COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY What is Communication Technology ? –Communication technology: all the things people make and do to send and receive messages. –Examples: Cell Phones Fax Machines

COMM. INNOVATIONS AND TRENDS Innovation: something new, whether a new device, process, or idea; innovations lead to trends. –Examples: Cell Phones, Satellite Navigation Trend: a general movement or inclination toward something; NOT a specific device, process, or idea but represented by several devices, processes, or trends; tries to improve one of the following three areas: –Quality of Communication (CD’s, Fiber Optics, HDTV) –Convenience & Portability of Devices (Laptops, Cordless Phones, MP3 Players) –Speed and Efficiency of Devices and Systems (Internet, Dual-Core Processors, DDR2 SDRAM Memory)

WHY DO WE NEED COMM. TECH.? Comm. Tech. extends our ability to send and receive messages; enables us to do the following things better and faster: –Educate (DVD’s, computer programs, hydrophones, seismometers) –Entertain (MP3’s, Internet, X-Box, T.V., cell-phones) –Persuade (Virtually all advertising on radio, Internet, T.V., or billboards; political persuasion; social reform) –Inform (newspapers, Internet, T.V., radio) –Control (control mechanisms and sensors on computers; control of traffic signals, which sends a control signal to us)

PARTS OF A COMM. SYSTEM Communication Systems include: –Sender: the person or device sending the message –Message: if you need help with this, we need to talk –Comm. Channel: the path over which a message must travel to get from the sender to the receiver (cellular signal, DSL/Cable Modem, T.V.) –Receiver: the person or device receiving the message Communication Systems contain 4 parts: –Input(s) – time, people, information, capital, materials, tools & machines, energy –Process(es) –Output(s) –Feedback

COMM. SYSTEM INPUTS People: – create the messages to be sent; create the technologies to send the message; work in the careers necessary to broadcast messages; perform the production tasks necessary to send the message, etc.. Information: needed about a variety of technologies to design, create, install, and repair the equipment & devices needed to send messages (micro-processing, digital electronics, photonics, electronic imaging); consumers need information to make educated decisions when purchasing communication equipment; people working in the communication industry need information, knowledge, and skills regarding science, mathematics, social sciences, and language arts

COMM. SYSTEM INPUTS (cont’d) Materials: used to make the items we use to send and receive messages: –Trees and water (for paper), –petroleum products (for plastics that are manufactured into nearly all of the items we use to communicate) –metal wires and/or glass fiber optic cables laid each year to connect communication devices, –metal for the transmission towers that send and receive signals Tools and Machines: –Simple manufacturing drawing tools and programs –electronic communication devices –tools and materials needed to print and publish

COMM. SYSTEM INPUTS (cont’d) Energy: fundamental to communication systems: –mental and physical energy individuals use –Mech. and light energy that must be changed into electrical energy to power almost all electronic comm. devices –radiant energy in the form of electromagnetic waves Capital: without the money, land, and equipment needed to produce communication devices, they wouldn’t exist: –needed to buy equipment, pay workers, and pay for the energy necessary to operate communication systems –capital investments needed to research and develop emerging communication technologies –capital is needed to build the infrastructure necessary for communication technology to exist.

COMM. SYSTEM INPUTS (cont’d) Time: needed to design and develop new communication technologies. New technologies themselves save people a very precious commodity – time. Time-saving feature of communication technology: –Improves efficiency and productivity –Gives people more options on how they use their time laptops that are used on a plane to finish a report or project cell phones that allow people to conduct business while on their way to work internet and network connections that allow people to work from home

PROCESSES Processes are all the things done with or to the inputs of a communication system to get the desired result or output: –Using a computer to access information on the internet –All the tasks involved in getting a newspaper or magazine printed Photography Writing the articles Printing the publication –The actual processes used in communication technology constantly change and improve with time: 1400’s – took two years to print 200 copies of the Gutenberg Bible – 1000 copies in 1 day Early 1900’s – several days for Titanic news to reach Europe 2012 – would take 10 seconds

OUTPUTS Once a message is created, coded (if necessary), and transmitted (sent), the desired output of the communication system has been achieved – the message has been sent. Outputs come in many forms: –Images –Words –Sounds Positive Impacts of Communication Technology Outputs: –Long-Distance Communication: the Internet & VOIT (voice-over- internet-technology – Vonage) providing long-distance service at a fraction of the cost –Communication in Schools: handle, store, retrieve, and send incredible amounts of information; Internet and computer-based databases enable students to for information in large databases. PARENT CONNECT LETS YOUR PARENTS KNOW IF YOU’RE FAILING OR PASSING A COURSE – INSTANTANEOUSLY!

OUTPUTS (cont’d) Negative Impacts of Communication Technology Outputs: –The Internet: initially created as a means to send information. As it developed, it also became a source that could be used for evil intentions (terrorist websites, chat rooms where predators try to deceive and lure innocent children). –Privacy: potential sources for theft, sabotage, identity theft, and disinformation; telemarketers calling during the evening invades the privacy of people in their homes. –Effects on Health and Safety: Electromagnetic Radiation Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Hearing Loss from headphones Eye strain from prolonged computer viewing Medical devices and aviation avionics malfunctioning due to negative electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) –Pollution and Environmental Impacts: Aesthetic beauty damaged from towers and antennas Vast raw materials used and pollution generated turning them into industrial materials necessary to build communication devices

FEEDBACK Feedback is any response directly related to the output of a communication system. It can take many forms: –Replying to an message –Replying to an advertisement –Replying to a telephone conversation –Negative Feedback not being able to hear someone over the static in a cellular conversation dropped calls; yelling at a telemarketer; the Internet or a LAN going down, which can cause aggravation at best or cause a system to crash, at worst –Poor communication security resulting in theft