Digital Technology Center

Archive for the ‘Science and Technology’ Category

Video conferencing brings people together through audio and video technology. Businesses and individuals can use video conferencing to telecommute so they can always be in contact with their associates no matter where they are in the world!

As soon as television was possible, video conferencing has been possible as well. The first advances in video conferencing were all the way back from 1936-1940! The German Reich Postzentralamt (post office) network was set up in Berlin during this time. NASA has used video conferencing during space flights in order to keep in contact with their astronauts all the way in outer space!

The late 80s and early 90s were years of great advancement in video conferencing technology. In the 90s video conferencing became possible on personal computers and in 1995 the very first video conference peace cast between the US and Africa was possible. Also in that year, the Winter Olympics used video conferencing while showing footage of the games and hearing Beethoven music by musicians in a completely different location!

In the 2000s, technology has made it possible and less costly to obtain video conferencing equipment and software. Some cell phones offer video conferencing capabilities so you can bring your equipment along with you in your pocket. Computer software plugins, such as Skype and iChat are now popular names in almost every home in the country, and also the world.

Video conferencing is not only an efficient way to work with associates who are not in your same location. It has also helped online dating and long distance relationships flower into long lasting and real relationships.

With the advancements of video conferencing in the last 6 decades, you must wonder what else technology will come up with next! We are amazed at new products that are announced almost every day. Soon there may be even better technology in video conferencing, making it possible to do even more than is already capable.

Video conferencing, even today, still has some minor issues, like lag and freezing problems, but with new advancements every day it may soon be free of glitches and used just about every day. Just think about instead of calling your mother on the phone and chatting with her in the normal way, you can now see her and see how she is doing. This is also a great gift for non-custodial parents who don’t see their children on a daily basis and can help to keep the relationship strong.

The world is becoming a global village with the advancements in technology. The term ‘Nanotechnology’ covers several areas of research which are associated with objects measuring in nanometers and billionth of a meter. It is a mixture of Chemistry and Engineering.

What is Nanotechnology?
Nanotechnology can be briefly described as a branch of engineering that deals with things that are sized in nanometers or even smaller than that. Its main aim is to work on individual atoms and place them in a unique pattern in order to obtain a new structure. It pulls theories and ideas from various fields like engineering, chemistry, physics, mathematics, and computer science. Nanotechnology is usually considered as the next big technological revolution. It is expected to revolutionize the current computing devices like laptop notebook, touch screen phones, mobile devices etc.

Why use this technology?
Nanotechnology paves way for creation of new generation computer components with very high storage capacity. This technology is mainly used in medical field. It would help in the creation of Nano-robots which can perform very dangerous surgeries without any errors. It has a wide range of applications. Nanotechnology can be considered to be an interdisciplinary field. It has several Chemists, Physicists, Engineers and Doctors involved in it.

Role of Quantum Physics
Quantum physics plays a major role in Nanotechnology. Quantum physics is totally different from the classical physics. The behavior of substances at nano size is highly unpredictable. For instance, we cannot get to the other side of the wall just by going near it but an electron can! This effect is called as ‘Electron tunneling’. Even insulators might turn into semiconductors when they are combined together and reduced to nano scale.

Conclusion
These days, scientists are conducting experiments with what is called as ‘Nanoparticles’ and are trying to analyze their properties and behavior. This will facilitate the use of Nano particles in engineering and medical applications. But we are still far away from nanotechnology ruling the technology and medical fields.