Intro To Technology: Exploring Technology As A System

Intro to Technology:
Exploring Technology as
a System
@2016 ShenicaMathieu.com 1
When you think of technology, do you
think of a system?
The earth is made of natural and
human made systems.
Technology can be thought of as a
system.
Objectives
In this lesson you will learn:
• How to explain the concept of a system
• How to compare natural systems and technological
systems.
• How to summarize how a system works.
• Examples of some major goals of technological systems.
• A summary of the major inputs to technological systems.
• Examples of major types of processes used in technological
systems.
• How to explain the major types of outputs of a
technological system.
• How to explain the two types of feedback systems.
Key terms
• Closed – loop system
• Desired output
• Energy
• Feedback
• Feedback system
• Goal
• Input
• Intended output
• Knowledge
• Machine
• Material
• Natural system
• Open-loop system
• Output
• Pollution
• Process
• System
• Technological system
• Time
• Undesirable output
What is a system?
A group of parts working together to create a
task.
Stop /Think/Write – What is the
difference between a part and a
system? Write the answer in your
notebook.
Career Connection: Systems Engineer
An engineer who specializes in the development
and implementation of production systems.
Natural systems
The Universe is made up of systems that appear

in nature without human interference.
Technological system
These systems are used to make the artifacts

and services that people want or need.
Stop/Think/Write – In your notebook,
take one minute to list all of the
natural and technological systems that
you can think of.
The 5 Basic Elements of the Universal
Systems Model
• Goals – the reasons for developing and operating
the system.
• Inputs – the resources the system uses to meet
the identified goals.
• Processes – the actions taken to use the inputs to
meet the goals.
• Outputs – the results obtained by the operating
system.
• Feedback – the adjustments made to the system
to control the outputs.
Universal Systems Model (Example)
Analysis of a Home Heating System with the 5
Basic Elements of the Universal Systems Model
Goal = keep the home comfortable during the winter
months.
Input = fuel is used as an energy source (natural gas,

propane, coal, wood, or fuel oil).
Process = converting the fuel’s energy to heat through

conversion of a natural process called combustion.
The fuel is burned to convert stored energy to heat
energy.
Desired Output = the heat energy (other undesired

outputs but unavoidable outputs can be carbon
dioxide gas, nitrogen oxide, water or ash)
Feedback loop= the thermostat regulates the

temperature within a range so that they house is
neither cold nor hot. When the room reaches the
upper limit of the range, the thermostat turns the
heater off.
Maintenance of a System
Maintenance of a system is not
one of the five basic elements
of a system, but it is extremely
important because it involves
the process of inspecting and
servicing a product or system
on a regular basis to make
sure that it works correctly in
order to prolong its life or
improve its capability because
all technological systems will
break down eventually.
Proper maintenance will
decrease early failure
Stop, Discuss and Write: Look at the
picture below, and list the goals, inputs,
processes, outputs, and feedback for the
propulsion system of the bicycle in your
notebook.,
A propulsion system is a machine
that produces thrust to push an
object forward. On airplanes, thrust
is usually generated through some
application of Newton's third law of
action and reaction. A gas, or
working fluid, is accelerated by the
engine, and the reaction to this
acceleration produces a force on the
engine.
Stop, Discuss and Write: Compare and
Contrast
• How would you compare the body’s digestive
system ( a natural system) to the bicycle
propulsion system ( a technological system)?
In your notebook, write your answer.
Real World Applications
Systems analysis is the
evaluation of a system to
identify its desired
objectives and determine
how the system attains
them. Computer system
analysis involves the study
of data processing needs
of a business to
determine its hardware
and software
requirements.
System Goals
1. Meet the needs and
wants of people.
2. Profit and be
rewarded for creative
ideas, personal labor,
and financial risks.
3. Make a positive
contribution to
society.
System Inputs
7 major categories:
1. People
2. Natural Resources
(materials)
3. Machines
4. Knowledge
(information)
5. Energy
6. Financial Resources
(money)
7. Time
Technology and People
• Designers and engineers develop
technological devices and systems.
• Machine operators and laborers
make devices and systems
• Advertisers develop marketing
materials to promote devices and
systems.
• Managers organize and supervise
the development of devices and
systems.
• Retailers operate the stores and e-
commerce sites to sell the devices
and systems.
• Consumers demand and purchase
devices and systems based off of
their needs and wants.
• Politicians and public officials
regulate the production and use of
technological devices and systems.
Technology and Natural Resources
Materials can be classified as gases, liquids or
solids used to build, design and use
technology.
Technology and Machines
Machines expand a
human’s ability to do
work, so technology
requires machines to
shape materials, process
information, convert
energy, transport cargo,
construct roads,
produce bread, broad
cast television, and a
host of other things.
Technology and Knowledge
• People use their
knowledge to create
things.
• They use materials
knowledge and design
knowledge to create
products and systems.
• They use product
knowledge to use
machines, and they use
knowledge to use,
service, and prepare
devices and machines.
Technology and Energy
Most technical systems are
designed to do a task that use
energy. The energy may
come from inexhaustible
sources such as wind, water,
or solar energy. They may
also come from coal,
petroleum, natural gas, or
renewable sources such as
wood and corn. Inexhaustible
resources are
resources that will
never run out.
Technology and Financial Resources
Usually, all activities
involving technology
involve money
because it takes
money before a
technological system
can be created,
operated and
maintained.
Technology and Time
Time is the key resource in
developing and
operating technological
systems because the
product life cycle
involves brainstorming
the idea, creating,
developing, building,
testing, redesigning,
manufacturing, shipping,
installing and
maintaining.
System Processes
Different technologies involve
different processes.
Typically, technology systems use two
types of processes:
1. Production Processes
2. Management Processes
These types of processes work

together to achieve the systems
goals, such as transporting people
or cargo, growing crops,
communicating information,
manufacturing products, or
shipping products.
Production Processes
Actions changing inputs into outputs are production processes, and
they are the core of all technological systems because they are the
activities in which people use knowledge, machines, and materials
to create objects and systems. These processes include a number
of actions:
• Growing and harvesting crops (agricultural technology)
• Changing materials into products (manufacturing technology)
• Changing materials and manufactured products into constructed
works (construction technology).
• Converting information and ideas into printed or broadcast
messages (communication technology).
• Using devices to improve health and fight disease (medical
technology).
• Converting energy and applying it to do work (power and energy
technology).
• Using technical means to move people and cargo (transportation
technology).
Techno Fact
The farmer who produces
wheat, the miller who
crushes the wheat into
flour, and the baker who
changes flour into bread
are illustrations of
manufacturers who add
value through their
production processes.
Technology Processes Explained
(Container Shipping by Sea)
Once the ship
reaches its
destination port,
these steps are
reversed. The
1. Loading the cargo from the containers are 2. Moving the
shipper in the containers unloaded from containers to the port.
the ship and them
moved to their
individual
destinations.
3. The containers arriving 4. Loading the containers

at the port. onto a ship.
Stop/Think/Write:
How does container shipping promote global
trade between countries? Take 3 minutes to
write the answer in your notebook.
Production Processes can change
materials into products and buildings.
Stop/Think/Write: What other inputs are used
to build a home like the one shown below?
Take one minute to write your response in
your notebook.
Management Processes
These processes don’t run by themselves, so
people (managers) must see their
operation. This involves four key actions:
1. Planning for the fuse of the production

processes and a course of action;
setting goals.
2. Organizing the resources: material,
labor, energy, information, and
machines; seeing that the right
resources are available when the
processes are operated.
3. Directing and motivating the workers
operating the systems: seeing that they
know how to do their jobs and want to
do them well.
4. Controlling the operations of the
systems; seeing that the outputs meet
the goals of the operations.
System Outputs
Nearly all technological systems have 2 types of
outputs:
1. Intended Outputs
2. Undesirable/Unintended Outputs
(scrape/waste, and pollution)
Intended Outputs
This is the is the reason why the
system was designed, and it
can be grouped into products
(things) and services
(actions). Typical intended
outputs include:
a. Prepared or preserved food
b. Constructed structures
c. Communicated messages
d. Transported goods and
people
e. Manufactured products
f. Medicines
Undesirable/Unintended Outputs
Scrap and Waste Pollution
Generally, scrap can be recycled to The most harm to the environment
comes from pollution. Chemicals
produce other materials, but
from production processes cause
waste ends up in landfills air, soil and water pollution. Vehicle
because it cannot be easily exhausts are another major source
reused. Some examples of waste of pollution as well as excessive use
are small pieces of wood, some of pesticides (bug killers) herbicides
plastics, and some small (weed killers) and the like.
ceramics.
Stop/Think/Write:
What positive
contributions can you
make if you started a
solid-waste recycling
activity at school? In
your notebook, take 5
minutes to write a
paragraph explaining
your thoughts.
Techno Fact
In the United States, over 200 million
tons of solid waste is generated
each year. This amounts to over
four pounds per person per day.
Municipal garbage includes over 12
million tons of glass and 80 million
tons of paper and paperboard each
year.
On a good note, over one-fourth of
solid waste in the United States is
recycled in large quantities. Paper,
paperboard, ferrous, and
nonferrous metals, plastics, glass
and yard waste are mostly recycled.
System Feedback
Control systems which are
mechanisms or specific
actions people take using
information about a system
to compare information
about what is happening to
what is desired is often
called feedback systems.
There are two types:
1. Closed-Loop System
2. Open-Loop System
Closed-loop System
This type of control uses
feedback and is a built in part
of the device. Components
within the device monitor
conditions. They also adjust
the device to produce the
desired output. The heating
system discussed earlier is an
example of a closed-loop
system.
Example of Closed-loop or Feedback
System
Existing Compare Adjust New
condition Condition
Process
Room Is this Input Output
Use energy to
temperature OK?
produce heat
Feedback loop
Monitor condition
Room temperature
Open-loop system
This type of system does not have
a built-in feedback or control
path. Instead, external control-
human intervention-is needed.
An example is a speed control
system in a car. The driver
presses on the accelerator
pedal. This causes the engine
to produce power to move the
vehicle, and as the vehicle
moves, its speed is shown on
the speedometer. The driver
adjusts the speed by changing
the throttle setting.
Example of Open-loop Control or
Feedback, System
Process
Press the Input Use energy to Output
Speedometer
throttle produce power for
fuel Movement reading
the vehicle
Do Now!
On a separate sheet of paper, created a detailed
outline based on what you learned about the
five steps involved in the Universal System
Model.
Work Cited:
https://www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/airplane/bgp.html
http://www.laser-spoke.com/index.php/technology
http://money.cnn.com/2012/02/16/real_estate/housing_start
s/
http://inexhaustibleresources.org/
Microsoft, Inc. (2016). Clip Art. Retrieved 2/ 19, 2016, from

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/clipart/default.aspx
Wright, R. T., & Brown, R. A. (2012). Exploring design,

technology & engineering. Tinley Park, IL: Goodheart-
Willcox.
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Intro to Technology:

The Universe is made up of systems that appear

These systems are used to make the artifacts

Input = fuel is used as an energy source (natural gas,

Process = converting the fuel’s energy to heat through

Desired Output = the heat energy (other undesired

Feedback loop= the thermostat regulates the

These types of processes work

3. The containers arriving 4. Loading the containers

1. Planning for the fuse of the production

Microsoft, Inc. (2016). Clip Art. Retrieved 2/ 19, 2016, from

Wright, R. T., & Brown, R. A. (2012). Exploring design,

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