The Ways in Which IT is used

Knowledge and Understanding SECTION 7 The ways in which IT is used work related
a) communication applications (such as the Internet, electronic mail, fax, electronic
conferencing and mobile telephones); b) applications for publicity and 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 (such as 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 pharmacy records, 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 fault diagnosis). k) applications in the retail industry (stock control. POS, EFTPOS, internet shopping, automatic re- ordering).

Computers and Work Examples of new jobs in the 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

Retailing
Small shops where computers are not used
When prices change, pricing labels have to be changed by hand. The prices have to be manually entered into a till. Itemized receipts have to be hand written. Checking the stock levels in the shop and re-ordering have to be done by individually counting the different product lines

Retailing
Large shops/stores that use computers Stock Control
Bar codes details about the product end with check digit
Goods do not need to be individually priced

EPOS bar code scanned - price held centrally on a database and sent back to POS terminal enables 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.

Retailing
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
loyalty cards contain customer details. Purchase details are added Store knows what each person buys and when mail shots Store encourages loyalty cards with discounts

E-Commerce

Using the Internet for ecommerce and selling goods and services direct to customers is worth millions of pounds.

Banking Systems
Process Cheques MICR reads numbers at bottom of cheques (transfer money from account to account) Salaries automatically 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 to buy goods and services at retail outlets - cost automatically debited to the customers' accounts.

Cheque processing using MICR

Home banking

24 hour access Transfer payments from one account to another easily while at home Reduces costs to banks staff and office space Problem of security Salaries paid directly to banks

Computers in Schools
CMIS Teaching and learning
Produce timetables Use of internet and Class lists intranet Attendance registers use of OMR CAL software lead to absence lists and report details Interactive boards and Mail merge for pupil reports projectors Finance software for accounts Benefits Less time spent reproducing the same thing Information circulated easily Problems Cost of equipment Training

Manufacturing
IT in manufacturing industries
Computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) is in widespread use as computer systems are used to design and make products.

Robots are 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.

Computers in the Office

Teleconferencing camera and microphone connected to computer Multi people connected Real time Reduces costs E-mails used internally Intranet documents produced and made available on the intranet Presentations training EDI to transfer information, invoices etc Benefits Paper costs Find relevant information quickly
Problems Cost of equipment Training Security

Computers in Medicine
Body scanners
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

Patient records
Database instead of paper-based records as patients are transferred around the hospital Includes personal and medical data

Organ transplants
Database of organ and patient details to help find matches

Patient monitoring
Sensors attached to the patient to detect changes in pulse, heart rate blood pressure etc Data logged over long term Linked to alarm system if there are changes

Computers in the Home

PCs
Games Internet and e-mails Use of major applications

Embedded computers
Microwaves Video recorders Washing machines Remote controlled devices

Control

Collects data from input sensors Information sent to a processor to decide what to do Output Burglar alarms ACs / Central heating

Cars and Traffic Management

DVLA Database
Data on all cars - knows when tax and MOT are due sends reminders Data on all drivers personal details and penalty points; accessed by the police

Control
Traffic lights fixed time or vehicle activated Speed cameras use light sensors to measure speed Car park managing systems calculate how many spaces available GIS to plan routes

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

Control the Washing Machine

1. Lock the door 2. Bring water in 3. ? 4. Heat water up 5. ? 6. Bring in powder 7. Spin

Pressure sensor

Temperature sensor
Time sensor

8. ? 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. ?

How Can Computers Measure Things?

A sensor can be connected to a computer. The computer monitors the signal from the sensor, reacting to changes, or records the data at predefined time intervals. Note: If the sensor is an analogue one then an analogue-todigital 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 system measuring things like the temperature of a liquid, etc. Weather stations placed in very remote areas 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: the level of water in a dam, the speed of water flowing down a river, the amount of pollution in the air, etc.

Why Use Computers to Measure Things?

Computers do not need to take breaks - they can log data all day, every day, without stopping Computers take much more accurate readings 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 data can 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 (rather than watching a thermometer)

How Can Computers Control Things?

A computer control system, like any system is made up of three parts...
The best way to understand how a computer can control things is to think about how a person controls something...

For example, how does a human control a car when he/she is driving?
The person looks ahead at the road to see what is approaching, thinks about what he/she has seen, then acts upon it (turns the steering wheel and/or presses the pedals). In other words the person reacts to what is happening in the world around them. Computer-controlled systems work in a similar way the system detects what is happening in the world around it, processes this information, and then acts upon what it has detected.

1. Input devices called sensors feed data into the computer 2. The computer then processes the input data (by following a set of instructions) 3. As a result of the processing, the computer can turn on or off output devices called actuators.

Sensors
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
Sensor Temperature Light Pressure Moisture Water-level Movement What it Detects Temperature Light / dark Pressure (e.g. someone standing on it) Dampness / dryness How full / empty a container is Movement nearby

Proximity
Switch or button

How close / far something is

If something is touching / pressing it

Actuators
A normal PC has no way of affecting what 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 muscles to move things, press things, lift things, etc. we can give a computer the ability to do lots of things by connecting a range of actuators to it An actuator is a device, controlled by a computer, that can affect the real-world. Actuator Light bulb or LED Heater Cooling Unit Motor Pump Buzzer / Bell / Siren What it Can Do Creates light Increases temperature Decreases temperature Spins things around Pushes water / air through pipes Creates noise