APPLICATIONS OF COMPUTERS
Applications
of computers span a wide range of sectors such as education ,medicine, banking,
commerce, arts, entertainment, simulation, manufacturing and monitoring as
shall be seen subsequently.
1.
Education.
a)
Distance
learning. It is a mode of delivering education often on an individual basis
to students that are not physically present in a traditional setting such as a
class room. It requires a student to link up to the chosen institution’s online
platform from a computer connected to the internet and get life videos of lesson through video
conferencing and be able to interact with others in a virtual class. Distance learning
provides education at a much affordable cost compared to that incurred in full
time training. Also, students living in remote areas need not travel several kilometres
to study, they can do it comfortably at their homes.
b) School administration.
School administrators use computers in admission procedures,
storing and managing students’ and teachers’ records, payment of fees,
evaluation and so on. Computers can also be used in educational planning,
decision making, and programming. Some institutions use computers to conduct
aptitude and achievement tests during interview.
2.
Applications of computers in medicine
a) Health information systems
Hospitals employ computers to maintain patient records.
Doctors often require information about patient’s medical history, family
health history, already diagnosed diseases, prescribed medications, medications
patient is allergic to, and patients
personal details such as name, date of birth, place of birth, sex, height, body
weight and so on. These data are stored in a database and when a patient
consults a medical doctor, he uses patient’s identification number to query their
information from the database and use. When this data is properly maintained,
patients can be followed up more effectively and efficiently. Moreover, medical
journals, research and diagnostic papers, important medical advances and
reference books can be stored in the system. Thus, computers can serve as an
incredible means of housing health information.
b) Computers in surgical procedures
Computer Assisted Surgery (CAS) is a fast advancing field in medicine.
It combines medical expertise with artificial intelligence to obtain an expert
system that gives a faster and more accurate result in surgical procedures (medical
operations). In CAS, a model of the patient is created and analysed prior to
surgery. The surgical procedure is simulated on a virtual image of the patient
and results are obtained. If results are good, then surgery can be performed by
a robot as programmed by a medical professional. The robot can still assist the
doctor in the actual surgery. If simulation results are not good enough, then
parameters (variables) are reviewed and the process repeated.
3.
Applications of computers in banking
a)
ATM services.
ATM stands for Automated Teller Machine. It is a machine with computer features
such as keyboard, processor, memory, monitor and speakers installed by a
banking institution to enable its customers carry out transactions on their accounts
such as withdrawals without the presence of a human teller (cashier). It functions
thus: When a bank customer arrives an ATM machine and request for an operation,
they are authenticated by asking for their Personal Identification Number (PIN).
If authentication succeeds, the customer is requested to specify the amount of
money to be withdrawn. The requested amount is issued out in bank notes if it
falls within withdrawal limits, and transaction succeeds and terminate. Finally,
customer’s account is updated by the system. Thus at the end of the operation,
the customers withdraws money from their account without getting to the
counter.
b)
Electronic fund transfer
(EFT). It is the exchange or transfer of money from one account (or person)
to another either within a single financial institution or across multiple
institutions through computer based systems. For instance, for local transfers
in Cameroon, when a sender’s transaction information is validated through a
fund transfer interface on a computer, the sender is credited with the amount
to be transferred. The system then generates a transaction identification code
(bordereau) and sends to the receiver informing them of their package at the
nearest agency. Transaction details are then printed and issued to the sender. When
the receiver collects, the sender is debited with the transferred amount and
the transfer process terminates. The institution benefits from charges paid by
sender.
4.
Application of computers in commerce
a)
Retail. Computers
are used to hold information about products (e.g. price, description, expiry date,
and supplier) and each product is coded with its information using a barcode that
can be read using a barcode reader. When a customer presents their basket of
items to the retail attendant, they use a barcode reader to read in information
from all the items into the computer (through retail software) that calculates
and displays total for each item, quantity, unit price, description of each
item, and the grand total of purchase as the items are read in. When the basket
is exhausted and payment is done (maybe through cash, bank transfer, credit or
debit cards), transaction succeeds and the product database is updated. Computers
can also be used to carry out profit analysis, inventory control and human
resource management.
b)
Electronic
commerce. E-commerce is the buying and selling of goods and /or services through
networks of computers such as the internet. To buy over the internet, one needs
a means of payment and means of delivery if it concerns a physical product such
as cars, computers and clothes. Non physical goods such as software and
information can be delivered on buyers PC. Points to follow when thinking of
buying online:
- · Connect to an ecommerce website that offers what you need
- · Register or submit your personal details
- · Get your online basket and shop
- · Specify delivery address
- · Make payments using debit or credit cards(VISA, MASTERCARD), PayPal, bank transfer or others
- · Wait for delivery within specified period
5.
Arts
Computers provide incredible platforms for development of artistic works in the domains of theatre arts, animations, film production, and cartoon development. They make use of multimedia software such as Photoshop, flash professional, Windows Movie Maker, InDesign and illustrator. These software also enable artists to convert their works from physical to electronic form.
Computers provide incredible platforms for development of artistic works in the domains of theatre arts, animations, film production, and cartoon development. They make use of multimedia software such as Photoshop, flash professional, Windows Movie Maker, InDesign and illustrator. These software also enable artists to convert their works from physical to electronic form.
6.
Entertainment
a)
Gaming. Today,
most traditional and modern games are available in electronic form either
online (on gaming websites) or on personal computers or distributed as software
(e.g. Zuma, Solitaire, chess and scrabble). Some of these games have objectives
and a person’s choice on a particular game depends on their interests. We have
educative games, strategy games, and so on.
b)
Music and Films.
The computer enables us to arrange and play almost an unlimited number of songs
with just a few clicks. Music players such as Windows Media player, PC DJ,
Power DVD enable us to play and /or watch audio and video files (films, documentaries,
personal stories) from computers, external storage, video streaming sites and
many other sources. Computers are widely used in cinemas, dance clubs, snacks
and bars to coordinate and play music and films.
7.
Applications of computers in
simulation
Simulation
is the process of designing a model of a real system, implementing the model as
a computer program and conducting experiments with the model for the purpose of
understanding the real system or solving a problem. Simulation allows
institutions to forecast the effect on a real system by changing some of its
variables through its model. It can be used to understand and explain the behaviour
of a real system. It is used in medicine to simulate surgery on a computer
before performing on a patient. It is used in situations where no
tractable mathematical model exists.
8.
Applications of computers in
manufacturing.
a)
Computer-aided manufacturing (CAM).It is
the use of computer software to control machine tools and related machinery in
the manufacturing
of work pieces. Software could be programmed as an operating system in a robot
that controls it and specify what it has to do at any point in time. A good
example could be found in the manufacturing and assembly of cars and/or car
parts. Here, most processes have been programmed and left for robots to execute
automatically or with minimal support from humans. This off course has a very
positive effect on accuracy and efficiency.
b) Computer-aided
design (CAD).It involves creating computer models
defined by geometrical parameters. These models typically appear on a computer
monitor as a three-dimensional representation of a part or a system of parts,
which can be readily altered by changing relevant parameters. CAD systems
enable designers to view objects under a wide variety of representations and to
test these objects by simulating real-world conditions. Modelling with CAD
systems offers a number of advantages over traditional drafting methods that
use rulers, squares, and compasses. For example, designs can be altered without
erasing and redrawing. CAD systems also offer "zoom" features
analogous to a camera lens, whereby a designer can magnify certain elements of
a model to facilitate inspection. Computer models are typically three
dimensional and can be rotated on any axis, much as one could rotate an actual
three dimensional model in one's hand, enabling the designer to gain a fuller
sense of the object.
9. Research on applications of computers in
monitoring and communication!!!!!!
Sources:
http://biomed.brown.edu/Courses/BI108/BI108_2005_Groups/04/
