Education and Technology

Tom RoslakSymbol Technologies, Inc.

Long Island Adult Learning ConferenceMarch 31, 2001

What is Technology ?What is Technology ?

Manifestation of Man’s thoughts and dreams

Machines, Methods and Mental Leverage

A thought……A thought……

What do you see here?

A Few Ideas…….A Few Ideas…….

As a tourist: “The Thinker” in a beautiful garden One of the most famous bronzes in the world A Rodin masterpiece

As a technologist A complex metallurgical system Oxidation, structure, mechanical engineering Process oriented manufacture of an object

Let’s take a small journeyLet’s take a small journey

A quick trip on a train

In Japan

Just Need a ScheduleJust Need a Schedule

From Shinjuku to Ginza Maybe I can count stops

I wonder what it all means

Inside TrackInside Track

This schedule is just for the "outer" trains, i.e. Those running in a clockwise direction, and it lists only twenty of the twenty-eight stations. (Why the timetable seems to list twenty-one is left as an exercise for the reader.)

What to Do?What to Do? Get help…..do you speak English? Point at map…. Point at stops…..and …. Can I recognize any of the train station

characters?

Now I Understand….Now I Understand….

What I don’t understand !! Character recognition is very difficult Similar languages and character sets are easier Not directly related to intelligence

Processing is different A translation process

Technology PossibilitiesTechnology Possibilities

Use a handheld device Get directions Time tables Scan a bar code –

Identifies location General information

Use Visual IdentificationUse Visual Identification

Looking at a picture What does the station look like How could this work?

Using radio signals Using external data

Create a user friendly interface

A Map That Knows Its Place

A Map That Knows Its Place

Uses GPS and graphics Can locate and direct you Why not look for a picture?

A Picture Is Worth…..A Picture Is Worth…..

Touch map location See picture Rotate picture for

orientation That is a GUI – graphical

user interface

How Did It Work Out?How Did It Work Out?

A little help from a friend

Education and TechnologyEducation and Technology

The promise of partnership Technology as a tool Allows individual pace, repetition, exercise Can store past events

Can be used to promote technical thought process Great for visual learning High quality content development required

A Natural ProgressionA Natural Progression

Games

Pocket PC

PC User

A Look Into the Near Future

A Look Into the Near Future

By looking into the past

Man and Machine…Man and Machine…

HeNe Laser TubeHeNe Laser Tube

Scanning in the 80’s … 1979

Scanning in the 80’s … 1979

Photodiodes

ScanningMicromirror

VCSEL

Focusing MirrorCollection

Fold Mirror

Scanning ProgressionScanning Progression

Smaller, lighter and fasterSmaller, lighter and faster

“The PC is evolving from a universally adaptable, ‘one-size-fits-all’ system into a wide range of targeted appliances designed to solve specific user applications.”

--Gordon Moore, Intel

“The PC is evolving from a universally adaptable, ‘one-size-fits-all’ system into a wide range of targeted appliances designed to solve specific user applications.”

--Gordon Moore, IntelMini-Mini-

ComputerComputerMainframeMainframe

PC NetworkPC NetworkComputingComputing

WirelessWirelessMobileMobile

ComputingComputing

Pre-Pre-MainframeMainframe

ThousandsThousandsNumber ofNumber ofMachinesMachines

COBOLCOBOL

Hundreds ofHundreds ofThousandsThousands

DistributedDistributedProcessingProcessing

Hundreds of Hundreds of MillionsMillions

C, C++C, C++RoutingRoutingTCP/IPTCP/IP

BillionsBillions

TCP/IPTCP/IPC++C++JavaJava

OneOne

SoftwareSoftwareFactorsFactors

1960’s1960’s 1970’s1970’s 1980’s1980’s 1990’s1990’s 200020001950’s1950’s1940’s1940’sYearYear

The PC-Plus EraThe PC-Plus Era

The Wave of the FutureThe Wave of the Future

IEEE Spectrum MagazineIEEE Spectrum Magazine

Information Appliances - Thick and Thin

Information Appliances - Thick and Thin