Technological Design Chapter 1: Lesson 5

Technology Technology is the use of scientific ideas to solve problems and make peoples lives easier. Technological design is the process of inventing products and systems that can meet human needs and solve problems.

Technological Design 4 Step Process 1. Problem Identification 2. Solution Design 3. Implementation 4. Evaluation

Problem Identification The first step is to identify a problem to solve or a need that new technology could satisfy. For example, one such problem is air pollution caused by cars and trucks that burn gasoline.

Solution Design Once a problem or need has been identified, engineers begin their work. An engineer is someone who designs, constructs, and operates new forms of technology. This is similar to the development of a hypothesis in a scientific investigation.

Solution Design Figure out how the technology will work. Explain the technology, possibly using drawings or models. Identify materials, and estimate costs and development times. List potential benefits and risks.

Implementation and Testing Once a design has been studied and accepted, a design team must put the plan into acton. During the implementation stage, a design team typically develops a prototype. A prototype is a working model of a technology that is being developed. Researchers use prototypes to test technology and see if it works as they expected.

Implementation and Testing During performance testing, products are evaluated in real-world conditions. Some products cannot be tested under actual conditions. Such products may be tested using computer simulations, similar systems or scale models. Computer models are used to test designs that would be costly or time-consuming to produce.

Evaluation A completed design must be evaluated to decide if it meets the goals. The evaluation might involve measurements, experiments, or surveys of possible users.

Evaluation Does the design work as planned? How can the success of the design be measured? Does the design meet the practical needs of people? Does the design effectively solve the original problem? Have risks been minimized? How can the design be improved? What was learned that could help produce a better design?

Risks and Benefits Each new development offers both benefits and risks. Benefits are how the technology meets the needs of society. The risks include how the technology might harm or endanger people or the environment. The process of weighing the potential harm a new technology may cause against its benefits is called risk-benefit analysis.

Lesson Review Page 39-40

Bioengineering Chapter 1 Lesson 6

Bioengineering Bioengineering involves the use of technology to alter or improve living things. All cells make proteins. Living things need a wide variety of proteins to carry out the processes that keep them healthy and alive.

Bioengineering and Medicine Various diseases can destroy groups of cells that produce essential proteins. How can doctors treat this problem? Replace the missing protein. But, tis is not as easy as it sounds. Proteins may be difficult to produce. There might not be enough of the protein to treat all the people who need it. This is where bioengineers come in.

Bioengineering and Medicine All proteins are made based on instructions inside your cells. These instructions are called genes. Bioengineers have found ways to transfer the genes for making particular human proteins into simple cells, such as bacteria. Bacteria multiply very rapidly. If the bacteria have a gene for a human protein, they will all produce that protein.

Bioengineering and Medicine Other bioengineered bacteria are used to make drugs to treat viral diseases such as life-threatening cases of influenza.

Bioengineering in Agriculture Scientists are seeking ways to make crops resistant to disease, herbicides, and frost. Bioengineers have altered food crops so that they taste better and are more nutritious. Bacteria are programmed to carry useful genes into the plants. These genes protect crops from diseases, frost, and herbicides.

Bioengineering in Agriculture Herbicides are substances used to kill weeds. Bioengineers have developed a type of tomato that can ripen on its vine without rotting before it reaches the market. Bioengineered crops may cause allergic reactions and must be tested. Another risk is that a bioengineered crop could be too successful.

Biofuels Ethanol is a form of alcohol and is added to some gasoline to reduce the use of oil. Ethanol is a biofuel. A biofuel is a fuel made from living things. Biofuels can be substituted for some of the gasoline burned in automobile engines. With the help of bacteria, ethanol can be made from cellulose, a substance in the hard fibers of plants.

Lesson Review Page 44