ABSTRACT
Technology can be defined as the application of one or more knowledge bases for a useful purpose. Technology is represented in every practical object and activity around us. For example, the technology of “mobility” is illustrated in the doors we open, the stairs we climb, the elevators we ride, the cars we drive, the roads we drive on, and the maps we follow. Technologists consider what is known (i.e., basic science) and needed (i.e., real-life problems), and then they make decisions for action. Technology implies action and reflectivity as well as risk taking and inventiveness. Since knowledge bases and needs constantly change, revision, and renewal are central to any technology. Consider how the design of many sidewalks, parking lots, and doors over the last decade have provided (at long last) at least minimal access for people with physical disabilities. Of course, change for the better is the intent, though not necessarily the result. Most early proponents of the automobile foresaw personal freedom and mobility, but few anticipated pollution and traffic.
