Chapter -6

ICT Applications
Tr. Thu Thu
 Outlines
1. Communication

2. Modelling applications:
▪ financial, civil engineering
▪ flood water management

3. Computer-controlled systems

4. School management systems

5. Online booking systems

6. Banking applications

7. Computers in medicine
 Con’t
9. Expert systems

10. Computers in the retail industry

11. Recognition systems

▪ OMR

▪ QR codes

▪ OCR

12. Satellite systems

13. GPS, GIS and media communication

 6.1.Communication

1) Newsletters and posters

2) Websites

3) Multimedia presentations

4) Media streaming

5) E-publications
 Newsletters

◦ Paper-based communication used to inform people about their interests

◦ Schools use these to inform parents about events/dates
Advantages
◦ Released regularly
◦ The recipients have a permanent copy
Disadvantages
◦ Requires distribution
◦ There are no special effects; sound/video/animation
◦ There are printing costs; paper/ink
 Posters

◦ Posters are a good way of publicizing, for example, a sporting event or an advertisement
for a forthcoming movie.

◦ A Word processor/Desktop publisher is used to create it

◦ Need to hold minimum amount of information and be accessible very quickly

◦ Need to make an immediate impact when people look at them

◦ Anyone can produce them but there are highly skilled professionals who can produce
expert posters

◦ Some posters require larger printers than A4

 Websites

◦ Websites tend to be used to advertise goods or services which require national or

international coverage.

◦ Collection of webpages, text, graphics, video and sound

◦ Need to write code or use a web authoring application

◦ Hyperlinks to other pages can be added

◦ Interactive websites require programming knowledge

◦ Can use a camera, scanner, microphone to input data

Advantages

◦ Ability to add sound/video/animation

◦ Links to other websites/hyperlinks

◦ Buttons to navigate/move around the website

◦ Hit counters to see who has visited the website

Disadvantages

◦ Can be hacked and modified or viruses introduced

◦ Need for a computer and internet connection

◦ Lack of portability compared with paper-based system

◦ Need to maintain website once it is set up

 Multimedia presentations
◦ Uses a mixture of media to present information: animations, video, sound, transitions,
hyperlinks
◦ Produced using software packages
◦ Used with a projector so large audience can view
Advantages
◦ Use of sound and animation/video effects
◦ Interactive/hyperlinks built into presentations
◦ likely to hold audience’s attention
Disadvantages
◦ Need for special equipment – expensive
◦ May require internet access
 Media streaming

◦ Media streaming is when users watch movies/videos or listen to music on devices

connected to the internet.

◦ When using media streaming there is no need to actually download and save the video or
audio files.

◦ Streaming is a continuous transmission of video or audio files from a remote server where
the files are stored.
 E-publications
◦ Most material which is published on paper is also available in an electronic format. For
example:
» e-books
» digital magazines
» digital newspapers
» digital libraries.
◦ The publication can be downloaded to a device connected to the internet where it can
be read.
◦ Moving between pages is usually done by swiping a finger across the screen.
◦ E-publications also have the advantage that pages can be expanded in size and it is
possible to include media, which would be impossible with the more traditional paper-
based publications.
◦ Because no printing costs are incurred, e-publications are usually cheaper than their
paper-based counterparts.
 6.1.2 Mobile communication
Mobile devices either use a SIM (subscriber identity module) card to allow it
to connect to the mobile phone cellular network, or they use wireless
internet connectivity.

1. SMS (short message service) messaging

2. Phone calls

3. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communication

4. Video calling

5. Internet access
 SMS (text) messaging
◦ SMS or text messaging allows a very quick way of communicating with another person by
typing on a keyboard.

◦ Its advantage is that the other person does not need to be available, and can pick up the
message as and when they want.

◦ Some of the features of SMS/text messaging include:

» Quicker and less expensive than making phone calls
»Sent at any time of the day even if the recipient’s phone is switched off
» Predictive texting
 Phone calls

◦ The most obvious use of a mobile phone is its ability to make a phone call on
the move.

◦ Using mobile phones to make phone calls has the following advantages:
» There is no need to look for an operational public telephone in an emergency.

» It is possible to conduct business or personal phone calls on the move.

» It is easier to keep in contact with co-workers at the office no matter where you are.
 Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and video calling

◦ One of the most common forms of internet telephony (that is, having a telephone
conversation via the internet) is Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).

◦ Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a method used to talk to people using the internet.

◦ The internet can be accessed via a mobile phone network or a broadband network and the
voice calls are sent over the internet using VoIP technology.
Advantages
◦ One of the big advantages is that phone calls themselves are free, no matter
where in the world the caller and receiver .
◦ One of the big advantages of using VoIP is that the device’s built-in cameras
and microphone can also be used so it is much cheaper .
Disadvantages
◦ The main problems are usually sound quality (echo and ‘weird sounds’ are
both common faults).
◦ Security is also a main concern with VoIP, as it is with other internet
technologies.
◦ The most prominent security issues over VoIP are identity theft, viruses and
malware, spamming (unwanted emails) and phishing attacks .
 Internet access
◦ Access to the internet from a mobile device is another valuable feature.

◦ Any mobile device can connect to the internet either using a wireless broadband connection or via
the mobile phone network.

◦ This has the following advantages:

◦ less expensive (mobile phone company ‘data plans’ often have a cap on how much data can be
downloaded, and charge for exceeding this maximum)

◦ lower power consumption (Wi-Fi routers are usually much closer than the mobile phone towers; the
longer the range, the greater the power consumption)

◦ quality of service (Wi-Fi usually offers greater bandwidth than the mobile phone network giving the
possibility of downloading more data more quickly).
 6.2 Modelling applications

◦ A simulation is the creation of a model of a real system in order to study the behaviour of the system.

◦ The model is computer-generated and is based on mathematical representations.

Advantages:

◦ Cheaper than building physical system to test

◦ Safer than building system and experimenting

◦ Easier to experiment with various scenarios

◦ Quicker as no need to build system

 Disadvantages of using models

◦ A model is only as good as the programming or the data entered; the

simulation will depend heavily on these two factors.

◦ Although building the real thing can be expensive, sometimes computer

modelling is also a very costly option, and the two costs need to be
compared before deciding which to use.

◦ People’s reactions to the results of a simulation may not be positive; they

may not trust the results it produces (there will always be a difference
between the results from modelling and reality)
 6.2.1 Computer modelling

1. Personal finance

2. Bridge and building design

3. Flood water management

4. Traffic management

5. Weather forecasting.
 Personal finance
◦ Figure 6.6 uses a spreadsheet to model the sales of a tuck shop in a school.

The formulae behind this spreadsheet are:

 Bridge and building design
◦ When an engineer or architect designs a new building or bridge, it is necessary to test the
design long before any construction work is started.
◦ 3D computer modelling is used to try out a number of scenarios to ensure the final design
meets critical criteria.
◦ When building a bridge, the modeller has to consider a number of scenarios:
» the amount of traffic that might be caught in a traffic jam on the bridge in the event of
an accident;
» the effects of strong winds
» the effect of tidal waves and ice floes during extreme weather conditions;
» the effects of vibrations
 Flood Water Management
◦ Flood water management uses computer modelling to perform a risk assessment to identify sources of
potential flooding, the extent of flooding and how any mitigation or protection measures could work.

◦ The main advantages of a computer-based system rather than build a manual flood defence system are

▪ Sensors could be used out in the bay area to monitor sea height and wave height

▪ Using a computer system is safer, since using humans to monitor conditions could potentially put them at
risk.

▪ Data collection is continuous and more accurate than manual measurements

▪ Because of the faster response to changing conditions, city dwellers can be warned well in advance of any
flooding actually taking place.

▪ Data from the sensors could also be fed into the simulation modelling the flood area; this could lead to
further improvements as more data is gathered, which means the simulation becomes closer to reality.
 Traffic management
◦ Sensors in the road gather data and count the number of vehicles at the junction.

◦ This data is sent to a control box or to a computer

◦ The gathered data is compared to data stored in the system (the stored data is based on
model/simulation predictions which were used to optimise the traffic flow).

◦ The control box or computer ‘decides’ what action needs to be taken.

◦ Signals are then sent out to the traffic lights to change their timing if necessary.
 Weather forecasting
◦ Weather stations are set up to automatically gather data from the environment.

◦ They are usually automatic and use a variety of sensors to measure:

▪ Rainfall

▪ Temperature

▪ Wind speed

▪ Wind direction

▪ Barometric pressure (air pressure)

▪ Humidity

◦ The data needs to be gathered every hour of every day of the week.

◦ This data can then be input into a model which simulates weather patterns.

◦ The foundation for weather models are complex mathematical equations that represent air movement and
how heat and moisture are exchanged in the atmosphere.
The data from the weather stations is input into the appropriate grid and the model is run forward in
time to make predictions.
◦ Data is input into the model and a prediction of the weather for the next few days is made.
◦ At the end of the weather forecast period, the model compares its weather forecast with the actual
weather that occurred.
◦ The model ‘learns’ from previous weather situations; improvements to how it predicts weather are
constantly made.
◦ The new data is then input into the model, and a weather forecast for the next few days is made.
◦ A very powerful computer is needed to run this model, since it has to ‘number crunch’ vast amounts of
data.
 6.3.1 Computer controlled systems
Robotics in manufacturing

Advantages in using robots

◦ They can work in environments harmful to human operators.

◦ They can work non-stop (24/7).

◦ They are less expensive in the long term (although expensive to buy initially, they do not need wages).

◦ They have higher productivity (do not need holidays, etc.).

◦ They provide greater consistency (for example, every car coming off a production line is identical).

◦ They can do boring, repetitive tasks, leaving humans free to do other more skilled work (for example, quality control or
design work).

◦ They can carry out different tasks by fitting them with different end-effectors (attachments); for example, a spray gun, a
welding gun, and so on.
 Disadvantages in using robots

◦ Robots find it difficult to do ‘unusual’ tasks (for example, one-off glassware for a chemical
company).

◦ They can cause higher unemployment (replacing skilled labour).

◦ Because robots do many of the tasks once done by humans, there is a real risk of certain
skills (such as welding) being lost.

◦ Because robots are independent of the skills base, factories can be moved anywhere in the
world (again causing unemployment).

◦ The initial set-up and maintenance of robots can be expensive.

 6.4 School Management Systems

Schools have to manage a number of different tasks

1. Registration and attendance records of students
2. Student performance
3. Computer-aided learning.
 Registration and attendance records of
students
◦ ID cards with magnetic tapes: The students will have to swipe their ID cards, which contain
the student’s name, school’s name, date of birth and the registration ID, when they enter
and leave the school, this way time is saved and the attendance is more accurate.

◦ Biometrics: Every student’s fingerprint is stored on a database along with their personal
information, the students must put their finger on a fingerprint scanner to enter or leave
the school premises.
 Computer-aided Learning
◦ Computer-aided learning (CAL) is the use of computer-based systems to support in the
academic teaching of students.
◦ They are designed to enhance, and not replace, traditional classroom teaching.
 Advantages of using CAL to enhance the learning process
◦ Students can learn when they want to and at their own pace.

◦ It allows virtual reality (VR) learning to be used; with VR, the student is fully

immersed into the learning environment.

◦ CAL can make learning more interactive.

◦ CAL makes use of various multimedia (for example, short video clips, animation, music
and interactive learning methods).
◦ CAL can make use of multiple-choice questions (MCQs) which can be marked
immediately by the computer system, giving instantaneous feedback to the student;

◦ Other assessment methods can be used, such as fill in the missing words, crossword
puzzles, linking correct terms to descriptions and gaming.

◦ It can deliver micro-learning; this is where a topic is broken down into small

modules which are easy to learn, and is when CAL is most effective.
 Disadvantages of using CAL to enhance the learning process
◦ CAL cannot give students the experience of handling laboratory equipment; for
example, experiments shown in CAL are virtual in nature.

◦ It is expensive and time consuming to integrate CAL properly into the learning

environment.

◦ Students can easily be distracted while online; for example, going on to social media sites,
visiting websites or even playing online games.

◦ It can lead to the isolation of a student because they are spending their time on their
own in front of a computer screen; this needs to be carefully managed.
 6.5 Booking systems
6.5.1 Online booking systems

◦ Online booking systems rely on the ability to update files immediately, thus preventing
double-booking, which could happen if the system response time was slow.

◦ Online booking systems are used in:

1. Travel industry

2. Concerts (theatre and music events)

3. Booking sporting events.

 Theatre booking system example
◦ Customer clicks on performance they wish to see
◦ They enter date and time of performance and required number of seats
◦ A seating display at theatre is then shown on screen and user clicks where they want to sit
◦ Database searched to check availability of selected seats.
◦ If seats available, seat numbers are shown together with total price If customer is happy with this,
they select ‘confirm’
◦ The seats are now temporarily set at ‘no longer available’
◦ The customer then enters their personal details or indicates that they are a returning customer
◦ They select a payment method and make the payment
◦ The theatre seats are then booked in the customer’s name
◦ The final details are shown on the screen, together with a reference number
◦ An email is sent to the customer which they print out as their proof of purchase. In some cases, this
also acts as their printed ticket when they go to the theatre – an e ticket The database is updated
with the transaction
 6.6 Banking systems

6.6.1 Banking applications

◦ The use of computer technology has revolutionized how we all do our banking
transactions. In this section, we will consider:
1. Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs)
2. Electronic Funds Fransfer (EFT)
3. Credit/debit card transactions
4. Cheque clearing
5. Internet banking.
 Automatic teller machines
(ATMs)

◦ Automatic teller machines (ATMs) allow the customer to:

» withdraw cash
» deposit cash
» deposit cheques
» check the balance of their account
» see a mini bank statement
» pay a bill
» do a money transfer.
◦ Automated teller machines (ATMs) are places where customers can get cash (or carry out certain
other banking activities such as order a statement) using their credit or debit card
 Advantages of using ATMs

◦ It is possible to withdraw cash at any time of day.

◦ They offer many banking services without the need to go into the bank –such as statements,
account balance and bill paying – which helps people to manage their money more easily.

◦ It is possible to access an account from anywhere in the world.

◦ It usually provides quicker service than waiting in a queue in a bank.

 Disadvantages of using ATMs

◦ They are often in places where theft can take place at night.

◦ There is potential for shoulder-surfing and card-cloning scams.

◦ Some banks charge customers for using ATMs.

◦ Cash withdrawal limits are often imposed on customers.

 Electronic funds transfer (EFT)
◦ Electronic funds transfer (EFT) is a system that allows money transfer instructions to be sent directly to a
bank’s computer system.

◦ No actual money is transferred; the whole system relies on electronic transfer of money between accounts.

◦ When an EFT instruction is received, the computer system automatically transfers the specified amount
from one account to another.
 Advantages of EFT
◦ It is a very secure payment method.
◦ It is a very quick payment method.
◦ It is less expensive than, for example, using cheques.
 Disadvantages of EFT
◦ Once an amount has been transferred the bank cannot reverse a transaction (requires a
full dispute investigation).

◦ The customer needs to have funds available immediately (unlike when using a cheque).

◦ It cannot guarantee the recipient (someone with a fake ID could collect the money).
 Paying for a meal example
◦ Waiter inserts card into chip and PIN reader
◦ Restaurant’s bank contact customer’s bank
◦ Card is checked to if valid
◦ If card is stolen or expired, then transaction is terminated
◦ Customer enters PIN using keypad
◦ PIN is read from chip on card and is compared to one just keyed in
◦ If they are the same, the transaction can proceed
◦ Check is then made on whether they have enough funds
◦ If there are not enough funds available, transaction is terminated.
◦ Otherwise, transaction is authorized
◦ Authorization code is sent to restaurant
◦ Price of meal is deducted from customer’s account
◦ Same amount of money is credited to restaurant’s bank account
◦ Receipt is produced as proof of purchase
 Credit/debit Card Transactions

◦ Many credit/debit cards are equipped with a chip as well as a magnetic stripe the chip
contains key information such as the PIN.
◦ This system is designed to enhance security because it is better than relying only on a
signature.
◦ Paying for items using a chip and PIN card is a form of electronic funds transfer (EFT).
 Cheques
◦ Cheques are one of the oldest ways of paying somebody for services or goods.
◦ Because it is a relatively expensive, slow and less secure way of making payments, cheques
are slowly being phased out.
 Patient and pharmacy records
◦ Doctors and hospitals need to keep accurate records of all their patients.
◦ This is essential to ensure correct diagnosis and treatment.
◦ The sort of data which would be required on a patient database is as follows:
» a unique identification number
» name and address
» date of birth
» gender (male or female)
» medical history (for example, recent medicine/treatment)
» blood group
» any known allergies
» doctor
» any current treatment
» any current diagnosis
» important additional information such as X-rays, CT scans, and so on.
 Use of 3D printers
◦ A 3D printer can then produce a three-dimensional representation of a patient’s internal
organs, blood vessels, major arteries, tumours and so on.

◦ Prosthetics: used to print out prosthetics (false arms, hands and legs).

◦ Artificial blood vessels

◦ Tissue engineering
 6.8 Expert systems
◦ Expert systems have been developed to mimic the expertise and knowledge
of an expert in a particular field. Examples include:
◦ » prospecting for oil and minerals
◦ » diagnostics (finding faults in a car engine, finding faults on a circuit board,
etc.)
◦ » medical diagnosis
◦ » strategy games (e.g. chess)
◦ » tax and financial planning
◦ » route scheduling for delivery vehicles
◦ » identification of plants, animals and chemical compounds.
 Expert System Setup
◦ Experts in the field are interviewed to find out what is needed in the expert system

◦ Data is then collected from these experts

◦ A knowledge base is designed and then created

◦ The rules base is designed and created

◦ The inference engine is designed and created

◦ The input screen and output format are also designed and created – this is known as the
user interface

◦ The expert system is tested against known conditions and scenarios

◦ It is also checked to see if it meets the original specification

◦ Experts are interviewed about how effective it is before the expert system goes out on
general release
 Advantages of expert systems
◦ » They offer a high level of expertise.

◦ » They offer high accuracy.

◦ » The results are consistent.

◦ » It is possible for an expert system to have multiple types of expertise.

◦ » They offer a very fast response time (much quicker than a human expert).

◦ » when determining the logic Using expert systems reduces the time taken to solve a
problem

◦ A less skilled worker force is needed, which gives the potential of saving money, but also
allows areas of the world access to expertise which they could not normally afford
 Disadvantages of expert systems
◦ Users of the expert system need considerable training in its use to ensure the
system is being used correctly.

◦ The set-up and maintenance costs are very high.

◦ They tend to lack common sense in some of the decision making processes.

◦ Errors in the knowledge base can lead to incorrect decisions being made
 Computers in the Retail Industry

◦ Computers are used in the retail industry at point-of-sale (POS) terminals,

where they are also used in the automatic stock control systems.

1. Point-of-sale (POS) terminals

2. Electronic funds transfer at point-of-sale (EFTPOS)

 Point-of-sale (POS) terminals
◦ The following sequence shows how barcodes and POS terminals are used in the automatic
stock control system:

◦ Barcodes are attached to all items sold by the supermarket.

◦ Each barcode is associated with a stock file which contains details such as price, stock
levels, product description – the barcode will act as the primary key in the file.

◦ A customer takes their trolley/basket to the POS terminal once they have completed their
shopping.

◦ The barcode on each item is scanned at the POS – if the barcode cannot be read, then
the EPOS operator has to key in the number manually.

◦
◦ The barcode is searched for on the stock file until a match is found.

◦ Once the barcode has been found, the appropriate record is accessed.

◦ The price of the item is then found and sent back to the POS together with a product
description.

◦ The stock level for the item is found in the record and is reduced by one and the new
stock level is written back to the file

◦ If the number in stock of the item is less than or equal to the re-order/minimum number in
stock, the item is flagged on the file to indicate an order has been placed;

◦ When new goods arrive, the barcodes on the cartons will be used to update the stock
files; also any flags associated with these goods will be removed so that the stock checks
can start to be made again.
 Electronic funds transfer at point-of-sale (EFTPOS)

◦ When payment is made by card or electronic device (such as a mobile

phone) at the POS terminal, it is known as electronic funds transfer at the point-
of-sale (EFTPOS).

◦ We will consider payment by the following methods:

» chip and PIN

» contactless cards

» near field communication (NFC) devices.

 Chip and PIN cards

Advantages
◦ more secure system than magnetic stripe cards
◦ a quicker system than magnetic stripe cards

Disadvantages
◦ The risk of fraud when typing in the PIN
◦ Some countries do not accept chip and PIN cards.
 contactless cards
◦ Contactless debit or credit cards allow customers to pay for items worth up to a certain
amount of money without entering their PIN.

◦ All contactless cards have a small chip that emits radio waves embedded in them.

◦ The card is held within a few centimetres of the payment terminal to pay for an item;
the terminal picks up the signal from the chip and allows the transaction to be
processed.
The steps taken are:

◦ Customers look out for the contactless symbol on the payment

terminal.
◦ The shop assistant enters the amount for payment.
◦ The card reader informs the customer to present their contactless
card.
◦ The customer holds their card close to the front of the card reader.
◦ The terminal display will indicate that the card has been read
successfully.
 6.10 Recognition systems

6.10.1 Recognition systems

◦ Recognition systems include OMR, barcode readers, QR code readers, OCR, RFID and
biometric recognition systems.
 Optical mark recognition (OMR)
◦ Optical mark recognition (OMR) is a device which can read marks written in pen or pencil
on a form.
◦ Use of OMR to read school registers
◦ The paper-based registers are often scanned in to a computer using OMR. The attendance records are then
stored on a central database.
 Use of OMR to read multiple-choice question (MCQ)
papers
◦ Completed multiple-choice forms can be scanned in using OMR.

◦ Using OMR software, a template is created to map out the X-Y coordinates is then assigned to each lozenge.

◦ As each question is scanned, a light passes through the scanner which picks up the position of any lozenge which has
been filled in by pencil/ink.

◦ The position of the filled in lozenges is compared to the corresponding coordinates on the ‘answer sheet template’.

◦ If the position matches to the X-Y coordinates, then the answer is recorded as being correct.

◦ The scanned results are exported to a database or spreadsheet.

 Advantages of OMR devices
◦ It is a very fast way of inputting the results of a survey, etc. the documents are fed in
automatically and there is no user input.

◦ Because there is no typing, they are more accurate than keying in the data.

◦ They are more accurate than OCR methods.

 Disadvantages of OMR devices
◦ The forms need to be carefully designed to make sure the marks/shading are correctly
positioned to gather accurate information.

◦ There can be problems if they have not been filled in correctly, and sometimes have to be
manually checked before being read – this is both time consuming and expensive.

◦ They often only work with black pen or pencil.

 Barcode readers

◦ Barcode readers are used to read information in the form of a bar code.

Advantages of barcode systems

◦ Much faster than keying in data manually and fewer mistakes will be made.

◦ If used as a way of recording safety testing of components (for instance

electrical components) they can help improve safety.

◦ They allow automatic stock control.

◦ They are a tried and trusted technology.

 Disadvantages of barcode systems

◦ Relatively expensive system to administer.

◦ Not fool-proof (barcodes can be swapped around on items).

◦ Can be more easily damaged than RFID tags or magnetic stripes.

 QR code readers

◦ Another type of barcode is the quick response (QR) code. This is made up of a
matrix of filled-in dark squares on a light background.
◦ A QR code consists of a block of small squares (light and dark) known as pixels.
◦ Contain links to apps (for example, they can be found in app stores to enable the
appropriate apps to be quickly downloaded onto a user’s device).
◦ Wi-Fi authentication; QR codes can be used to store Wi-Fi network
authentication (proof of identity) details, including passwords and type of
◦ Encryption used – when the QR code is scanned using a smartphone/tablet, it will be able to
automatically join that network.
◦ QR codes can be used to deliver augmented reality (see Chapter 1)
experiences, by helping an AR system to determine the positions of objects in three-
dimensional space.
◦ QR codes have been used to establish virtual online stores, where a gallery of
product information and QR codes are presented to the customer, for example,
on a train station wall. The customers scan the QR codes, and the products
are automatically delivered to their homes.
 Advantages of QR codes
◦ They can hold much more information than normal barcode.

◦ There will be fewer errors than with barcodes

◦ QR code allows the use of built-in error-checking systems; normal barcodes

◦ QR codes are easier to read; they do not need expensive laser or LED (light

emitting diode) scanners like barcodes – they can be read by the cameras used

on smartphones and tablets.

◦ It is easy to transmit QR codes either as text messages or images.

◦ It is also possible to encrypt QR codes, which gives them greater protection

than traditional barcodes.

 Disadvantages of QR codes

◦ More than one QR format is available.

◦ QR codes can be used to transmit malicious codes; known as attagging.

◦ Because there are a large number of free apps available to a user for

generating QR codes, that means anyone can do this.

◦ It is relatively easy to write malicious code and embed this within the QR code.

◦ When the code is scanned, it is possible the creator of the malicious code could gain access to everything on the
user’s smartphone/tablet (for example, photographs, address book, stored passwords, etc.).

◦ The user could also be sent to a fake website, or it is even possible for a virus to be downloaded.
 Optical character recognition (OCR)

◦ Optical character recognition (OCR) is the name given to a device that converts the text on
hard copy documents into an electronic form.
Advantages of OCR

◦ It is a much faster data entry system than manually keying in data.

◦ Because there is no manual data entry, the number of errors is also reduced.

Disadvantages of OCR

◦ The system still has difficulty reading some handwriting.

◦ Still not a very accurate technique.

 Biometric recognition systems

◦ Biometric recognitions systems include

1. face recognition
2. iris and retina recognition
3. finger and thumb recognition
4. hand recognition
5. voice recognition.
 6.11 Satellite system

1. Global positioning systems and satellite navigation

2. Geographic information systems (GIS)

3. Media communication systems (satellite television and satellite phones)

 Global Positioning Systems (GPS)
◦ Used to determine the exact location of several modes of transport

◦ Cars usually refer to GPS as satellite navigation systems Satellites surrounding the Earth
transmit signals to the surface

◦ Computers installed in the mode of transport receive and interpret these signals

◦ Knowing their position on the Earth depends on very accurate timing – atomic clocks are
used in the satellites which are accurate to within a fraction of a second per day

◦ Each satellite transmits data indicating its position & time

◦ The computer on board the mode of transport calculates its exact position based on the
information from at least three satellites
 Satellite Navigation
◦ Used to determine the exact location of a car.
◦ The computers onboard can be used to show directions to a destination.
 Advantages of GPS and satnav

◦ The driver does not have to consult paper maps, so it is far safer.

◦ It removes errors (can warn drivers about one-way streets, street closures, etc.).

◦ The system can estimate the time of arrival.

◦ It is also possible to program in the fastest route, route to avoid towns, etc.

◦ The system can also give useful information such as location of petrol stations.
 Disadvantages of GPS and satnav

◦ If the maps are not kept up to date, they can give incorrect instructions.

◦ Unless the system is sophisticated, road closures due to accidents or roadworks, can cause
problems.

◦ Loss of satellite signals can cause problems.

◦ If an incorrect start-point or end-point is keyed in the system will give incorrect information.
 Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

◦ Used to capture, manage, analyze and display geographically referenced

information.

◦ Use to determine distance between two places.

◦ Used to find the nearest petrol station or restaurant, etc.

◦ To protect animal and plant life in certain vulnerable places.

◦ Geographic information systems (GIS)e used in geography, science or engineering

lessons.
 Advantages of GIS

◦ It allows geographical and thematic data of any kind to be combined in

a way which shows how they are connected to each other.

◦ It allows the handling and exploration of huge amounts of data (massive

number crunching).

◦ It allows data to be integrated from a wide range of very different

sources (which appear at first to be totally unconnected).
 Disadvantages of GIS

◦ The learning curve on GIS software can be very long.

◦ GIS software is very expensive.

◦ GIS requires enormous amounts of data to be input (thus increasing the

chances of errors).

◦ It is difficult to make GIS programs which are both fast and user-friendly;
GIS requires very complex command language interfaces to work
properly.
 Media Communication Systems

◦ Communication media refers to a method of delivering and receiving

data/ information using telecommunications.

◦ There are many types of media used to send and receive information (for
example, fibre optics, copper cable and Wi-Fi).

◦ we will concentrate on the global communication method which makes

use of satellites
 Advantages of media communication
systems
◦ They have good global coverage

◦ They are cheaper, faster and safer

◦ They have a very high bandwidth

◦ It is relatively easy to expand the network

◦ Security in satellite transmission is very good due to the fact that data is
coded and the receiver requires decoding equipment to read the data.
 Disadvantages of media communication
systems

◦ There is a time delay in receipt of the signals

◦ The signals received can be affected by bad weather (for example, heavy
rain or hailstones), obstructions (such as tree branches) and whether the
satellite dish has been correctly orientated.

◦ Sunspot activity can affect the performance of a satellite.

◦ If they are not in a fixed position relative to the Earth then they need to be
monitored and controlled on a regular basis to ensure they remain in the
correct orbit.