Chapter 3

Question 1

1: What impact could new and emerging technologies have upon society?

2: What is Artificial Intelligence?

3: What are Biometrics?

4: What is Virtual Reality?

5: What are Drones?

Answer 1

1: Increase product capability, reach out to more consumers, reduce size, - impact on environment production methods/costs/jobs

2: Artificial Intelligence are robots or systems programmed to think like a human brain, therefore pose a great threat to manual workers and employment

3: Biometrics in passport scanners, facial identity, iris scanner, fingerprint scanner – all quicken pace of security checks

4: Expensive but great potential – training for areas that cant be reached – aids for healthcare.

5: Flying drones take pictures / video / surveillance – could use in courier roles

Question 2

1: How can new and emerging technologies have an impact upon the environment?

2: How would you define planned obsolescence? Give an example of this happening.

3: How can we counteract planned obsolescence as a consumer?

Answer 2

1: Fuels used to create the large number of products – products/components that cant be recycled or reused.

2: Deliberately making a product out of date by stopping support or service to it – forcing user to buy a newer model. (Mobile phones / washing machine component or parts are good examples of this in action)

3: Make decisions that are right ethically / Conserve energy / Energy efficient products / use appliances efficiently / reduce wastage in product packaging

Question 3

1: What are the 6 R’s of sustainability? Give examples of how these are used.

2: What is a circular Economy?

3: What is the cradle – to – cradle approach? Give examples of this approach in action.

Answer 3

1: Rethink( How can it be better/more efficient? / Reuse (Parts be reused again/easy to take apart? / Recycle (Materials be recycled? / Repair (Parts likely to fail – easy to replace? / Reduce (Parts/materials not needed? / Refuse (Do you really need it?)

2: Attempt to keep resources in use for as long as possible then regenerate into new materials / products at the end

3: All material inputs and outputs are seen either as technical or biological nutrients – ability to be recycled with no loss of quality or composted and regrown – e.g. Adidas / Aeron Chair / Textile yarn (Lauffenmuhle)

Question 4

1: Name the three fossil fuels.

2: Explain how energy is stored and transferred in kinetic energy and thermal energy.

3: Define non-renewable energy and give an example of this.

4: Define renewable sources of energy.

Answer 4

1: Oil, Natural Gas and Coal (all finite elements)

2: Kinetic - Energy in a moving object is transferred using dynamos into kinetic energy. Thermal – Energy comes from heat(sun, radiators. Fires give off thermal energy)

3: Non-renewable energy sources come out of the ground, liquids, gases, solids. Gas/coal/oil – fuel is burnt to generate heat.

4: Renewable energy can be replenished naturally in a short period of time.

Question 5

1: Explain Hydroelectric energy.

2: Explain Wind energy.

3: Explain Tidal barrages

4: Explain Wave energy

5: Explain Geothermal energy

6: Explain Biomass.

Answer 5

1: Hydroelectric energy – Dam used to trap water – water released turning turbines – generates energy

2: Wind energy – Blades catch wind – turn turbines – creates energy

3: Tidal barrages – barrage built across river estuary - water released turning turbines – generates energy

4: Wave energy – motion of waves force air up to turn a turbine

5: Geothermal energy – cold water pumped underground through heated rocks to turbines

6: Biomass – wood/sugar etc burnt generating heat – heat water to steam - turbine

Question 6

1: What is fair-trade? What is it’s impact upon the design industry?

2: Give an example of how we are being more aware of social and ethical issues when designing products.

3: What is Global Sustainable Development?

4: What impact did the Paris Agreement in 2016 have upon global sustainable development?

Answer 6

1: Establishes better working conditions, trade, costs – effecting the way manufacturers think about processes and materials

2: More aware of social implications of poor working conditions, impact that the design will have on the community that will be using it – unemployment / further employment?

3: Brundtland Commission – meeting the needs of present generation without comprising the ability of future generations to meet own needs

4: Focusing on reducing greenhouse gases and emissions but also includes wider global goals.