6.1 What is technology?
For something name-checked so widely throughout our society, the precise meaning of the word “technology” is not that well-known. “Technology” is so frequently placed in conjunction with the word “science” that many think of the two as the same. Some equate technology purely with gadgetry while others think somewhat hazily of all the things that distinguish the present from the past.
In the current time the word ”technology” means more the practical application of knowledge so that something entirely new can be done, or so that something can be done in a completely new way.
This may be a narrow scope though, as technology includes so many creative solutions to many everyday problems humans have faced all throughout history.
So what is technology?
The word technology is made up of two Greek words, which are translated as techne and logos. Techne means art, skill, craft or how something is achieved. Logos means word, the utterance with which the inner world is expressed. Thus, τeχνoλoγια (technologia) is the science and systematic treatment of (practical) arts [1].
Thus, technology can be also defined in five senses:
- Firstly, technology is the rational process of creating the means to transform matter, energy and information to achieve specific goals.
- Secondly, technology is the totality of means (tools, devices, systems, methods, procedures) created by the technological process.
- Thirdly, technology is the knowledge that makes the technological process possible. It consists of the facts and procedures necessary to organize matter, energy and information and the discovery of new means.
- Fourth, a technology is a subset of related technological objects and knowledge. Information and communication technologies and medical technologies are examples.
- Finally, technology is the system consisting of the technological process, the technological objects, the technological knowledge, the developers of technological objects, the users of technological objects, and the worldview (i.e., the beliefs about things and the value of things that shape one's view of the world) that has emerged from and drives the technological process.
There are many different types of technology, differing in historical invention and application, as well as by the type of problem they solve. Types of technology include mechanical technology, medical technology, communications technology, electronic technology, and industrial and manufacturing technologies. Though these different types of technology all serve different purposes, range in design, and are applied in different ways, they all have one thing in common: they all solve a problem.
In the sense of Digital Rehabilitation, we are using medical and information and communication technology.
- Definition medical technologies: Medical technology is defined as the application of scientific principles to develop solutions to problems regarding health, prevent or delay the onset of disease, and promote the overall health of humans [2]. Medical technology is used to prevent, diagnose, treat, and monitor symptoms and diseases. This includes the use of X-rays, MRIs, and ultrasounds which are tools used to look in the body for ailments. Ventilators are another type of medical technology, and are used to assist people in breathing. Prostheses and orthoses are also medical technologies, such as advanced prostheses, orthopaedic implants and aids, as they help people with physical disabilities to regain their mobility and improve their quality of life.
- Definition information and communications technologies: Information and communication technology, abbreviated as ICT, covers all technical means used to handle information and aid communication. This includes both computer and network hardware, as well as their software. For example the internet is considered a communications technology, because it is a system that communicates information in infinite ways [3].