Semester Project

In order to replace human senses, computers needed input devices for perception and data entry.
Since computers have been created, there have been many improvements to where they are now and I still believe there is much more to be done with computers. Although computers have their own brain they still do what humans tell them to do. Computers can solve problems and look up certain data, but it is all based upon what it is told to do by the operator. This leads me to the topic of what is still missing. The piece that is still missing from computers being able to replace human senses is the fact that they are not able to think on their own. As mentioned earlier, can operate by producing outcome, but they have to be told what functions to do.

Computers do not also have emotions or the ability to think on their own which is something humans can do. The only thing computers can be accomplished to improve in this area would be for the computers to act as robots where they would have a mind of their own, but still in that sense they would still have to be told what to do or programmed in a way to be able to operate.

A huge achievement in this area would be the programs that are installed on the computers that allow them to provide output and data. An example of this would be the operating systems that the computers have installed. With these programs, they computers can produce the output that the humans have asked the computers to do. Now when you purchase a computer, it comes with these operating systems already installed whereas before when you would purchase a computer, you will still have to go out and purchase an operating system and then install it on the computer. Without the operating system, the computer would not be able to function at all like a human. In order to be able to store data and process it like a human brain, computers needed processors and memory.

Memory is any kind of data stored up that can be used to apply/develop certain functions. Something that is very similar with humans and computers. Humans are taught information starting from grade school all the way to adulthood and they are constantly storing what they have learned in their brain (memory) to apply those lessons taught when needed. Very similar to the human brain, the computers have memory that stores data allowing them to perform certain operations. An example of a computers brain (memory) would be the Random Access Memory (RAM). The RAM in the computer can be compared to the short-term memory in a human. While I believe that computers have come a long way with their memory, I still think that it can be improved upon. What could be still be missing is the amount of storage allowed on computers/devices to store up memory. The amount of memory a computer can store has definitely been enlarged, but at the rate technology is forever growing the amount of media (pictures, videos) humans have it could be easy for them to run out of memory.

While I think that the amount of memory a computer can store is still something that can be improved upon, I also think it is a huge accomplishment as well. Even when buying computers, consumers are given the option of the amount of memory they would like to purchase based on the needs of the computer. Consumers are given options whereas when computers first came out, there was a very standart/low amount of memory offered. http://www.matlabtips.com/computer-vs-human-memor/

In order to replace the human nervous system and be able to perform, computers needed software. Computers are constantly evolving to be able to operate like humans. In order for computers to be able to operate like the human nervous system, the computer will need software. The software of course is developed by humans. The humans write the software programs to be tell the computers how they should operate. The way these software programs are written, they tell the computers exactly how and when to operate. What is still missing from the computer software is the fact that the software is able to completely function on its own. They will still need to be powered on or triggered by some sort of human activity to be able to perform the task at hand. What could be accomplished to improve this area would be having the software created so that the software would be able to recognize a certain scenario and be able to identify that scenario and run to fit the needs of that scenario.

What I consider to be a huge achievement for computer software are the computer chips being designed. These computer chips have been evolving since the 1980s and continue to improve decades later. They have come a long way to be able to track and identify items that are lost. These chips that are being create are able to detect and perform certain functions given by humans, but the day when they will be able to fully operate on its own (for example, telling a car how to drive on its own and get it to a location with no human intervention). That will be the day when the computer fully operates as a human nervous system.

http://www.technologyreview.com/featuredstory/522476/thinking-in-silicon/

In order to replace human hands, feet, etc., computers needed output devices.

When humans want change, they are able to do it on their own. If they want get something to eat, they can get up and walk to the refrigerator and get something to eat. If they need to take notes, they are able to use their hands and write down what they wish. The output devises needed by a computer such as monitor, keyboard, printer, and mouse just to name a few are given instructions just like humans give. The difference though is that the computer needs assistance when working with their output devices. Also, the computer needs these output devices in order to operate. Another big output device for needed by computers in my opinion would be the software used to protect the computers from viruses. What can still be accomplished by computers output devices to improve this area would maybe automatically have these firewalls automatically installed in the computers to protect the computer from any malfunctions. As we all know if a compute were to be impacted by a virus it can affect all the output devices needed by the computer to be able to function properly.

In order to be able to permanently store data and information, computers needed storage devices.
Storage devices have come an extremely long way. From a floppy disk, to a cd, to a flash drive, to now being able to store online. Storage devices are becoming more and more available with easy access for people to store items. Before documents just used to be stored, but now pictures, videos, documents and so much more are able to be stored on computers. What could still be accomplished to improve this area would be to have more online options available to be able to store data and maybe even offer more free options as well. Having the data accessible where anyone can view but at the same time making sure the data is kept secure and confidential.

One major issue you face with housing data online is the protection from hackers. A huge achievement for these output devices is how well in tune they are with the computers. These interventions of the online storage places to store online documents and how they are able to be stored all over the web with easy access. With the online storage options everything can be extremely paperless which is also saving paper. In order to communicate with other computers, computers needed to be able to network and form an electronic community and electronic society.

Communication is a very important component in any area of life. With computers and technology becoming the face of the future, it is important that communication is used effectively. There are more and more networks available in order to allow individuals to communicate. What could still be accomplished to improve this area would be the ability for the networks to be easily accessed and it is universal across all networks even in different countries. A huge achievement with computer networks would be the amount of networks that are available and how these networks are bringing together individuals from all over the world to be able to connect. Can a computer completely replace a human?

I do not feel that a computer ever completely replace a human. My reason for this as mentioned above is because a computer does not have emotions or ever able to completely function on its own. They will always need some sort of guidance from a human in order to carry out the duties intended. I think a computer can come very close, but never fully replace a human. In my opinion, a computer is used to allow the human to be “lazy”. The computer can perform task quicker than a human, but it will still require human assistance. Include your opinion about the project and interesting information that you discovered

In my opinion, this project was a true eye opener. It opened my eyes to how far a computer has come from when it was first invented to where they are today. The information I discovered while research is how much the computer has evolved to be close to being and operating like a human. Being that we use computers every single day, I never really sat to think about all that a computer actually does and how much we as humans rely on a computer to perform our daily functions. If it was not for a computer we would not be able to have online courses. By having a computer, it has allowed so much more we could do as humans.