CHAPTER – 3

EMERGING TRENDS
Emerging trends are the state-of-the-art technologies that gain popularity and set new trends
among users.
I. Artificial Intelligence (AI):
 Artificial intelligence is the ability of a computer or computer-controlled equipment
to perform tasks that are commonly associated with the intellectual processes
characteristic of humans, such as the ability to reason.
 Intelligent digital personal assistants like Siri, Google Now, Cortana, and Alexa are
powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI).
 The primary goal of Artificial Intelligence is to simulate the natural intelligence of
human beings into machines, making them behave intelligently by imitating cognitive
functions like learning, decision-making, and problem-solving.
 Knowledge base for AI is a store of information consisting of facts, assumptions, and
rules that an AI system can use for decision-making. AI system can also learn from
past experiences or outcomes to make new decisions.

II. Machine Learning (ML):

 Machine Learning is a subsystem of Artificial Intelligence where computers have
the ability to learn from data using statistical techniques, without being explicitly
programmed by a human being.
 These algorithms (models) are first trained and tested using a training data and
testing data, respectively. After successive trainings, once these models are able to
give results to an acceptable level of accuracy, they are used to make predictions
about new and unknown data.

III. Natural Language Processing (NLP):

 Natural language processing (NLP) is the ability of a computer program to understand

human language as it's spoken and written

PJC / Chethan M B Arehalli / I PUC / Computer Science / chethanmb@outlook.com

 Examples:
 The predictive typing feature of search engine that helps us by suggesting
the next word in the sentence while typing keywords and the spell checking
features
 Search the web or operate or control our devices using our voice (An NLP
system can perform text-to-speech and speech-to-text)
 Machine translation: Machines are already able to translate texts from one
language to another with fair amount of correctness
 Automated customer service where computer software can interact with
customers to serve their queries or complaints.

IV. Immersive Experiences:

 Immersive experiences allow us to visualise, feel and react by stimulating our senses.
It enhances our interaction and involvement, making them more realistic and
engaging.
 Examples include driving simulators, flight simulator and so on.

A. Virtual Reality
 Virtual Reality (VR) is a three-dimensional, computer-generated situation that
simulates the real world.
 The user can interact with and explore that environment by getting immersed
in it while interacting with the objects and other actions of the user.
 At present, it is achieved with the help of VR Headsets.
 It promotes other sensory information like sound, smell, motion, temperature,
etc. being experimented for use in gaming (Military training, medical
procedures, entertainment, social science and psychology, engineering and
other areas where simulation is needed for a better understanding and learning.

PJC / Chethan M B Arehalli / I PUC / Computer Science / chethanmb@outlook.com

 B. Augmented Reality
 The superimposition of computer generated perceptual information over the
existing physical surroundings is called as Augmented Reality (AR).
 It adds components of the digital world to the physical world, along with the
associated tactile and other sensory requirements, thereby making the
environment interactive and digitally manipulable.
 With help of location-based AR App, travellers can access real-time
information of historical places just by pointing their camera viewfinder to
subjects
 Location-based AR apps are major forms of AR apps.
Note: Unlike Virtual Reality, the Augmented Reality does not create something new; it just
alters or augments the perception of the underlying physical world through additional
information.

PJC / Chethan M B Arehalli / I PUC / Computer Science / chethanmb@outlook.com

V. Robotics
 Robotics is an interdisciplinary branch of technology requiring applications of
mechanical engineering, electronics, and computer science, among others. Robotics is
primarily concerned with the design, fabrication, operation, and application of robots.
 A robot is programmable by a computer, which means it can follow the instructions
given through computer programs.
 Initially, robots were created to handle repetitive, boring, or strenuous tasks in
industries that were labour-intensive.
 Sensors are essential components of robots.
 Types: Robots come in various types:
 Wheeled robots
 Legged robots
 Manipulators (robots with arms for tasks)
 Humanoids (robots resembling humans)

PJC / Chethan M B Arehalli / I PUC / Computer Science / chethanmb@outlook.com

  Applications: Robots are used in diverse fields including:
 Industries
 Medical science
 Bionics
 Scientific research
 Military
 Examples:
 NASA's Mars Exploration Rover (MER) mission is a robotic mission to
study Mars.
 Sophia is a humanoid that uses artificial intelligence, visual data processing,
facial recognition and also imitates human gestures and facial expressions
 A drone is an unmanned aircraft that can be controlled remotely or fly
autonomously using software and on-board sensors with GPS.
 Drones are used in various fields, including journalism, filming, aerial
photography, delivery, disaster management, search and rescue,
healthcare, geographic mapping, structural safety inspections,
agriculture, wildlife monitoring, law enforcement, and border
patrolling.

PJC / Chethan M B Arehalli / I PUC / Computer Science / chethanmb@outlook.com

VI. Big Data:

 Technology is increasingly present in our lives, producing vast amounts of data.

 Over a billion Internet users exist today, with most web traffic coming from
smartphones. Approximately 2.5 quintillion bytes of data are created daily, and this is
growing due to the Internet of Things (IoT). This massive and complex data is known
as Big Data.

PJC / Chethan M B Arehalli / I PUC / Computer Science / chethanmb@outlook.com

  Big Data is too voluminous and unstructured for traditional data processing tools.
 Examples of unstructured data include social media posts, messages, photos, tweets,
blog articles, news items, polls, audio/video chats, etc.
 Big Data presents challenges in integration, storage, analysis, searching, processing,
transfer, querying, and visualization.
 Big Data holds valuable information and knowledge, driving efforts to develop new
software and methods for processing and analysis.
Characteristics of Big Data
a) Volume: Big data is defined by its enormous size, making it difficult to process with
traditional DBMS tools.
b) Velocity: Big data is generated and stored at a much faster rate than traditional data
sets.
c) Variety: Big data includes various types of data such as structured, semi-structured,
and unstructured, including text, images, videos, and web pages.
d) Veracity: Big data can sometimes be inconsistent, biased, or noisy, affecting its
reliability. Veracity refers to the trustworthiness of the data, as incorrect data can lead
to wrong results.
e) Value: Big data contains hidden patterns and valuable knowledge, offering high
business value. However, processing big data requires investment, so it's important to
assess its potential value first to avoid wasted efforts.

VII. Data Analytics

 Data analytics is the process of examining data sets in order to draw conclusions
about the information they contain, with the aid of specialised systems and software
 Data analytics technologies and techniques are increasingly popular. They help
businesses make informed decisions and assist researchers in verifying or disproving
scientific models and theories.
 Pandas, a Python library that simplify data analysis.

VIII. Internet of Things (IoT)

 The ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT) is a network of devices with embedded hardware and
software that communicate and exchange data with each other.
 A computer network connects devices such as laptops, desktops, servers, tablets,
smartphones, and smartwatches through wired or wireless connections using the
Internet or LAN.
 Adding devices like bulbs, fans, and refrigerators to this network allows them to
communicate and share information.
 This smart connectivity enables enhanced functionality and control, allowing users to
manage these devices using computers or smartphones.
 In a typical household, many devices have advanced hardware and software but
operate independently, requiring human input.
 IoT connects these devices to form an intelligent network, allowing them to
collaborate. For example, connecting a microwave, air conditioner, door lock, or
CCTV camera to the Internet lets us control them remotely using a smartphone.

PJC / Chethan M B Arehalli / I PUC / Computer Science / chethanmb@outlook.com

IX. Web of Things (WoT)

 The Internet of Things (IoT) allows interaction with various devices through the
Internet using smartphones or computers, creating a personal network.
 Managing multiple devices typically requires multiple apps.
 The Web of Things (WoT) simplifies this by using web services to connect all devices
efficiently, enabling the creation of smart homes, offices, and cities where devices
communicate seamlessly with each other.

X. Sensors
 When you hold your mobile vertically or horizontally, the display adjusts accordingly.
This is possible due to two sensors: the accelerometer and the gyroscope.
 The accelerometer detects the phone's orientation, while the gyroscope tracks the
rotation or twist of your hand, complementing the accelerometer's information.
 Sensors are widely used for monitoring and observing in real-world applications. The
evolution of smart electronic sensors is significantly contributing to the development
of IoT, leading to new sensor-based, intelligent systems.
 A smart sensor takes input from the physical environment, uses built-in computing
resources to perform specific functions, processes the data, and then passes it on.

PJC / Chethan M B Arehalli / I PUC / Computer Science / chethanmb@outlook.com

XI. Smart Cities
The concept of a smart city, as illustrated in Figure, integrates computer and communication
technology with IoT to efficiently manage and distribute resources.

For example:
 Smart Buildings: Equipped with sensors to detect earthquake tremors and warn
nearby buildings for preparedness.
 Smart Bridges: Use wireless sensors to detect issues like loose bolts, cables, or
cracks, alerting authorities via SMS.
 Smart Tunnels: Employ wireless sensors to identify leaks or congestion, transmitting
this data wirelessly to a central computer for analysis.
In a smart city, various sectors such as transportation, power plants, water supply, waste
management, law enforcement, information systems, schools, libraries, hospitals, and other
community services work together to enhance the efficiency of city operations and services.

XII. CLOUD COMPUTING

 Cloud computing is a growing trend in IT that delivers services over the Internet,
accessible from any device. These services include software, hardware (like servers),
databases, and storage.
 Cloud service providers offer these resources and usually charge on a pay-per-use
basis, like electricity.
 We use cloud services for storing photos, files, or hosting websites. With cloud
computing, users can run large applications or process vast amounts of data without
needing the required storage or processing power on their own computers, as long as
they have an Internet connection.

PJC / Chethan M B Arehalli / I PUC / Computer Science / chethanmb@outlook.com

  Cloud computing offers cost-effective, on-demand resources, providing users with
what they need at a reasonable cost.

XIII. Cloud Services

A better way to understand the cloud is to interpret everything as a service. A “service”
corresponds to any facility provided by the cloud. There are three standard models to
categorise different computing services delivered through cloud.

(A) Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS):

 IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) providers offer various computing infrastructure,
such as servers, virtual machines (VMs), storage, backup facilities, network
components, operating systems, and other hardware or software.
 With IaaS, users can remotely configure, deploy, and run software applications on
cloud infrastructure. They can rent the hardware and software on a demand basis,
paying only for what they use.
 This approach saves costs on software, hardware, infrastructure, setup, maintenance,
and security.
(B) Platform as a Service (PaaS)
 PaaS (Platform as a Service) allows users to run applications without managing the
underlying infrastructure. It provides a platform for developing, testing, and
delivering software applications.
 For example, if we develop a web application using MySQL and Python, we can use
a pre-configured Apache server from the cloud with MySQL and Python already
installed.

PJC / Chethan M B Arehalli / I PUC / Computer Science / chethanmb@outlook.com

  This eliminates the need for installation and configuration. PaaS offers control over
deployed applications and configurations, providing a cost-effective and simpler
solution by removing the need to buy and manage hardware and software.
(C) Software as a Service (SaaS)
 SaaS (Software as a Service) provides on-demand access to application software,
usually through a subscription or license.
 Examples include Google Docs, Microsoft Office 365, and Dropbox.
 Users don't need to worry about installing or configuring the software as long as it is
accessible.
In all standard service models (SaaS, PaaS, IaaS), users can access infrastructure,
platforms, or software on demand and pay based on usage, avoiding large upfront
investments. To leverage cloud computing, the Government of India launched an initiative
called "GI Cloud", named 'MeghRaj' (https://cloud.gov.in).

XIV. GRID COMPUTING

 A grid is a network of dispersed computational resources (Figure 3.13).

 Unlike the broad services of cloud computing, grids are specific to applications,
acting like virtual supercomputers with robust processing and storage capabilities.
 Nodes in a grid collaborate temporarily to handle large tasks.
 Today, devices ranging from mobile phones to workstations connect via LAN or the
Internet, allowing efficient use of their memory and processing power.
 Grid computing solves complex scientific challenges without requiring costly
hardware purchases.
 Grids include Data grids for managing distributed data and CPU grids for parallel
processing tasks across nodes. Unlike IaaS cloud services where infrastructure is
rented, grid computing combines nodes to solve shared computational problems.
Middleware like the open-source Globus toolkit (http://toolkit.globus.org/toolkit) is
crucial for setting up grids, supporting distributed processing, security, resource
management, data handling, communication, and fault detection.

PJC / Chethan M B Arehalli / I PUC / Computer Science / chethanmb@outlook.com

XV. BLOCKCHAINS

 Traditionally, digital transactions are managed through centralized databases, where

data updates occur sequentially.
 This approach, used by ticket booking sites and banks, poses risks like data breaches
or loss.
 Blockchain technology operates differently, employing a decentralized and shared
database. Each computer in the network maintains a copy of the database, and
transactions are grouped into secure blocks.
 Each block contains visible header data shared among all nodes, with private data
accessible only to the block owner. These blocks form a chain (blockchain, as in
Figure).
 Blockchain allows connected computers to maintain a secure, updated ledger
collectively. Transactions undergo authentication by all network nodes before being
added to the "append-only" ledger, ensuring data integrity and security.
 This decentralized approach, known for its transparency and security, is widely
applied in digital currencies and is increasingly used in sectors like healthcare for
improved data sharing and accuracy, land registration to prevent disputes, and voting
systems for transparency.

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PJC / Chethan M B Arehalli / I PUC / Computer Science / chethanmb@outlook.com