What is Technology?
Technology is a subject that will allow you to use your imagination and skills to get a sense of achievement. You will challenge yourself to solve problems, and you will find you use skills from many subject areas. You will also develop an understanding of the technological world we live in.
What does Technology include?
Technology is many different things. It includes tools, machines, processes such as building a bridge, systems such as the braking system on a car, resources such as generating electricity, and products.
Technology is not just things. It also involves people. People make technology, use technology and are affected by it.
Technology is not just things. It also involves people. People make technology, use technology and are affected by it.
Technological Development in Australia
Technological development in Australia was different to other parts of the world. This was because of the isolation of our continent and our small population. Before 1900 there were only two stages of technological development in Australia. These were the technologies associated with Aboriginal society and the technology of the Industrial Revolution which the British settlers brought. Since 1900 there has been very rapid technological development in Australia.
Human needs met by Technology
Technology is very important to our well being. It helps to fulfil our need for clothing, food, water and shelter. It influences our health and helps us to communicate with others. It makes life easier and more comfortable for us at home and at work and it provides us with sources of entertainment.
Categories of Technology
Physical Technology
- Transportation
- Construction
- Telecommunication
- Health
- Agriculture
- Medicine
Problem Solving
From earliest times societies have designed and applied technology to solve their problems and improve their quality of life. When a problem is identified people work through a process to find the solution.
You do this informally in your everyday life. List 2 everyday problems that you encounter. Write down how you go about solving them. For example:
Problem
•What to wear to the movies with your friends?
Solving it
•What will the weather be like
• Is it day or night
• What is clean, washed, ironed?
•What will my friends be wearing?
You do this informally in your everyday life. List 2 everyday problems that you encounter. Write down how you go about solving them. For example:
Problem
•What to wear to the movies with your friends?
Solving it
•What will the weather be like
• Is it day or night
• What is clean, washed, ironed?
•What will my friends be wearing?
Steps in Design Process
Explain what occurs in each step
Design Brief: It is the aim of what you will make
Research & Investigation: Researching on the internet, books or interviewing someone to find out information
Ideas & Idea Development: Discuss findings and come up with different plans
Final Design & Planning: Agreeing on one design to make and plan who is in charge of what
Production: The making/building of the product
Marketing: Selling of the product or promoting it
Evaluation: You look at your achievements and check how you could do better or improve
Research & Investigation: Researching on the internet, books or interviewing someone to find out information
Ideas & Idea Development: Discuss findings and come up with different plans
Final Design & Planning: Agreeing on one design to make and plan who is in charge of what
Production: The making/building of the product
Marketing: Selling of the product or promoting it
Evaluation: You look at your achievements and check how you could do better or improve
Design Process in Real Life
In partners, brainstorm what is required at each step of the design process with specific reference to the given brief.
Brief : Design and make a toy suitable for a 3 – 6 month baby. It must be easy to hold, make a noise and be an interesting shape.
Design Brief: Design and make a toy suitable for a 3 – 6 month baby.
Research & Investigation: Observe what other companies have made, look at statistics
Ideas & Idea Development: Discussion with others, make sketches as a draft
Final Design & Planning: Draw a final sketch to get approved
Production: Building/construction of toy, test for safety, come up with price
Marketing: Selling through commercial/online shops e.g toys'r'us, ebay, big w, target, kmart, advertisement e.g radio, tv, posters, billboards, flyer
Evaluation: Checking profit/loss, checking reviews from customers
Brief : Design and make a toy suitable for a 3 – 6 month baby. It must be easy to hold, make a noise and be an interesting shape.
Design Brief: Design and make a toy suitable for a 3 – 6 month baby.
Research & Investigation: Observe what other companies have made, look at statistics
Ideas & Idea Development: Discussion with others, make sketches as a draft
Final Design & Planning: Draw a final sketch to get approved
Production: Building/construction of toy, test for safety, come up with price
Marketing: Selling through commercial/online shops e.g toys'r'us, ebay, big w, target, kmart, advertisement e.g radio, tv, posters, billboards, flyer
Evaluation: Checking profit/loss, checking reviews from customers
Definitions:
Define the following words which are important in Technology and find a matching picture to go with the term.
- Ethics | Moral principles that govern a person's behaviour or the conducting of an activity.
- Analyse | To observe or examine something.
- Invention | A creation or a design.
- Email | A message sent to someone electronically.
- Technology | Machinery and devices developed by scientific knowledge.
- Documenting | To record information in written, photographic or other form.
- Environment | The surroundings or conditions of a person.
- Innovation | Make changes in something established, especially by introducing new methods, ideas, or products.
- Interview | Meeting of people face to face, especially for consultation.
- Resources | A stock or supply of money, materials, staff, and other assets that can be drawn on by a person or organization in order to function effectively.
Beach Trekker Article
Beach Trekker
The Beach Trekker is a specially designed track wheel fitted to a wheelchair that allows people with disabilities to be transported by a carer over dry, soft and wet sand and then directly into the water at a beach. It is also able to traverse all surfaces that disabled people encounter, ie. kerbs, asphalt and even stairs.
Inspiration
Steve's professional experience includes development of the Arbortech Airboard Hovercraft (seen at the Sydney 2000 Olympics Opening Ceremony), the unique Arbortech Allsaw, underwater remotely piloted vehicles, and various other marine systems.
He has been involved with the non-profit organisation TADWA for 9 years and enjoys the unique challenges of assisting people with disabilities for which customized technological solutions are usually the only alternative.
How it works
The Beach Trekker allows people with a disability to not only easily get down to the beach but to also get into the water, lake or river in a safe and dignified manner. It does this via a uniquely designed track wheel that inventor Steve says is the most innovative component of the entire wheelchair.
Conventional Beach wheelchairs available to the disabled have only allowed users to feel the water and get wet but leave users unable to physically get in the water deep enough due to their buoyancy. For disabled people that can swim, it relied on considerable assistance from the carer to help them float off the buoyant wheelchair and into the water.
The wheels used on these common beach wheelchairs are pneumatic or large plastic tyres and these materials are buoyant and float making the chair incredibly unstable to sit in. People have been known to fall out and be tipped over by a wave. Another problem associated with conventional beach wheelchair design is that stiff wheels tend to bog down into the dry soft sand and are difficult to manoeuvre.
Steve aspired to give the disabled a chance to feel the water as any other able-bodied person would. He recognised that whilst some disabled could leave their wheelchairs and float and swim, others couldn’t and were confined to a chair. Those confined to a wheelchair are now finally able to experience the feeling of being somewhat immersed in water at the beach. The Beach Trekker also enables those people that are able to leave their chairs and swim, the ability to do it safely in complete confidence that their chair won’t wash away.
Although Steve initially designed the Beach Trekker to get disabled people into the water whilst minimising problems that other conventional beach wheelchairs have, he later recognised the wider appeal for the Beach Trekker. The chair not only traverses very soft sand and can go into the water, but it can also travel down stairs, over kerbs and ditches.
Core to the design of the wheelchair are two track wheels that are 160mm wide x 600mm in diameter with twelve stainless steel flexible spring spokes on each wheel. The entire track wheel is flexible and deforms (alters the shape of the wheel by pressure or stress) to the contour of the ground. The rim of the wheel is large and flat and effectively the wheel becomes like a track with the load distributed by the stainless steel flexible spokes.
In total the Beach Trekker has four wheels, a small pair of normal golf type buggy wheels on the front and two track wheels on the rear. When travelling on soft ground or sand, the chair can be slightly tilted back to prevent the small front wheels digging into the sand, similar to in action to pushing along a baby’s pram. To push the Beach Trekker along loose sand, Steve says it requires the carer to push about 1/5 of the weight of the chair and rider.
Steve has two prototypes. The first prototype has smaller golf buggy type wheels at the front and track wheels at the back, and the second prototype has track wheels at the front and smaller buggy wheels at the back. Steve says, the first prototype is more suited to the severely disabled and the second prototype is much more appropriate for those that are able to get out of the chair to float and swim - because the front of the unit is more open, giving easier access.
The track wheels weigh approximately 5 kg each and the total weight of the chair is 25 kg. In comparison, standard hospital wheelchairs weigh about 15 kg.
Steve says that if a spoke was to flex and break that it could easy be replaced and the wheels contain roughly the same amount of parts as a conventional wheelchair wheel.
Beach Trekker’s tracked wheels have very low energy losses in deflection of stainless steel rims and spokes. This means that not much energy is lost when pushing the wheelchair because energy is recovered via the wheel deforming rather than the ground deforming (which occurs with conventional wheelchairs). It springs back into shape.
At this stage Steve is focusing on keeping the Beach Trekker an adult size that can manage a load of 120kg in total weight. The chair is collapsible for travel is a car and inventor envisages customising production units to suit particular needs.
About the Inventor
Steve Gates is a Mechanical Engineer who volunteers his time at Technology Assisting Disabilities WA (TADWA). As a Mechanical Engineer he has strong interests in flying (model and full scale aircraft), land mobility, energy and environmental sustainability.
The Beach Trekker is a specially designed track wheel fitted to a wheelchair that allows people with disabilities to be transported by a carer over dry, soft and wet sand and then directly into the water at a beach. It is also able to traverse all surfaces that disabled people encounter, ie. kerbs, asphalt and even stairs.
Inspiration
Steve's professional experience includes development of the Arbortech Airboard Hovercraft (seen at the Sydney 2000 Olympics Opening Ceremony), the unique Arbortech Allsaw, underwater remotely piloted vehicles, and various other marine systems.
He has been involved with the non-profit organisation TADWA for 9 years and enjoys the unique challenges of assisting people with disabilities for which customized technological solutions are usually the only alternative.
How it works
The Beach Trekker allows people with a disability to not only easily get down to the beach but to also get into the water, lake or river in a safe and dignified manner. It does this via a uniquely designed track wheel that inventor Steve says is the most innovative component of the entire wheelchair.
Conventional Beach wheelchairs available to the disabled have only allowed users to feel the water and get wet but leave users unable to physically get in the water deep enough due to their buoyancy. For disabled people that can swim, it relied on considerable assistance from the carer to help them float off the buoyant wheelchair and into the water.
The wheels used on these common beach wheelchairs are pneumatic or large plastic tyres and these materials are buoyant and float making the chair incredibly unstable to sit in. People have been known to fall out and be tipped over by a wave. Another problem associated with conventional beach wheelchair design is that stiff wheels tend to bog down into the dry soft sand and are difficult to manoeuvre.
Steve aspired to give the disabled a chance to feel the water as any other able-bodied person would. He recognised that whilst some disabled could leave their wheelchairs and float and swim, others couldn’t and were confined to a chair. Those confined to a wheelchair are now finally able to experience the feeling of being somewhat immersed in water at the beach. The Beach Trekker also enables those people that are able to leave their chairs and swim, the ability to do it safely in complete confidence that their chair won’t wash away.
Although Steve initially designed the Beach Trekker to get disabled people into the water whilst minimising problems that other conventional beach wheelchairs have, he later recognised the wider appeal for the Beach Trekker. The chair not only traverses very soft sand and can go into the water, but it can also travel down stairs, over kerbs and ditches.
Core to the design of the wheelchair are two track wheels that are 160mm wide x 600mm in diameter with twelve stainless steel flexible spring spokes on each wheel. The entire track wheel is flexible and deforms (alters the shape of the wheel by pressure or stress) to the contour of the ground. The rim of the wheel is large and flat and effectively the wheel becomes like a track with the load distributed by the stainless steel flexible spokes.
In total the Beach Trekker has four wheels, a small pair of normal golf type buggy wheels on the front and two track wheels on the rear. When travelling on soft ground or sand, the chair can be slightly tilted back to prevent the small front wheels digging into the sand, similar to in action to pushing along a baby’s pram. To push the Beach Trekker along loose sand, Steve says it requires the carer to push about 1/5 of the weight of the chair and rider.
Steve has two prototypes. The first prototype has smaller golf buggy type wheels at the front and track wheels at the back, and the second prototype has track wheels at the front and smaller buggy wheels at the back. Steve says, the first prototype is more suited to the severely disabled and the second prototype is much more appropriate for those that are able to get out of the chair to float and swim - because the front of the unit is more open, giving easier access.
The track wheels weigh approximately 5 kg each and the total weight of the chair is 25 kg. In comparison, standard hospital wheelchairs weigh about 15 kg.
Steve says that if a spoke was to flex and break that it could easy be replaced and the wheels contain roughly the same amount of parts as a conventional wheelchair wheel.
Beach Trekker’s tracked wheels have very low energy losses in deflection of stainless steel rims and spokes. This means that not much energy is lost when pushing the wheelchair because energy is recovered via the wheel deforming rather than the ground deforming (which occurs with conventional wheelchairs). It springs back into shape.
At this stage Steve is focusing on keeping the Beach Trekker an adult size that can manage a load of 120kg in total weight. The chair is collapsible for travel is a car and inventor envisages customising production units to suit particular needs.
About the Inventor
Steve Gates is a Mechanical Engineer who volunteers his time at Technology Assisting Disabilities WA (TADWA). As a Mechanical Engineer he has strong interests in flying (model and full scale aircraft), land mobility, energy and environmental sustainability.
Questions
1. What the inventor’s name?
The inventor's name was Steve Gates.
2. What was the name of the invention that he/she invented?
He invented the 'Beach Trekker'
3. Why did the person invent the item?
The inspiration was the Arbortech Airboard Hovercraft
4. Describe what the invention does.
It allows people with disabilities to easily go in sand and water.
1. What the inventor’s name?
The inventor's name was Steve Gates.
2. What was the name of the invention that he/she invented?
He invented the 'Beach Trekker'
3. Why did the person invent the item?
The inspiration was the Arbortech Airboard Hovercraft
4. Describe what the invention does.
It allows people with disabilities to easily go in sand and water.
Formal Assessment
This task will assess your ability to demonstrate the following outcome
4.1.3 Identifies the roles of designers and their contribution to society.
Research Designers
Identify two new skills that you have learnt regarding how to research.
4.1.3 Identifies the roles of designers and their contribution to society.
Research Designers
- List 5 inventions and their inventors.
- Name the designer and the date their innovation was created
- Explain what it does and it's purpose
- Environment (surroundings)
- Society (people and culture)
Identify two new skills that you have learnt regarding how to research.
Assessment
5 inventors and their inventions:
• Willis Carrier - Invented air conditioning.
• Thomas Edison, Joseph Swan, Hiram Maxim - Inventors of the lighbulb.
• Charles Babbage - Invented computers.
• Benjamin Franklin - Inventor of electricity
• Antonio Meucci - Invented the phone.
• Willis Carrier - Invented air conditioning.
• Thomas Edison, Joseph Swan, Hiram Maxim - Inventors of the lighbulb.
• Charles Babbage - Invented computers.
• Benjamin Franklin - Inventor of electricity
• Antonio Meucci - Invented the phone.
Favourite Designer
Designer: Antonio Meucci
Invention: Phones
Date invented: 1849
Invention: Phones
Date invented: 1849
Brief Description
|
Mobile phones were and currently still are the No. 1 most used electronic device. Before being upgraded, phones only used one form of communication which was calling. Calling people was a huge thing, because instead of sending handwritten letters to each others mailboxes, you can actual physically talk to a person through a telephone! Just type in their number in the keypad and Voila! Success! But nowadays phones aren't like that anymore. Sure there are some home phones which are similar but a normal everyday phone? Wayyy different. Now there is huge screens with touch screens and now texting has become "A thing of the past" because of how much improvement there are on phones. Just a quick connection to your nearest WiFi outlet and Hurray! Everything is unlocked on your phone. Download apps, message friends, make friends, share photos with your family and friends and there's still so many opportunities with just a small gadget in the palm of your hand!
|
Impacts of Mobile Phones
Society
Phones are extremely helpful devices. They allow easy access to communication to one another and you are able to carry a phone anywhere and everywhere without any worries. Most phones have a robotic voice installed to assist the user which are very helpful for people who want to travel, find somewhere to eat, find their local grocery store and so much more! Phones are also very cooperative devices and are the quick go-to to call 000 in need of help for medical support, crime scenes and fires. Cell phones are a huge convenience because you no longer need bulky big phones to contact friends or family. Now, phones are no longer as big as the size of a shoe and are now at least slightly bigger or smaller that your own hand!
Although phones may seem like the saviour of the world, that sometimes is not the case. Phones could result in people who exclude themselves from the real life world and socially anxious people. Phones are the reason there is a major issue with socially damaged people in the world, who take cell phones as their whole lives! It is unbelievable how much it has effected people in general of how they act, speak and react to things. Texting and many other common uses of the phone is not improving or helping society's communication skills in any way at all. It is completely wrecking and ruining every bit of it. People of this age are now less likely to make conversations, having always being immersed in what's happening in their phone.
Although phones may seem like the saviour of the world, that sometimes is not the case. Phones could result in people who exclude themselves from the real life world and socially anxious people. Phones are the reason there is a major issue with socially damaged people in the world, who take cell phones as their whole lives! It is unbelievable how much it has effected people in general of how they act, speak and react to things. Texting and many other common uses of the phone is not improving or helping society's communication skills in any way at all. It is completely wrecking and ruining every bit of it. People of this age are now less likely to make conversations, having always being immersed in what's happening in their phone.
EnvironmentPositive impacts of phones on the environment are that phones are increasing environmental awareness, reduce inefficiencies and find solutions. Further than that, there is no possible way for phones to physically help and support the environment. Though, most companies are also trying to develop tools that use cell phones to help solve water supply issues like collecting data from cell phone users to predict when water will be available in cities with limited supplies.
The reason for minor positivity from phones towards the environment is due to the many negative points there are. Many component of a cell phone include toxic-like substances such as arsenic, lithium, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury and zinc. They extract from decomposing waste in landfills, seep into groundwater and contaminate the soil where the metals build up in the soil, they can then enter the food chain and in sufficient concentrations may cause health problems to the people and even yourself! According to the EPA, lead taken into the body through the air, through contaminated groundwater or lead-contaminated food can accumulate in human bones. It could widely affect the nervous system, kidney function, immune system, reproductive and developmental systems, and the cardiovascular system. |
|
Skills that I have learnt regarding researching
1) I have learnt to always use trustworthy and safe websites such as government websites or websites that end with ".org", and to always use sites that I know will provide correct and accurate information about that particular topic.
2) I have learnt to not plagiarise from any websites, and if I am using a website as reference I should always summarise the statement in my own words without taking information straight from other people or the internet.
2) I have learnt to not plagiarise from any websites, and if I am using a website as reference I should always summarise the statement in my own words without taking information straight from other people or the internet.