Automation

Question 1

The meaning of automation

Answer 1

Automation: is the use of machines, control systems, and information technologies to optimize productivity in the production of goods and delivery of services.

Question 2

The Circumstances under which automation can be used

Answer 2

Question 3

Type of function to be automated

Answer 3

Type of function to be automated • automated input (Caller ID, Speech Recognition, Biometrics, webcam, …) • automated processing • automated output (Audio output, Robotics, …)

Question 4

Should the task be automated?

Answer 4

• Social viewpoint (are the impacts of automation on people acceptable?)
• Marketing viewpoint (Does “automated” have a positive image associated with it?)”

Question 5

Should the task be automated from an economics view point?

Answer 5

Question 6

4 Necessary components of any automated system

Answer 6

• Goal Setting / Setter
• Measuring / Sensor
• Comaring / Comparator
• Deciding / Decision-Maker

Question 7

4 Necessary components of any automated system: Goal Setting

Answer 7

1. Goal Setting:
   i. Imaging a situation, usually different from what is actually present
   1. Desirable (and therefore ought to be reached)
   2. Undesirable (and therefore ought to be avoided)
   ii. The two key elements:
   1. Imagining
   a. Envisioning, conceiving, visualizing, picturing in the mind, fantasizing, etc.
   2. Values
   a. Desirable/undesirable, good/bad, acceptable/unacceptable, satisfactory/unsatisfactory

Question 8

4 Necessary components of any automated system: Measuring

Answer 8

i. Sensing an external entity and describing (one or several of) its attributes in terms of a predefined scale
ii. Measuring involves translation of what is sensed into predetermined units of measurement

Question 9

4 Necessary components of any automated system: Comparing

Answer 9

i. Comparing two things is the third type of mental activity
ii. In automatic design we compare the actual state of an object vs is desired state
iii. What should be (as produced during the imagining phase) vs what is (as provided by the measurement phase)
iv. The outcome is either a “yes” or “no”

Question 10

4 Necessary components of any automated system: Deciding

Answer 10

i. Choosing or selecting
ii. If the comparison outcome is “yes”, then the decision will be to maintain the status quo
iii. If the comparison outcome is “no”, then the decision will be to change the status quo

Question 11

Payback period calculation

Answer 11

Question 12

The old system needed 5 clerks. The new system costs $30,000 and needs only 2 people. Each clerk is paid $20,000/year. How long will it take for the system to pay for itself?

Answer 12

Payback Period = Fixed Cost / (Cost Savings or Revenue Enhancement) / time period so…… 30k / (3 x 20k)/year = .5 Years

Question 13

Advantages and disdvantages of automation

Answer 13