MAJOR TECHNOLOGY TRENDS IN EDUCATION

According to the latest data, video for homework is on the rise; mobile computing is "beyond the tipping point"; and most kids don't use traditional computers to connect to the Internet at home. Those are just three of the major trends revealed in the 2013 Speak Up Survey from Project Tomorrow, which CEO Julie Evans revealed at the FETC 2014 conference last week.
The 2013 results represent more than 400,000 surveys from 9,000 schools and 2,700 districts across the country. Respondents included 325,279 students, 32,151 teachers and librarians, 39,986 parents, 4,530 district administrators and, new to this year’s survey, 1,346 community members.

1. Personal Access to Mobile Devices
According to the 2013 results, students overwhelmingly have access to personal mobile devices. “If there was any doubt in our mind that we were beyond the tipping point in terms of kids carrying a computer in their pocket, backpack or purse,” she said, “we’re there.”
Specifically, said Evans, 89 percent of high schools students have access to Internet-connected smart phones, while 50 percent of students in grades 3 through 5 have access to the same type of devices. High school student access to tablets tops out at 50 percent and laptops come in at 60 percent. In addition to personal access, the survey found about a third of students have access to a device (typically laptops or tablets) in their school.

2. Internet Connectivity
For Evans, this was an interesting set of  statistics showing the ways students generally connect to the Internet when at home. According to the study, 64 percent of students surveyed identify 3G- or 4G-enabled devices as their primary means of connecting to the Internet, with another 23 percent saying they connect through an Internet-enabled TV or Wii console. When asked why traditional broadband access wasn’t their primary means of connectivity, students said there was less contention for access with other members of the family through these non-traditional devices.

3. Use of Video for Classwork and Homework
Video is another tool that has been on the rise in recent years. While her presentation focused on students, Evans noted that 46 percent of teachers are using video in in the classroom.
One-third of students are accessing video online — through their own initiative — to help with their homework. Evans called this the “Khan Academy effect.” Additionally, 23 percent of students are accessing video created by their teachers.

4. Mobile Devices for Schoolwork
According to the 2013 results, students are leveraging mobile devices both to be more efficient in their day-to-day tasks and to transform their own learning processes.
Sixty percent of students are using mobile devices for anytime research, 43 percent for educational games and 40 percent for collaboration with their peers. Thirty-three percent of students surveyed use mobile devices for reminders and alerts related to their academic lives, 24 percent for taking photos of their assignments, and 18 percent for in-class polling.
Surprisingly, said Evans, 12 percent of the students responding said they use mobile devices to text questions to their instructors while in the classroom. “I do wonder,” she added, “how many of the teachers are responding to those texts.”

5. Using Different Tools for Different Tasks
Evans admitted, with the proliferation of so many tools, it isn’t surprising students are designing “best-fit” solutions for their very specific needs.
Rather than using one or even a few platforms for various tasks, students are increasingly savvy about taking advantage of the benefits of the tools available.
“We find them using video, social media and cell phones for communications; they use e-readers for reading texts and articles; they write, take notes and do research on laptops. But,” she paused, “where does that leave tablets?”
According to Evans, tablets were the second or third choice device for completing many of the academic tasks students are faced with.
“They like the devices,” she noted, “but they are more focused on using the right tool for the task at hand,” and many times tablets don’t seem to fit.

6. Paying Attention to the Digital Footprint
Digital footprint was a new research area for the 2013 survey and, according to Evans, showed some interesting results. Sixty-four percent of high school students responding admitted to being careful about the things they post online; 39 percent said they advise friends about the content they post, with 32 percent saying they stopped interacting with friends who post inappropriate content online. Finally, 44 percent of high school students said they believe a positive digital profile is an important part of their future.

7. An increased Interest in Online Learning
This year’s Speak Up found that students who have not taken an online course are increasingly interested in the opportunity, citing a desire to have more control over their learning and believing that they will get more support from an online teacher.
Math was the subject student were most interested in taking online, with Foreign language coming in second and science a distant third.

8. Gaming is Growing, and the Gender Gap is Closed
Another interesting area for Evans was student gaming. This year’s results showed 60 percent of students using laptops as a gaming device. Cell phones and game consoles tied with 54 percent use, while tablets clocked in at 44 percent.
Of particular note is students’ interest in taking gaming technology and applying it to learning difficult concepts, as well as their interest in using games as a way to explore career opportunities. Evans also noted no gender difference in students’ interest in games, with younger girls actually showing more gaming activity than their male counterparts.

9. Social Media in Schools
Another set of questions revolved around the place of social media in the school. When showing the data for text messaging, networking sites (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc.) and chat rooms, it was clear the the student expectations for the use of these technologies far outpaced those of administrators, teachers and parents. Administrators scored the highest among the non-student groups represented.
According to Evans, the data identify “a clear disconnect in terms of the value proposition” of these tools. “Today’s students,” she added, “are looking at social media not as a separate thing that you do occasionally but as a pervasive part of the way they are living their lives outside of school — one they want to connect with their lives inside the classroom.”

10. What Devices Belong in 'The Ultimate School?'
The final piece of data Evans shared focused on students’ ranking of the relative importance of devices in their classroom experience. Fifty-six percent of students said laptops were most important; 51 percent chose digital readers; and 48 percent selected tablets.
“This is still an evolving area,” said Evans and one She said Project Tomorrow plans to keep and eye on in the coming years. Something of interest, she added, that may not come as a surprise is that 62 percent of students want to bring their own devices.
Full results of the 2013 Speak Up will be released to survey participants Feb. 5 and will be released publicly April 8 when Evans shares the report with Congress.

ROBOT INDUSTRY AUTOMATION DJV 6043

 

Robotics industrial automation is changing the face of production. Manufacturers around the globe are implementing some form of automation to become more efficient, safe and ultimately to increase revenues. While some advantages are obvious, there may be more than you think. Add them all together and you can see why so many industries are investing in industrial robots.

8 Advantages of Industrial Automation:

Quality Control - no one likes purchasing an item, only to be disappointed by the poor quality. Robots are a great solution for higher quality production. Quality builds trust from customers as well as pride knowing that you are contributing something of value.

Repeatability - Being consistent and knowing that you will get the same quality end product is critical to efficiency. A robot is able to perform the exact same task, exactly the same way, over and over again. Less errors means less wasted time.

Waste Reduction - Consistent repeatability allows manufacturers to reduce overall waste. Less errors not only saves time, but it also reduces the amount of material required to produce the product. A couple of examples: robots can use less wire for welding, less amount of paint, and cut closer to the edge.

Faster Cycle Times - Unfortunately humans have their limitations. Robots have been known to greatly improve production cycle speeds. The more you can produce, the higher demand you can meet and ultimately bringing in more money.

Improved Workplace Safety - There are so many dangerous work environments that can have horrible side effects on a human body. Separating workers from lifting too much weight, exposure to fumes and gases, close interaction with lasers or blades, can tremendously decrease the possibility of injury.

Reduction of Labor Costs - Labor can be expensive, especially when you factor in medical benefits, paid time off, injury comp time, etc... Robots can replace certain jobs, but that doesn't mean they are going to take over the world. It just means we need to adjust our focus. Understanding that robots are there for our own safety and efficiency allows us to remove workers from tough tedious jobs, to more fulfilling roles.

Reduced Floor Space - It's easy to start sprawling out across the shop floor with extra materials, tools, and machinery. Robots can help reduce the footprint of the required workspace by optimizing everything into a smaller, confined space.

Integration with Business Systems - Now a days, communication between multiple data platforms is rapidly growing, improving efficiency. You can see when there's a bottleneck a lot quicker with proper technology installed. Robots and machinery are talking with one another to give business leaders a better view on the overall picture, helping them make smarter decisions on how to improve their process.

Do you have any question?

Please refer to your lecturer or supervisor.

PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC CONTROLLER DJV 3022

 

What is a PLC?

A PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC CONTROLLER (PLC) is an industrial computer control system that continuously monitors the state of input devices and makes decisions based upon a custom program to control the state of output devices.

 

Almost any production line, machine function, or process can be greatly enhanced using this type of control system. However, the biggest benefit in using a PLC is the ability to change and replicate the operation or process while collecting and communicating vital information.

 

Another advantage of a PLC system is that it is modular. That is, you can mix and match the types of Input and Output devices to best suit your application.

 

HISTORY OF PLCS

The first Programmable Logic Controllers were designed and developed by Modicon as a relay re-placer for GM and Landis.

 

These controllers eliminated the need for rewiring and adding additional hardware for each new configuration of logic.

The new system drastically increased the functionality of the controls while reducing the cabinet space that housed the logic.

The first PLC, model 084, was invented by Dick Morley in 1969

The first commercial successful PLC, the 184, was introduced in 1973 and was designed by Michael Greenberg.

WHAT IS INSIDE A PLC? 

The Central Processing Unit, the CPU, contains an internal program that tells the PLC how to perform the following functions:

 

Execute the Control Instructions contained in the User's Programs. This program is stored in "nonvolatile" memory, meaning that the program will not be lost if power is removed

Communicate with other devices, which can include I/O Devices, Programming Devices, Networks, and even other PLCs.

Perform Housekeeping activities such as Communications, Internal Diagnostics, etc.

HOW DOES A PLC OPERATE?

There are four basic steps in the operation of all PLCs; Input Scan, Program Scan, Output Scan, and Housekeeping. These steps continually take place in a repeating loop.

 

Four Steps In The PLC Operations

1.) Input Scan

Detects the state of all input devices that are connected to the PLC

2.) Program Scan

Executes the user created program logic

3.) Output Scan

Energizes or de-energize all output devices that are connected to the PLC.

4.) Housekeeping

This step includes communications with programming terminals,

internal diagnostics, etc...

APPLICATION AUTOMATION SYSTEM DJV 5032

Automation Control System

´  System that is able to control a process with minimal human assistance or without manual.

´  Have the ability to initiate , adjust, action show or measures the variables in the process and stop the process in order to obtain the desired output

The main objective of Automation Control System used in the industry are:

                1. Increase productivity

                2. Improve quality of the product

                3. Control production cost

Can you explain the details about this basic block diagram?

Please send your answer to your lecturer and comment below!

Technology in Education

The rapid and constant pace of change in technology is creating both opportunities and challenges for schools.
The opportunities include greater access to rich, multimedia content, the increasing use of online coursetaking to offer classes not otherwise available, the widespread availability of mobile computing devices that can access the Internet, the expanding role of social networking tools for learning and professional development, and the growing interest in the power of digital games for more personalized learning.
At the same time, the pace of change creates significant challenges for schools. To begin with, schools are forever playing technological catch up as digital innovations emerge that require upgrading schools’ technological infrastructure and building new professional development programs. Some schools have been adept at keeping up with those changes, while many others are falling far behind, creating a digital divide based largely on the quality of educational technology, rather than just simple access to the Internet.
The rapid evolution of educational technologies also makes it increasingly challenging to determine what works best. Longitudinal research that takes years to do risks being irrelevant by the time it is completed because of shifts in the technological landscape. The iPad, for instance, became popular in schools soon after it was released and well before any research could be conducted about its educational effectiveness.
Following is a look at some of the hottest issues and trends in educational technology and how they are creating opportunities and challenges for K-12 schools.

INDUSTRIAL ROBOTICS VIDEO!

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INDUSTRIAL ROBOTS

Credit to : http://www.learnaboutrobots.com/industrial.htm Modern industrial robots are true marvels of engineering. A robot the size of a person can easily carry a load over one hundred pounds and move it very quickly with a repeatability of +/-0.006 inches. Furthermore these robots can do that 24 hours a day for years on end with no failures whatsoever. Though they are reprogrammable, in many applications (particularly those in the auto industry) they are programmed once and then repeat that exact same task for years. A six-axis robot like the yellow one below costs about $60,000. What I find interesting is that deploying the robot costs another $200,000. Thus, the cost of the robot itself is just a fraction of the cost of the total system. The tools the robot uses combined with the cost of programming the robot form the major percentage of the cost. That's why robots in the auto industry are rarely reprogrammed. If they are going to go to the expense of deploying a robot for another task, then they may as well use a new robot.
	This is pretty much the typical machine people think of when they think of industrial robots. Fanuc makes this particular robot. Fanuc is the largest maker of these type of robots in the world and they are almost always yellow. This robot has six independent joints, also called six degrees of freedom. The reason for this is that arbitrarily placing a solid body in space requires six parameters; three to specify the location (x, y, z for example) and three to specify the orientation (roll, yaw, pitch for example). If you look closely you will see two cylindrical pistons on the side of the robot. These cylinders contain "anti-gravity" springs that are a big part of the reason robots like these can carry such heavy loads. These springs counter-balance against gravity similar to the way the springs on the garage door make it much easier for a person to lift. You will see robots like these welding, painting and handling materials.
The robot shown at right  is made by an American company, Adept Technology. Adept is America's largest robot company and the world's leading producer of SCARA robots. This is actually the most common industrial robot. SCARA stands for Selective Compliance Articulated (though some folks use Assembly here) Robot Arm. The robot has three joints in the horizontal plane that give it x-y positioning and orientation parallel to  the plane. There is one linear joint that supplies the z positioning. This is the typical "pick and place" robot. When combined with a vision system it can move product from conveyor belt to package at a very high rate of speed (think "Lucy and the candies" but way faster). The robot's joint structure allows it to be compliant (or soft) to forces in the horizontal plane. This is important for "peg in hole" type applications where the robot will actually flex to make up for inaccuracies and allow very tight part fits.
	The machine at left can be called a Cartesian robot, though calling this machine a robot is really stretching the definition of a robot. It is Cartesian because it allows x-y-z positioning. Three linear joints provide the three axes of motion and define the x, y and z planes. This robot is suited for pick and place applications where either there are no orientation requirements or the parts can be pre-oriented before the robot picks them up (such as surface mounted circuit board assembly)  Thanks for reading this entry!!