Technology is all around us and part of our daily lives. We use a variety of technology from cell phones, computers, smart TVs, radio, etc, and in various fields such as healthcare, education, and productivity. Technology has transitioned from 1 year ago to even 5 years ago with advancement from 2G which launched in 1991 to 5G in 2019. WIth the everyday use of technology is the advancement of new and improved emerging technology such as blockchain, robotics, drones, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence, to name a few. While there are many new and improved emerging technology we will discuss just a few. In this research paper, Steven Bradley will discuss quantum computing as one of the most important emerging technology today. O’hamairya Powell and Mercedes Banks will define, describe, and give a summary of the effects of drones on emerging technology. Valda Norman will discuss how cybersecurity affects and/ or interferes with emerging technologies.
Drones are a new emerging technology for mega businesses such as Amazon. Amazon has partaken in this new technology for quicker delivery to customers. They held a conference in June 2019, in Las Vegas, Nevada expressing their excitement for the new delivery technic. Drones are expected to increase economic growth with job increases at an expected eighty billion dollars. Companies are continuously trying to evolve with the growing technology in this day and time. With this new technology it will help reduce the cost of employee’s wages. They don’t expect the shipping and handling charges to be changed from this new technology. There are some holdbacks because of regulations. With the mega businesses following technology innovation this also allows them to make technology affordable for consumers. Not only is Amazon participating in using drones, but also agricultures use drones to water and give their plants the necessary nutrients for large areas. This technic cuts down costs on equipment increases plant life and improves efficiency. Though this will cut out the need for certain jobs it will increase employment by an estimated 100,000.
The concern that is causing roadblocks in this industry is concerns of damaged packages, which could be from wildlife or technical difficulties. Drones can be flown remotely or by GPS in the drone. They are used heavily in the military as protection, communications with other soldiers, and even weapons sometimes. Their drones have thermal imaging included for multiple reasons. If you’ve ever been to a football game, wedding, and even a construction site you may see drones being used. The highlights or replays that you see on television during a Cowboys game are being recorded by multiple twenty-million-dollar drones. You’ll see videographers for weddings or events use drones to catch that special shot over your hometown or ceremony. Many businesses such as construction sites use drones to get a full view of the potential building or site they’ll be working on. Using that drone they may use the technology to build a blueprint to show to a potential client or business. This new technology has its pros and cons that the FFA is still trying to regulate for the protection of consumers and businesses. Though there are still concerns with businesses such as Amazon using drones, this UAV has emerged tremendously in the military and agriculture world.
With the rise of new technology heading into the 21st century comes the threat of security in gaining access or restricting operations. Some of the most common threats in security include malware, phishing, SQL attack, etc. In the next few sentences, I will define the common types of threats to security. “What is malware, refers to any program installed on a computer that performs harmful actions. Malware may steal personal information, encrypt files for ransom, or perform any number of other criminal acts. Common types of malware include viruses, Trojans, worms, rootkits, and ransomware” (Biscontini, 2019). Malware can be thought of as a type of virus. Phishing is defined as “the act of using various communication devices such as e-mail and telephones in an attempt to trick individuals into either revealing their personal information, including passwords and social security numbers or installing malicious software (malware)” (Cooper, 2019). SQL (Structured Query Language) “is an interactive programming language that allows users to find and change information in databases” (Mohn, 2019). As you can guess this type of attack by hackers will add, modify, or even delete records in a database. I believe that this type of threat to security is a silent one that most do not see coming. There are many other types of security threats like denial of service, man-in-the middle (also known as eavesdropping attack), password attacks, the list can go on and on. I have mentioned some of the major ones above.
Hackers prey on people’s lack of understanding of how technology works. Most individuals that are targets of hacking include consumers. The number one question is how do we go about protecting ourselves from these types of threats to our security, it’s through cybersecurity. “Cybersecurity is defined as the technique of protecting computers, networks, programs, and data from unauthorized access that are aimed for exploitation” (Times, 2019). I will explain the three main ways to use cybersecurity to protect you. The first main point is to run virus scans by using more than one virus scan or checker that will overlap and enable you to identify threats. We are familiar with virus software such as Norton, McAfee, and Kaspersky to name a few. The second main point and the most important point to me is using patch management. Patch management is a process of keeping computer software, applications, and operating systems up to date. With Patch management, you need to consistently have the most up-to-date software such as Microsoft. For example, if you run an older version of Microsoft this can put your security at risk. Also, with having the latest software you will also need to have the most up-to-date operating system. You don’t want to run a Windows Vista that is 10 years old compared to Windows 10, the latest operating system in 2019. The third, and final point we all know too well is to have a strong password. A password that uses a phrase and then changes some of the letters to numbers. If it becomes difficult for individuals to gain creative ways to change their passwords, they could use hardware tokens. Hardware tokens look like a USB but create an authentication code at different times (hourly, a day, a week) using a built-in clock to help change the password as needed. It can be used in addition to or in place of passwords. Think of the hardware key as using a key to your home, you have to access your key to enter your home. In the hardware key, you need the key to access a computer, network, software, etc.
Cybersecurity is not only an individual or industry problem but it poses a threat to our overall nation. In 2018, the US government enacted the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Act to better enhance cyber-risk that threaten American national security and economic growth. The main purpose of my writing this paper on cybersecurity is to educate and help individuals in the movement to protect our security in our daily, career, and personal lives. With the advancement of technology, hackers find new and improved ways to threaten our security, and we as Americans should continually find ways to protect ourselves from these threats as an essential element in cyber-security.
When we think of emerging technology in today's society, one may conclude that technology is constantly growing and vastly expanding over a wide geographical frame. Technology has surpassed the lengths which were set by our elders and continues to shape as well as impact our lives. From the time we are awake in the morning by our alarm clock to the time we unwind after a day's work; we use technology in some form.
Cell phones are one of the most prominent forms of technology to date aside from computers. It is estimated that over 5 billion people currently use cellular devices which do not include the young children who beg to use our cell phones to play games. One of the key factors of cell phones is the network that companies use in order for consumers to have service wherever they may go. The fifth generation of mobile wireless communication, better known as 5G is the current emerging technology for cellular devices. Experts believe that 5g will be the fastest network to date as it will bring in three times as much traffic as the 4th generation network. The major cell phone companies such as T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint all have 5th generation capabilities which will be implemented soon if not already. Countries outside of the United States will be the last to implement the network in 2020.
The benefits of having the updated network are endless as more cellular devices will be able to use one tower, verses there being a communication block because too many devices are in use. We see this occur when we take road trips outside of the city, or something as simple as going inside of a brick building. We are also able to use the network inside of our ever-emerging automobiles, logistics, infrastructure as well as tech advancements. Businesses will also flourish due to the more efficient technology speed and the consistent update of productivity. Moreover, consumers will want to purchase more products that the 5th generation can be used on in which cell phone companies will be able to see an increase in sales.
In closing, cellular devices have become a very essential and innovative form of communication. In order for the consumer to reap the most benefits from its use, one should stay up to date with the latest network. This unfortunately at times requires us to upgrade mobile devices. For example, you will not be able to obtain the 4GLTE or 5G with an iPhone one or five. As these cellular devices do not have the key components to handle a speed that fast. The beneficial impact outweighs the cost as businesses will thrive, and advancements in both technology as well as productivity will heighten. Consumers worldwide will soon have the gratification of obtaining the network and being able to use multiple devices at one time on the same tower without delays.
Works Cited
Biscontini, T. (2019, November 30). Malware.
Cooper, P. G. (2019, November 30). Phishing.
Mohn, E. (2019, November 30). SQL (Structured Query Language).
Times, T. E. (2019). Definition of Cybersecurity.