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The Technology and applied sciences Portal

Technology (Greek technologia (τεχνολογία) < techne (τέχνη) "craft" + logia (λόγος); "saying") is the application of developments in science and engineering to benefit humanity. It may be defined as: "Solutions for real human problems by the development and application of tools, machines, materials, goods, or information in the form of skills, knowledge, processes, blueprints, plans, diagrams, models, formulae, tables, engineering designs, specifications, manuals, or instructions."

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A laser is an optical device that emits light (electromagnetic radiation) through a process called stimulated emission. The term "laser" is an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.^[1][2] Laser light is usually spatially coherent, which means that the light is either emitted in a narrow, low-divergence beam, or can be converted into one with the help of optical components such as lenses. Typically, lasers are thought of as emitting light with a narrow wavelength spectrum ("monochromatic" light). This is not true of all lasers, however: some emit light with a broad spectrum, while others emit light at multiple distinct wavelengths simultaneously. The coherence of typical laser emission is distinctive. Most other light sources emit incoherent light, which has a phase that varies randomly with time and position.

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Credit: Richard Greenhill, Hugo Elias, Shadow Robot Company

Robotics is the science and technology of robots, their design, manufacture, and application.^[3] Robotics requires a working knowledge of electronics, mechanics, and software, and is usually accompanied by a large working knowledge of many subjects.^[4] A person working in the field is a roboticist.

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Christopher Columbus Kraft, Jr. (born February 28, 1924) is a retired NASA engineer and manager. After graduating from Virginia Tech in 1944, Kraft was hired by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), the predecessor organization to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). He worked for over a decade in aeronautical research before being asked in 1958 to join the Space Task Group, a small team entrusted with the responsibility of putting America's first man in space. Assigned to the flight operations division, Kraft became NASA's first flight director. He was on duty during such historic missions as America's first spaceflight, first orbital flight, and first spacewalk.

At the beginning of the Apollo program, Kraft retired as a flight director in order to concentrate on management and mission planning. In 1972, he became director of the Manned Spacecraft Center (later Johnson Space Center), following in the footsteps of his mentor Robert Gilruth. He held the position until his retirement from NASA in 1982. During his retirement, Kraft has consulted for numerous companies including IBM and Rockwell International, and he published an autobiography entitled Flight: My Life in Mission Control.

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News

Wikinews Science and technology portal

• December 1: Space Shuttle Endeavour lands in California
• November 30: Wikinews Shorts: November 30, 2008
• November 26: Wikinews Shorts: November 26, 2008
• November 24: SpaceX successfully test fires Falcon 9 rocket in Texas
• November 22: Saturn's rings are much older than previously thought
• November 19: CERN says repairs to LHC particle accelerator to cost US$21 million
• November 15: India's flag lands on Moon
• November 14: India's moon craft reaches final lunar orbit
• November 13: Bone marrow transplant potentially linked to cure of patient with AIDS
• November 12: NASA calls end to Mars Phoenix mission

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Did you know...

• ... that a mercury arc rectifier converts alternating current to direct current by means of an electric arc through mercury vapor?
• ... that only one of the 266 1076 Class steam locomotives built for the Great Western Railway was named, and the rest had only numbers?
• ... that the six Charles Tayleur locomotives ordered by Isambard Kingdom Brunel for the Great Western Railway were unsuccessful?

• ... that the intensity of a tropical cyclone (pictured) is usually determined by the Dvorak technique using only visible and infrared satellite images?

• ... that the technique of double-balloon enteroscopy allows any position along the gastrointestinal tract to be visualized in real-time?

• ... that ANTARES, a neutrino telescope under construction in the Mediterranean Sea, will find neutrinos from outer space by looking downward, into the Earth?

• ... that KATRIN is an experiment to determine the mass of the neutrino by measuring the energies of electrons given off from the beta decay of tritium?

• ... that forensic electrical engineering is a branch of forensic engineering whose primary role is to investigate whether a fire was caused by the failure of an electrical appliance?

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Lists of basic topics   (all)

Main outlines: Topic outline of science and Topic outline of technology.

Aerospace • Agriculture • Architecture • Artificial intelligence • Automation • Automobile • Big Science • Biotechnology • Cartography • Chemical engineering • Communication • Computer science (Information technology, Internet, Programming, Software engineering) • Construction • Dentistry • Design • Education • Energy development • Energy storage • Engineering • Ergonomics • Family and consumer science • Firefighting • Forensics • Forestry • Free software • Health sciences • Health • Industry • Industrial machinery • Information technology • Internet • Library and information science • Machines • Management • Manufacturing • Marketing • Military • Mining • Mobile Web • Nanotechology • Nuclear technology • Nutrition • Radio • Robotics • Space exploration • Telecommunication (Internet) • Transport • Vehicles

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Categories   (all)

Main categories: Technology and Applied sciences

Agriculture & Agronomy • Architecture • Artificial intelligence • Automation • Biotechnology • Blu-ray • Cartography • Chemical engineering • Communication (Media studies • Telecommunications) • Construction • Design • Digital divide • Earthquake engineering • Electronics • Energy • Ergonomics • Firefighting • Fire prevention • Forensics • Forestry • Industry • Information science • Information technology • Internet • Management • Manufacturing • Marketing • Medicine (Unsolved problems in neuroscience) • Metalworking • Microtechnology • Military science • Mining • Nanotechnology • Nuclear technology • Nutrition • Optics • Plumbing • Robotics • Sound technology • Space exploration • Technology forecasting • Tools

Computing:  Classes of computers • Companies • Computer architecture • Computer model • Computer science • Computer security • Computing and society • Data • Embedded systems • Free software • Human-computer interaction • Information systems • Internet • Mobile Internet • Languages • Multimedia • Networks • Industrial Networks • Operating systems • Platforms • Product lifecycle management • Programming • Real-time computing • Software • Software engineering • Unsolved problems in computer science • More...

Electronics:   Avionics • RF & MMIC Design • Circuits • Companies • Connectors • Consumer electronics • Digital electronics • Digital media • Electrical components • Electronic design • Electronics manufacturing • Embedded systems • Integrated circuits • Microwave technology • Molecular electronics • Water technology • Optoelectronics • Quantum electronics • RFID • Radio electronics • Semiconductors • Signal cables • Surveillance • Telecommunications • Terminology • More...

Engineering:  Aerospace engineering • Bioengineering • Chemical engineering • Civil engineering • Electrical engineering • Environmental engineering • Materials science • Mechanical engineering • Nuclear technology • Software engineering • Structural engineering

Transportation:   By country • Automobiles • Aviation • Cycling • Public transport • Rail transport • Road transport • Shipping • Spaceflight • Vehicles • Water transport

Technology timelines

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Topics   (all)

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Lists of topics   (all)

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Glossaries   (all)

Air pollution dispersion terminology • Blogging • Broadcasting • Computing and IT

(Alternative terms for free software • Computer • Fisheries • Fuel cell terms • Internet • Legal terms • Object-oriented programming • Unified Modeling Language) • Firefighting (Equipment • Wildland fires) • Library and information science • Machine vision • Metalworking terminology • Mill machinery • Mobile phones • Nautical • Telephony • Textile manufacturing • Transport (Aviation, aerospace, and aeronautics • Automotive design • Rail (Passenger rail (NZ railfan • UK railfan • U.S. railfan) • Woodworking (Joinery) • Winemaking

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Related portals   (all)

Technology and applied sciences

Agronomy • Architecture (Bridges, Portal) • Artificial intelligence • Biotechnology • Electronics • Energy • Engineering • Hazardous Materials • Home improvement • Nanotechnology • Nuclear technology • Robotics

Information technology

Typography • Apple Inc. • Blu-ray • Computer networking (Internet (Forums)) • Computer science • Computer security • Microsoft • Python programming • Software (Free software (Linux))

Transport

Aviation • Cars (Australian, American, British, Japanese) • Cycling • London transport • Nautical • Roads (U.S. Roads) • Spaceflight (Space tourism) • Trains (Rapid transit, UK Railways, UK Trams)

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Associated Wikimedia

Technology on Wikinews	Technology on Wikiquote	Technology on Wikibooks	Technology on Wikisource	Technology on Wiktionary	Technology on Wikimedia Commons
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