Technological Developments in History - Report Example

Engineering Technology and Sustainability 511607) Technological Developments in History It was said by Plato that Necessity is the mother of all inventions. As man evolved his requirements grew and this lead to the advancement of technology at different stages of history. Some of the early inventions were due to a matter of having very limited options. Man in the Stone Age had learned to master the art of making tools using sharp edged rocks. Source: www.harbornet.com This further led him to the accidental discovery of fire which was used in cooking raw food and also in keeping warm to survive the extreme climate. It can be said that technological improvements are due to two reasons; one is the requirement or the necessity of such a product and the other reason is when an opportunity presents itself. It was by a natural process by which farmers around the world learned the methods of practising irrigation and also developed mechanisms to conserve the water which would be available at irregular periods during the year. (Duiker William & Spielvogel Jackson, 2010) Sometimes opportunities present itself like the case of a Chinese princess who accidentally dropped a silkworm cocoon into a cup of hot tea. The events that unfolded thereafter led to the production of silk. Another example is that of tin being discovered in Anatolia. This led to the beginning of the Bronze Age in the Middle East. (Duiker William & Spielvogel Jackson, 2010) The strategic locations of certain advanced civilizations with other developing civilizations was also a contributing factor since mutual exchange of ideas led to more technological advances taking place in both regions. Abbasid Empire which had its communication channels open through the Mediterranean Ocean and the Indus River valley had a robust growth in technology. In this scenario Papua and New Guinea who were one of the earliest civilizations to practise farming bananas never had any major technological advancement since it was cut off from major developing regions.( Duiker William & Spielvogel Jackson, 2010) Communication between different regions then manifested itself in many forms. Since man was always restless, the desire for mobility led him to discover the motor vehicle. This then further led to the development of the steam engine and finally the aeroplane. Source: www.eastgwillimburywow.blogspot.com This is not the only form how communication has kept changing. The advent of information technology which stands as the next best thing about the Scientific Revolution has brought about advanced computing methods which the revolutionized the communication field. (Advancing Technology, 2005) Several patterns of thinking have brought about this change in information technology. Compared to the human the computer was capable of doing more work at a lower cost. The degree of accuracy obtained was of a higher quality compared to the same work done by the human hand. (Mahoney Michael et al, 1998) The time involved in such an exercise was also a small percentage of the time required to do it manually. Modern computing methods apart from offering the above advantages also increase the quality of life as a whole. Advanced computing has brought about a large degree of automation thus effectively reducing mishaps caused due to human negligence. Forecasting weather, information on the radar regarding approaching ships and banking transactions are some of the areas that information technology is playing a vital role. Source: U.S. Army Photo" Console of BRLESC-II computer, front view, from the archives of the ARL Technical Library However technology has its share of criticisms. Primarily, it defines what a person should possess in order to be seen as successful in society. (Forman Paul, 2007) The answer which most would give are items that have an element of luxury like cars, television, electronic gadgets. This leads to man having materialistic leanings and unhealthy egos. Technology also tends to tamper with the laws governed by nature which produces a backlash in the natural ecosystem. Principles of Environment assessment ‘Growth’ is a familiar term that is often associated with the robustness of the economy index. Economic growth is also correlated with the degree of infrastructure improvement in terms of electric power generation and how far the state has been able to contribute to the industrial progress of the state. Carrying out an environmental assessment ensures that all issues are sorted out in the project approval stage. This prevents any undue hassles during the operational stage leading it to completion. The principles involved are the following (Nevill Jon, 2000) (i) The process should involve ample participation of all the members that are involved in this process (ii) The process should be completely transparent so that everything that is to be discussed is laid out in the open. Matters that might crop up during the operational stage tend to get involved in legal hassles. (iii) The process should have clarity in thought and be conducted in specific time limit. (iv) The process should be held accountable to a higher authority. They should be able to answer clearly the concerns of all stakeholders. It should be able to clarify in detail the entire life of the project right from the designing stage, construction and finally the commissioning phase. Provisions must be made available to all concerned to make appeals to an independent authority in case of disputes. (Nevill Jon, 2000) (v) The process should be carried out in all integrity. The principles of risk management should also be applied to study the end impact. (vi) The process should be cost-effective. There should also be certain degree of flexibility involved while dealing with these issues. (vii) The targets should be practicable and should try to take everyone on board. Framers giving up prime land that was used for agriculture to an auto manufacturing industry should be satisfied that he had given up his land for the greater good. Hydroelectric power plants on the other hand should be begun after it has been confirmed that it is not in a seismically prone area since catastrophes of any nature might cause lot of devastation to people living in settlements around the plant. Similarly Nuclear Power plants need to be assessed for the proper disposal of spent fuel and how far from the local population would the radioactive material be present. Risks involved in not taking a proper Environmental Assessment The list enumerated above represents the advantages involved in taking this EA. Some of the risks involved in not doing this properly are that assessments which are held behind closed doors invariably face people’s wrath when issues come out in the open. Also, the site chosen should have proper access to all infrastructures and must have an efficient waste disposal system. Improper assessment of this aspect might lead to serious catastrophes. Source: Dhamwari Sunda HE Project, 2010 A major hydroelectric power plant for the Dhamwari Sunda H.E Project had studies conducted to calculate and asses the changes this project would bring about in the surrounding air, water and wind. The waste disposal mechanism and its interaction with the local flora and fauna of the entire region was also part of the study. Apart from this, the system of land acquisition was also unique. The requirement of 23.4 acre was met by acquiring 5.2 Ha from citizens while 18.2 were taken on lease for period of forty years. Since this site was very close to the forest area it was very important to ensure that the proposed plant would have no impact on the natural habitat of the wildlife. (Environmental Impact assessment for Dhamwari Sunda HE Project (2 x 35MW), 2010) Reference Lists 1. Advancing Technology, 2005, Shattering the Sacred Myths, The Academy of Evolutionary Metaphysics, Available at http://www.evolutionary-metaphysics.net, [Accessed on 20th March 2011] 2. Duiker William & Spielvogel Jackson, 2010, The spread of Technology, The World History 3. Environmental Impact assessment for Dhamwari Sunda HE Project( 2 x 35MW), 2010, Executive Summary, Available at http://www.goyalgroup.com, [Accessed on 20th March 2011] 4. Forman Paul, 2007, The Primacy of Science in Modernity, of Technology in Post modernity, and of Ideology in the History of Technology, History and Technology Vol 23 5. Mahoney Michael et al, 1998, The History of computing in the History of Technology, Program in the history of Science, Princeton University. 6. Nevill Jon, 2000, Principles of Environmental Impact Assessmet, Environmental Impact Assessment Read More