WHAT IS TECHNOLOGY FOR? 11 MAIN APPLICATIONS - TECHNOLOGY - 2025

The used technology to solve more effectively, quickly and efficiently some of the problems that everyday manner are presented in the life of the human being. It is used to create instruments, artifacts, utensils and knowledge that allow men and women to modify their environment and adapt to it (Unesco, 2003).

Technology is defined as the set of knowledge dedicated to the creation of tools, processes and actions that allows the human being to extend and enhance their abilities.

This set of knowledge and the artifacts derived from it are widely used in the daily activities of any human being in almost all industries and contexts (Arthur, 2011).

Technology is, in other words, an application of science that is used to solve different types of problems. For this reason, it is applicable to any industry, being used mainly in the extraction of materials, the development of communications, transportation, education, manufacturing processes, information storage and in business, among others.

The use of technology increases day by day thanks to the dependence that human beings have on it to be able to perform most of the tasks present in their homes and jobs.

Likewise, during the last decades, technology has been implemented in almost all spaces where people carry out their activities in order to improve their quality of life. (Torkelson, 1974).

Technology in turn serves to generate new technologies. The creation of more specialized tools allows new components or devices to be developed.

An example of this are the companies that produce mobile phones, which must develop their own instruments for the assembly of competitive electronic devices.

Technology applications

Human beings use technology every day to achieve their goals. For this reason, technology has different applications that serve dissimilar purposes. Some of the most common and important applications of the technology are as follows:

1 - In business

Today, businesses or companies can save more money by using technology to carry out specific tasks. It is more efficient and less expensive. This is evidenced by the comparison between investment in human labor and the time it takes for technology to perform the same activity.

On the other hand, technical advances in business serve to accelerate service delivery processes and reduce waiting times between customers and suppliers.

Thanks to new inventions, a business meeting can take place in real time from anywhere in the world via video conference. In this way you can establish direct contact with whoever is doing a business without having to wait to meet him physically.

Many businesses use technology to grow. Even the smallest shops have the opportunity to compete with the largest on the market thanks to the use of new techniques. When technological resources are used well, businesses can gain a recognized position and be more competitive in the industry.

2 - In communications

Previously, long-distance communications were limited by physical mail. The correspondence companies had an important responsibility to ensure that the communication process between sender and receiver took place.

Thanks to technology, this process has been simplified and anyone can write an email and make sure it was delivered to its recipient without delay.

New advances have facilitated the process of transmitting information from one place to another or from one person to another.

Communication technologies are used to express ideas, exchange information, and share emotions. Currently, smartphones, computers, emails, faxes, text messages, among others, are used as technological communication tools that facilitate the flow of information in any direction and context.

3 - In human relationships

As technology and the world evolve, human beings have less time for contact with other people and spend more time in their offices.

The technology in this field serves to facilitate contact between individuals through social networks, mobile applications and web pages.

Today, technology is used to meet other people and plan outings with them without having to leave the workplace. Likewise, technology is used to find old friends and acquaintances with whom you had lost contact years ago. (Hart & Frejd, 2013)

Some of the most popular apps for meeting other people are Tinder, Skout, or Twoo, while some of the most popular websites for dating are Badoo.com, Match.com, or Eharmony.

4 - In education

The world of education has also undergone great changes thanks to technology. With the invention of technological devices and mobile applications, students can learn lessons on different topics easily.

Students can access a virtual library in seconds from their tablet or smart device without the need to scroll.

The use of technology in education allows students to improve performance through the use of processes and tools that allow them to understand complex academic topics in greater depth. (Williams, 2015)

Among the benefits offered by the use of technology in education, the following can be noted:

1- Motivates the student and allows him to have individual learning.

2- The educational material is easily accessible.

3- Help to study new topics and languages ​​outside the traditional academic program.

4- The management of educational resources is simple and intuitive (TeachThought, 2007).

5 - To make purchases

The process of buying and selling objects was made easier, faster and more flexible thanks to the use of technology. The popularization in the use of electronic payment systems allowed consumers to purchase products from anywhere without having to leave their homes or jobs.

There are numerous virtual stores and catalogs from which you can order all the goods that are usually consumed.

On the other hand, technology has allowed the implementation of numerical and bar codes to identify each product, thus helping the purchasing processes to be more agile and orderly.

6 - In agriculture

Science has also changed the way the agricultural industry operates, replacing human labor with machines. These, in turn, are operated by other machines or by human beings.

In this field, productivity is a key factor for farmers to earn more income. For this reason, constant evolution and adoption of new technologies have always been important for the growth of the industry.

The incorporation of technological artifacts allowed the change of human labor or the work of pack animals to plow the land. This reduced planting and harvest times, increasing farmers' income.

The process of modernization of agriculture transcends the physical, involving the use of new mobile applications that serve to determine the amount of food that should be served to livestock or the approximate time it may take to plow the land.

7 - Bank transactions

Electronic banking transactions and the movement of money from one account to another have also been simplified thanks to the use of technology. It is no longer necessary to carry large amounts of cash, as you can use cards or codes that serve the same purpose when making a purchase.

Banks increasingly trust the management of their products to technological tools.

Customers' banking information is stored on vast electronic platforms that allow banking entities to issue statistics on their credit status. These platforms also serve to determine patterns of potential consumers of bank products.

8 - Prevention of environmental disasters

The forces of nature affect the normal course of human daily life. Many times these forces unleash floods and earthquakes that could erase all traces of life on earth in a matter of seconds.

Advances in this regard have been used to build dams, retaining walls and develop materials suitable to withstand inclement weather.

What could be a natural disaster is taken advantage of by technology to produce energy, in this way the mighty rivers are dammed to build hydroelectric plants and the wind is used strategically to move wind power generating propellers. You can even harness the sun's energy in panels.

9 - In the means of transport

The means of transport have also undergone major modifications thanks to the use of technology. In principle the human being had to move from one place to another on foot. Later with the invention of the wheel, a range of possibilities was unfolded and the invention of automobiles and trains became possible.

Technology has helped the transportation industry grow and evolve. In this way, travel times have been reduced and distances shortened, allowing human beings to cover larger areas in less time and reach any imaginable corner of the world.

Transportation is a basic need that is used to move materials, go shopping, visit family or friends, among other functions. For this reason, technology has always endeavored to be at the service of this demand, improving its conditions, in an accelerated way, since 1800.

10 - In architecture and engineering

Technology has been used to study and modify methods and equipment that can be used for the construction of heavy or light structures. Engineering has used technology to ensure the stability and safety of these structures.

The use of highly light and resistant materials and heavy machinery has allowed reaching great heights in the construction of buildings such as skyscrapers.

As for architecture, the use of technology has facilitated the layout of plans and the projection in three dimensions of what you want to build. Thanks to advances in technology in the development of engineering software, it is possible to simulate the forces that a structure must withstand and, in this way, determine its viability and resistance.

Both the construction of residences and that of commercial or industrial spaces depend on technology to be carried out. For this reason, construction tools are increasingly specific to the type of work they must perform.

11- In medicine and health sciences

Technology in medicine and the health sciences serves to improve the quality of human life. The medical technique reduces the pain of the patients and the possible suffering caused by an ailment.

The most developed countries have been the pioneers in the implementation of new technologies to improve the medical care conditions of patients, which is why they tend to have lower mortality rates.

Medicine uses technology to diagnose and treat diseases and infections. Similarly, the health sciences make use of technological instruments to carry out research on diseases and conditions that can affect the quality of human life (Bates, Cohen, Leape, & Overhage, 2001).

12- To store information

This is one of the most important applications of technology in the modern world. Information storage tools allow immediate access to specific data. Likewise, they help organize and classify knowledge based on the needs of those who access it.

Most of the information in the world is stored digitally. Thanks to technology, people can save their data on portable storage disks, protecting relevant information.

Information can also be stored in floating formats such as clouds that are accessed through the internet.

Large institutions depend on digital storage of information to operate properly. For this reason, the repository of information is perhaps one of the most important applications that technology has been given. It is also one of the uses that companies and individuals are most suspicious of.

References

1. Arthur, WB (2011). The Nature of Technology: What It Is and How It Evolves. New York: Free Press.
2. Bates, DW, Cohen, M., Leape, LL, & Overhage, JM (2001). Reducing the Frequency of Errors in Medicine Using Information Technology, Volume 8, Issue 4. Focus on Quality Improvement, 299-308.
3. Hart, AD, & Frejd, SH (2013). The Digital Invasion: How Technology Is Shaping You and Your Relationships. Grand Rapids: Baker Books.
4. (2007, 2 7). Teachthought. Retrieved from Does Your School Need Better Technology Or ​​Better Thinking ?: teachthought.com.
5. Torkelson, GM (1974). Technology: Use and Abuse? Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 387 - 389.
6. (2003). What is Technology. Technology Guide, 31.
7. Williams, A. (2015, 2 17). Family Online Safety Institute. Retrieved from How Technology Helps Us In Our Daily Lives: fosi.org.