1.

Technology

Tutor:
Asst. Prof. Shukra Raj Paudel
Department of Civil Engineering
IOE, Tribhuvan University

2019-05-20
Objectives of the presentation

• To understand the term “technology”

• To know about the positive and
negative impacts of technology on
environment and society
• To learn about benefits of technology
due to new inventions
• Types of technology
• Conflict of technology and shift in Source :SmarterWare.com
employment due to technology
1
Presentation outline

• Definition
• Impact of technology on environment
• Benefits of technology
• Conflict of technology
• Appropriate technology
• Intermediate technology
• Labour based and labour intensive technology
• Shift in employment due to technological advancement
2
 1.1 Definition
 Technology is the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes.
 Technology can be described as the branch of knowledge that deals with the
formation and use of technical resources and their interrelation with life , society,
and the environment.

International space station

Burz khalifa 3
Source : www.nasa.gov/ Source : www.burjkhalifa.ae/en/
1.1.1 Characteristics of technology

• Knowledge based
• Driven by consumer demand
• Evident in all culture
• Fundamental to survival
• Accumulative
• Extend our capabilities
• Inevitable
• Irreversible
4
1.1.2 Categories of technology

Generally, there are six categories of

technology.
1. Communication
It deals with sending and receiving of
messages. Source : dailybits.com

2. Construction
It deals with design, development and
construction of new building and other
structures.
Source : geniebelt.com
5
3. Energy
It is the fuel of technology and field of
technology depends on it. Different
sources of energy such as fossil fuels,
hydropower, solar power, wind energy
falls under this category.
Source : greentechmedia.com

4. Manufacturing
It deals with design and development
of products. Assembly lines and
atomization such as robotic arms have
revolutionized manufacturing sector.

Source : bryair.com 6
5. Transportation
It deals with movement of people
and goods. Different locomotives
such as automobiles, airplanes,
trains, ships has facilitated
transportation.
Source : disneyland.disney.go.com

6. Bio-related technology
It deals with technology related
to life. This includes all
technologies in medical field.

Source : knowmuhammad.org 7
1.1.3 Limitations of technology

• Technology doesn’t make moral judgements.

• It doesn’t do creative thinking.

• It can lead us to lose our dexterity in the innovation.

• It always requires human intervention to carry out function properly.

• Technology is useful only until there is resource.

• Most of our present technology is not advanced enough to not have an

adverse impact on environment. 8

1.2 Impact of Technology on Environment and
Society

It's hard to imagine life without

technology. Cell phones, computers,
televisions, washing machines, cars,
and the Internet. They're just a part
of life. The effects they've had on
society and environment are
impossible to ignore. Technology
impacts the environment, people and
the society as a whole. The way we
use technology determines if its
impacts are positive to the society or
negative.

9
 Positive and Negative Impacts of Technology

1.Technology has improved transportation:

•Technologies like automobiles, buses, and trucks have improved the way
humans move and how they transport their goods from place to another.

Source : passnownow.com
World’s first engine operated automobile by Karl
Benz 10
 Source : passnownow.com Source : passnownow.com

World’s fastest train : Shanghai Maglev 431kph World’s fastest car : Hennessey Venom 483kph

11
ONE LIFE IS SAVED IN EVERY 30 MINUTES BECAUSE OF
AMBULANCE IN TAMIL NADU, INDIA

Source : indiantimes.com 12
SELF DRIVING CARS – TESLA , GOOGLE, GM , Ford, BMW Source :tesla.com

13
NEGATIVE IMPACTS BECAUSE OF
TRANSPORTATION MEANS
•Unmanaged transportation facilities leads to casualties:
According to statistics published by Nepal Police, a total of 2,385 persons
were killed in 10,178 roads accidents in 2016-17.

Source:transportnetwork.com Source:transportnetwork.com 14
•Gases released by vehicles contributes in air pollution :Automobiles create about 33%
of all U.S. air pollutants in the forms of carbon dioxide, smog and several other toxic
chemicals and gases.
World wide :700 million cars producing 900 million tons of CO2 i.e. 15% of total
amount

Source:myrepublica.com
•When cars are disposed, their remains of plastics and toxic lead battery acids are
thrown into landfills instead of being recycled resulting in harmful effects directly onto the
environment.
15
 BUT..

Source:nationalgeography.com
Source:nationalgeography.com
The town of Lidzbark Warminski in northern
About three-quarters of today’s Poland unveiled a new glow-in-the-dark
average car, including the bulk of a bicycle lane. During the day, sunlight charges
steel frame, can be recycled. special particles in the asphalt, and then those
particles — called “luminophores” — become
beautiful blue lights when the sun sets.
16
Source : Digital Culturist Netherland and Australia : Roads entirely of Plastic
11 states of India :more than 100,000 kilometres of roads
Pokhara: small strech of road
17
2.Improvement in communication because of internet, television.radio, telephones.

•Small businesses have also used the internet and mobile communication technology to
grow and improve their customer service. Meetings online and no need to travel

• To circulate information about natural calamities and awareness programs, forms of

communication like internet, television , radio, etc are very important

18
Source:disasteralert.com
• According to Life.com, Poor Communication Is The #1 Reason Couples Split Up.
With development in communication, distance is not a problem in a relationship.
Internet has made communication cheap and reliable and can strengthen
relationships.

Source :TechWyse
19
Source:Life.com
NEGATIVE IMPACTS BECAUSE OF ADVANCED
COMMUNICATION MEANS

Source : The Plaid Zebra

•Decreasing Quality of Face-to-Face Interactions

20
•Reports of many online harassment and threats in easy communication medias
like facebook.

Source: pewresearch.com

21
3.Mechanized Agriculture
Technology has mechanized agriculture:
• Modern agricultural technology allows a small number of people to grow vast
quantities of food in a short period of time with less input which results into high yields
and RIO ”return on investment”.

Source :123RF.com

•Access to artificial fertilizers adding value to the soil and boost the growth of
their crops and enable them to produce high-quality yields. 22
•Irrigation methods like drip irrigation , sprinkle irrigation has lead to least consumption of
water in places like Dubai , Egypt.
Source:irrigation.com

Miracle garden in Dubai Source:

placestovisit.com
23
Drip irrigation and Sprinkle irrigation
 NEGATIVE IMPACT OF MECHANIZED
AGRICULTURE
• Pesticides can contaminate soil, water, turf, and other vegetation. In
addition to killing insects or weeds, pesticides can be toxic to a host of
other organisms including birds, fish, beneficial insects, and non-target
plants.

24
Source:soilvalue.com
4.Improved Education and Learning Process
Technology has improved education and learning process :
• Technologies like smart whiteboards, computers, mobile phones, iPads,
projectors, and internet are being used in classrooms to boost students moral to
learn.
• Visual education is becoming more popular and it has proved to be the best
method of learning in many subjects like mathematics, physics, biology,
geography, economics and much more.

Source Instruction Tech talk 25

BUT..
•Prolonged digital learning has impacted our fitness and mental health. It has also led to
gadgets addictions

Source : WelBolts Source :Wellingtongrey.net

Source : The Plaid Zebra

26
5.Improved Quality of Life and health conditions

• Lower infant mortality Source :WelBolts

•Identification of diseases using different instruments (X-ray, MRI,etc) and
various tests.
• Cures for diseases have been developed.

Stephen Hawking Source :WelBolts Source:

Muniba Mazari
peopleoftheyea
r.com 27
DIFFERENTLY ABLED ARE NO MORE DISABLED
 Positive & Negative Impacts of Technology on
Environment
POSITIVE NEGATIVE
Paperless communication like Email Generation of more waste Source
& online bill, Low carbon :HelpSaveNature.com
technology
Sensor technologies like automatic Disrupting ecology
light on-off, low carbon technology
Eco-friendly energy production: Solar Increased population due to
power and Wind power. improved health technology
Improved Research equipments for Excess power consumption
improvised eco-friendly technologies.

29
Positive & Negative Impacts of Technology on
Society
POSITIVE NEGATIVE
Improved Transportation Loss of concentration

Improved Communication Isolation

Improved Agriculture Threat to human health

Improved Education Lack of privacy

Improved Health facilities Addiction

28
1.3 Benefits of technology due to new inventions

• Invention of science means

the coming up of new useful
processes, machines and
improvements that did not
exist there before. The end
Invention: product must be something
that is unique and of its own
kind in the world of science.

Source : wakeup-world.com
30
Advantages

• Fast communication
With the invention of computers and
phones, people are able to
communicate with each other
regardless of their location. Source : markghall.wordpress

• Fast transport
Cars, buses, electric trains and
airplanes make it easier to travel across
the world with much ease. One can
travel over a long distance in a short
period of time.
Source : blog.misumiusa
31
• Increased productivity
Working with computers reduces the
amount of time taken to have results. In the
case of producing documents, it takes a
shorter time to type rather than hand write.

Source : convenzis.co.uk

• Improved health
Most diseases are manageable due to the
invention of science. Medicines have been
discovered that aid to prolong life and also
machines that support life.

Source : convenzis.co.uk
32
• Increased awareness
Science inventions have led to a better
understanding of the world. People know
about the existence of space and its nature
as well.

Source : convenzis.co.uk
Disadvantages
• Health impacts
The invention of some chemicals has
increased the chances of health issues
such as respiratory and skin diseases.

Source : bateschemical.com
33
• Increased chances of warfare
Most countries have acquired bombs, arms
and ammunition, fighter planes and the like
which have led to many dangerous wars
with increased death of people.

Source : pinterest

• Over-dependence on invention
Most people depend on invention to work.
Others have gone to the extent of looking for
robots to so their job.

Source : autoevolution 34
• Increased pollution
When computers are out of fashion and others
are invented, they end up being damped which
is a health hazard. The increased use of
chemicals also causes pollution.

• Increased competition
Powerful countries end up having unhealthy Source : huffingtonpost
competitions on who is going to invent what
first. This leads to enmity among nations.

Inventions have lead to the growth of the

economies in the world as well as the
education sector. It should therefore be
embraced, but done in a sustainable way
Source : wpexplorer 35
 1.4 Conflict of Technology, Technology Creates
Opportunity for Society to Change

 Conflict of Technology
Conflict is an interactive process manifested in incompatibility, disagreement or
dissonance within or between social entities.
It can be :
• Individual vs. individual,
• Individual vs. group,
• Group vs. group,
• Individual vs. himself,
• Man vs. nature,
• Technology vs. society,
36
• Environment vs. society and so on.
A Representation of Man Vs. Technology

Source: 123RF.com 37
 Conflict of technology may include
the following subject matters
Technology and Development
• Technology advancement leads to the evolution of new social classes.
• The speed of change in any technology may lead to a friction among the societies or
nations.
• Countries with superior technology holds the world in their palm.
• Developed countries have a track record of controlling the lesser developed countries.
• Difference in technology means difference in the economy. Some live in riches while
some live in gutters.
• Difference in technology also brings out difference in education level.

38
Source: Slideshare.com
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Source: Slideshare.com
40
 Technology and War
• The invention of new weaponry, chemical and biological
bombs is a danger to the human race and all the living
organisms.
• The Nuclear Bombs developed in recent years are more
potent than the early bombs with Tsar Bomba having 57
megatons of TNT explosive power is more than 1500 times of
Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs combined.
• Countries with more war potential usually bullies another
countries into submission.
• With the development of guns, poisonous gases and diseases,
no one is as safe as they were before.

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AFTERMATH OF HIROSHIMA BOMBING

https//www.nytimes.com20150806worldasiadi
d-us-have-to-drop-atomic-bombs-on-
hiroshima-and-nagasaki.html 42
 Modern Guns Biochemical
and weapons weapons

https//app.emaze.com@AOLWCTQRO
https//www.brickarms.commodern-combat-
#2
pack-v6.php 43
 Technology creates the opportunity for
society to change
• Urbanization: Villages to
Towns to
Cities
• Industrialization: Better production
Better employment opportunities
Economic Prosperity

• Modernization: Change in Ideology

Change in Fashion
Change in life style
44
• Communication:
Communicating is very
advanced at this day and
age.
Instant delivery and receiving.
Instant messages, Email
Voice Chat
Video Call ,etc

Source: lighttheminds.com

45
• Social classes: Whoever holds the superior technology is in the
upper echelon of social classes.
• Unemployment: Machines replacing humans
Robots replacing humans
• Technology and War: Wars and destruction
Death of human life as well as cultures
Death of Natural resources and wildlife
Mutations
• Pollution: Depletion of Natural resources
Deterioration of monuments
Diseases
• Social movements: Eradication of Social Evils
46
Awareness against social injustices
1.5 Appropriate technology
• Small and local level technology whose primary goal is to make use of local
level skills and manpower to provide basic human needs and services
• Dr. Ernst friedrich described it as the technology which should be able to
promote health, beauty and permanence
• It is an approach that promotes small-scale, decentralized, energy-efficient,
locally controlled and environmentally sound technology that attempts to solve
basic human problems
• Some ideologies involve Mahatma Gandhi and Mao Zedong’s who advocated it
for small, local and predominantly village based technology to help local villages
to be self reliant 47
 1.5.1 Properties of appropriate technology

• Small scale and simple

• Decentralization of goods, products and services
• Labour intensive
• Energy efficient
• Self-sustaining
Source : deccanchronical.com
• Emphasize on use of renewable resources
• Environmentally sound
• Locally controlled 48
1.5.2 Importance of appropriate technology
• Permits local requirements to be met through community involvement and for this
reason tends to be associated with local principles and customs
• Utilize human labour rather than machinery which enable community to self
manage without complicated organizational training and particular knowledge
• Minimize costly and environmentally damaging energy for transport of supplies
allowing better local industry contribution and implementation of neighboring
assets
• Reinforces local control which shields against effects of outside economic changes
• Establishes self-sufficient, skill foundation and reduces monetary, societal and
political reliance
49
• Helps in developing sustainable communities
Appropriate
technology

50
Source : deccanchronical.com
1.6 Intermediate technology, Labour based and
Labour intensive technology
1.6.1 Intermediate technology:
• Technology suitable for use in developing countries,
typically making use of locally available resources.

• Technology which includes industrial or agricultural

processes that are based on resources and skill
which are available in poorer countries.
• Designed to focus on people rather than machines, Source :
intermediate technology is considered to be more worldtimes.com
harmonious with the environment and with traditional ways of life.
Examples: solar powered bulbs, hand weaving machines,
pedal power maize sheller, etc. 51
 Nature of Intermediate technology:
The nature of intermediate technique can be judged from the following:
• Work places of intermediate techniques are to be established in villages
and towns, not in big cities.
• These workplaces should involve more workers, low costs and minimum
inputs particularly the capital.
• Process of production, organization, supply of raw material, credit and
other activities must be as simple as possible.
• Production should largely be based upon local materials and local
workers.
52
• Facility of repair at door steps.
Need of Intermediate technology:

Migration from
Unemployment rural to urban
areas

Need of
intermediate
technology

Scarcity of capital Simple process

investment

53
1.6.2 Labour based technology:

Source : meltc.com

It is the technology that combines labour with light equipment and

tools as necessary, rather than sophisticated machinery, to create
cost-effective product. 54
Parameters of labour-based technology:

There are three parameters of labour-based technology:

1. Local labour is preferred wherever applicable

2. Labour-based methods should be cheaper than machine-based

methods.

3. The quality of manufactured product should be of required quality

standard. 55
Advantages of Labour based technology:
• Creation of more employment
• Reduction of environmental impact
• Increased use of associated local resources
• Contribution to local economy

Disadvantages of Labour based technology:

• Uniformity lacks in production

• Skilled manpower can be scarcely found
56
1.6.3 Labour Intensive technology:

Source:
civilworks.com
• It involves a large number of workers to produce products or services.
• There is high labour cost relative to capital and involves physical and
manual job.
• In simple words labour intensive technique is that which uses
57
comparatively larger amount of labour and small doses of capital.
Advantages of Labour intensive technology:

• Control of expenses during market downturns by controlling the size of the

employee base.
• Many unemployed can get employment by which unemployment problem is
solved.
• The attitude of society becomes positive towards project or people take project
positively.
• It becomes suitable in the countries or places where modern technology has not
been developed.
• It helps to bring economic stability. 58
Disadvantages of Labour intensive technology:

• Production cost increases.

• Economic growth rate remains low.

• Projects cannot be competitive.

• Uniformity lacks in production.

• Skilled manpower can be scarcely found.

59
1.7 Shifts in employment due to technological advancement

• Technology is a growing thing.

• Analyzing the growth of technology, it has always affected the lifestyle and
employment of people.
• From the stone age to now, changes in the pattern of employment has occurred
drastically.

Source:cnet.com Source : twave.com

Stone and Iron age equipments Information age employment
60
• Employment is shifting from blue collar industries to high-tech industries by
replacing manual labor with machinery and advanced equipments.

Source : quora.com Source : quora.com

Worker assembling Ford Truck with
Worker welding machinery parts
advanced machinery

61
• Technology is conventionally • On the other hand recent study
thought to have eliminated the shows that technology has
need for many labor jobs as the created more jobs than it has
new equipments can provide the eliminated.
necessary replacement.

Source : quora.com Source : quora.com

Kuka robots work on Tesla Model S cars in Workers handling customers at shopping mall
the Tesla factory in Fremont, California.
62
 The beginning of civilization which is called agricultural age, employment of
people was as an agricultural worker.
 With technological advancement, employment of people shifted from agricultural
worker to factory worker in industrial age.
 With further advancement in technology, the employment of people shifted to as
a knowledge worker in information age.
 The Shift in employment is mainly due to transportation, communication and
computer.

Source : quora.com Source : quora.com Source : quora.com

63
International Competition in business

 Shifting from farming in rural areas to industrial jobs in cities and suburbs in
western countries

 Change in production and employment patterns as a result of technological

advances, increased levels of world trade, and a rapid increase in the demand for
services.

 Change in the education pattern due to the shift in employment opportunities.

64