Application areas of computer science

– Business
– Engineering
– Research and development
– Agricultural mechanization
– E-learning
– Telecommunications
Business

A computer has diligence, accuracy, reliability, versatility and high speed for performing
calculation which has made it an integrated part in all business organizations.
Computer is used in business organizations for:
– Payroll calculations
– Budgeting
– Sales analysis
– Financial forecasting
– Managing employee database
– Maintenance of stocks, etc.

Banking

Today, banking is almost totally dependent on computers.

Banks provide the following facilities:
– Online accounting facility, which includes checking current balance, making deposits and
overdrafts, checking interest charges, shares, and trustee records.
– ATM machines which are completely automated are making it even easier for customers
to withdraw money from banks.
– Updating bank accounts.
– Receiving deposits and making payments from these accounts.
– Enabling transfer of funds from various accounts.
– E-banking

Online banking (e-banking)

Services offered on e-banking

– Customers can open their accounts

– check their balance
– transfer money,
– pay bills
– print statements from the comfort of their homes
Advantages of e-banking

– Allows businesses to operate 24 hours a day.

– The customers do all their work themselves from the comfort of their homes.
– No need to stand in queues.
– Customers can get instant statements of their accounts
– Easy to compare special offers and deals between different banks.
– Less need to carry around huge sums of cash.

Disadvantages of online-banking
– Fewer customer contact, so it is difficult to build personal relationships with the
customers
– There is need to be always one step ahead of criminals.
– Expensive specialist web developers and mainframe computers are required.
– Inconvenient in the event of network failure.
– It doesn’t offer a face to face service which might make it difficult to sort out a problem.
– Causes unemployment to computer illiterate workers.

Insurance

– Insurance companies are keeping all records up-to-date with the help of computers.
– Insurance companies, finance houses, and stock broking firms are widely using
computers for their concerns.
– Insurance companies are maintaining a database of all clients with information showing:
• Procedure to continue with policies
• Starting date of the policies
• Next due instalment of a policy
• Maturity date
• Interests due
• Survival benefits
• Bonus

Education

The computer helps in providing a lot of facilities in the education system.

– The computer provides a tool in the education system known as CBE (Computer Based
Education).
– CBE involves control, delivery, and evaluation of learning.
– Computer education is rapidly increasing the graph of numbers of computer students.
– There are a number of methods in which educational institutions can use a computer to
educate the students.
 – It is used to prepare a database about performance of a student and analysis is carried out
on this basis.

Marketing

Marketing is a process where potential customers are made aware of a product or service. It
encompasses producing advertising material and product promotional material through the
electronic media which includes the internet.

In marketing, uses of the computer are but not limited to the following:
 Advertising - With computers, advertising professionals create art and graphics, write and
revise copy, print and disseminate ads with the goal of selling more products and making
potential customers aware of the products.
 Home Shopping - Home shopping has been made possible through the use of computerized
catalogues that provide access to product information and permit direct entry of orders to be
filled by the customers.

Healthcare

Computers have become an important part in hospitals, labs, and dispensaries. The computers are
being used in hospitals to keep the record of patients and medicines. They are also used in
scanning and diagnosing different diseases. Electrocardiogram (ECG), EEG, ultrasounds and CT
scans, etc. are also done by computerized machines.

Following are some major fields of health care in which computers are used.
– Diagnostic System - Computers are used to collect data and identify the cause of illness.
– Lab-diagnostic System - All tests can be done and the reports are prepared by computer.
– Patient Monitoring System – These are used to check the patient's vital signs for
abnormalities such as in Cardiac Arrest and electrocardiogram (ECG). Electrocardiogram
is a recording of the electrical activity of the heart produced by electrocardiography.
– Pharma Information System- Computer is used to check drug labels, expiry dates, and
harmful side effects among other issue relating to medicinal drugs.
– Surgery - Nowadays, computers are also used in performing surgery.

ELECTROCARDIOGRAM (ECG)
An electrocardiogram (ECG) is a medical test that detects cardiac (heart) abnormalities by
measuring the electrical activity generated by the heart as it contracts. The machine that records
the patient’s ECG is called an electrocardiograph. Electrocardiography is the process of
recording the electrical activity of the heart over a period of time using electrodes placed over the
skin. The electrocardiograph records the electrical activity of the heart muscle and displays this
data as a trace on a screen or on paper. The data is then interpreted by a medical practitioner.
ECGs from normal, healthy hearts have a characteristic shape. Any irregularity in the heart
rhythm or damage to the heart muscle can change the electrical activity of the heart so that the
shape of the ECG is changed.
Some of the various heart problems that can be diagnosed by ECG include:
– Enlargement of the heart
– Congenital heart defects involving the conducting (electrical) system
– Abnormal rhythm (arrhythmia) – rapid, slow or irregular heart beats
– Atherosclerosis: this is the damage to the heart such as when one of the heart’s arteries is
blocked (coronary occlusion).
• Atherosclerosis refers to the build-up of fats, cholesterol and other substances in
and on your artery walls (plaque), which can restrict blood flow. The plaque can
burst, triggering a blood clot.
– Poor blood supply to the heart
– Abnormal position of the heart
– Heart inflammation – pericarditis or myocarditis
– Cardiac arrest during emergency room or intensive care monitoring
– Disturbances of the heart’s conducting system
– Imbalances in the blood chemicals (electrolytes) that control heart activity.
Image showing an ECG machine

Courtesy of http://www.pixhd.me/ecg-machine-with-patient.html (20-Sept 2018, 12:00 hrs)

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

An electroencephalogram (EEG) is a test used to find problems related to electrical activity of

the brain. An EEG tracks and records brain wave patterns. Small metal discs with thin wires
(electrodes) are placed on the scalp, and then send signals to a computer to record the results.

Image showing an EEG machine

Courtesy of www.shutterstock.com (20-Sept 2018, 12:10 hrs)

Application of computer science in engineering

Engineering Design
– Computers are widely used for Engineering purpose.

CAD (Computer Aided Design)

– This is whereby computers are used in the designing and development of new products in
a variety of applications both at home and on a commercial/industrial basis.
– A CAD system uses computer hardware and software in the drawing of engineering or
architectural designs.
– A CAD package is designed to make it easier to produce detailed plans and accurate
technical drawings.
– Models of infrastructure like bridges are designed and tested for their strength before
building actual structures on the ground.
– It contains software that provides a set of standard components and basic elements such
as points, lines, circles, shapes and solids from which CAD drawings can be constructed
– CAD programs can produce three dimensional drawings that can be rotated and viewed
on the screen from many different angles
– The computer keeps track of all design dependencies so that when a value is changed all
other dependent values are automatically changed

Some of the fields are:

– Structural Engineering – the branch of civil engineering that deals with large modern
buildings and similar structures. Requires stress and strain analysis for design of ships,
buildings, budgets, airplanes among other major structures.
– Industrial Engineering – Computers deal with design, implementation, and
improvement of integrated systems of people, materials, and equipment.
– Architectural Engineering - Computers help in planning towns, designing buildings,
determining a range of buildings on a site using both 2D and 3D drawings.

Civil engineering
 – This is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and
maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads,
bridges, canals, dams, and buildings.
– Technology is circulating in almost every field of humans’ life, whether it is social life,
business management, construction, engineering or medical.
– A time will come, when life will become much more difficult without the use technology
in our lives.
– Let’s have a look at some of the areas of civil engineering where computer technology
can provide some assistance.

Structure Engineering
– This is a field of engineering dealing with the analysis and design of structures that
support or resist loads.
– It is usually considered a specialty within civil engineering, but it can also be studied in
its own right
– Structural engineers analyse, design, plan, and research structural components and
structural systems to achieve design goals and ensure the safety and comfort of users or
occupants. Their work takes account mainly of safety, technical, economic and
environmental concerns, but they may also consider aesthetic and social factors.
– Everything starts with the base, and when the base is strong then you can expect the
whole thing to be strong.
– Computer technology can be used to design stronger structure of buildings, blocks, and
homes through proper planning of maps.
– The software which is used to design these buildings is known as “AutoCAD”, which
makes your construction process very easy and gives you the best options to design a
perfect map for a building.
– Structural engineering specialties for buildings include Earthquake, Façade engineering,
Fire engineering, Roof engineering, Tower engineering, Wind engineering
– Civil engineering structures include Bridges, Dams, Earthworks, Foundations, Offshore
structures, Pipelines, Power stations, Railways, Retaining structures and walls, Roads,
Tunnels, Waterways, Water and wastewater infrastructure
– Classification of Structures: One-dimensional, Two-dimensional, straight curve, plane
curve (predominantly), bending beam, continuous arch plate, concrete slab lamina, dome
(predominant) tensile stress rope, Catenary shell (predominant) compression pier, column
Load-bearing wall
Industrial Engineering (IE)

– Industrial engineering is the engineering approach applied to all factors, including the
human factor, involved in the production and distribution of products or services.
– Computers deal with design, implementation, and improvement of integrated systems of
people, materials, and equipment.
– The primary function of industrial engineering is to assist in planning and producing a
product.
 – Industrial engineering is an interdisciplinary engineering; this means industrial
engineering involve many sciences or disciplines.
– Industrial engineering is mainly concerned with three primary roles namely the design,
improvement and installation of integrated systems of people, materials, equipment and
energy
– It draws upon specialized knowledge and skill in the mathematical, physical and social
sciences together with the principles and methods of engineering to specify, predict and
evaluate the results to be obtained from such a system
– Systems is a set of connected things or parts forming a complex whole
– Industrial engineering is about more than manufacturing – it also encompasses service
industries, with many IEs employed in entertainment industries, shipping and logistics
businesses, and healthcare organizations.
– Industrial engineers are the only engineering professionals trained specifically to be
productivity and quality improvement specialists.

IEs make processes better in the following ways:

– More efficient and more profitable business practices

– Better customer service and product quality
– Improved efficiency
– Increased ability to do more with less
– Making work safer, faster, easier, and more rewarding
– Helping companies produce more products quickly
– Making the world safer through better designed products
– Reducing costs associated with new technologies

Concrete and Material Strength

– Role of concrete technology is similar to the role of blood in a human’s body.
– Concrete gives strength by combining thousands of bricks.
– Perfect composition of sand, water and cement for the purpose of preparing strong
concrete can be achieved through the usage of different computer software.
– Some software is also available to check the strength of any material that is used in the
construction of buildings, like steel and bricks etc.

Military
Computers are largely used in defence. Modern tanks, missiles, weapons and so forth employs
computerized control systems. Computer is vital for military purposes as it is an instrument for
training and education of military forces. Some military areas where a computer has been used
are communication, missile control and designing and detecting smart weapons.
Missile Control
– A missile (used for the purposes of warfare) is basically a flying bomb that strikes its
target with incredible precision.
– Missiles have been around for quite some time now and the technology of missiles has
also improved dramatically over the past century.
 – Guided missiles packed with explosive warheads that have become the devastating
weapon of choice to destroy targets swiftly and with amazing accuracy are rampant in
high-tech battlefields
– Missile Guidance System mainly consist of three parts: navigation (for tracking the
current location of the missile), guidance (for directing the missile towards the target
using navigation data and target information) and control (for applying guidance
commands on the missile).
– Guided missiles work by tracking the location of the moving target in space by certain
methods (using a radar or following its heat signature), chasing it down and then finally
hitting it with accuracy.
– Guided systems in missiles can be of various types, which serve different operational
purposes.

Military Communication
– The soldiers work on orders from their seniors and room for personal decisions is next to
none.
– When it comes to military training, being able to communicate with the team in far places
is essential in learning to work together.
– Computer systems are used by personnel specializing in military communication to get
hands-on training in real world setting.
– In the actual combat situations, for example, they use a drone to track the enemy and
communicate with the soldiers on the ground.

Military Operation and Planning

– Purchasing militaries can use computers to purchase supplies and equipment such as
foods, clothes, gears, guns, weapons, firearms and so forth from more trustworthy
suppliers.

Military Secrecy
– The many ways computers are used in the military is kept secretive.
– Computers help them organize their files for safekeeping and easy access.
– There are programs and hardware for military computers that are confidential for security
purpose
– Military secrecy is of paramount importance as various nations are jostling for military
supremacy especially in advancing the creation and use of the prohibited nuclear
weapons
– Communications, military hardware and software purchases, and a lot of other military
operations remain a closely guarded secret for any competent and credible army the
world over.

Military training and testing

– The military training is never a walk in the park; it involves lots of theories which must
be put into practicality.
– Military schools uses computers for testing the aptitude of the students.
– Some skill test are used to select what certain occupation the soldier will have during his
time of service.
 – When training the aptitude of the pilots, for example, the military camps heavily rely on
the computers.
– Computer simulations allow the military to train soldiers for severe combat situations
without actually having to put them in harm's way.
– It is a way to develop military’s tactical, strategical and doctrinal solutions in combat.

Smart Weapons
– This refers to extraordinary accurate bombs and projectiles that can be guided by radio
waves or a laser beam to its target.
– A Precision-Guided Munition ((PGM), smart weapon, smart munition, and smart bomb)
is a guided munition intended to precisely hit a specific target, to minimize collateral
damage and increase lethality against intended targets.
– Such weapons are designed with on-board computers to guide them to the desired targets.
– Computer and related new technologies are game changers for security in this age of
terrorism and is widely used in weapons detection systems.
– Weapon detection systems can be employed in many different spaces including
nightclubs, malls and airports – all very public areas.
– Smart bombs have revolutionised aerial bombardment and examples include laser-guided
weapons that uses the information from laser pointed at target to guide the payload to the
targets.
– The smart weapon seeks the laser light reflected off of the target and uses it to
correct its descent
– Note, laser-guided bombs cannot be used effectively in cloudy weather

Communication
Communication is a way to convey a message, an idea, a picture, or speech that is received and
understood clearly and correctly by the person for whom it is meant. Some main areas in this
category are:
• E-mail
• Chatting
• Usenet
• FTP
• Telnet
• Blogs
• Forums (discussion forums)
• Video-conferencing

Government

Computers play an important role in government services. Some major fields in this category
are:
• Budgets
• Sales tax department
• Income tax department
 • Computation of male/female ratio
• Computerization of voters lists
• Computerization of PAN card
• Weather forecasting
Activity
Explain the following
a. E-mail
b. Chatting
c. Usenet
d. ftp
e. telnet
f. video conference

Telecommunications
Telecommunications is the suite of technologies, devices, equipment, facilities, networks, and
applications that support communication at a distance. The range of telecommunications
applications is broad and includes telephony and video conferencing, facsimile, broadcast and
interactive television, instant messaging, e-mail, distributed collaboration, a host of Web- and
Internet-based communication, and data transmission.

The Role of Telecommunications in Business

– It enables businesses to communicate effectively with customers and deliver high
standards of customer service.
– Call management techniques allow businesses to handle incoming calls efficiently, even
when other lines are busy; calls can be routed to employees with the needed skills to
handle each inquiry. Additionally, callers can be offered the ability to choose from a
range of options, such as “Press 1 for… Press 2 for…”

– Mobile telecommunications can help maintain communication capability for employees

working in remote locations or at home. All employees use the same telecommunications
device to access data, send and receive messages, work on documents, or participate in
multimedia conferences.

– Collaboration between the departments of a business is an important way to help a

company work efficiently and smoothly in improving performance of product
development, customer relationship management, and quality initiatives.
Telecommunications allow momentum to be maintained and important decisions to be
made.
– Telecommunications has reduced costs associated with transactions. Vast amounts of
information are available to employees; telecommunications allows more employees to
access and use the information and make decisions upon it.

– Telecommunications also empowers firms to reach more customers with fewer resources
and manpower. The power of telecommunications technology is driving businesses all
over the world to get connected. The technology includes telephony and video
conferencing, broadcast and interactive television, instant messaging, email, distributed
electronic collaboration, and a range of web- and Internet-based communications and
data transmissions.

– Businesses spend a substantial amount of money and time in training, traveling, and
communicating with customers. Through telecommunication methods such as
teleconferencing, costs and limitations are reduced. Teleconferencing involves the use of
an Internet connection and a phone line to communicate with people in other locations.
Teleconferencing enables businesses to make decisions more quickly, especially if
businesses have overseas partnerships, because customers and business partners involved
have instant face-to-face communication to exchange information without having to
travel far or wait too long for correspondence. Faster decision making means a business
can progress and implement its operations on time.

– Telecommunication methods of advertising and marketing include telephone marketing

calls, social network marketing and online advertising. These types of campaigns expose
a business’s services and products to a wider audience. This may assist the business in
generating more sales and expanding its customer base.