In this article, we will discuss how technology is being used to fight COVID-19.
The disease has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisations (WHO).
Thousands of people have died and more have been infected.
Researchers are working hard to make vaccines so that lives can be saved. In the search for the best vaccine to save lives, it is the modern
technology being used in research and giving care to the sick.
Ventilators and other sophisticated electronic devices are used in preserving lives.
Advanced medical technology systems are what we are talking about.
We are hoping that soon, the world will be relieved from this crisis which has brought fear and uncertainty.
Recently, more vaccines have been discovered.
According to Dictionary.com “A vaccine is a substance introduced into someone’s body to prevent them from getting a specific disease. It usually consists of a small amount of a killed, weakened, or otherwise modified version of a disease (such as a virus or bacterium)”.
To help understand the evolvement of technology throughout the history of human development, you will be taken through to see how the author
believes that technology will survive and be part of the solution in times of crisis like COVID-19 and for development.
Literature from other sources was consulted to develop the historical flow.
The first part of this subject will focus on the history of technology and part 2 will bring the current trends used in China and other parts
of the world to monitor and control the pandemic.
History and science have recorded the development of human beings.
The history of technology is the history of the invention of tools and techniques and is one of the categories of the history of humanity.
Technology can be referred to as methods ranging from as simple as stone tools to the complex genetic engineering and information
technology that has emerged since the 1980s.
The term technology comes from the Greek word techne, meaning art and craft, and the word logos, meaning word and speech.
It was first used to describe applied arts, but it is now used to describe advancements and changes which affect the environment around
us.
New knowledge has enabled people to create new things, and conversely, many scientific endeavors are made possible by technologies which
assist humans in traveling to places they could not previously reach, and by scientific instruments by which we study nature in more detail
than our natural senses allow.
Since much of technology is applied science, technical history is connected to the history of science.
Since technology uses resources, technical history is tightly connected to economic history.
From those resources, technology produces other resources, including technological artifacts used in everyday life.
Technological change affects, and is affected by, a society’s cultural traditions.
It is a force for economic growth and a means to develop and project economic, political, military power and wealth.
Researchers and scholars have developed different theories similar to this subject.
Technology can be viewed in the regards of innovation, creativity, and sustainability.
Prehistory Stone Age – During most of the Paleolithic – the bulk of the Stone Age – all humans had a lifestyle which involved limited tools and few permanent settlements.
The first major technologies were tied to survival, hunting, and food preparation.
Stone tools and weapons, fire, and clothing were technological developments of major importance during this period.
Ancient – Ancient technology Copper and bronze Ages – Metallic copper occurs on the surface of weathered copper ore deposits and copper was used before copper smelting was known.
Bronze was a major advance over stone as a material for making tools, both because of its mechanical properties like strength and ductility
and because it could be cast in molds to make intricately shaped objects.
Iron Age – The Iron Age involved the adoption of iron smelting technology.
It generally replaced bronze and made it possible to produce tools which were stronger, lighter and cheaper to make than bronze equivalents.
The raw materials to make iron, such as ore and limestone, are far more abundant than copper and especially tin ores.
Mesopotamia- Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) and its peoples (Sumerians, Akkadians, Assyrians and Babylonians) lived in cities from 4,000 BC,
and developed a sophisticated architecture in mud-brick and stone, including the use of the true arch.
The walls of Babylon were so massive they were quoted as a wonder of the world.
They developed extensive water systems; canals for transport and irrigation in the alluvial south, and catchment systems stretching for
tens of kilometers in the hilly north.
Their palaces had sophisticated drainage systems.
Egypt – The Egyptians, known for building pyramids centuries before the creation of modern tools, invented and used many simple machines,
such as the ramp to aid construction processes.
Ancient Egyptians also invented and pioneered many food technologies that have become the basis of modern food technology processes.
Based on paintings and reliefs found in tombs, as well as archaeological artifacts, scholars like Paul T Nicholson believe that the Ancient Egyptians established systematic farming practices, engaged in cereal processing, brewed beer and baked bread, processed meat, practiced viticulture and created the basis for modern wine production, and created condiments to complement, preserve and mask the flavors of their food.
Industrial Revolution (1760–1830s) The revolution was driven by cheap energy in the form of coal, produced in ever-increasing amounts from the abundant resources of Britain.
The British Industrial Revolution is characterized by developments in the areas of textile machinery, mining, metallurgy and transport the
steam engine and the invention of machine tools.
Second Industrial Revolution (1860s–1914) The 19th Century saw astonishing developments in transportation, construction, manufacturing and communication technologies originating in Europe.(To be continued…)
The author is a speaker, mentor, educator, trainer, professional and community leader, IT and cybersecurity leader. For comments email:
ICTMatters@kingston.co.zm; www.kingston.co.zm.
