Tech in Everyday Life

What Technology Is in Your Home?

Look around your home. Now imagine taking away all the technology. This is probably quite challenging since technology inundates our lives. Beyond the usual suspects, your phone or computer, more basic things are also technological, like your coffee maker, oven, and microwave. It's hard to imagine life today without technology. Since the category of technology is so vast, today we'll focus on four types of technology: batteries, microchips, lasers and fiber optics.

Batteries

Imagine sitting down after a long day to turn on the television. You click the button on the remote, but nothing happens. Frustrated, you dump out the batteries, only to realize they're past their prime. Batteries are tiny cells of chemicals that can be used to generate electricity. The chemicals inside the battery release tiny negatively charged particles called electrons. The electrons flow through the wires connected to the battery to generate electricity.

A popular type of battery is a lithium-ion battery, the same type of batteries used in your phone and laptop. Lithium-ion batteries are great because they can hold more charge in less space, leading to lighter, more portable devices. Scientists are creating even smaller lithium batteries that can be charged thousands of times, with full power being restored in just 12 minutes, much faster than the hours it takes for normal rechargeable batteries.

However, batteries are used for more than just your remote. Medical devices such as pacemakers use lithium batteries to keep patients' hearts pumping. Scientists are also developing biological batteries, such as those made from potatoes, to supply power to villages in remote parts of the world.