Chapter 1

Technology: The Human-Designed World

Technology
The process of design; that is, solving problems with criteria and constraints; The product, system, or environment that results from the design; and The new understanding or knowledge gained through the design and production of a product.

Design
An integrative or repeating decision-making process that results in a plan to produce a new product.

Technology in Our Everyday World

Items that exist in our designed world:
Home Personal Use Play Entertainment Exercise Transportation

Courtesy of KitchenAid

Courtesy of Cate Gillon/Getty Images

Courtesy of American Honda Motor Co., Inc

Skills Required in the Design World

The designed world requires many different skill sets as shown on a design continuum.

Graphic/Fashion/Stage
Concerned with aesthetic principles

Industrial Designers
Improve the function, value, and appearance of the product

Courtesy of D. K. Lieu

The construction and function of a device can be learned from its disassembly, examination, and reassembly in a process known as mechanical dissection.

Engineering Designers
Use detailed knowledge of physical principles to design and produce new products, systems, and environments

Courtesy of SolidWorks Corporation

Solid modeling allows engineers to easily visualize a proposed part in a variety of orientations.

Greatest Engineering Achievements of the 20th Century

What are the greatest engineering achievements of the 20th century?
1. Electrification 2. Automobile 3. Airplane 4. Water Supply and Distribution 5. Electronics 6. Radio and Television 7. Agricultural Mechanization 8. Computers 9. Telephone 10. Air Conditioning and Refrigeration 11. Highways 12. Spacecraft 13. Internet 14. Imaging 15. Household Appliances 16. Health Technologies 17. Petroleum and Petrochemical Technologies 18. Laser and Fiber Optics 19. Nuclear Technologies 20. High-performance Materials

How have these achievements affected our everyday lives?

Electrification

Courtesy of the Bureau of Reclamation

Automobile

Courtesy of American Honda Motor Co., Inc

Airplane

Courtesy of Igor I. Sikorsky Historical Archives

Courtesy of Ken Reid/Getty Images

Water Supply and Distribution

Courtesy of Travel Ink/Getty Images

http://www.coffsharbour.nsw.gov.au/www/html/2888-photos-of-construction-ofwater-treatment-plant.asp

Electronics

Courtesy of D. Bottley, M. DeAngelo, and W. Salter. Used with permission of the College of New Jersey

Radio and Television

The Eiffel Tower was used as a radio tower at one time.

Courtesy of Travelpix Ltd./Getty Images

Agricultural Mechanization

Courtesy of Deere & Company, Moline, IL

Computers

Courtesy of Intel

Telephone

Courtesy of Andreas Rentz/Getty Images

Air Conditioning and Refrigeration

Highways

Courtesy of The Portland Cement Association

Courtesy of Sylvia Otte/Getty Images

Spacecraft

http://history.msfc.nasa.gov/vonbraun/photo/29.html

Imaging

Courtesy of Dana Neely, Getty Images

Household Appliances

Science and Technology