5.0 Case Study

Q1: How Many Different things did you count? What were they? In what ways might computers be used to control different things in the supermarket?

A: I counted 6 things that are controlled by computers:  microwave, Satellite navigation system , Credit Card, Car Park Barrier, parking sensors and finally robots to make cars. Computers in the supermarket can control cashier, CCTV Cameras, Stock records, Scanners and anti theft device.

Q2:Why is it useful to use computers rather than people to control things? What Problems might there be if any of the computer system fail in the supermarket?

A: Its useful for computers to control for things for us because it saves labor costs. Its financially better. Its more accurate to do things than us. It can keep a big memory and give a good analysis. It has no geographic limitations and the computers can be linked up. If the computer systems fail, we have to work harder, we have to do many things manually. This means huge rise in labor costs.

Q3: Describe the input and outputs for the other devices that we have talked about so far. How do the supermarket doors and car park barriers know how to open ? Identify other control systems that work automatically this way.

A:  First the Supermarket Door system starts then it will carry out instructions what to do and then follows instructions and stops after this. Car park barriers know when to open when you press the button and on the way out you put a ticket to a slot that lets it open. Supermarket doors know when to open with a sensor, when something or someone obstructs the area of the sensor, it opens. Soap Dispenser, Automatic water taps, Coffee stations and Rice Cooker work automatically this way.

Q4: What would happen if the instructions were wrong? These instructions assume that the car is in the right place. What would happen if the car were not there? How would they stop this from happening?

A: If the instructions were wrong, the production will halt, many wind screens would be broken and that means Mike might be fired from the company. If the car isn't there, like I said many wind screens would be broken. They could stop this from happening by putting a sensor.