MODULE 6: ICT CULTURE AND THE SOCIETY

Overview
Technology is changing every aspect of our lives. The benefits provided by new digital
approaches are having a huge impact on our societies. However, one of the greatest business
challenges is not about the devices, software, or solutions—it is about how we manage the
process of cultural change and its effect on society. In this module, we will explore different
technological advancements and future trends in technology that could potentially change and
shape the way we live our lives.

Objectives

At the end of this module, learners are expected to:

• Identify current and emerging trends in technology.
• Understand how technology affects culture and society through different advancements in
technology.
• Assess the positive and negative effects of these advancements.

Lesson 1: Internet of Things

The "Internet of Things" (IoT) is becoming an increasingly growing topic of conversation both in
the workplace and outside of it. It's a concept that not only has the potential to impact how we
live but also how we work. But what exactly is the "Internet of Things," and what impact is it
going to have on you, if any?

Lightbulbs, along with refrigerators, coffee makers, microwave ovens, baby monitors, security
cameras, speakers, televisions, and thermostats, have, in the past few decades, transformed
from ordinary objects into conduits for the future. Embedded with sensors that see, hear, and
touch the world around them, they can turn physical information into digital data. Collectively,
these devices—and there are billions of them around the world—make up the “Internet of
Things.”

Just about anything with network connectivity belongs to the Internet of Things, from security
cameras and speakers to smart watches and denim jackets. In the “smart home,” these
internet-enabled gadgets liberate us from our chores, give us back some of our time, and add a
dash of novelty to ordinary experiences. (“Alexa, turn on the disco lights.”) But the Internet of
Things is about more than just using your voice to preheat the oven or using your phone to turn
off the lights.
The real promise of the Internet of Things is making our physical surroundings accessible to our
digital computers, putting sensors on everything in the world, and translating it into a digital
format. Internet-connected objects could be the key to unlocking predictions about everything
from consumer behavior to climate events, but those same objects could invite hackers into
personal spaces and leak intimate data. Depending on who you ask, the growing Internet of
Things either represents the promise of technology—the thing that will reinvent modern life as
we know it—or that which will be our technological undoing.

How IoT Works

An IoT ecosystem consists of web-enabled smart devices that use embedded systems, such as
processors, sensors, and communication hardware, to collect, send, and act on data they
acquire from their environments. IoT devices share the sensor data they collect by connecting
to an IoT gateway or other edge device where data is either sent to the cloud to be analyzed or
analyzed locally. Sometimes, these devices communicate with other related devices and act on
the information they get from one another. The devices do most of the work without human
intervention, although people can interact with the devices—for instance, to set them up, give
them instructions, or access the data.

The connectivity, networking, and communication protocols used with these web-enabled
devices largely depend on the specific IoT applications deployed. IoT can also make use of
artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to aid in making data collection processes easier
and more dynamic.

Why IoT Is Important

The Internet of Things helps people live and work smarter, as well as gain complete control over
their lives. In addition to offering smart devices to automate homes, IoT is essential to business.
IoT provides businesses with a real-time look into how their systems really work, delivering
insights into everything from the performance of machines to supply chain and logistics
operations.

IoT enables companies to automate processes and reduce labor costs. It also cuts down on
waste and improves service delivery, making it less expensive to manufacture and deliver
goods, as well as offering transparency into customer transactions.

As such, IoT is one of the most important technologies of everyday life, and it will continue to
pick up steam as more businesses realize the potential of connected devices to keep them
competitive.
How Does This Impact You?

The new rule for the future is going to be, "Anything that can be connected, will be connected."
But why on earth would you want so many connected devices talking to each other? There are
many examples of what this might look like or what the potential value might be. For example,
say you are on your way to a meeting; your car could have access to your calendar and already
know the best route to take. If the traffic is heavy, your car might send a text to the other party
notifying them that you will be late. What if your alarm clock wakes you up at 6 a.m. and then
notifies your coffee maker to start brewing coffee for you? What if your office equipment knew
when it was running low on supplies and automatically re-ordered more? What if the wearable
device you used in the workplace could tell you when and where you were most active and
productive, and shared that information with other devices you used while working?

On a broader scale, IoT can be applied to things like transportation networks and “smart cities,”
which can help us reduce waste and improve efficiency for things such as energy use. This helps
us understand and improve how we work and live. The reality is that the IoT allows for virtually
endless opportunities and connections to take place, many of which we can't even think of or
fully understand the impact of today.

IoT Through the Years

 1990: John Romkey creates the first IoT device: a toaster that he controls with his
computer.
 1999: Kevin Ashton coins the term “Internet of Things” to describe the eyes and ears of
a computer.
 2000: LG introduces its first connected refrigerator with a $20,000 price tag.
 2008: The world’s first IoT conference is held in Zurich, Switzerland.
 2010: Tony Fadell founds Nest, maker of the smart thermostat.
 2013: Oxford Dictionary adds the term “Internet of Things.”
 2014: Amazon introduces the Echo speaker, along with the Alexa voice assistant—a new
way to control the smart home.
 2016: The Mirai botnet infects over 600,000 IoT devices with malware.
 2020: The number of internet-connected devices, by some estimates, exceeds 20 billion.

The First IoT Device

The first internet-connected “thing” to make use of this new protocol was a toaster. John
Romkey, a software engineer and early internet evangelist, had built one for the 1990 show
floor of Interop, a trade show for computers. Romkey dropped a few slices of bread into the
toaster and, using a clunky computer, turned the toaster on. It would still be a decade before
anyone used the phrase “Internet of Things,” but Romkey’s magic little toaster showed what a
world of internet-connected things might be like. (Of course, it wasn’t fully automated; a
person still had to introduce the bread.) It was part gimmick, part proof of concept—and fully a
preview of what was to come.

The term “Internet of Things” itself was coined in 1999, when Kevin Ashton put it in a
PowerPoint presentation for Procter & Gamble. Ashton, who was then working in supply chain
optimization, described a system where sensors acted like the eyes and ears of a computer—an
entirely new way for computers to see, hear, touch, and interpret their surroundings.

IoT Benefits to Organizations

The Internet of Things offers several benefits to organizations. Some benefits are industry-
specific, and some are applicable across multiple industries. Some of the common benefits of
IoT enable businesses to:

 Monitor their overall business processes.

 Improve the customer experience.
 Save time and money.
 Enhance employee productivity.
 Integrate and adapt business models.
 Make better business decisions.
 Generate more revenue.

IoT encourages companies to rethink the ways they approach their businesses and gives them
the tools to improve their business strategies.

Pros and Cons of IoT

Advantages of IoT

 Ability to access information from anywhere at any time on any device.

 Improved communication between connected electronic devices.
 Transferring data packets over a connected network, saving time and money.
 Automating tasks, helping to improve the quality of a business's services and reducing
the need for human intervention.

Disadvantages of IoT
  As the number of connected devices increases and more information is shared between
devices, the potential for hackers to steal confidential information also increases.
 Enterprises may eventually have to deal with massive numbers—maybe even millions—
of IoT devices, and collecting and managing the data from all those devices will be
challenging.
 If there’s a bug in the system, it’s likely that every connected device will become
corrupted.
 Since there’s no international standard of compatibility for IoT, it’s difficult for devices
from different manufacturers to communicate with each other.

Consumer and Enterprise IoT Applications

There are numerous real-world applications of the Internet of Things, ranging from consumer
IoT and enterprise IoT to manufacturing and industrial IoT (IIoT). IoT applications span
numerous verticals, including automotive, telecom, and energy.

In the consumer segment, for example, smart homes that are equipped with smart
thermostats, smart appliances, and connected heating, lighting, and electronic devices can be
controlled remotely via computers and smartphones.

IoT Security and Privacy Concerns

While IoT offers major convenience for users, it does raise significant privacy concerns. Since
these devices can collect information on individuals’ activities, movements, and behaviors, they
have the potential to infringe upon people’s privacy rights.

Additionally, IoT networks, particularly the devices used for health monitoring and smart home
systems, are susceptible to security breaches, potentially exposing sensitive data.

Conclusion
The Internet of Things has already changed how we live and work, and it will continue to shape
the future of society. The combination of smart devices, automation, and data analysis can
enhance our daily lives and revolutionize industries. However, as IoT technology grows, it is
important to address the challenges of privacy, security, and standardization to maximize its
benefits.
Lesson 2: Current Trends and Emerging Technologies

Overview
Information technology is an industry on the rise, and business structure, job growth, and
emerging technology will all shift in the coming years. Current trends are improving and
presenting new functions in fields like medicine, entertainment, business, education,
marketing, law enforcement, and more. Other much-anticipated technology is only now coming
on the scene.

Innovations in IT change internal company processes, but they are also altering the way
customers experience purchasing and support — not to mention basic practices in life, like
locking up your home, visiting the doctor, and storing files. The following trends in information
technology are crucial areas to watch in 2019 and viable considerations that could influence
your future career choices.

Current Trends in Information Technology

The latest technology methods and best practices of 2019 will primarily stem from current
trends in information technology. Advancements in IT systems relate to what the industry is
leaning toward or disregarding now. Information technology is advancing so rapidly that new
developments are quickly replacing current projections.

a. Cloud Computing
Cloud computing is a network of resources a company can access, and this method of using a
digital drive increases the efficiency of organizations. Instead of local storage on computer hard
drives, companies will be freeing their space and conserving funds. According to Forbes, 83% of
enterprise workloads will be in the cloud by 2020, which means 2019 will show an increasing
trend closing in on this statistic.

Cloud storage and sharing is a popular trend many companies have adopted and even
implemented for employee interaction. A company-wide network will help businesses save on
information technology infrastructure. Cloud services will also extend internal functions to gain
revenue. Organizations that offer cloud services will market these for external products and
continue their momentum.

Organizations will transfer their stored files across multiple sources using virtualization.
Companies are already using this level of virtualization, but will further embrace it in the year to
come. Less installation across company computers is another positive result of cloud computing
because the Internet allows direct access to shared technology and information. The freedom
of new products and services makes cloud computing a growing trend.
b. Mobile Computing and Applications
Mobile phones, tablets, and other devices have taken both the business world and the personal
realm by storm. Mobile usage and the number of applications generated have both skyrocketed
in recent years. Now, 77% of Americans own smartphones — a 35% increase since 2011. Pew
Research Center also shows that using phones for online use has increased, and fewer
individuals use traditional Internet services like broadband.

Experts project mobile traffic to increase even further in 2019, and mobile applications,
consumer capabilities, and payment options will be necessary for businesses. The fastest-
growing companies have already established their mobile websites, marketing, and apps for
maximized security and user-friendliness. Cloud apps are also available for companies to use for
on-the-go capabilities.

c. Big Data Analytics

Big data is a trend that allows businesses to analyze extensive sets of information to achieve
variety in increasing volumes and growth of velocity. Big data has a high return on investment
that boosts the productivity of marketing campaigns due to its ability to enable high-functioning
processing. Data mining is a way companies can predict growth opportunities and achieve
future success. Examination of data to understand markets and strategies is becoming more
manageable with advances in data analytic programs.

This practice in information technology can be observed for its potential in data management
positions for optimal organizations. Database maintenance is a growing sector of technology
careers. To convert various leads into paying customers, big data is an essential trend to
continue following in 2019.

d. Automation
Another current trend in the IT industry is automated processes. Automated processes can
collect information from vendors, customers, and other documentation. Automated processes
that check invoices and other accounts-payable aspects expedite customer interactions.
Machine processes can automate repetitive manual tasks, rather than assigning them to
employees. This increases organization-wide productivity, allowing employees to use their
valuable time wisely, rather than wasting it on tedious work.

Automation can even produce more job opportunities for IT professionals trained in supporting,
programming, and developing automated processes. Machine learning can enhance these
automated processes for a continually developing system. Automated processes for the future
will extend to groceries and other automatic payment methods to streamline the consumer
experience.

Emerging Trends in Information Technology

Trends in information technology emerging in 2019 are new and innovative ways for the
industry to grow. These movements in information technology are the areas expected to
generate revenue and increased demand for IT jobs. Pay attention to these technological
changes and unique products that enhance business operations.

a. Artificial Intelligence and Smart Machines

What is Artificial Intelligence?

According to Encyclopedia, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the ability of a digital computer or

computer-controlled robot to perform tasks commonly associated with intelligent beings. The
term is frequently applied to the project of developing systems endowed with the intellectual
processes characteristic of humans, such as the ability to reason, discover meaning, generalize,
or learn from past experience.

Artificial Intelligence, or AI, has already received a lot of buzz in recent years, but it continues to
be a trend to watch because its effects on how we live, work, and play are only in the early
stages. In addition, other branches of AI have developed, including Machine Learning, which we
will go into below. AI refers to computer systems built to mimic human intelligence and
perform tasks such as recognition of images, speech or patterns, and decision-making. AI can do
these tasks faster and more accurately than humans.

Five out of six Americans use AI services in one form or another every day, including navigation
apps, streaming services, smartphone personal assistants, ride-sharing apps, home personal
assistants, and smart home devices. In addition to consumer use, AI is used to schedule trains,
assess business risk, predict maintenance, and improve energy efficiency, among many other
money-saving tasks.

In fact, AI is already being used in different organizations to help solve problems such as AI
facial recognition, which is beginning to help with missing person reports, and it even helps
identify individuals for criminal investigations when cameras have captured their images.
According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology, facial recognition is most
effective when AI systems and forensic facial recognition experts team up. AI will continue to
promote safety for citizens in the future as software improvements shape these applications.

Medical AI is another trend that reflects surprising success. Given patient information and risk
factors, AI systems can anticipate the outcome of treatment and even estimate the length of a
hospital visit. Deep learning is one way AI technology gets applied to health records to find the
likelihood of a patient’s recovery and even mortality. Experts evaluate data to discover patterns
in the patient’s age, condition, records, and more.

Home AI systems are also increasingly popular to expedite daily tasks like listening to tunes,
asking for restaurant hours, getting directions, and even sending messages. Many problem-
solving AI tools also help in the workplace, and the helpfulness of this technology will continue
to progress in 2020.

b. Virtual Reality

Virtual Reality (VR) is the use of computer modeling and simulation that enables a person to
interact with an artificial three-dimensional (3-D) visual or other sensory environment. VR
applications immerse the user in a computer-generated environment that simulates reality
through the use of interactive devices, which send and receive information and are worn as
goggles, headsets, gloves, or body suits. In a typical VR format, a user wearing a helmet with a
stereoscopic screen views animated images of a simulated environment. The illusion of "being
there" (telepresence) is effected by motion sensors that pick up the user’s movements and
adjust the view on the screen accordingly, usually in real time (the instant the user’s movement
takes place). Thus, a user can tour a simulated suite of rooms, experiencing changing
viewpoints and perspectives that are convincingly related to their own head turnings and steps.
Wearing data gloves equipped with force-feedback devices that provide the sensation of touch,
the user can even pick up and manipulate objects that they see in the virtual environment.

Virtual Reality’s most immediately recognizable component is the head-mounted display

(HMD). Human beings are visual creatures, and display technology is often the single biggest
difference between immersive Virtual Reality systems and traditional user interfaces.

For instance, CAVE automatic virtual environments actively display virtual content onto room-
sized screens. While they are fun for people in universities and big labs, consumer and
industrial wearables are the wild west.

With a multiplicity of emerging hardware and software options, the future of wearables is
unfolding but still unknown. Concepts such as the HTC Vive Pro Eye, Oculus Quest, and
Playstation VR are leading the way, but there are also players like Google, Apple, Samsung,
Lenovo, and others who may surprise the industry with new levels of immersion and usability.
Whoever comes out ahead, the simplicity of buying a helmet-sized device that can work in a
living room, office, or factory floor has made HMDs center stage when it comes to Virtual
Reality technologies.

While VR is known for transforming the gaming and entertainment industry in particular, with
consoles and handhelds adapting their games for VR, the gaming experience has been utterly
transformed and improved all around. The connection between game and player becomes far
closer as gamers are completely immersed in their own gaming world.

VR is also beginning to revolutionize other industries such as healthcare, retail, and education,
which is already aiding tasks in these sectors, from helping patients with anxiety relax, to
helping students learn more by experiencing what they are being educated on.
c. Augmented Reality

Augmented Reality (AR) is a more versatile and practical version of virtual reality, as it does not
fully immerse individuals in an experience. Augmented reality features interactive scenarios
that enhance the real world with images and sounds that create an altered experience. The
most common current applications of this overlay of digital images on the surrounding
environment include the recent Pokémon Go fad.

As it happens, phones and tablets are the way augmented reality gets into most people's lives.
One of the most popular ways AR has infiltrated everyday life is through mobile games. In 2016,
the AR game Pokémon Go became a sensation worldwide, with over 100 million estimated
users at its peak, according to CNET. It ended up making more than $2 billion and counting,
according to Forbes. The game allowed users to see Pokémon characters bouncing around in
their own town. The goal was to capture these pocket monsters using your smartphone
camera, and then use them to battle others, locally, in AR gyms.

Another app called Layar uses the smartphone's GPS and its camera to collect information
about the user's surroundings. It then displays information about nearby restaurants, stores,
and points of interest.

Augmented reality can impact many industries in useful ways. Airports are implementing
augmented-reality guides to help people get through their checks and terminals as quickly and
efficiently as possible. Retail and cosmetics are also using augmented reality to let customers
test products, and furniture stores are using this mode to lay out new interior design options.

This doesn't mean that phones and tablets will be the only venue for AR. Research continues
apace on including AR functionality in contact lenses and other wearable devices. The ultimate
goal of augmented reality is to create a convenient and natural immersion, so there’s a sense
that phones and tablets will get replaced, though it isn’t clear what those replacements will be.
Even glasses might take on a new form, as "smart glasses" are developed for blind people.

Like any new technology, AR has a lot of political and ethical issues. Google Glass, for example,
raised privacy concerns. Some worried that conversations might be surreptitiously recorded or
pictures snapped, or that they might be identified by facial recognition software. AR glasses,
contacts, and more, like the Glass-X and Google Lens, though, are moving ahead in production
and sales.

The possibilities for augmented reality in the future revolve around mobile applications and
healthcare solutions. Careers in mobile app development and design will be abundant, and
information technology professionals can put their expertise to use in these interactive
experiences.