2.3-Major developments in technology part 1

Question 1

What advances have an increasingly powerful and miniaturised range of products

Answer 1

Advances in manufacturing technology for electronic components such as integrated circuts

Question 2

What technological development for electronic products took place in the early 19th century? Name a couple examples

Answer 2

• the development of electrical batteries and ciruits

- example products-basic lighting, motors, switches

Question 3

What technological development for electronic products took place in the early 20th century? Name a couple examples

Answer 3

• the development of the vacuum tube (thermionic valve)

- example products-early amplifiers, radios, TVs and computers

Question 4

What technological development for electronic products took place in the 1940s? Name a couple examples

Answer 4

• the development of the transistor (semi conductor)

- example products-portable radios and a reduction in the size of other electronic products

Question 5

What technological development for electronic products took place in the 1960s? Name a couple examples

Answer 5

• ‘microelectronics’ ICs (approx 500 transistors)

- example products-more powerful computers and highly portable devices such as music players

Question 6

What technological development for electronic products took place in the 1980s? Name a couple examples

Answer 6

-ultra large scale ICs (1,000,000 transisors)

example products-laptops and mobile phones

Question 7

What technological development for electronic products took place in 2017? Name a couple examples

Answer 7

• 10,000,000,000+ transistor ICs

- example products-supercomputers and the prospect of even more powerful mobile devices

Question 8

The impact of the cassete in technology

Answer 8

-portability and convenience of enclosed magnetic recording tape

Question 9

The impact of the CD in technology

Answer 9

-reliable, wear free storage of digital files

Question 10

The impact of the laser in technology

Answer 10

-reliable, non contact, light transmission of CD data

Question 11

The impact of Ni-Mh batteries in technology

Answer 11

-rechargeable, portable power

Question 12

The impact of the LCD display in technology

Answer 12

-facilitates user display interface

Question 13

The impact of the MP3 (compressed digital audio) in technology

Answer 13

-increased capacity of devices to store more songs

Question 14

The impact of the miniature hard drive in technology

Answer 14

-high capacity storage capability

Question 15

The impact of lithium batteries in technology

Answer 15

-rechargeable power and longer battery life

Question 16

The impact of flash (IC) storage in technology

Answer 16

-no moving parts, improving reliability

Question 17

The impact of the capacitive touch screen in technology

Answer 17

-improvements to user control and display interface

Question 18

The impact of music streaming in technology

Answer 18

-removal of the requirement to store files on devices

Question 19

What are microelectronics

Answer 19

Miniature electronic devices and systems facilitated by the development of the integrated circuit

Question 20

How was research carried out in the 1950s

Answer 20

• books
• film photography
• writing letters and reading paper catalogues

Question 21

How is research carried out now

Answer 21

• internet searches
• digital photography
• PDFs
• use of mobile devices

Question 22

How were design ideas generated and refined in the 1950s

Answer 22

• sketching
• drawing boards
• rubbing out and re-drawing errors
• basic copying methods

Question 23

How are design ideas generated and refined currently

Answer 23

• CAD
• graphic tablets
• parts libraries
• scanning to input data
• 3D rendering

Question 24

How was design collaboration and communication carried out in the 1950s

Answer 24

• face to face meetings
• landline telephone calls
• postal communication

Question 25

How is design collaboration and communication carried out now

Answer 25

• web conferences
• email
• texts
• file and cloud storage
• online collaboration

Question 26

How was modelling/testing ideas carried out in the 1950s

Answer 26

• handmade models
• destructive testing
• calculations

Question 27

How is modelling/testing ideas carried out now

Answer 27

• virtual 3D CAD models
• finite element analysis
• complex computer applications

Question 28

How was manufacturing carried out in the 1950s

Answer 28

• skilled operation of manual machines
• paper based stock control
• manual handling

Question 29

How is manufacturing carried out today

Answer 29

• CNC machines
• robotic devices
• computer monitored JiT systems
• 3Dprinting

Question 30

How was QC and testing carried out in the 1950s

Answer 30

• manual and visual inspection using verniers and gauges

- basic laboratory equipment

Question 31

How is QC and testing carried out today

Answer 31

• automated scanning
• digital imaging
• probe measuring linked to computers

Question 32

What is the internet of things

Answer 32

-a networking of multiple microelectronic devices using wifi and the internet

Question 33

2 applications of the internet of things

Answer 33

• smart fridges using cameras and radio frequency identification scanners to order products as they are used
• an automatic JiT manufacturing system that organises its own flow of parts and predictive maintenance of manufacturing equipment