Cambridge IGCSE ICT 0417 · Topic 1: Types and components of computer systems · Paper 1
You will learn to
Describe the options after IGCSE: A Level, BTEC, T Levels and apprenticeships.
Compare two routes on how they are taught and how they are assessed.
Identify the route that suits you best, with a reason.
Success criteria
I can name four routes after IGCSE.
I can say how an apprenticeship is different from A Level.
I can give one reason for the route I would choose.
The syllabus points for this section
Describe artificial intelligence and give examples of its use.
Explain virtual reality and augmented reality and how they differ.
Describe uses and impacts of extended reality.
Key words
Say each word, then read what it means. Every one is in the glossary too.
System software
Software that runs and maintains the computer, such as the operating system and drivers.
ROM
Read-only memory: non-volatile memory holding the start-up instructions.
Operating system
System software that manages the hardware, files and programs, and gives the user an interface.
Artificial intelligence
A computer system that does tasks normally needing human thinking.
Virtual reality
A computer-made world that fully replaces what the user sees.
Augmented reality
Computer images added on top of a live view of the real world.
The explanation
Read it here, or open the study page below to go one step at a time with things to try.
Artificial intelligence (AI)
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a computer system that does tasks that normally need human thinking. Examples: recognising faces, understanding speech, making decisions.
Many AI systems learn from large amounts of data. The more examples they see, the better they get.
Uses: voice assistants, chatbots on shop websites, spotting fraud in bank payments, medical image analysis, self-driving cars.
Positive impacts
Negative impacts
Can work all day without tiring, so faster and more consistent
Can replace some jobs, causing unemployment
Can spot patterns in data humans would miss, e.g. early signs of disease
Only as good as its training data, so it can be biased or wrong
Can do dangerous or boring tasks
Expensive to develop; people may rely on it too much
Extended reality: VR and AR
Extended reality (XR) is the general name for technologies that mix the real and computer-made worlds.
Virtual reality (VR) replaces the real world completely. The user wears a headset and sees only a computer-generated world. Sensors track head movement.
Augmented reality (AR) adds computer images on top of the real world. The user looks through a phone camera or smart glasses and still sees what is around them.
Virtual reality (VR)
Augmented reality (AR)
Real world visible?
No, fully replaced
Yes, with extra images added
Equipment
Headset, often with hand controllers
Smartphone, tablet or smart glasses
Example uses
Pilot and surgeon training, games, virtual tours of a museum
Seeing furniture in your room before buying, navigation arrows on a street, games like catching virtual creatures
Disadvantage
Can cause motion sickness; user cannot see real hazards
Needs a good camera and processing; drains battery
e.g.Example
A Madrid medical school trains students on a VR operating theatre. Mistakes cost nothing and no patient is at risk.
A furniture shop app uses AR: point the phone at your living room and a virtual sofa appears in the right size.
!Watch out
Do not mix them up. VR = you are inside a virtual world. AR = virtual things are added to your real world.