Introduction
Automation is the process of reducing human work by use of control systems and information technologies in order to effectively and efficiently produces goods and offer services in an acceptable manner. In essence, automation is seen a big step beyond mechanization if the industrialization aspect of view is considered. In mechanization there is the use of human operators in to run machines that assist in the realization of muscular requirements of work (Trevathan 69). With the proliferation of technology and with the rate of industrialization experienced in the world, mechanization plays an important role in the effective realization of organizational objectives and goals.
A historical overview of the technological changes in the field
With the proliferation of technology and the changes that have been experienced in the world, there has been advancement to great length in the technology industry. Emerging technologies are contemporary advances that have to be considered in deep. The same advances are good in the realization of the automation aspect in the technology industry (Giersch 212) . With many technologies emerging, there was a convergence of the same technologies with inventors trying as much as possible to come up with a combined technology that would be able to cater for all of the separate technologies that had been realized (ones-Garmil 403). These converging technologies were all implemented with a similar goal in mind: to automate the basic tasks that required for the mental and physical involvement of human beings. Some of these previously separate technologies that have converged for the realization of automation include voice, such as in telephony, data (plus productivity applications) and video. These technologies currently share resources and interact with each other for the full realization of a common objective which could have otherwise been hard had it been implemented in separate (Trevathan 71).
Over centuries, new methodologies of carrying out a particular task have continuously been developed. The need for an automated system was driven by the need to solve the common problems affecting human beings and to increase the efficiency realized in the process. Some of the technologies realized therefore were as a result of theoretical research, others as a result of commercial research and others as a result of inevitable development in the society.
As a result of advancement in technology, there has been an incremental development of the same or disruptive technologies being introduced. In as much as all are meant for the better good, disruptive technologies are in such a way that, redundancy is introduced in the previous existing technology. In general emerging technologies denotes a significant technological development towards the realization of an automated environment.
Most important recent technological changes, the description of their nature and impact on profession life as Building Operator
Recently there have been a lot of changes in the technological field. Players in the technology industry, whether commercial or academic, are investing heavily in the realization of automated systems. There are mobile phone and other personal digital assistants not to forget the automation of environmental influences in homes. All these advancement is realized due to the advancement in some field such as artificial intelligence, information technology, biotechnology, robotics, nanotechnology and cognitive science.
Information technology is a field that has seen advancement in the management, processing and dissemination of information to the relevant destination. The field largely influences the manner in which an automated system will be developed. Raw data make no sense to anybody, leave alone the machine that will be expected to interpret the same and work as expected. The field of information technology therefore has revitalized the way data is to be collected, analyzed, and presented to the intended audience or to the intended system (Hung and Khine 26). It determines the instructions that the program will use in effecting the same for the purposes of automation. Since the advancement that has been seen in the field are a lot, it is therefore prudent to say that, the manner in which data is fed into an automated system and the manner in which the same is processed will determine therefore the output of the machine reaction(Ouellette 376).
Cognitive science had given rise to the understanding of human nature and how the same can be translated into the machine setup. The same technology works hand in hand with artificial intelligence and robotics. Basically, the realization of robotics is by utilization of artificial intelligence. Logic implementation has become such a possible endeavor that allows building operators to implement their automated systems basing on logic calculation and determination. Artificial intelligence allows the realization of this (Hung and Khine 301). The effect it has in the automation of systems and building of the same therefore is the fact that it introduces complexity in building. Capturing all the logic possibilities and the implementation of the same is a hard task. Though the complexity is introduced, the automated systems that are building are effective. The efficiency realized supersedes the difficulties involved in the development.
Assessment on the effects of these changes on a personal capacity
The changes in the technology may affect the world and system builders in many ways, both positive and negative. With the proliferation of artificial intelligence at a very fast rate, there is risk associated with being in line with the expectations of the industry. There is a constant change in the technological front, it is therefore hard to predict on the suitability of a particular technology in the future (Hung and Khine 208). A good technology today might not be desirable tomorrow; therefore investing much in the same might cause a lot of losses both financially and in time. Balancing between the society’s expectations today and their expectations tomorrow is therefore a hard to do job. Balance must be struck between today’s technology and the emerging technology.
Looking from the society perspective, automation and development of intelligent systems could lead to moral question and concerns in the world. The ethical debate in reality currently centers on the issues of distributive justice in the allocation of the beneficial forms of technology to the society. These technologies could cause the development of automated systems that can be used for either good or evil or even both. Automation could usher in a state where most human beings are rendered superfluous. These could pose dangers to the general population including the developers of the same automated systems (Kendall 302).
As robotics and AI develop further and with application of the same in the automation of every single activity that is to be automated in the world, there is a fear that learning machines could soon take over the very basic jobs of human beings rendering many jobless and poor and the few rich.
An analysis of the most likely future changes technology might bring and their impact on professional life.
It started with mechanization, then automation now people are talking about developing intelligent agents. With the continued advancement in technology, especially in artificial intelligence, there will be increased ease in knowledge discovery and representation. There is a possibility of application of artificial intelligence in the automation thus creation of more and more intelligent agents and robots (Kendall 87). As time goes by, there is also the likelihood of the development of learning machines. All these changes which are foreseen likely to happen will have a great influence in the world economy and social factors. In the automation field, it will be a major boost in the development of building operator careers. However, care a situation is foreseen where the same learning machines will take over even the most skilled and professional jobs in the society (Ouellette 54). That risk cannot be overlooked. Automation eventually will lead to almost all the people losing jobs and machines taking over.
Work cited
Giersch, Henry. Emerging technologies: Consequences for economic growth, structural change,
and employment. Tübingen: Mohr., 1981.
Hung, D. and M. S. Khine. Engaged learning with emerging technologies. . Dordrecht:
Springer., 2006.
Kendall, K. E. Emerging information technologies: Improving decisions, cooperation, and
infrastructure. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Sage Publications, 1999.
Ones-Garmil, K. The wired museum: Emerging technology and changing paradigms.
Washington, DC: American Association of Museums., 1997.
Ouellette, Robert. Automation Impacts on Industry,: Ann Arbor, MI, USA: Ann Arbor Science
Publishers, 1983.
Trevathan, Vernon. A Guide to the Automation Body of Knowledge . Research Triangle Park,
NC, USA: International Society of Automation, 2006.
