Tag: computers

COMPUTER AND IT’S TYPES:-

A computer is a programmable device that stores, retrieves, and processes data. … The term was later given to mechanical devices as they began replacing human computers. Today’s computers are electronic devices that accept data (input), process that data, produce output, and store storage the results.A computer is a machine that can store and process information. Most computers rely on a binary system, which uses two variables, 0 and 1, to complete tasks such as storing data, calculating algorithms, and displaying information.Computer has become very important nowadays because it is very much accurate, fast and can accomplish many tasks easily.

TYPES OF COMPUTER:-

* ANALOG COMPUTER.

* DIGITAL COMPUTER.

* MAINFRAME COMPUTER.

ANALOG COMPUTER:-


An analog computer or analogue computer is a type of computer that uses the continuously variable aspects of physical phenomena such as electrical, mechanical, or hydraulic quantities to model the problem being solved planimeters, nomograms, operational amplifiers, mechanical integrators, slide rules, tide pool predators, electric integrators are some examples for analog computers.

DIGITAL COMPUTER:-

Digital computer, any of a class of devices capable of solving problems by processing information in discrete form. It operates on data, including magnitudes, letters, and symbols, that are expressed in binary codes using only the two digits 0 and 1.smartphones, calculators, tablets, personal computer are some examples for Digital computers.

MAINFRAME COMPUTER:-

A mainframe computer, informally called a mainframe or big iron, is a computer used primarily by large organizations for critical applications like bulk data processing for tasks such as censuses, industry and consumer statistics, enterprise resource planning, and large-scale transaction processing. IBM zSeries, System z9 and System z10 servers are some examples for Mainframe computers.

Artificial Intelligence: Can the AI take over?

Artificial Intelligence is a topic with a vast appeal to the en masse. People believe that it is the future of human techologies. But beyond that, people are of various school of thoughts. The first group assumes that AI shall help humanity achieve singularity – a point in technological development that shall mean an utopia. We shall spend all our time towards spiritual and emotional development while most of the crude tasks shall be taken care by machines. The second school of thought assumes that AI shall take over humanity as its overlords. Let us analyse both.

The history of animated, self-thinking, free willed machines is not new at all. It has been imagined for centuries by fiction writers. However, the modern conception of AI in scientific thinking started about 80 years ago. John McCarthy, an American mathematician proposed the idea of such machines back in the first half of the 20th century. Alan Turing, the inventor of the Turing Machine, a British mathematician also proposed his idea of intelligent machines, his proposal now famously called the Turing Test. However, for the next 40 years or so, no important research occurred in the field. It was only in the last decades of the 20th century, when the research started again and not before humanity entered into the 21st century that something formidable was created.

As of today, AI has invaded all spaces of human endeavor. Mechanics, mechatronics, smart devices, our smartphones – all of it is infiltrated with AI. But this AI is what most scientists call ‘weak AI’. It cannot really think. It has a predefined algorithm and then it uses that algorithm to capture inputs and ‘learn’ about new scenarios as per its algorithmic definitions. This AI cannot work without human input and can certainly not take over the world. It can however carry out some actions that are equivalent to evolution as the AI at the Facebook research Center developed their own language to communicate. However, this evolution still does not mean that the AI is “thinking”. It is just evolving its learning based on a preprogrammed code. It is nothing like human beings where discretion is a thing. Even the famous robot AI, Sophia is but a weak AI – a little better than SIRI and google assistant but that is all there is to it. It is not a self-thinking, free-willed machine.

Sophia the Robot – Keynote Speaker | London Speaker Bureau
Sophia, the robot

Researchers have tried hard to create strong AIs with a completely different set of ethical concerns – the main obviously being how would such machines live with humans if they are free to think – but have failed so far. And believe it or not, strong AIs might really not be a thing for at least another 50-100 years at the very least. Maybe even a couple of centuries after that.

So, if you’ve watched the movie Prometheus or Covenant and are scared of the possibility of David being a reality, grab a cup of coffee and relax. By the way, both the movies are really good!

Alien: Covenant, a review by guest columnist David 8 | by Charles Evans | Medium
David-8 from the movie Prometheus.

MULTIMIDEA IN MARKRETING

Services | Enforcer Web Solutions & Multimedia Marketing

Advertising has become very prevalent in our daily lives , so for a product to stand apart , it is very essential to present it in a dynamic , visually stimulating manner to grab the attention of consumers . The business world is slowly rejecting run of the mill tradition methods (such as placing ads in yellow pages , distributing pamphlets , etc.) and adopting solutions from the electronic era . Only companies with a nerve to radically change their marketing strategies for the new millennium will survive and be able to cater to ever- changing customer’s mindset . Applications of multimedia in the marketing field include the following :

  • Presentations for launching the products of a company . Reaching the target audience with necessary technical services or products requires clear communication stating the benefits and features , outlining its applications and any other product -related details , all presented in a well- designed and interactive manner so that the users can be familiarized faster . Multimedia presentations helps in motivating , informing and captivating audiences via PCs , laptops , plasma screens or kiosks delivered via CD-ROM or the Internet .
  • Multimedia is used to create interactive product catalogues , training tutorials , buyer guides and information directories with adequate search and navigation facilities to guide the user to easily trace the desired information . A buyer guide can list the nearly dealers , a comparison of the top brands , maps of the city and other helpful guest services .
  • E-mail advertising or placing banner ads on the internet is an extremely cost -effective method of launching a product , promoting an event or selling services . Effective use of multimedia in advertising can make potential clients sit up and make notice .
  • Multimedia applications help in building brand loyalty as well as improving sales .Brand loyalty will be improved as the users are provided a custom application which entertains ; informs or assists them .
  • Graphical elements , animations , as well as audio and video can be used to more effectively deliver sales instructional or marketing messages , thereby differentiating a firm from its competitors .

Why should we care about our privacy?

Privacy in general terms is the right to be left alone or freedom from interference or intrusion. In terms of the internet, privacy is the right to have some control over how your personal information is collected and used.

More technical innovation gives way to more efficient and advanced technologies. In recent years the information has become the most important component to cultivate this innovation. As many new people are coming on the internet and the amount of information being shared is increased manifold. Every organization or individual is entering the realm of the digital world and data is the entity of this world. Data is also very essential to understand a user or a customer or a client but sometimes there is no limit to the amount of data that an internet corporation is willing to extract. Somewhere there has to be a line that needs to be drawn. In recent years there have been many issues regarding the privacy policy of many tech corporations. Facebook has been in controversy much time. Recently Whatsapp’s privacy policy also raised many questions, then in an ironic move Whatsapp raised the question of privacy by suing the government regarding the new Information technology rules. But this is just the tip of the iceberg and numerous other aspects get overlooked. First, we will need to understand what this privacy means for us as individuals. Only then we can clearly determine the relevance of these rapidly changing developments in this subject.  

“Arguing that you don’t care about the right to privacy because you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don’t care about free speech because you have nothing to say.”

-Edward Snowden

It’s not that privacy means that there is something to hide; rather privacy is having things you don’t want to show. For instance, people would not like to post their Bank account online or Bank statements. People would also not like to have a public camera inside their homes. Similarly, there are some things that an individual would not like to share online. Privacy can provide secrecy, but there is more to it. Privacy also provides autonomy and therefore freedom to an individual. Well, there is even more to privacy than the freedom that many people do not realize which is that when we think we’re being watched, we make behavior choices that we believe other people want us to make.  Humans intrinsically like to avoid societal condemnation and perception of whether or not we are in private changes the way we behave. This indicates the benefit that a state can have with surveillance and can lead to a conformist population.

As it is stated by many that data is the oil and for many tech organizations it truly is. We can witness this with the various technological corporations that rely upon user data including Facebook, Google, Amazon etc. But Even Smartphone manufacturers like Xiaomi have realized the lucrative benefits of collecting and selling user data. For these companies, our data is money and they earn billions of dollars with this data. Both the private tech giants have clauses in their privacy policy that allows government agencies and third parties to access the data. The data that gets uploaded on the internet never gets deleted and stays there forever. What we have to realize is that even if the information seems futile today, it may have an importance tomorrow. In conclusion, privacy is not a trivial issue and people will have to understand its importance until it’s too late.

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Applications of Artificial Intelligence-I

What is AI?

Artificial Intelligence is the intelligence exhibited by machines based on the premise that intelligence is not ‘real’ or human’. It mimics cognitive functions exhibited by humans such as learning and problem-solving.

Artificial intelligence based on Natural intelligence

What is the scope of AI?

Jobs related to AI will increase exponentially in the coming days. It helps to find smart solutions to the problems in various fields in medicine, agriculture, education, security, and so on.

Three stages of Artificial Intelligence. We are near to the second stage.

Applications of AI

  • Machine Learning includes Deep Learning- Neural network
  • Vision includes Image & pattern recognition- Facial recognition
  • Hearing includes Voice and speech recognition
  • Natural Language Processing(NLP) includes Natural Language Understanding(NLU)- Natural Language Generation(NLG)
  • Robotics
  • Expert Systems

We are currently using the following AI-based applications:

  1. Image recognition: Recognizes objects, places, people, and actions in an image.
  2. Speech recognition: Allows humans to use their voices to communicate with the software.
  3. Language translation: Translates a word or sentence from one language to another. Ensure that the translated word is culturally and linguistically correct.
  4. Product analysis: Enables companies to leverage data to reveal user engagement with products or services and tracks the activities, likes, and dislikes of the user.
  5. A/B testing: Determines the version of a webpage and compares two versions and delivers better performance.
  6. Sentiment analysis: Analyze a piece of text to determine the writer’s attitude. It can be categorized as positive, negative, or neutral.

Let’s see few examples of Artificial Intelligence

  1. SIRI: Siri is a popular personal assistant offered by Apple which uses Machine Learning and Voice recognition.
  2. COGITO: It improves the intelligence of customer services by analyzing the human voice emotion and provides real-time guidance.
  3. NETFLIX: Uses predictive technology and provides the user with movie recommendations based on the user’s likes.

Use of Artificial Intelligence in society

“AI is a huge benefit to the society as it enhances the efficiency and throughput while creating new opportunities for revenue generation, cost savings, and job creation.”

-Anand Sampat(Datmo)

‘Robots and AI will destroy jobs’ is nothing but fiction and not fact. But instead, AI creates job opportunities in the market.

“The unparallel combination of human and machine will become the new normal in the workforce of the future”

– Matthew Lieberman

The presence of Artificial intelligence enhances our lifestyles and creates efficient businesses.

“Machine allows humans to do the most interpersonal and creative aspects of work”

 -Chalmers Brown(Due company)

AI platforms will provide real-time insights combined with the explosion of computer power.

“Smart homes will reduce energy usage and provide better security for humans. Marketing will be more targeted and health care will become more effective with smart devices”.

 – Naresh Soni

Start-ups using Artificial Intelligence 

  1. NEST: Alphabet Nest uses AI to learn a home owner’s habit resulting in a reduction of energy consumption. It adjusts the house temperature according to the weather hence energy consumption can be controlled.
  2. COMFY: Comfy offers services for reducing energy consumption in office buildings.
  3. PG&E: Pacific gas and electric company(PG&E) connected 200,000 solar customers, accounting for one in every four houses with solar rooftops.

AI benefits multiple Industries and society will be benefitted from the use of facial recognition, digital content analysis, accuracy in identifying patterns.

“AI risks are real if we don’t understand the quality of the incoming data and set AI rules which are making granular trade-off decisions at increasing computing speeds”

-Mark Butler

Facial recognition: Facial recognition is a biometric technology used to identify human faces and can be used for security purposes. 

Example: Snapchat

Snapchat differentiates between images of objects, pets, sports, and food. It suggests relevant borders and stickers. Identifies your location and suggests location-based filters.

Snapchat filters use Machine Learning and image classification techniques called Convolution Neural Networks(CNN).

Video Game crash of 1983

In 1983 the video games industry was hit with a recession that almost ended the existence of video games of that time period. This period lasted for almost two years from 1983 to 1985. Many people and journalists who were critical were calling video gaming a fad. Numerous companies went bankrupt or stopped making video games entirely. This recession is known as the Great North American Video Game Crash or Atari Shock (Primarily in Japan).

Video games in the 1970s were dominated by arcade machines and by the end of the decade home game consoles were also getting popular. With the start of the 1980s, the video gaming industry witnessed a boom with numerous companies like Mattel, Atari, and Coleco dominating the market. The early 80s was a time of innovation and growth in the video game industry but there was instability in the industry as well. This was a time period when video games were becoming more mainstream and popular. Many new players entered the market ranging from industries to small developers that had no association or prior experience in game development in general.

  • Super Nintendo Entertainment System released on November 1990 (Successor to NES)

Pacman was a big hit in the early 80s and it was not of the most popular video games in the arcades. Its successor Miss. Pacman improved on the formula and was a success as well. After the success of Pacman in the arcades, Atari wanted to replicate the success in the home game consoles. But with the limited constraints with the memory and short development period, the game was not well received by the consumers and critics alike. In 1982 Atari also brought the license to release the video game of the movie for 21 million. The game was developed in a time period of only 5 weeks. The game was negatively received and only 1 million copies of the game were sold off the 5 million manufactured. Many of the sales were also returned to the retailers furthering the damage. During this period video games were being published by small developers with very poor quality and many big developers were producing games that were more of a marketing token than the game. There were many clones of the same games with little to no redeeming quality and replayability. There were also numerous consoles unlike today with too many options that were no different from one another. With the abundance of supply and low sales of games, retailers started to remove stocks of video games and this led to the shrinking of the industry. Atari had lost $500 Million in 1983 and had to cut its workforce from 10,000 employees to just 400 employees.

During the 1980s there was a boom in the Personal Computers market as well. The PCs were much more powerful than consoles and they could play games and do many tasks like word processing and spreadsheets. The PC industry was unaffected by this low point of video game consoles.

In 1985 Nintendo Corporation launched the Nintendo Entertainment systems in North America and Nintendo ensured that only a limited number of games to be released under their license agreement. This ensured a certain threshold of quality for the games that were released for the system and Nintendo emerged out of the survivor from the video game crash. The Nintendo Corporation started to dominate the video game industry with an assurance of quality that was unmatched by any other corporation at that time. Many other entrants like SEGA also emerged after the crash. Nintendo with its approach and license and quality assurance of video games has left a big impact on the industry to this date. Video games industry has only grown since then and also overtaken other source of entertainment. Nintendo can be credited to provide the industry a trajectory that was severely needed after the crash of 83.

References:

UNIX

UNIX Full Form - GeeksforGeeks

UNIX is a multi-user and multitasking operating system. in a multi-user environment. the computer can receive the commands from a number of end users programs, access files, and print documents simultaneously.

The host computer, which has a UNIX operating system, provides services to the terminal, such as file access services. four terminals are connected to one host computer and all the terminals are sharing resources from the host computer.

Features of UNIX

The general and additional features of UNIX operating system are :

  • File and Processes : file and process are two entities that are supported by UNIX. A file contains information, such as text, code or directory structure that you need to save in the computer, The file is stored in the hard disk of the computer at a particular location, which can be easily remember whereas a process is the name given to a file or a programs that is currently running . UNIX provides various tools that enable you to control a process, change the sequence of the process, and kill the process.
  • Multi-user system: UNIX supports multitasking system as the kernel is designed to handle multiple processes. A single user can run multiple process simultaneously. For example, an end user can print a file and edit another file simultaneously. The kernel handles the multiple processes as foreground and background process. The current process runs in the foreground and the other processes run in the background. This multitasking feature is an advantage for the programmers, as they do not have to close the editor and run the program; this can done simultaneously.
  • UNIX toolkit: The UNIX toolkit provides various tools that are enable you to perform different tasks in UNIX as kernel alone cannot perform every task. The tools that are included in the UNIX toolkit are:

1:- General purpose tools , such as vi editor

2:- Text manipulation utilizes filters that are used to retrieve the output from two or more commands simultaneously .

3:- Compiler and Interpreter .

4:- Network administration and system tools , such as mailx and pine.

  • Pattern Matching :- UNIX supports pattern matching feature that enables you to retrieve the output according to the required pattern . Pattern matching in UNIX can be implemented using a special characters , such as * known as metacharacter .
  • Programming Facility :- UNIX provides a programming facility known as shell that is developed specifically for programmers and not for the users .

WINDOWS XP

Windows XP is still going strong

Windows XP is a line of proprietary operating system which was developed by Microsoft and is meant to be used for general purpose computers , such as home computers and business desktops , notebook computers and various types of media centres . Windows XP succeeds Windows 2000 and Windows ME , and is the first consumer – oriented operating system produced by Microsoft to be built on the Windows NT kernel and architecture . The most popular operating systems versions are Windows XP Home Edition , which is primarily meant for home users , and Windows XP Professional , which boasts additional features , such as support for Windows Server domains and dual processors , and is meant for professionals and other experts . Windows XP Media Centre Edition has additional multimedia features . Windows XP has an edge over the earlier versions of Microsoft Windows because of enhanced efficiency and better stability .

Windows XP helps you access and manage your files on the pc using a Graphical _User Interface GUI . All Programs and files stored on the PC are represented as pictures that are called icons . These icons are stored on the desktop .

Components of Windows XP

Windows XP

The Windows XP user interface consists of various components and concepts that help make Windows XP user friendly and intuitive . Some of the important components are :-

  1. Desktop
  2. Start Menu
  3. Taskbar
  4. Icons
  5. Recycle Bin
  6. Windows
  7. Applications
  8. Folders
  9. Files
  10. Control Panels

Evolution of Computers

As of now 2021, Computers become very important for our daily life. Computers are in each of every sector like banking, gaming, health care sectors. 20 years back, computers were just used in some purposes only. But now computers become very important for each of every sector. In this blog we are going to discuss the following topics. What is a computer? Why computers are important? Evolution of Computers, and at last Is Computer Science the future of the world?

Photo by Tranmautritam from Pexels

WHAT IS A COMPUTER?

A Computer is machine that can be programmed to carry out sequences of arithmetic or logical operations automatically. Computer consist of two things, one is Hardware and the other is Software. The all physical components of computer like keyboard, CPU, mouse, monitors etc. Comes under the Hardware. The programs, files and programming languages comes under the Software.

EVOLUTION OF COMPUTERS

  1. In 1882, the first computer was invented by Charles Babbage.
  2. In 1880, Herman Hollirith developed in computer which can record and store information in it.
  3. In 1936, the first programmable computer was developed by Konrad Zuse.
  4. In 1947, Bell Telephone Company invented transistors which were the key component of the computer.
  5. In 1953, IBM(International Business Management) came out with there first computer.
  6. In 1962, the first computer video game was invented.
  7. In 1963, Douglas Engelbart invented the computer mouse.
  8. In 1974, IBM and Apple were the companies to sold personal computer(pc) to the people.
  9. In 1991, the first laptop computer came out.

WHY COMPUTERS ARE SO IMPORTANT?

Communication

Due to the use of computers, the communication become much more easier with the help of internet. Now you contact any person in the corner of the world. We can send messages to every person in the world within seconds, all this happen because of computers.

Business

With the help of computers, Huge transactions can be made within seconds. Computers are used to store details about there product in business. Computers are used to keep of record of profit and loses of the company.

Education

Due to the covid-19 pandemic, all schools shifted there education in online mode. Teachers use computers to teach children online. Due to computer, a student can learn anything which he wants from his home itself.

Hospital

Computers are used in hospitals to keep the track record of the patients admitted to the hospital. They are used to detect diseases. They help doctors to perform an operation.

And there are many more reasons why computers become so important in this world.

IS COMPUTER SCIENCE THE FUTURE OF THE WORLD?

Now we came to the most interesting topic in this blog. Nowadays, people are showing more interest towards computer science. Computer science is the most famous branch of education. New emerged careers such Artificial intelligence, Data science and full stack Developer are highest paying jobs in the world, all these are the parts of computer science. Due to the covid-19 pandemic the opportunities of other careers are some what decreased. But the opportunities in Computer science was tend to grow double. There are many career options in computer science. Experts suggest that the growth rate of computer science is 16 percent through 2028. With this we can say that Computer science is the future of the world.

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Computers in detail

Definition

A computer is a machine that performs tasks and calculations according to a series of instructions or program operations (circuits, etc.) and software (OS, the underlying software that controls the hardware when the user issues instructions).

Programming

You don’t need a car, its function is the same as a jukebox that keeps playing tracks. For example, they want to tell the music box to play different music every time. They want to program the music box so that it can play different music. This part of the history of computers is called “the history of programmable machines.” “This is a concise sentence in the history of machines. When I speak their language, I can order to do different things.”

The role of computers in daily life

Today’s computers are fast, small and small. Powerful. Computers can save money, time and labor; otherwise it would take months or years to complete in a few seconds with computers. Launch satellites using a simple application on our desktop. According to the requirements, the storage capacity and speed of the computer will be different. For example, NASA and other companies that use high-speed supercomputers, because speed is an important part of your business. Computers are cheaper than smart phones. The essence is in hand. At home, computers provide opportunities to access social networks, read books, or work from home.In the office, they are the most important because they are the most important form of work. Although computers can help with almost everything from shopping to work to taking notes or playing games, people rely heavily on computers for almost everything. Computers make life easier and faster than ever. Large storage rooms are of great help to today’s business. The data received from different systems is stored on the computer for later use. In addition, previous shopping, reading, work, arithmetic, calling appointments and events or activating alarms all occurred in different places. Now everything can be done with our smart phone. If the book is bulky, it would be great to bring ten books. Now; millions of books are within reach. There is no need to check calendars anymore, because they have been replaced by reminders that automatically remind us of important events and clocks that only need to be activated once. These are some basic tasks that are performed daily, and it is difficult to work without a computer. Computers are no longer a luxury, they can be used in different forms on different platforms, for example as smart phones. Computers are also very helpful in medicine and have undergone extensive development in the past decade. Addictive.All in all, we can say that computers have profoundly affected our lives, and changes are no longer associated with ease, habit, and popularity.

The above is a small example of computers, but as far as modern technology is concerned, computers have changed our way of life. Computers are not only used for arithmetic but are now active in teaching, industrial purposes, automated processes, data management, analysis, personal and group entertainment, Music synthesis, professional photo and video editing, hardcore games, research goals, creating new software and applications to make life easier, shopping, banking, marketing, and even participating in the artificial creation of intelligent creatures with deep learning concepts and machine learning.

MACHINE LEARNING – THE MIRACLE

In the real world, we are learning new things every day and improving our decision-making skills on the basis of successful decisions in the past. Isn’t this human learning? If we now use computers to fully automate this process, what will it be? This will be machine learning.

Everyday applications

We use it a dozen times a day without even realizing it. Every time you perform a Google search, your machine learning software will figure out how to categorize the pages you want to visit. Also learn that if you read emails from your inbox, the smart spam filter can save you from browsing a lot of spam.

THE TECHNICAL UNDERSTANDING

Recently, Tom Mitchell described machine learning as a computer program. It is said that the program learns from experience E related to task T and performance metric P because its performance in T is improved by the P metric. Experience E Let us give an example of an online chess game, in which each game is a task T, and the process of the game is the experience E. Each game has a final result, which is a performance indicator P. This performance indicator is to win. Probability of a game against a new opponent. Now that the computer has the patience to play tens of thousands of games alone, it can further improve your chances of winning consecutively. Machine learning technology: a brief overview We all know how computers work, we all know How the computer works, we have simplified many operations. Now we are trying to get computers to examine all the macro and micro levels of human thought processes that lead to multiple decision-making skills. By developing truly intelligent machines, we can do almost anything you and I can do. This work consists of complex algorithms and functions of artificial intelligence applications running in expert systems. With every action you take, the computer will learn self-learning and self-esteem through progressive, keen, and precise decision-making skills. The computer learns to remember a past experience and process them according to the archived tasks and the resulting performance level. Development of actions/results in a specific context or situation.

FUTURE ASPECTS AND THE SCOPE OF IMPROVEMENT

Machine learning is not limited to Google search or Amazon prediction. It is widely used in medical diagnosis, where tiny patterns are revealed to predict disease. Machine learning can have a positive impact on treatment and subsequent procedure decisions. Financial transactions, data mining, fraud detection, speech recognition, spam prevention, and language translation are some other areas where machine learning is used. The company uses the technology to predict the relevance of products based on the collected data. Let us see what machine learning can bring to the future. A fully functional self-driving car is expected to be available at the end of 2018. Natural language processing has developed a subset of machine learning so that students can improve search results and translations based on the search context. It will also help digital assistants like Siri interact with Humans On Cyber ​​Security Front, a machine learning model that can analyze the structure of inbound or outbound traffic to detect and stop suspicious before continuing damage occurs. activity. Decisions and code changes can be made without explicit programming, which makes machine learning an inevitable trend now and in the future.

Global chip shortage : An Analysis

Not many industries have suffered the fate of disarray as the chip industry after the advent of the Covid pandemic. Things were not great for chipmakers in 2020 due to the pandemic but instead of seeing any signs of improvement, 2021 has been even worse for the industry so far. There has been a deficit of chip supply as compared to the demand and it’s not just the electronic industry that is going through a rough phase but it’s many other industries as well. Unlike a couple of decades back when chips were mainly present in personal computers and specialized electronic appliances and gadgets. Now chips power the world. One of the worst-hit industries has been the automobile sector. When the first wave of Covid-19 hit the world, global sales of cars had dwindled, and to compensate for this, car manufacturers had lowered their chip orders from the manufacturers. These chips are a requirement for assembling the critical electronics and computers that are inside modern cars. 2021 saw a sudden increase in automobile sales and this caused the disruption in equilibrium of chip supply and many automobile manufacturers started giving large orders and chip fabrication plants like TSMC were unable to cope up with the sudden growth in demand. This parallel demand for chips has increased the backlog and even though the chip manufacturers are operating over time, they have not been able to keep up with the demand. Now even home appliances might face issues with their chip supply.

There is one more important aspect that we have to address and it’s the increased demand for electronics items after the pandemic. As many people were and are still stuck in homes, they are buying computers, consoles, televisions, and various other electronic components. Many companies have not been able t keep up with the demand due to this. Graphics card is one of those elusive items that have suffered a double whammy. Both potential gamers and crypto miners want their hands on the newest graphics card but due to a shortage of chips card manufacturers are not able to keep up with the demand. There have been many cases where individuals and groups are scalping (buying in bulk) these new cards and reselling them at much higher prices.

Basic appliances and car components often use chips manufactured with older technology. For instance, PC and smartphones are using 7nm manufacturing whereas cars manufacturers uses older 32 nm or 14 nm technology because they are comparatively cheaper to manufacture. But due to the shortage in supply, manufacturers are prioritizing their newer chips and it’s getting challenging to allocate resources for older manufacturing processes. Due to this many car manufacturers have scaled-down on the extra amenities in their models.

TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor manufacturing company) is one of the biggest chip manufacturers in the world. The company produces 60 percent of the world’s chips for automobiles and 92 percent of cutting-edge chips. Recently Taiwan is experiencing its worst drought in over 50 years. A high quantity of water is required to clean the wafers during the manufacturing of the chips. Droughts have only increased the problems in the manufacturing of these chips. There is immense pressure when most of the world’s chips are made in one single building. This also exposes the problem of relying on a single source of manufacturing. Due to globalization and completion, most of the world’s manufacturing shifted to Asia. The issue of chip shortage will most probably remain next year as well. Intel (U.S) is has started to set up two new manufacturing plants in Arizona. This comes at a time when many have realized that a concentrated source of manufacturing is not the most reliable thing and diversification is the only way to deter any future shortages.

Digitalization: Where will we head?

Digitalization is the process of converting information in the form of text, audio, video, or any combination of all three or more into digital format. The omnipresence of computers in our daily lives had its roots in the introduction of computers in Indian workspaces in the 1990s. Since then the proliferation has increased manifold and digitalization has become an integral part of lives. Indian IT exports have been one of the major contributing factors to our GDP and this will not slow any time soon.

Digitalization has certainly made out lives much more comfortable and easier than it was a couple of decades ago. Since 2015 Indian government focused on increasing digital proliferation to even more areas. With the initiatives like digital India, numerous services have been transferred into digital platforms. This is evident with some major examples like the Driving license and Learners license services which have been fully transferred to an online platform and all the paperwork can be completed without visiting the RTO. The candidates have to select their slot and attempt the test of the stipulated date. This is reduced middlemen corruption and made the process of obtaining a driver’s license much more seamless. After the advent of the Covid pandemic, there has been an unprecedented growth in digital platforms. People who were wary or unsure of digital platforms were forced to learn and adapt due to the unavailability of non-digitalized services due to restrictions. Schools have adapted to the age of online classes. The consumption of online coaching platforms has increased. Businesses are developing infrastructure to support their digital services. Small business owners are jumping on online platforms to reach a wider range of potential clients.

But there are still many discrepancies with digital proliferation. This growth and reach of digital are not equally distributed. India still faces many problems due to its weak infrastructure and limited internet connectivity. This phenomenon which is also called ‘Digital Divide’ has to be addressed quickly. Because many rural areas don’t have the facility of good internet connectivity and many rural communities have not been able to avail many benefits of this digital revolution. Government schools in rural areas have been affected the most during the pandemic as the schools there don’t have adequate funding to facilitate online classes. Many teachers are untrained to use digital tools and many students don’t have laptops or smartphones to really take advantage of online classes. But this problem is not just limited to rural and undeveloped areas and many people whom we call urban poor also face similar problems.

Government initiatives are commendable but there needs to be more focus on the equal distribution of these digital services. There has to be a greater emphasis on how the services can be availed by the weaker economic section of the society otherwise it will only exacerbate the issue of the digital divide that we are facing right now. Despite having the second biggest internet user base second to China, only half of our population has an active internet connection.  A new policy needs to be implemented at a national level so that digital services can be availed equitably by every citizen of India.