Microprocessors in the home

IGCSE ICT Unit 6: The effects of ICT

Objectives

Be able to describe the effects of microprocessor controlled devices in the home, including their effects on

leisure time social interaction the need to leave the home

Starter

If you could invent one labour-saving device for the home, what would it be?

South Korea’s Home of the future

Activity 1

what jobs in the home are now done by computers? In pairs, list as many devices as you

can in your own homes which are controlled by microprocessors.

Have they always had these devices? Do they know anybody who doesn’t

have these devices (no names, please)?

how many have a dishwasher? A washing machine?

Running through the sheets

– this is how laundry used to be done before the advent of washing machines.

length of time taken to do a family’s laundry?

What do people do with that spare time now?

Other effects

Research for homework assignments etc.

How many of you use the library?

How many prefer to use the internet?

Why?

Are we a nation of domestic goddesses?

this demonstrates the huge difference that labour saving devices have brought to women.

Microprocessor-Controlled Devices in the Home

What is a Microprocessor? A microprocessor is a small CPU built into

a single 'chip' Very powerful microprocessors can be

found in PCs, but smaller, less powerful microprocessors can be found in many everyday devices in our homes.

Typically, a special type of microprocessor, called a microcontroller, is used in everyday devices.

What’s in a chip?

In a single ‘chip’, a microcontroller contains:

A CPUSome RAMSome ROM (Used for storing the

devices software)

ADCs & DACs

Often microcontrollers also contain ADCs and DACs to allow easy connection to devices such as sensors and actuators.

Examples of Microprocessor-Controlled Devices

Many of the electronic devices that we use contain a microprocessor...

Some devices are used for entertainment: Games consoles DVD players MP3 players

labour-saving devices

Some devices help to make our lives easier (labour-saving devices):

Programmable microwave ovensProgrammable washing machinesHome security systemsMobile telephones

The Effect of These Devices on Our Lives

More leisure timeMicroprocessor-controlled devices

mean that we have more leisure time to relax and enjoy ourselves instead of doing household chores.

Communication

We are able to communicate with people very easily using computers, mobile phones, etc. We can become part of online social networks, making friends with people from all over the world.

On-line services

Computers and Internet connections mean that many of the tasks that involved us leaving the house, for example, shopping for music, clothes or food, can now be done on-line.

On-line shopping

Online shopping gives us more choice of products and saves us time. It is also great from those who are unable to get out of the house easily, such as the elderly, or the disabled.

Activity

using the search term “how have computers changed our lives?”, find out some of the ways our lives have changed. (fitness/activity/home based or outside etc) Make some notes!

Final discussion

what do you do when you go home at night? Use the internet? How many use facebook? What did you do before you had

facebook etc? How many use MSN? If you didn’t have these, what would you

do? How many play computer games?