Exercise 9

What is augmented reality? How can it help us to navigate, discover things we don’t    know, or get more information about things we know

Augmented reality is a form of virtual reality. It is live direct or indirect view of a physical, real-world environment whose elements are augmented by computer-generated sensory input such as sound, video, graphics or GPS data.

                It can help us to navigate by enhancing the effectiveness of navigation devices. To illustrate, building and traffic information can be displayed virtually to facilitate navigation. Outdoor navigation for military operations and disaster management can also be optimized.

                Google Earth is a program that uses augmented reality. Apart from discovering new places and finding out more precise information about places we know, augmented reality allows Google Earth to output traffic, people, and landscape.

                Augmented reality can also be used in sports. For example, in American football, the touchdown line is shown virtually, whereas the players are real-world elements. Similarly, in swimming, telecasts often add a line across lanes to indicate the position of the current record holder as the race proceeds, allowing viewers to compare the current race to the record-winning performance.

What is a QR Code and what is it used for?

                QR codes, Quick Response code, is a matrix (2D) barcode originally used in the automotive industry. However, it has recently become mainstream and is used for various purposes, especially in smartphones. QR codes may contain URLs, which upon scanning, opens a link. QR codes also contain information and metadata.

                QR codes are becoming increasingly popular, in June 2011, 14 million mobile users scanned a QR code. 58% of that figure was scanned from home, while 39% from retail stores.

Exercise 8

Compare Resistive Touchscreens and Capacitive Touchscreens in terms of technology, cost, power consumption, touch sensitivity, display quality, and abundant raw material. Can you name any other technologies used in touch screens besides these two?

Differences between resistive and capacitive touch screen:

Difference	Resistive Touch Screens	Capacitive Touch Screen
Technology	Two thin, electrically conductive layers separated by microdots. When touch is received, the two become connected and electrical current flows through, which are sent to the processor.	The glass panel is coated with a special material that is able to store an electrical charge. The partial charge transferred to the user is registered by the panel control.
Cost	Cheap	Expensive
Power Consumption	Low	High
Touch Sensitivity	Accurate when used with stylus or pointing objects but not sensitive with fingers.	Sensitive, enables multi-touch.
Display Quality	Low light output, diffused resolution	High Quality
Abundance of raw materials	Indium Tin Oxide- running out	Indium Tin Oxide- running out

Resistive Touch Screen

Capacitive Touch Screen

Another technology used in touchscreens is the Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW). It uses ultrasonic waves that pass over the touchscreen panel. When the panel is touched, a portion of the wave is absorbed.

Exercise 7

1.     What is a hologram? How can a hologram be used as an output device and/or a communication device?

A hologram is a technique that allows light scattered from an object to be recorded and later reconstructed so that when an imaging system is placed in the reconstructed beam, an image of the object will be seen even when the original object is no longer present.

A hologram can be used as an input device by capturing static holographic images. However, recent advances in technology allows the scientists at University of Arizona to create holographic telepresence, capturing video holographs. Thus, communication in 3D with someone from around the world is now possible. Holograms, displaying images, are therefore considered output devices.

In fact, Disney, among other large corporations, has incorporated holograms into their services. For example, in Disneyland California, the haunted house has a room of dancing ghosts, which are in fact 3D holograms. Also, holograms are projected onto tracks of rollercoaster for a more thrilling experience.

When President Obama was elected, Will.I.Am, a performer who publicly was an Obama supporter, was interviewed by Anderson Cooper via hologram. Therefore, it can be said that the dreams of technological advancement we once had are now coming true.

2.     Are there any 3 Dimensional input devices? If yes, list and explain some of these devices and whether or not you expect them to be handy in the future.

3 Dimensional input devices exist. For example, the Nintendo Wii is a 3D input device because it depends on user motion and kinetics across a three-dimensional axis. Sixense also developed a 3D input device in 2008 that broke boundaries in the tech world, sensing not only the usual wrist flicks and arm motion, but also whole body movements. The president of Sixense even invited developers to come up with more creative ways of using the technology.

I expect 3D input devices to be handy in the distant future, but not for the next couple of years. This is because the technology is not yet refined, and as of yet, still a bit cumbersome. As it is now, it still will not outwrestle the keyboard and mouse as standard household input devices.

Exercise 6

Universal Serial Bus (USB) became a phenomenon in the late 1990s and is still the platform of communication of choice for most hardware manufacturers. Explain in brief the history of USB, the versions of USB, and how can we use USB for input/output.

                In the past, connecting peripheral devices to computers often caused a dilemma. This is because there were too many different port types, such as serial, parallel, and PS/2. Also, peripheral devices did not support hot-plugging and automatic configuration. The introduction of the Universal Serial Bus (USB) in 1995 solved all those problems, introducing fast, low-cost, hot-pluggable Plug and Play hardware. USB allows the user to connect a wide range or peripheral devices, including keyboards, mice, printers, scanners, mass storage devices, cameras, and audio devices. The USB used only memory buffers in the USB system software. This user-friendly device was very popular among consumers. It soon became the default in the tech industry for connecting PCs and laptops.

            The USB was developed by companies such as Compaq, IBM, Intel, and Microsoft, and DEC, joined later on by Hewlett-Packard, Lucent, and Phillps. These companies together formed USB Implementers Forum, Inc. (USB-IF) as a non-profit corporation to publish specifications, provide support, and maintain a forum for the advancement of USB technology.

            USB 1.0 was released on January 15, 1996, featuring a low-speed transfer rate of 1.5MB/s and full-speed transfer rate of 12MB/s. Shortly after, a revision 1.1 was released on September 23, 1998. This was the first widely used version of USB. In April 2000, USB 2.0 was released.  It wowed users with a high-speed transfer rate of 480MB/s. Then in November 2008, the USB was vastly improved, with data transfer rates of up to 5GB/s. Recently, a SuperSpeed USB has been rumored to be in development.

            USB devices can be used as input devices in the form of keyboards and mice. A leader in such technology is Logitech, being the user favorite for these input devices. Most of these devices use USB connections. Another USB input device is printers and scanners. On the other hand, USB devices are also commonly used for output devices. This is in the case of speakers, monitors, and projector screens.

            It is obvious that USB is one of the most used hardware devices in the computer world, and it does not look like it is going to be replaced anytime soon.

HTML

Click HERE to find out anything you want to know.

Click HERE to reconnect with friends.

Click HERE to watch videos.

Exercise 5

In your blog, define Cloud computing. List its advantages, disadvantages, and give a few examples of cloud computing in PCs, Tablets, and Phones. Which major operating system relies heavily on cloud computing?

     Cloud computing is whereby shared resources, software, and information are provided to computers as a utility, like electricity, over a network. It is essentially computing as a service rather than a product. It does not require end-user knowledge of the physical location and configuration of the system that delivers the services.

     Among the advantages of cloud computing are the improved collaboration between employees on projects. Since the projects are saved on secure external computers, more than one individual can access them at the same time. Secondly, extra hardware resources are not required which leaves more room for capital expenses. Thirdly, with cloud computing, the service provider is responsible for updating the software and ensuring the safety of the data stored on their data centers. However, disadvantages of cloud computing also exist. For example, there is always a risk of the internet service provider breaking down or being inaccessible. The integration between computer and network applications is also not as smooth with cloud computing.

      An example of cloud computing in mobile phones is the Android market. With access to the internet, users are able to get apps from an internet database. An example of cloud computing in PCs is the Google Chromebook laptop. It is a cloud-based computer where apps, documents, settings and other data will be securely stored in cyberspace and accessible from any Chrome computer. In tablets, the Amazon Kindle Fire uses cloud-based browsing system, attempting to speed up mobile web browsing "by using cloud computing to do some of the heavy lifting that used to be handled only by the browser in your device, which can't compete in power with a huge number of computers in a warehouse somewhere."

     A major operating system that relies heavily on cloud computing is the Microsoft Azure. These are Windows Azure (an operating system providing scalable compute and storage facilities), SQL Azure (a cloud-based, scale-out version of SQL Server) and Windows Azure AppFabric (a collection of services supporting applications both in the cloud and on premise).Microsoft Azure is a Microsoft cloud platform used to build, host and scale web applications through Microsoft data centers.

HTML

 

                                                                                                                                                                                               

 

 

 

 

CLICK

 

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sparta.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exercise 4

_{1.    Explain how punch cards were used as input methods, why did their use recline, and are they still in use today?}

Punch cards were the first widely adopted technologies that allowed the permanent storage and retrieval of programs and data. Most cards featured 80 columns, but Herman Hollerith eventually created the modern punch card. Multiple punches in each column could be used to represent either a letter or number, which was typically also printed in ink at the top of the column so the cards could also be read by eye.

        Keyboards were a large leap forward from punch cards, and led to the recline in use of punch cards as they made editing a matter of re-keying input, instead of ripping up and retyping entire cards.

            Today, punch cards still have a few uses, most notably for one purpose: voting machines. However, after an incident in the 1968 general election in Detroit where a rainstorm soaked one batch of ballots, there have been questions of whether more modern methods should be used.

_{2.    In your own words, and from your imagination, try to envision a futuristic input method. Support your answer with photos/sketches if/when possible.}

In the future, keyboards have to be small enough to be ultra-portable, yet large enough to be typed on comfortably. How do we achieve this? Why, simply by having a virtual keyboard that is easier to type on than a minute touchscreen keyboard that is easy to make typing errors on.

This is done with a laser hologram that is touch or optical sensitive. Thus it can be projected onto any surface, making it mass-less yet comfortable to type on. In fact, this technology is rumored to be explored by Apple. The tech world is buzzing with news that this sensational technology is not light years away, but in fact due to be released next year in the iPhone 5.

Exercise 3

1. Compare Multi-core processing to parallel processing in terms of speed, number of tasks you can process at a time.

Parallel processing is able to handle more tasks at the same time and at a faster rate compared to a multi-core processing. This is because there are more engines (CPUs or cores) in parallel processing. It can also be done by connecting computers in a network. It increases speed as it is able to handle different portions of a single program by dividing it among processors.

2. What is threading in multi-tasking? Does it make the processing faster or slower?

On a single processor, threading generally occurs by multitasking, which is also known as time-division multiplexing . The processor switches between different threads. This context switching generally happens frequently enough that the user perceives the threads or tasks as running at the same time. On a multiprocessor or multi-core system, the threads or tasks will actually run at the same time, with each processor or core running a particular thread or task. Therefore, it makes processing slightly faster.

3. What is pipelining? Can it be used with parallel processing and multi-core processing?

Pipelining is a set of data processing elements connected in series, so that the output of one element is the input of the next one. The elements of a pipeline are often executed in parallel or in time-sliced fashion. This is similar to an assembly line at a factory. It can also be used with parallel processing and multi-core processing. This is when each loop is split into stages and threads operate on different stages from different iterations concurrently. On the other hand, when multiple cores are assigned to a pipeline stage, its throughput increases linearly, ideally. Thus, to speed up a pipeline workload, we assign more cores to the slowest stages to balance the throughput. However, often the programmers are unable to balance the pipelines completely, leading to thread-waiting, thus defeating the purpose. 

Exercise 2

1.       List in steps a brief history of the development of the processor. When did multi-processing come to existence?

With the introduction of Intel’s i7 Sandybridge processor, it is clear that users will never be satisfied with existing technology, always demanding more and more. Multiprocessing is a mode of operation in which two or more processors (microprocessors) process two or more portions of the same program simultaneously. One of the first machines to use multiprocessing was the Cray X-MP, introduced in 1982, which linked two Cray-1 computers in parallel to triple their individual performance.

2.       A motherboard is often encoded with the secret messages of hidden art. Give a few examples of these.

The Amiga motherboards were thought to contain a mysterious message when it was launched, a secret code to Amiga disciples. It was later discovered that they were song titles. In the A500, the song was “Rock Lobster”. In the A600, it was “Junebug”, and “Channel Z” in the A1200.

3.       Explain how the bus speed affects the performance of the computer.

A bus speed is the amount of data (MHz) that can be transported in the computer simultaneously. The more data a bus can handle at one time, the faster it allows information to travel. The faster the bus speed, the faster the computer will operate. However, this is only true to a certain extent. A fast bus speed cannot make up for a slow processor or chipset.

Exercise 1

1. Write a brief history of the development of the internet. What, in your own words made the internet the driving force in today’s communication oriented world?

   The history of the Internet starts in the 1950s and 1960s with the development of computers. The ARPANET led to the development of protocols for inter-networking, where multiple separate networks could be joined together into a network of networks. In 1982 the TCPIP was made public and the concept of a world-wide network called the Internet was introduced. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, commercial internet service providers started to spring up.

     In my opinion, the internet is the driving force in today’s communication oriented world because it allows the transfer of information, media, knowledge, money, etc in seconds, using minimal cost.

2. Use the command “tracert” to count how many routers does it take you to access the following sites

1. www.taylors.edu.my = 11 routers
2. www.google.com.my = 12 routers
3. www.cnn.com = 23 routers

Microsoft Paint

 Different Size Paint Brush

 Custom Paint Brush

Different Size Spraypaint

 Different Size Lines

 3D

 3D Outline

 Scaling