Technology is used in every aspect of modern life. Countless technologies are used to carry out tasks formerly done by people, for example agricultural machinery, computers for communication, internet banking and self-service checkouts in shops.
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Technology in food production Technology is used in food production in many ways. Examples include: In Ireland agricultural crops are sown, fertilised and harvested by machines. Meat is processed in factories. Foods are transported to shops by modern forms of transport (e.g. trucks, ships, planes) Many aspects of modern dairy and meat farming rely on technology, for example milking parlours and animal sheds where pigs and chickens are fed and raised indoors. Refrigerated storage is used so that fruit and vegetables stay fresh for longer. Warehouses with controlled atmospheres are used to delay the ripening of imported fruit so that it is perfectly ripe when it reaches the shop shelves. Convenience foods have been developed such as ready-made meals and energy gels used by athletes.
Technology in transport
Fig. 9 Coloured X-ray of the sole of a trainer.
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Fig. 10 Sports footwear is tested in order to improve the design.
All transport involves technology. Examples of technology used in transport include: Memory foam and high-tech engineering methods are used to make comfortable shoes. New materials are used to make shoes lightweight, breathable and waterproof. Cars are now larger but are easier to control using technologies such as power steering and sophisticated braking systems. Modern cars use many technologies to make them safer – airbags, safety bars, seatbelts and shatter-resistant glass. Technologies are being developed to make vehicles, including boats and aeroplanes, more energy-efficient and to reduce the harmful emissions from engines.
