Technology has become an essential part of our life. Today, it’s hard to imagine your daily routine without digital devices. Most people use them for basic activities like cooking, shopping, and working. Even outside the home, technology has an enormous impact on society. We use it to plan how cities are built, and how apartment buildings and homes are laid out. We even use it to buy and move into homes and make them our own.
Despite all the good, there are also some drawbacks to these technological advances.
Recent news has introduced key concerns about how reliant we are on technology for even the most simple tasks. Technology is in almost every room at home and helps with most tasks we do on a regular basis.
Reduced privacy, addiction, and social isolation are among the adverse effects of technology. According to the National Library of Medicine, technology even causes reduced physical activity.
The positive aspects of technology
Despite the adverse effects, it’s hard to deny that technology has improved our lives in many ways.
Improved communication
Technological advances eliminated distance and time barriers in communication. Now we can conduct videoconferences, and receive instant messages.
Technology also facilitates learning communication skill improvement. With technology being in most office work environments, employees must learn digital communication. They also have to ensure that they stay up-to-date on any company announcements that are often sent digitally.
Widespread adoption
Technology is more integrated into our daily lives than ever before.
It means that people of all demographic groups must adapt to the new situation. More young children use devices daily. According to Pew Research Center, parents with a child aged 9 to 11 are more likely to say their child engages with a smartphone (67 percent). That’s compared with parents with a child aged 5 to 8 (59 percent) or age two or younger (49 percent).
The use of technology has also grown among seniors, over the last decade, according to a new analysis that Pew Research conducted in 2021.
The survey found that 96 percent of 18 to 29-year-olds own a smartphone. That compares with 61 percent of those 65 and older, a 35 percentage point difference. The gap has decreased from 53 points in 2012.
Health tracking
Health tracking is a collection of data related to your health. Technology helps us to keep track of our health, from wristbands to smartphone apps.
Many apps track weight, physical activity, calorie consumption, and sleep patterns. Tech companies like Apple and Fitbit have also developed wearable electronic devices. These devices can measure your daily physical activity and provide reminders for exercises.
Health tracking exists in many forms, and you can choose from many devices for your taste, need, and budget.
The negative aspects of technology
Many people can’t imagine their daily lives without technology. As many of us depend on digital devices for our work and daily activities, it can be hard to see its negative impacts.
Technology makes our lives easier, but it also has negative impacts, according to experts. For example, using digital devices can cause addiction and hurt communication skills.
Additionally, technology can affect our health and cause deterioration of vision and posture. It could affect people who spend too much time working on their computers.
When we spend hours on our devices, we spend time sitting. A sedentary lifestyle leads to an increased risk of many conditions and diseases. According to the World Health Organization, they include diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity.
Decreased privacy
In the digital world, most things are shared electronically. It could be particularly problematic for your privacy. Social media is what many people use to keep up with their friends and family and keep track of global events. But social media can also lead to a loss of privacy. Users often need to provide information that they would not share otherwise.
Excessive exposure to technology
Overexposure to technology can be problematic for a few reasons. First, we can become reliant on electronics to do the most basic tasks and eventually be unable to do them ourselves. This is most obvious with skills like navigating with maps on the road. At home, more basic activities like cooking and cleaning are now taken over by slow cookers, pressure cookers, and robot vacuums.
Overuse of technology can also take a toll on our mental health. Unfortunately, most people know all too well that internet-connected devices can lead to attention strain and other problems for young people. Many studies have also found a link between social media and mental health problems.
Technology addiction
Overuse of technology can also create addiction problems. In addition to the symptoms of simple technology overuse, a full-out addiction brings a whole host of other issues.
Technology addiction can take many forms. At home, this may look like excessive overuse of social media, online shopping, gaming, or computer work. Those with technology addiction can suffer from intense emotional and social issues, including depression, anxiety, loss of pleasure from other sources, and even placing technology over their own physical safety.
Tech trends transforming our homes
Smart devices have moved from our palms to our homes. They have allowed us to create living spaces that continue to get more intuitive and save energy.
Smart home security system
A smart home security system allows an app to check and control your security devices. This system will enable you to check your home from anywhere to ensure it’s safe.
Smart home security systems come in various forms. They can be do-it-yourself kits or full-blown setups that include professional installation.
Voice-activated control platforms
Voice-activated control platforms allow consumers to control the light and adjust the temperature.
Amazon Echo, Apple’s Siri, and Google Assistant use voice recognition to answer questions. A user controls electronic devices by verbal commands.
Remote learning with the help of technology
Online courses
Online courses have become popular, as the COVID-19 pandemic caused remote shift work.
More than 20 million new learners registered for courses in 2021, according to the Coursera 2021 Impact Report. This number is equal to total growth in the three years pre-pandemic. Today you can learn many skills from your computer without leaving your home. Doing so is a great way to boost your resume and improve your job prospects.
Supports multimodal learning
The American University School of Education says that teachers can use engaging content to boost interest.
This also has ties to academic success. Curiosity helps students get a better understanding of math and reading concepts. Creating engaging content can involve the use of videos or podcasts.
Improves individualized learning
Many connect with friends and family over WhatsApp, FaceTime, or Zoom. Education has followed suit, as it became accessible for everyone with an Internet connection.
Many students can now adapt to learning with the help of digital tools. Remote learning allows for avoiding socio-economic barriers that often prevent education access. Teachers can create lessons based on student interests and strengths. And students can learn at their own pace.
Scientists found that remote students do better in exams than traditional classroom students.
Tech trends in the home inspection industry
Technology has changed the home industry’s work. From virtual walkthroughs to home inspections, it’s now ingrained in the industry.
Virtual walkthroughs
Virtual walkthroughs have become more popular because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But the trend is here to stay. Many home inspection companies have adapted to virtual inspections through FaceTime and GoogleDuo.
Virtual walkthroughs eliminated the need for buyers and sellers to be present during a home inspection.
Inspectors can record themselves, so their clients can watch the home inspection process in real-time. Home inspectors can also video chat with a buyer and a seller during a home inspection.
Home inspection software
Home inspection software allows home inspectors to streamline scheduling, billing, and bookkeeping. While home inspectors used to need different tools for these tasks, now they can do them in one centralized location.
Using home inspection software allows for saving time and money. You can skip many apps and programs because software offers all these functions.
ISN is one of the most popular options among home inspectors, as it provides the best scheduling system. It allows for easy customization of forms and quick access to all data.
Mobile apps
The technology allows home inspectors to do most of the work on a tablet or smartphone. Home inspectors can use apps to write reports, track expenses, communicate with customers, and access data on the go. ISN software has an app from which home inspectors can run their businesses.
How modern technology benefits home inspectors
Home inspectors use special tools to detect moisture, identify leaks, foundation cracks, and spot mold.
Standard home inspections don’t include asbestos or radon testing. They also don’t cover air quality testing. You need to hire a specialist to check your house for the presence of radon or asbestos.
Radon
Inspectors use special equipment to detect radon’s presence in a home and determine the scope of the problem.
There are two groups of radon devices for short-term testing. Passive devices are alpha track detectors and charcoal canisters. Active devices are continuous radon monitors (CRMs) and continuous working level monitors.
Air Quality
Air quality testing could need several tools, depending on the signs of the problem. Specialists use moisture meters, thermal imaging, and air sampling. It allows us to check the air quality inside the house and find problems like mold or moisture.
Mold
Home professionals need to measure the humidity level to detect mold. During the process, they use moisture meters, thermal cameras, hygrometers, particle scanners, and different air sampling tools. Surface tests can also help to detect moisture in a specific area.
Water damage
A moisture meter is one of the most common tools for checking the property for water damage. They can’t diagnose the problem, only determine the presence of moisture.
A moisture meter can help decide whether you need to investigate the area more. If your meter displays a high reading, you may want to inspect that area further and look for signs of discoloration and stains.
Source: inspectionsupport
