Module 4. Technical Focus

Advent (n)

an arrival or coming, esp. one which is awaited  

with the ~ of technology

Android (n)

(in science fiction) a robot resembling a human being ; bionic man or woman, cyborg, humanoid, mechanical man, robot; a mobile operating system developed by Google

~personal assistant

Annihilate (v)

to destroy completely; extinguish  

annihilation (n), syn. abolish, destroy, eradicate, erase, exterminate, liquidate

Artificial intelligence (AI)

the study of the modelling of human mental functions by computer programs

programming language of ~, ~applications

Biometrics (n)

the study of biological data by means of statistical analysis  

biometric (adj), biometric security

Bionics (n)

the study of certain biological functions, esp. those relating to the brain, that are applicable to the development of electronic equipment  

bionic (adj), bionic methods

Botnet (n)

a network of computers using distributed computing software; it can also refer to a collection of software agents, or robots, that run autonomously and automatically.

~ structure, to utilize the ~

Embed (v)

to fix or become fixed firmly and deeply in a surrounding solid mass  

embedded (adj), embedded system, embedded within smth, embedded deeply

Expert system

is a program containing everything that an 'expert' knows about a subject

to develop/apply/implement an ~

Exponential (adj)

(of a function, curve, series, or equation) of, containing, or involving one or more numbers or quantities raised to an exponent; very rapid    

~ growth/decay/ increase, exponentially (adv)

Finite (adj)

bounded in magnitude or spatial or temporal extent; limited or restricted in nature  

~ number/resources

Ant. infinite

Flops (n)

floating-point operations per second: used as a measure of computer processing power (in combination with a prefix)  

giga~, tera~, peta~, exa~, luma~, to measure in ~

Forefront (n)

the extreme front; the position of most prominence, responsibility, or action  

on/at the~ of

Futuristic (adj)

likely to be current or fashionable at some future time; ultramodern  

~ technology/design/scenario, futurology, futurologist

Handle (v)

to have power or control over; to manage successfully; to deal with or treat in a specified way  

~ambiguity/situation, syn. control, direct, operate, steer, use, administer, conduct, cope with, deal with, manage, supervise  

Hologram (n)

a photographic record produced by illuminating the object with coherent light (as from a laser) and, without using lenses

holographic (adj), holographic image/memory/display

Instant (adj)

a very brief time; moment; a particular moment or point in time  

instantaneous (adj), instantaneous rate/growth/reaction, instance (n)

Mainstream (n)

smth accepted, central, conventional, core, current, established, general, orthodox, prevailing, received  

in the ~, ~ media/culture, outside of the ~

Nano-

denoting 10--9, indicating extreme smallness

~-technology/computers/meters/ medicine/bots/materials/tubes

Neural (adj)

of or relating to a nerve or the nervous system  

~networks /level

Onset (n)

assault, attack, charge, onrush, onslaught; beginning, inception, kick-off  

early/late/sudden~

Pattern (n)

a plan or diagram used as a guide in making something; a standard way of moving, acting, etc.; a model worthy of imitation  

iris and retina/living~, ~of smth, reveal/follow/recognize a ~

Pervade (v)

to spread through or throughout, esp. subtly or gradually

pervasive (adj), pervasive computing, syn. permeate

Precedent (n)

an example or instance used to justify later similar occurrences  

set a ~, historical/legal/dangerous ~, unprecedented (adj)

Quantum, pl -ta (n)

the smallest quantity of some physical property, such as energy, that a system can possess according to the quantum theory  

~computers/bits (qubits)

Replicate (v)

to make or be a copy of; reproduce  

~findings/success/model, replicator (n)

Robot (n)

any automated machine programmed to perform specific mechanical functions in the manner of a man  

create/use a ~, robotics, robotic pets

Scenario (n)

a predicted sequence of events  

doomsday~, positive/negative~

Singularity (n)

the hypothesized creation of smarter-than-human entities who rapidly accelerate technological progress beyond the capability of human beings to participate.

~ of

Sync (n)

an informal word for synchronization (esp. in the phrases in or out of sync)  

in/ out of~

Smart (adj)

(of systems) operating as if by human intelligence by using automatic computer control  

~ devices/ home/phone, smartness (n)

Ubiquitous (adj)

having or seeming to have the ability to be everywhere at once; omnipresent  

~computing, syn. ubiquitous

Unleash (v)

to free from restraint or control  

~ the power, syn. free, let go, let loose, release, untie