Technology is more than gadgets and gizmos. Technology has a broad and complex definition.
“Technology” is derived from the Greek techne (which refers to art or craft) as well as “logia,” which refers to study. Techologi is a combination of these two words. It relates to systematic treatment.
The meaning of “technology” has evolved significantly over the past two centuries. In the 1940s, technology was not just a term for studying industrial arts. It also included all machines, tools, weapons, and the skills humans use to build and use them.
Technology can also refer to tools, machines, and various techniques that can be used to solve real-world problems. You can use tools and devices as simple as a nail clip or as complicated as a particle accelerator, space station, or rocket engine. They don’t have to be physical. Virtual technology, such as cloud services and software, falls under the definition of technology.
In a larger sense, technology is a tool to achieve a human goal.
Technology can be extremely simple or very complex. Therefore, it can be divided into several groups. We have provided examples of modern technology to explain the different types.
Materials Technology
Applications – Piezoelectric materials used for micro-thrusters to satellites, self-healing coatings used for protecting metal products
Materials technology is a broad discipline that focuses on choosing materials most suitable for a specific application. This may include maintaining the machine’s performance by resisting corrosion and fatigue.
Because different materials have different properties and can be mixed, it is possible to create new applications by combining them.
Modern technological advances have given rise to “smart material,” which refers to materials that respond to external stimuli like light, humidity, or temperatures. Over the past decade, many innovative materials such as graphene, carbon nanotubes, and piezoelectric material have been successfully developed and tested.
Materials science and material technology are closely linked. The former is concerned with creating and discovering new materials, particularly solids. Materials technology focuses more heavily on the techniques and tests that can be used to improve products.
Mechanical Technology
Applications Cars made by mechanical robots, 3D printers, and Power plants
Robotic technology is the art of building functional structures from mechanical parts. It also involves controlling or transmitting motion. Examples include brakes on bicycles, latches on doors, and gear systems in car transmissions.
Mechanical engineering technologists use principles from product design, material science, and manufacturing processes to create valuable products. They are mainly involved in troubleshooting and the maintenance of machines and equipment.
Their work includes analysis of stress, strain, and shearing forces within structures, deflections due to bending or bearing, clutches and dynamics of rigid bodies, motion, the balance of rotating masses, free vibrations, and the flow of liquids and thermodynamic behaveior of natural fluids.
You can expand your specialties in energy, petroleum, nuclear or automotive.
Medical Technology
Applications: Stethoscopes, pacemakers, and ventilators. Also, computed tomography scanners (CT) scanners.
Medical technology uses science to create solutions for diseases, injuries, and other health issues. This could include detecting diseases using advanced machines and methods for treating patients. It also may involve monitoring your health.
Medical technology is broader and includes equipment, systems, facilities, procedures, and drugs. Medical devices can include any apparatus, instrument, device, or implant.
Medical machines include syringes, sphygmomanometers, devices that measure blood pressure, and medical imaging technologies like X-rays and MRI machines. These machines can diagnose, monitor, treat, and relieve disease.
3D printing is a significant technological advancement in healthcare. 3D printing is used to make specialized prostheses, splints, and parts for inert implant parts.
Electronics Technology
Applications – Computers, smartphones, digital cameras, RADAR (Radio Detection And Ranging), power supplies, multimeters, interactive sensors
Electronics is the study of everything that involves electron flow and control in matter and vacuum. Any physical entity can be an electronic component (e.g., capacitors, resistors, and inductors) in a system that alters electrons or associated fields consistent with the intended operation.
Electronics mainly include active and passive components, solid-state devices, operational amplifiers, and oscillators: digital circuits, digital connections, power supplies, and optoelectronics such as solar cells and light-emitting diodes.
Different aspects of electronic technology are interrelated in many scientific and technical disciplines. This has allowed the development of many electronic consumers and military and industrial products.
Most electronic devices use semiconductors for electron control as of 2021. These devices make up a significant portion of modern technology.
Communication Technology
Applications LAN (Local Area Network), videotext, and Teletext. Internet, wireless information transfer, GPS.
Communication technology is merging audiovisual and telephone networks with computer networks through a unified cabling system or link.
Recent advancements in computing technology have led to network enhancements. Some of these devices are designed specifically for network applications and data transformation.
It is a vast and ever-changing field covering all electronic devices that can digitally receive, store, retrieve, or process information. This covers radio, television, satellite systems, communication devices, and many other services.
Communication technology is a critical part of the IT infrastructure. It allows information to be exchanged, transferred, and shared via a private or publicly accessible network. It allows for better management of e–resources and, thus, quality services.
This technology is also extensively used in space. NASA and other agencies use space optical communication to transmit more data in a shorter time.