appendix - the continuing story of the computer age past, present, and future

8/7/2019 Appendix - The Continuing Story of the Computer Age Past, Present, and Future

1/23

The Continuing Story of theComputer Age:

Past, Present, and Future

Appendix


2/23

Objectives

Describe the generations of computer design leading

up to the present

Describe the story of personal computer development

Explain the underlying concepts and terms of artificial

intelligence

Explain the fundamentals of expert systems, robotics,

and virtual reality

Give examples of the impact these fields have on

business and everyday life


3/23

Contents

The Computer Age

The First Generation The Second Generation

The Third Generation

The Fourth Generation

The Fifth Generation


4/23

The Computer Age

Rapid changes

Four generations over 50 years

Trends across generations

Decrease size

Increase speed


5/23

The First Generation

1951-1958

Vacuum Tube Heat Burnout

Machine language

Magnetic core

memory

Storage Punched cards

Tape (1957)

UNIVACUniversal Automatic Computer

First computer built for business.


6/23

The Second Generation

1959-1964

Transistor Smaller

No warm-up time

Less energy

Less heat

Faster More reliable

Storage Removable disk

pack (1954) Magnetic tape

Programminglanguages Assembly language

FORTRAN (1954) COBOL(1959)

Used primarily by business, university, government


7/23

The Third Generation

1965-1970

Integrated Circuit Electronic circuit on

small silicon chip

Reliability

Compactness

Low cost Inexpensive mass-

produced

Family of computers

Software Upward compatibility

Unbundled software

Several programs

share computers

resources Interactive

processing


8/23

The Fourth Generation

1971-Present

Microprocessor

General-purpose processor on a chip

Explosive growth Digital watches Pocket calculators

Personal computers Cars Copy machines Television sets


9/23

Personal Computer History

Apple (1975)

Home use

Keyboard

Screen

VisiCalc spreadsheet software


10/23


IBM (1981)

Became industry standard

Improved keyboard

80-character screen

Add memory

Expansion slots

Encouraged hardware and softwaredevelopment by others

Nonproprietary parts

Clones


11/23


Microsoft/Intel

Wintel Microsoft supplies operating system for PC

MS-DOS

Windows

Intel supplies microprocessor

Continually challenged others making

inroads


12/23


The Internet Revolution

Started as ARPANet a network of

computers that could survive a nuclearattack

Attractive to the average user

Links Graphical browser


13/23


Mid 1990s

Intelligent computers Artificial intelligence

Expert systems

Natural language


14/23


AI Artificial Intelligence

How computers can be used for tasks

that required human characteristics

How to make computers do things that

people currently do better

Evolving science


15/23


AI How Computers Learn

Improve performance based on past errors

Knowledge base set of facts and rules

Inference engine applies rules to the facts

to create new facts

ExampleFact: Amy is Kens wife

Rule: If X is Ys wife, then Y is Xs husband

Created Fact: Ken is Amys husband


16/23


Data Mining

Extracting previously unknown

information from existing data Relationships

Trends

Look for hidden information that cannotbe found because of the size of thedatabase


17/23


Natural Language

Humans communicate with computers

in the language they use on a daily

basis

Ambiguities of natural language


18/23


Expert Systems

Software used with an extensive set of

organized data that presents the computer asan expert on a particular topic

User Knowledge seeker

Asks questions in English-like format Computer responds with an answer and

explanation


19/23


20/23


Robotics

Computer-controlled device that can

physically manipulate its surroundings

Primarily found in factories

Field robots Dangerous work Dirty jobs


21/23


VR Virtual Reality Engage a user in a computer-created

environment

User physically interacts with computer-createdenvironment

Immersion user becomes absorbed in the VRinteraction

How it works Alters perceptions Appeals to several senses at once

Presents images that respond immediately tousers movements


22/23


VR Virtual Reality

The future of VR

Virtual showroom Try new medical procedures on simulated

patients

Problem Simulator sickness Costs


23/23

appendix - the continuing story of the computer age past, present, and future

Documents