitor, for instance, light,
temperature, humidity and soil moisture of crop fields using connected sensors. IoT is
also instrumental in automating irrigation systems.

In a smart city, IoT sensors and deployments, such as smart streetlights and smart
meters, can help alleviate traffic, conserve energy, monitor and address environmental
concerns, and improve sanitation.

IoT security and privacy issues

The internet of things brings all the benefits of the internet to items like lightbulbs and
thermostats, but it brings all the problems of the internet, too. Now that people have
their speakers, television sets, refrigerators, alarm clocks, toothbrushes, light bulbs,
doorbells, baby monitors, and security cameras connected to the Wi-Fi, nearly every
device in the house can be compromised, or rendered useless. Consider the whims of
internet connectivity: When your Wi-Fi goes down, so do your devices. Router
problems? That means you can’t turn on the heat with your smart thermostat or unlock
your smart door lock. Things that used to be easy become potentially faulty, if not
impossible, when they require an Alexa command or a smartphone control rather than a
physical button. Many of these devices also run on proprietary software—meaning, if
their manufacturer goes bunk, gets sold, or stops issuing software updates, your clever
little gadget becomes a useless hunk of plastic.

Risk of bricking aside, connecting things to the internet also leaves those objects, and
everything else on your Wi-Fi network, more vulnerable to hackers. Laura DeNardis, in
her recent book The Internet in Everything, has called this threat to cybersecurity the
greatest human rights issue of our time. The risk isn’t just that some prankster breaks
into your smart washing machine and upsets the spin cycle, or that your Nest camera
gets hijacked with a message to subscribe to PewDiePie’s YouTube channel. (Yes, that
really happened.) A hacked smart lock means someone can open your front door. Hack
into enough smart water heaters and you can send a city into a massive blackout. And
one vulnerable device can compromise the whole network. As WIRED’s
Lily Hay Newman points out, “IoT devices have been conscripted into massive botnets,
compromised for nation-state reconnaissance, hacked to mine crypto currency, and
manipulated in assaults on power grids.”

The threat to internet-connected devices comes not just because they’re connected to
the internet, but because device manufacturers have not always designed their products
with security as a priority. In 2016, malware called Mirai exploited these kinds of
vulnerabilities in over 600,000 IoT devices to create a massive distributed denial of
service (DDoS) attack. The following year, an attack called Krack infected nearly every
internet-connected device connected to Wi-Fi. The attack was crippling and difficult to
defend against, in part because the internet of things runs on so many disparate
operating systems. When a phone or a computer gets hit with a virus, software makers
are generally quick to issue a patch. But things like routers or internet-connected
doorbells don’t usually receive software updates needed to protect against
vulnerabilities, and many of them weren’t built with the same kind of security protocols
as computers. After the Krack attack, one security researcher predicted that we would
still “find vulnerable devices 20 years from now.”

Then there’s the question of privacy. If cameras and microphones are studded around
your home, they are definitely watching and listening to you. Everything in the internet
of things collects data—and all that data has value. In a recent study, researchers found
that 72 of the 81 IoT devices they surveyed had shared data with a third party unrelated
to the original manufacturer. That means the finer details of your personal life—as
depicted by your smart toothbrush, you’re smart TV, or your smart speaker—can be
repackaged and sold to someone else. Google and Apple both admitted, last year, that
the recordings captured by their smart speakers are reviewed by contractors, including
awkward and intimate snippets of audio. Amazon has partnerships with over
400 police departments, who use the footage from its Ring doorbell cameras to keep
watch on neighbourhoods. An ever-expanding internet of things doesn’t just have
consequences for personal privacy. It can create a network of computer eyes and ears
everywhere we go.

Because IoT devices are closely connected, all a hacker has to do is exploit one
vulnerability to manipulate all the data, rendering it unusable. Manufacturers that don't
update their devices regularly -- or at all -- leave them vulnerable to cybercriminals.

Additionally, connected devices often ask users to input their personal information,
including names, ages, addresses, phone numbers and even social media accounts --
information that's invaluable to hackers.
Hackers aren't the only threat to the internet of things; privacy is another major concern
for IoT users. For instance, companies that make and distribute consumer IoT devices
could use those devices to obtain and sell users' personal data.

Beyond leaking personal data, IoT poses a risk to critical infrastructure, including
electricity, transportation and financial services.

The Future of the Internet of Things

One day, the internet of things will become the internet of everything. The objects in our
world might sense and react to us individually all the time, so that a smart thermostat
automatically adjusts based on your body temperature or the house automatically locks
itself when you get into bed. Your clothes might come with connected sensors, too, so
that the things around you can respond to your movements in real time. That’s already
starting to happen: In 2017, Google announced Project Jacquard, an effort to create the
connected wardrobe of the future.

This vision extends far beyond your clothes, and even your home. You’ll also have smart
offices, smart buildings, and smart cities. Smart hospital rooms will have sensors to
ensure that doctors wash their hands, and airborne sensors will help cities predict
mudslides and other natural disasters. Autonomous vehicles will connect to the internet
and drive along roads studded with sensors, and governments will manage the demands
on their energy grids by tracking household energy consumption through the internet of
things. The growth of the internet of things could also lead to new kinds of cyber
warfare; imagine a bad actor disabling every smart thermostat in the dead of winter, or
hacking into internet-connected pacemakers and insulin pumps. It could create new
class systems: those with robot maids, and those without. Or, as Ray Bradbury described
in one short story from 1950, all the people might disappear—but the smart homes,
preparing meals and sweeping the floors, will live on.

If we’re going to get there—whether we like “there” or not—we’re going to need faster
internet. (Enter: 5G.) We’ll also need to keep all those devices from mucking up the
airwaves, and we’ll need to find a better way to secure the data that’s transmitted across
those airwaves. Recently, the Swiss cryptography firm Teserakt introduced an idea for a
cryptographic implant for IoT devices, which would protect the data that streams from
these devices. There are also ideas for creating a better standard for IoT devices, and
plans to help them get along with each other, regardless of which company makes them
or which voice assistant lives inside.

Online Resources / Videos

• https://youtu.be/6YaXKxXSli0
• https://youtu.be/mLg95dLm-Gs
 Lesson 2: Current
Trends and Emerging
Technologies
Overview
Information technology is an industry on the rise, and business structure, job growth,
and emerging technology will all shift in the coming years. Current trends are improving
and presenting new functions in fields like medicine, entertainment, business,
education, marketing, law enforcement, and more. Still, other much-anticipated
technology is only now coming on the scene.

Innovations in IT change internal company processes, but they are also altering the way
customers experience purchasing and support — not to mention basic practices in life,
like locking up your home, visiting the doctor, and storing files. The following trends in
information technology are crucial areas to watch in 2019 and viable considerations that
could influence your future career choices.

Current Trends in Information Technology

The latest technology methods and best practices of 2019 will primarily stem from
current trends in information technology. Advancements in IT systems relate to what
the industry is leaning toward or disregarding now. Information technology is
advancing so rapidly that new developments are quickly replacing current projections.

a. Cloud Computing
Cloud computing is a network of resources a company can access, and this method of
using a digital drive increases the efficiency of organizations. Instead of local storage on
computer hard drives, companies will be freeing their space and conserving funds.
According to Forbes, 83 percent of enterprise workloads will be in the cloud by 2020,
which means 2019 will show an increasing trend closing in on this statistic.

Cloud storage and sharing is a popular trend many companies have adopted and even
implemented for employee interaction. A company-wide network will help businesses
save on information technology infrastructure. Cloud services will also extend internal
functions to gain revenue. Organizations that offer cloud services will market these for
external products and continue their momentum.
Organizations will transfer their stored files across multiple sources using virtualization.
Companies are already using this level of virtualization, but will further embrace it in
the year to come. Less installation across company computers is another positive result
of cloud computing because the Internet allows direct access to shared technology and
information. The freedom of new products and services makes cloud computing a
growing trend.

b. Mobile Computing and Applications

Mobile phones, tablets, and other devices have taken both the business world and the
personal realm by storm. Mobile usage and the number of applications generated have
both skyrocketed in recent years. Now, 77 percent of Americans own smartphones — a
35 percent increase since 2011. Pew Research Center also shows using phones for online
use has increased and fewer individuals use traditional Internet services like broadband.
Experts project mobile traffic to increase even further in 2019, and mobile applications,
consumer capabilities, and payment options will be necessary for businesses. The
fastest-growing companies have already established their mobile websites, marketing,
and apps for maximized security and user-friendliness. Cloud apps are also available for
companies to use for on-the-go capabilities.

c. Big Data Analytics

Big data is a trend that allows businesses to analyze extensive sets of information to
achieve variety in increasing volumes and growth of velocity. Big data has a high return
on investment that boosts the productivity of marketing campaigns, due to its ability to
enable high-functioning processing. Data mining is a way companies can predict growth
opportunities and achieve future success. Examination of data to understand markets
and strategies is becoming more manageable with advances in data analytic programs.
This practice in information technology can be observed for its potential in data
management positions for optimal organizations. Database maintenance is a growing
sector of technology careers. To convert various leads into paying customers, big data is
an essential trend to continue following in 2019.

d. Automation
Another current trend in the IT industry is automated processes. Automated processes
can collect information from vendors, customers, and other documentation. Automated
processes that check invoices and other accounts-payable aspects expedite customer
interactions. Machine processes can automate repetitive manual tasks, rather than
assigning them to employees. This increases organization-wide productivity, allowing
employees to use their valuable time wisely, rather than wasting it on tedious work.
Automation can even produce more job opportunities for IT professionals trained in
supporting, programming, and developing automated processes. Machine learning can
enhance these automated processes for a continually developing system. Automated
processes for the future will extend to groceries and other automatic payment methods
to streamline the consumer experience.

Emerging Trends in Information Technology

Trends in information technology emerging in 2019 are new and innovative ways for the
industry to grow. These movements in information technology are the areas expected to
generate revenue and increase demand for IT jobs. Pay attention to these technological
changes and unique products that enhance business operations.

a. Artificial Intelligence and Smart Machines

What is Artificial Intelligence?
According to Encyclopedia, Artificial intelligence (AI), is the ability of a digital computer
or computer controlled robot to perform tasks commonly associated with intelligent
beings. The term is frequently applied to the project of developing systems endowed
with the intellectual processes characteristic of humans, such as the ability to reason,
discover meaning, generalize, or learn from past experience.

Figure 1.1 Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence, or AI, has already received a lot of buzz in recent years, but it
continues to be a trend to watch because its effects on how we live, work, and play are
only in the early stages. In addition, other branches of AI have developed, including
Machine Learning, which we will go into below. AI refers to computer systems built to
mimic human intelligence and perform tasks such as recognition of images, speech or
patterns, and decision making. AI can do these tasks faster and more accurately than
humans.

Five out of six Americans use AI services in one form or another every day, including
navigation apps, streaming services, smartphone personal assistants, ride-sharing apps,
home personal assistants, and smart home devices. In addition to consumer use, AI is
used to schedule trains, assess business risk, predict maintenance, and improve energy
efficiency, among many other money-saving tasks.

In fact, Artificial intelligence are already being used in different organization to help
solve problems such as AI face recognition is beginning to help with missing people
reports, and it even helps identify individuals for criminal investigations when cameras
have captured their images. According to the National Institute of Standards and
Technology, face recognition is most effective when AI systems and forensic facial
recognition experts’ team up. AI will continue to promote safety for citizens in the future
as software improvements shape these applications.

Medical AI is another trend that reflects surprising success. Given patient information
and risk factors, AI systems can anticipate the outcome of treatment and even estimate
the length of a hospital visit. Deep learning is one way AI technology gets applied to
health records to find the likelihood of a patient’s recovery and even mortality. Experts
evaluate data to discover patterns in the patient’s age, condition, records, and more.

Home AI systems are also increasingly popular to expedite daily tasks like listening to
tunes, asking for restaurant hours, getting directions, and even sending messages. Many
problem-solving AI tools also help in the workplace, and the helpfulness of this
technology will continue to progress in 2020.

Figure 1.2 Ai Systems: Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri, Bixby

b. Virtual Reality
Virtual reality (VR), the use of computer modeling and simulation that enables a person
to interact with an artificial three-dimensional (3-D) visual or other sensory
environment. VR applications immerse the user in a computer-generated environment
that simulates reality through the use of interactive devices, which send and receive
information and are worn as goggles, headsets, gloves, or body suits. In a typical VR
format, a user wearing a helmet with a stereoscopic screen views animated images of a
simulated environment. The illusion of “being there” (telepresence) is effected by
motion sensors that pick up the user’s movements and adjust the view on the screen
accordingly, usually in real time (the instant the user’s movement takes place). Thus, a
user can tour a simulated suite of rooms, experiencing changing viewpoints and
perspectives that are convincingly related to his own head turnings and steps. Wearing
data gloves equipped with force-feedback devices that provide the sensation of touch,
the user can even pick up and manipulate objects that he sees in the virtual
environment.

Virtual Reality’s most immediately-recognizable component is the head-mounted

display (HMD). Human beings are visual creatures, and display technology is often the
single biggest difference between immersive Virtual Reality systems and traditional user
interfaces.

Figure 1.3 CAVE automatic virtual environment

For instance, CAVE automatic virtual environments actively display virtual content onto
room-sized screens. While they are fun for people in universities and big labs, consumer
and industrial wearable are the Wild West.
With a multiplicity of emerging hardware and software options, the future of wearable is
unfolding but yet unknown. Concepts such as the HTC Vive Pro Eye, Oculus Quest and
Playstation VR are leading the way, but there are also players like Google, Apple,
Samsung, Lenovo and others who may surprise the industry with new levels of
immersion and usability. Whomever comes out ahead, the simplicity of buying a
helmet-sized device that can work in a living-room, office, or factory floor has made
HMDs center stage when it comes to Virtual Reality technologies.

Figure 1.4 Oculus Rift

Whilst VR is known for transforming the gaming and entertainment industry in

particular, with consoles and handhelds adapting their games for VR the gaming
experience has been utterly transformed and improved all around. The connection
between game and player becomes far closer as gamers are completely immersed into
their own gaming world.

VR is also beginning to revolutionize other industries such as healthcare, retail and

education, which is already aiding tasks in the sectors, from helping patients with
anxiety relax, and helping students learn more by experiencing what they are being
educated on.

c. Augmented Reality
Augmented reality is a more versatile and practical version of virtual reality, as it does
not fully immerse individuals in an experience. Augmented reality features interactive
scenarios that enhance the real world with images and sounds that create an altered
experience. The most common current applications of this overlay of digital images on
the surrounding environment include the recent Pokémon Go fad.
 Figure 1.5 Pokémon Go

As it happens, phones and tablets are the way augmented reality gets into most people's
lives. One of the most popular ways AR has infiltrated everyday life is through mobile
games. In 2016, the AR game "Pokémon Go" became a sensation worldwide, with over
100 million estimated users at its peak, according to CNET. It ended up making more
than $2 billion and counting, according to Forbes. The game allowed users to see
Pokémon characters bouncing around in their own town. The goal was to capture these
pocket monsters using your smartphone camera, and then use them to battle others,
locally, in AR gyms.

Another app called Layar uses the smartphone's GPS and its camera to collect
information about the user's surroundings. It then displays information about nearby
restaurants, stores and points of interest.

Augmented reality can impact many industries in useful ways. Airports are
implementing augmented-reality guides to help people get through their checks and
terminals as quickly and efficiently as possible. Retail and cosmetics are also using
augmented reality to let customers test products, and furniture stores are using this
mode to lay out new interior design options.

This doesn't mean that phones and tablets will be the only venue for AR. Research
continues apace on including AR functionality in contact lenses, and other wearable
devices. The ultimate goal of augmented reality is to create a convenient and natural
immersion, so there's a sense that phones and tablets will get replaced, though it isn't
clear what those replacements will be. Even glasses might take on a new form, as "smart
glasses" are developed for blind people.
Like any new technology, AR has a lot of political and ethical issues. Google Glass, for
example, raised privacy concerns. Some worried that conversations might be
surreptitiously recorded or pictures snapped, or thought that they might be identified by
face recognition software. AR glasses, contacts and more, like the Glass - X and Google
Lens, though, are moving ahead in production and sales.

The possibilities for augmented reality in the future revolve around mobile applications
and health care solutions. Careers in mobile app development and design will be
abundant, and information technology professionals can put their expertise to use in
these interactive experiences.

d. Blockchain Data
Blockchain data, like the new cryptocurrency Bitcoin, is a secure method that will
continue to grow in popularity and use in 2019. This system allows you to input
additional data without changing, replacing, or deleting anything. In the influx of shared
data systems like cloud storage and resources, protecting original data without losing
important information is crucial.

Blockchain in simple terms is a system of recording information in a way that makes it

difficult or impossible to change, hack, or cheat the system. A blockchain is essentially
a digital ledger of transactions that is duplicated and distributed across the entire
network of computer systems on the blockchain.

The authority of many parties keeps the data accounted for without turning over too
much responsibility to certain employees or management staff. For transaction
purposes, blockchain data offers a safe and straightforward way to do business with
suppliers and customers. Private data is particularly secure with blockchain systems,
and the medical and information technology industries can benefit equally from added
protection.

e. Internet of Things
The Internet of Things (IoT) is an emerging movement of products with integrated Wi-
Fi and network connectivity abilities. Cars, homes, appliances, and other products can
now connect to the Internet, making activities around the home and on the road an
enhanced experience. Use of IoT allows people to turn on music hands-free with a
simple command, or lock and unlock their doors even from a distance.

Many of these functions are helping organizations in customer interaction, responses,

confirmations, and payments. Remote collection of data assists companies the most. IoT
almost acts like a digital personal assistant. The intelligent features of some of these IoT
products can aid in many company procedures. Voice recognition and command
responses will allow you to access stored data on cloud services.
IoT enriches the IT industry, especially in job creation. Within the next few years,
IoTrelated careers will increase, and there will be a need for 200,000 additional IT
workers, according to IT Pro Today. Design, troubleshooting, and support of IoT
products need extensive training and a specific set of skills.

f. 5G
5G is the 5th generation mobile network. It is a new global wireless standard after 1G,
2G, 3G, and 4G networks. 5G enables a new kind of network that is designed to connect
virtually everyone and everything together including machines, objects, and devices.

5G wireless technology is meant to deliver higher multi-Gbps peak data speeds, ultra
low latency, more reliability, massive network capacity, increased availability, and a
more uniform user experience to more users. Higher performance and improved
efficiency empower new user experiences and connects new industries.

5G is a unified, more capable air interface. It has been designed with an extended
capacity to enable next-generation user experiences, empower new deployment models
and deliver new services.
With high speeds, superior reliability and negligible latency, 5G will expand the mobile
ecosystem into new realms. 5G will impact every industry, making safer transportation,
remote healthcare, precision agriculture, digitized logistics — and more — a reality.

Broadly speaking, 5G is used across three main types of connected services, including
enhanced mobile broadband, mission-critical communications, and the massive IoT. A
defining capability of 5G is that it is designed for forward compatibility—the ability to
flexibly support future services that are unknown today.

Enhanced mobile broadband

In addition to making our smartphones better, 5G mobile technology can usher in new
immersive experiences such as VR and AR with faster, more uniform data rates, lower
latency, and lower costper- bit.

Mission-critical communications
5G can enable new services that can transform industries with ultra-reliable, available,
low-latency links like remote control of critical infrastructure, vehicles, and medical
procedures.
Massive

IoT
5G is meant to seamlessly connect a massive number of embedded sensors in virtually
everything through the ability to scale down in data rates, power, and mobility—
providing extremely lean and
low-cost connectivity solutions.
Referrences
• https://internetofthingsagenda.techtarget.com/definition/Internet-of-
Things-IoT
• https://www.wired.com/story/wired-guide-internet-of-things/
• https://www.forbes.com/sites/jacobmorgan/2014/05/13/simple-
explanation-internet-thingsthat-anyone-can-understand/#16d8137b1d09
• https://www.vistacollege.edu/blog/careers/it/trends-in-information-
technology-for-2019/
• https://www.simplilearn.com/top-technology-trends-and-jobs-article
• https://thebossmagazine.com/future-virtual-reality/
• https://www.livescience.com/34843-augmented-reality.html
• https://www.qualcomm.com/invention/5g/what-is-5g

Assessment
1. Enumerate 5 IoT devices and discuss what smart abilities they have.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

2. Differentiate virtual reality technology and augmented technology from

one another.

3. What are the positive and negative implications of these emerging trends
to our culture and society?