How Computer Engineering Will Help Shape The Future of Technology

The evolution of technology has helped human progression at an astronomical rate. Today, technology is depended on by almost everyone on Earth. Computer engineering is the field of study that intertwines computer science and electrical engineering to create and develop computer hardware and software. Computer engineering originated in 1937, where former Iowa State professor, John Vincent Atanasoff, and graduate student, Clifford Berry built the first digital computer. This device was called the Atanasoff-Berry Computer as known as the “ABC”. This project was said to integrate different disciplines like mathematics, physics, and electrical engineering.

John Vincent Atanasoff and Clifford Berry built the first computer at Iowa State University from 1937 to 1942. This computer did not look like the typical computer today, it was described as “the size of a big desk, weighed 750 pounds, and featured rotating drums for memory, glowing vacuum tubes, and a read/write system that recorded numbers by scorching marks on cards”. Atanasoff and Berry were pioneers to the technology world as they made a huge leap forward to act as the catalyst of the technological evolution. The ABC computer contained components that are still used in today’s computers, for example, “a binary system of arithmetic, separate memory and computing functions, … circuits for logical addition and subtraction, … , and a modular design”.

Although Atanasoff and Berry created the first computer, they are not the only notable figures in computer engineering. The most famous computer engineer is Bill Gates, who founded and was the CEO before stepping down at Microsoft Corporation. Gates and Microsoft introduced the famous operating system, Windows, on November 20th, 1985. This operating system is now used as a canvas for even more technological advances. Another notable computer engineer is Jeff Bezos, who founded and is the CEO of Amazon. Bezos and Amazon released the handheld electronic reading device called the Kindle in 2007. The Kindle allowed users to conserve space by having all their books on one device and have a digital copy instead of traditional paperback or hardback books.

As of 2019, technology developed through the field of computer engineering has a major effect on human life. Technology such as laptops and cell phones allow humans to be much more productive throughout the day by completing more time-consuming tasks. Computer engineering has also impacted the health of humans with devices such as the MRI machine. The MRI machine is used to create an image to help diagnose a health problem. Time is very valuable and it is said that “technology has the ability to be used to lessen stress and time-consuming tasks that steal precious moments away from the family” (Williams, 2015). Humans are able to be more productive due to technology nowadays. Instead of solving and graphing quadratics manually, calculators can save time by solving these problems very quickly with the necessary information given. The use of cell phones allows people to connect with other people and organize activities without having to be in the same city or country.

Computer engineering is very necessary for the advancement of humans. Without the development of new technology, human progress would most likely fizzle out and plateau. The study of the computer engineering field is rapidly growing with new innovations being found every year. These new innovations will be compatible with already existing technology to help aid human life. After much research, agriculture will continue to advance with the new innovation of smart irrigation controllers. Farmers can now effectively and efficiently water their crops to produce the most product. As a result of the increased production, the farmer can help provide more food to feed the population. Another advancement of technology for humans is the transition from whiteboards and chalkboards to smart whiteboards in education. These smart whiteboards allow for teachers and professors to show off illustrations of learning material and provide hands-on learning activities.

Computer engineering is a field of study that will never die out. The field of study is still relatively young and there is much potential that can still be developed. Humans will forever need new advancements in technology for human progression. Computer engineering is the solution to that need. Due to the advancements of technology being adopted in the production of cars, computer engineering will mesh with mechanical engineering to continue to evolve more efficient cars. The opportunities are endless with computer engineering, almost every aspect of the environment has some sort of dealing with computer engineering. When describing computer engineering, Kashyap Vyas says, “will always be on a constant path of improvement and evolution as that’s how fast we are actually progressing when it comes to tech” (Vyas, 2018). At the current moment, computers cannot make computers, so there will always be a need for computer engineers.

Anybody can become a computer engineer. Gender, race, nor religion can turn a person away from becoming a computer engineer. This field of study is rapidly growing due to the expansion of technology in many aspects of life. Computer engineers typically work on a traditional work schedule four to five days a week. Their job description will usually include testing different computer hardware and designing different components such as processors, ram sticks, and circuit boards. Often times they are designing these different components in order to build a prototype for a larger project. Their work style is comparable to a puzzle, they work on a small piece to add later to the puzzle, and eventually, they get the bigger picture. The starting salary for a computer engineer is about $66,000 to $71,000, while experienced computer engineers make about $105,000 to $120,000 depending on the cost of living in the region of the world they are working on.

There are a few basic skills needed to work in this field of study. One of the top skills required is creativity, this is needed because an engineer make think about how he or she will make a product better than they found it. Another skill an engineer must possess is to be a great analyzer. When something has gone wrong with the project, they must be able to sit back and resolve the problem. Engineers must also have great communication and teamwork skills. When teams come together to collaborate on an idea, members must be able to properly voice their opinion in the best interest of the project. According to YourFreeCareerTest, computer hardware engineers are “skilled at complex problem solving, speaking effectively to others, active listening, decision making, and operation analysis, among other abilities”.

An individual interested in this field of study must be educated. Prospects for this field usually obtain a bachelor degree in computing engineering. Sometimes, bachelor degrees such as electrical engineering and computer science may be accepted to enter this line of work but it all depends on the job provider. This is acceptable because computer engineering is a combination of electrical engineering and computer science. The curriculum of computer engineering is very similar to the curriculum of electrical engineering and computer science with only a few different courses. Some prospects even decide to double major or minor in computer science or electrical engineering to appeal more to different job providers. Prospects also go back to school to further their education and receive their master degree. Not only will they appeal more to job providers, but they will yield the most income because of the amount of knowledge they have to offer.

As of 2019, the amount of effort and money being put into research for new advancements in technology is incredible. Companies like Google, Apple, and Tesla just to name a few are working constantly to find the “next big thing” that will change the life of humans. The quantum computer, as known as the supercomputer, is one advancement that the technology world is chasing to conquer. To state how life-changing quantum computing is, Fourtané says, “with its impressive computational power quantum computers will most like be a cloud service in the near future rather than on-premise machines” (Fourtané, 2018). Tech mega-company, IBM, already offers cloud-based quantum computing services. Tesla is also in the process right now of making cars that do not require human hands on the wheel. According to the CEO of Tesla, Elon Musk, it is said that “his (Elon Musk) company will roll out fully self-driving features by the end of this year and deploy robotaxis next year”. The self-driving feature on Tesla merges computer engineering and mechanical engineering together and could change the automotive industry in a major way.

Computer engineering will continue to progress and flourish in the future. The field of study has no sign of slowing down in the future. The sky is the limit when it comes to new innovations ready to be put into action to serve the greater good of the people. Computer engineering will change by placing more emphasis on closely affecting the quality of human life, whether that be by in the medical field to the automotive field. The field of study will continue to prosper and rapidly gain more revenue.

The effect that future technology will have on human life will be greatly felt. At the rate of innovations being produced, future generations will depend on technology more than ever. Technology in the future will closely affect the quality of life humans will experience. For example, as stated earlier Tesla is developing a fully self-driving car that will allow people to get in a car and go to a destination without touching a steering wheel. Artificial intelligence is also a trending topic and research for the future. With advancements such as Apple’s Siri, Amazon’s Alexa, and Google Home many people have their own personal assistants ready to use at their disposal. These artificial intelligence personal assistant can tell a person the weather, their schedule, and even a funny joke from time to time. In an article in Fast Company, it was said that “according to the report, which surveyed more than 1,600 voice assistant owners, 41% of folks who have such a system say that using it feels like talking to a friend”. The effect that future technology will have on human life will only become much more greatly felt.

From the beginning of the computer engineering era, where the ABC computer was built in 1937, the intel on the field of study has done nothing but grown exponentially. This field of study is important because it will greatly impact human life in the future. Anyone can go to school to study computer engineering and be apart of the next significant innovation to help change and develop the world. All they need to have is the drive to be great and a wonderful imagination. Future generations will depend on future technology, with that being said new innovations and advancements will be much needed in the future to keep this field of study evolving.  

Works Cited

1. Fourtané, S. (2018). Quantum Computing and the Future of AI. Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/susannafortune/2018/05/02/quantum-computing-and-the-future-of-ai/
2. Kashyap, V. (2018). The Role of Computer Engineering in Technology Evolution. Medium.
3. Tesla (n.d.). Autopilot. Tesla. Retrieved from https://www.tesla.com/autopilot
4. Williams, A. (2015). How Does Technology Affect Family Communication? Family Tech.
5. YourFreeCareerTest (n.d.). Computer Hardware Engineer Skills. YourFreeCareerTest. Retrieved from https://www.yourfreecareertest.com/computer-hardware-engineer-skills/
6. Atanasoff, J. V., & Berry, C. E. (1940). The Atanasoff-Berry Computer: Preliminary Description. Journal of the American Statistical Association, 35(209), 65-70.
7. Gates, B. (1995). The Road Ahead. Penguin Books.
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10. Vyas, K. (2018). 10 Key Skills for Computer Engineers. Interesting Engineering.