ST.

BRITTO’S ACADEMY
VELACHERY, CHENNAI

RESEARCH PROJECT
ON

EXPOSURE AND GROWTH OF TECHNOLOGY

DURING PANDEMIC
By
Shreya Shree Vela . R

STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES

• To research on the topic ‘Exposure And Growth Of Technology

During Pandemic’.
• To analyse and collect reliable data.
• To utilise the collected data and verify them.
• To conduct public surveys for the purpose of better
understanding of opinions by common public about ‘Exposure
And Growth Of Technology During Pandemic’.
• This project aims to capture the breadth of digital innovations
and the growth of technology during COVID-19, worldwide and
their limitations.
• To identify new areas of innovation in technology.
• To Critically review the undeniable use of technology during
pandemic.
• To find how digital technology is being harnessed for the
public-health during COVID-19.

ACTION PLAN

• Briefing session for the students regarding the suggested activities by Board for
Term II Internal Assessment.
• Selection of the activity (Interview Based Research). Broad topic –Covid-19.
• Orientation session for the students for
• Taking interview-based research.
• Prepare questions for survey
• Discussed the typology of questions for the survey.
• Finalization of the project title by the group.
• Method of collecting responses for the survey (G-form, hardcopy)
• Segregation of students into 8 groups of 80 students each.
• Appointing a group leader.
• Discussion among the group members for choosing the topic for the project.
• Finalizing the questions for survey by the teachers.
• Students sent the G-forms for documenting the responses.
• Preparing survey report.
• Finalization of the survey report.
• Writing report on the project (800-1000 words)
• Compiling the entire project work based on the board guidance.

RESPONSES RECEIVED FROM QUESTIONNAIRES

 REPORT

Introduction:
Regional and local governments worldwide are working tirelessly toward effective ways of addressing
the COVID-19 crisis. During this time, the government has had to ensure that they provide full usage of
technological means to confront the pandemic and discourse a wide range of COVID-19 related
problems. This research will discuss the application of technical means and the advancement of
technology in different sectors as a consequence of the COVID-19 crisis. These new policies, such as
lockdowns and social distancing measures, have resulted in technological advancement and new means
of interaction with government, businesses, and citizens. Such changes include increased online
shopping, as well as robotic delivery systems, the introduction of digital as well as contactless payment
systems, remote working, the role of technology in distance learning, Telehealth, 3D Printing, and
online entertainment. These technological advancements have been embraced all the way during this
pandemic by a few countries around the world, with its limitation in some underdeveloped and
developing countries.

• Robotics:
From sending employees home in droves to limiting in-person professional interactions, COVID-19 is
fundamentally changing the way we work. Workforce automation, which has been ramping up in recent
years, appears poised to accelerate as a result. As discussed at the GBPC’s 2019 CEO Retreat in
Mallorca, the impact of automation on the global workforce continues to grow in a variety of
dimensions, including the number of jobs at high risk (see figure 1). Just as robots are now displacing
blue-collar workers, advances in artificial intelligence are beginning to displace accountants, lawyers,
and other service-based professions. China has led the world in industrial robot density over the past
few years, having installed 154,000 robots in 2018. Japan, the United States, and South Korea are far
behind with only 55,200, 40,400, and 37,800 installations respectively. Yet installation of industrial
robots continues to rise globally

• Cash Transactions and payments:

What are Contactless Payments?
Contactless payments as the name indicates is the mode of payment where the buyer does not need to
come in contact with currency notes, devices. The Covid-19 pandemic along with social distancing

measures, health and hygiene concerns have played a huge role in its growth recently and it has turned
out to be the most convenient form of payment modes as well.
Contactless payments have emerged as an essential solution for all the businesses as it enables them to
drive their business forward along with ensuring safety to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
Previously, many consumers were wary of making a purchase using a smartphone. Yet today, more
consumers are embracing contactless payments, such as QR codes and digital wallets over traditional
methods.

As the graph above demonstrates, 30% of consumers have started using contactless payment methods
(think NFC cards, smartphones, and wearables) since COVID-19 started. Furthermore, 70% of those
who are new to contactless payments report that they will continue to use this payment method after
the pandemic has died down.
• Work from home:

What is Work from Home?

Work from home describes work being done remotely, instead of at an office. The acronym “WFH” is
used as a nickname for the concept. Many organizations transitioned their employees from the office to a
work from home model during the Coronavirus global pandemic.
Work From Home during Pandemic:
Technology has made working remotely more effective. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic
globally, many companies and business organizations have pleaded their workers to work from home to
prevent direct contact and mingling with other work staff. Technology facilitates remote working
through the use of virtual private networks, voice over Internet protocols, enabling virtual meeting
through zooms or Google platforms, and with the use of facial recognition technologies allowing the
person to appear behind the virtual background
• Online Classes:
The impact of online classes on students:
No one imagined that Covid-19 would turn our world upside down and would bring major changes to
our lifestyle. The virus has spread everywhere like a wild forest fire due to which numerous changes
were accepted by people all over the world, and it took some time for everyone to adapt to the new
normal.
Online learning is rapidly becoming one of the most effective ways to impart education. The impact of
the virus was so strong that online education became a seemingly ubiquitous part of our growing world,
which resulted in the closure of schools and no further physical interaction of teachers with students.
Fortunately, soon enough most of the schools and educational institutions moved to online mode to
resume their studies. As a result, education has changed dramatically, with the distinctive rise of e-
learning, whereby teaching is undertaken remotely on digital platforms instead of physical classrooms.

• Telehealth / Online health care:

Telehealth is the use of information and communication technologies such as computer and mobile
devices to access health care service remotely and manage your health care. These may be technologies
you use from home or that your doctor uses to improve or support health care services. Telehealth means a
virtual visit with a health care provider through a phones call or video chat. Remote patient monitoring
which lets your provider checks on you while you are at your home. Telehealth can be an effective way
to contain the spread of Covid 19 while still providing effective primary care.

The goals of telehealth also called e health or m health (mobile health) include the following :
• Make health care accessible to people who live in rural or isolated communities.
• Make services more readily available or convenient for people with limited mobility time or
transportation options.
• Provide access to medical specialists.

• 3D Printing:
Harnessing the advantages of 3D printing:
The digital versatility and quick prototyping of 3D printing empowers a swift mobilization of the
technology and hence a rapid response to emergencies. Even during severe disruptions in supply chains,
critical parts can be manufactured on-demand by any decentralized 3D-printing facility in the world by
leveraging designs shared online. Moreover, the additive nature of 3D printing enables product
customization and complex designs. The broad spectrum of 3D-printing applications in the fight against
COVID-19 includes personal protective equipment (PPE)2,3,4, medical5,6 and testing devices7,
personal accessories, visualization aids and emergency dwellings .
• Initiation of 5G:
How does 5G work?
Wireless communications systems use radio frequencies (also known as spectrum) to carry information
through the air.
5G operates in the same way, but uses higher radio frequencies that are less cluttered. This allows for it
to carry more information at a much faster rate. These higher bands are called 'millimeter waves'
(mmwaves).
Impact of 5G on the Education Sector:
5G technology will help in increasing individual student’s grip over education. With high-speed internet
speed, students can access educational resources at their comfort and location. Since the learning
aptitude of every student is unique. 5G technology will help the students access the same information
multiple times to grasp the topic better.
• Online entertainment:
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in Canadians using the Internet more than ever to stay connected
with others, for entertainment purposes and to do their shopping. Over half (57%) of Canadians 15 years
of age and older video-conferenced with family and friends more often since the start of the pandemic,
the highest proportion among all Internet-related activities. These findings were also reflected in data
for Great Britain from the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey, which found that 57% of individuals 16 years
of age and older increased their use of video calls with family and friends during the pandemic. Using
video conferencing services to communicate with family and friends was also the most frequently
reported Internet-related activity that Canadians did for the first time during the pandemic (28%).

• Shopping Online:
Shopping online has quite a few benefits, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic when in-
person shopping is either limited or nearly impossible. Aside from being able to shop from the
comfort of your home, or anywhere for that matter, there are many advantages of shopping online.
Ability to shop at any time, day or night. No long lines at checkout. Packages delivered to your
doorstep, without leaving the house. Reading reviews and comparing products prior to making a
purchase. Given the opportunity to purchase refurbished, or like-new items. Convenience of
shopping through an app with saved personal information, making checkout quicker. Receive
discount and sale notifications that notifies you when it’s the best time to shop. No-pressure sales.
You can decide at any time to abandon your cart instead of completing the transaction. Potential to
receive product reminder emails if you have abandoned your cart or saved an item for later and
sometimes, these reminder emails contain an offer or discount code

• Side effects of Technological development:

COVID-19 has caused obstacles in continuing normal life almost everywhere in the world by
causing the implementation of social distancing and eventually imposing the lockdown. This has
become the reason for the increase in technology usage in daily life for professional work as well
as for entertainment purposes. There has been an increased prevalence of technology usage in
adolescents and children during lockdown leaving its impact on their lives either in a positive or
negative aspect. The overall documented percentage increase of technology usage in children was
 about 15%, of which smartphone usage has 61.7% of prevalence. Disturbance in brain functioning
is suggested to be originated by compromise of neuroplasticity of the nerves. The radiofrequency
(RF) radiations emitting from the smartphone are of doubtful concern as a brain tumor risk factor in
children. The increased usage can have effects on brain functioning that will compromise sleep and
cognitive abilities and develop risk for certain mental illnesses including, but not limited to,
depression, anxiety, Alzheimer’s disease, and attention-deficit/hyperactive disorder (ADHD).
Despite being a threat for developing mental illness, video games are proven to reduce depression
and anxiety, and increase creativity, skills, and cognition in children. The increased usage of
technology can have a positive and negative impact on the mental development of adolescents and
children depending on the trends in the usage. However, parents should be monitoring their
children’s mental health and behavior in these difficult times of pandemic.

• Summary:

From the above reports, we learn that technology has grown significantly during the pandemic and it
has gained massive exposure within the common people. Two years ago, terms such as ‘Online
Classes’ and ‘Work From Home’ were foreign to most people but it has become a part of our
everyday life now.
Prolonged lockdowns and strict protocols have made us look for alternatives and discover modern
technologies like online payments, online shopping, online entertainment, online health care and
more. These technologies have existed long before the pandemic but they were never used by a
majority of the people because a lot of people did not have access to a mobile phone or a computer
as they were not affordable to everyone, and it has never been necessary to us until now anyway.

STUDENTS’ REFLECTION (LEARNING)

Technology-based projects can also inspire students to think and collaborate as opposed to memorizing,
whether they’re using the web for research or to correspond with other students or experts who are not
physically present. These projects likewise help them learn technology skills they’ll need to succeed in
the modern workforce. Common knowledge the students gained while working on this project is :
• Digital Simulations
• Online learning
• Improved communication
• Vast information resources
• Better assignments
• Self-paced learning
• More Fun Learning
• Online collaboration
• Improved education access

BIBLIOGRAPHY

• https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-
insights/how-covid-19-has-pushed-companies-over-the-technology-tipping-point-and-
transformed-business-forever

• https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/04/10-technology-trends-coronavirus-covid19-
pandemic-robotics-telehealth/

• https://www.kearney.com/web/global-business-policy-council/article/?/a/robots-vs-covid-
19-how-the-pandemic-is-accelerating-automation

• https://www.trustradius.com/buyer-blog/how-technology-improves-education

• https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-020-1011-4