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Time and Human Evolution

Digital Technology


Digital Technology


Digital Technology

We all use technology; no matter what kind. We check out social media, submit an assignment, or check our emails with digital technology. Let's take a look at some items that we use and a brief description of the origins of each one. Notice the origin date!

Phone

"While Italian innovator Antonio Meucci is credited with inventing the first basic phone in 1849, and Frenchman Charles Bourseul devised a phone in 1854, Alexander Graham Bell won the first U.S. patent for the device in 1876." (source: elon.edu) This was the first invention of the telephone; however, smartphones, which we classify as digital technology now, were first created in 1992. Businessinsider.com has more information on the first smartphones.

Computer

In 1936, Alan Turing presented the idea for the Turing machine, basically computing anything that was computable - the concept of the modern computer was based off of his ideas. Over the years until 1969, when the first UNIX operating system was produced, a number of different aspects of the computer were developed. A notable development in 1953 was that Grace Hopper created the first programming language, known as COBOL. More information on livescience.com about the history of the computer.

Television

Televisions have a history which is longer than most items on this list. Radio and analog televisions came out even before the 1950s, but digital television is a much more modern development. Early broadcasting experiments began pre-1940s, and World War II influenced the production of television as well. Cable TV began to be used in the 1950s, and saw significant development in the years beyond (source: library.duke.edu).

Smart Home

According to blog.bbcresearch.com, inventors had ideas for home automation technologies, but the idea didn't materialize until 1966, when the Echo IV, the first smart automation system, was developed. Certain home appliances, while not considered "smart", were created prior to that time (early 1900s), including the vacuum cleaner and the washing machine. The popularity and accessibility of smart home systems rapidly increased in the 2000s.

Virtual Reality

In the 19th century, according to vrs.org, painters introduced the concept of virtual reality in panoramic paintings, which attempted to cover the full scope of a situation with a 360 degree depiction. In the 1950s, Morton Heilig created the Sensorama, which utilized all the senses to created a virtual experience in a film. This technology gradually became more advanced and digital, and evolved into what it is today.

Phone

"While Italian innovator Antonio Meucci is credited with inventing the first basic phone in 1849, and Frenchman Charles Bourseul devised a phone in 1854, Alexander Graham Bell won the first U.S. patent for the device in 1876." (source: elon.edu) This was the first invention of the telephone; however, smartphones, which we classify as digital technology now, were first created in 1992. Businessinsider.com has more information on the first smartphones.

Television
Computer

In 1936, Alan Turing presented the idea for the Turing machine, basically computing anything that was computable - the concept of the modern computer was based off of his ideas. Over the years until 1969, when the first UNIX operating system was produced, a number of different aspects of the computer were developed. A notable development in 1953 was that Grace Hopper created the first programming language, known as COBOL. More information on livescience.com about the history of the computer.

Television

Televisions have a history which is longer than most items on this list. Radio and analog televisions came out even before the 1950s, but digital television is a much more modern development. Early broadcasting experiments began pre-1940s, and World War II influenced the production of television as well. Cable TV began to be used in the 1950s, and saw significant development in the years beyond (source: library.duke.edu).

Smart Home

According to blog.bbcresearch.com, inventors had ideas for home automation technologies, but the idea didn't materialize until 1966, when the Echo IV, the first smart automation system, was developed. Certain home appliances, while not considered "smart", were created prior to that time (early 1900s), including the vacuum cleaner and the washing machine. The popularity and accessibility of smart home systems rapidly increased in the 2000s.

Virtual Reality

In the 19th century, according to vrs.org, painters introduced the concept of virtual reality in panoramic paintings, which attempted to cover the full scope of a situation with a 360 degree depiction. In the 1950s, Morton Heilig created the Sensorama, which utilized all the senses to created a virtual experience in a film. This technology gradually became more advanced and digital, and evolved into what it is today.


In the 1950s


Books

The Digital Age, according to yourdictionary.com, is defined as "the time period starting in the 1970s with the introduction of the personal computer with subsequent technology introduced providing the ability to transfer information freely and quickly." The 1950s do not fall within the digital age, so they aren't considered to have had any digital technology. However, the origins of the Digital Revolution are in the 1940s. Digital computers were manufactured for military purposes, so the 1950s really represents the digital shift. However, any digitial technology in the 1950s was not widely distributed to the general population.


Comparison


So, how can we compare an aspect of our lives to our grandparents' era when the aspect only applies now? Fear not! There is still room for comparison between now and then. How has digital technology influenced our lives, and how would we be living without it? The Pew Research Center has done multiple studies on the impact of digital technology.

Positive

According to their study of the positives of digital life, Garland McCoy, president of the Technology Education Institute, said:

"I can be a real-time engaged parent, husband, partner, problem solver, counselor, comforter, etc., while traveling anywhere in the world, and – if I am comfortable with a little inconvenience – I can usually manage this real-time interaction for free!"

It seems like digital technology has enabled us to be more productive; we are able to do multiple things at once, and be in multiple places at once (virtually, of course!).

Graph of Most Popular Digital Technology Hardware in Schools

Negative

There is certainly a downside to our expanded horizons. According to the Pew Research Center's study on the negatives of digital life, a one-liner from an anonymous respondent was:

"Digital technologies have made it more difficult for me to stay on task and devote sustained attention. This interferes with my work productivity."

It seems like digital technology affects our attention span and our ability to focus, which has the potential to have a detrimental effect on our productivity.

Person at a Computer

So, in modern times we are able to do many things at once more efficiently, but our focus and attention may be affected. Neither the positives nor the negatives of digital technology were created in the 1950s, because they didn't have any in the first place!