What Is Digital Revolution?

By : Neha Dhyani

Updated : May 19, 2022, 11:14

Digital Revolution is the scientific advancement from mechanical and analogue to digital technology. In the pre-digital era, Sir William Thomson developed the tide predictor in the year 1872. This was a special purpose mechanical analogue computer and one of its kind.

Vannevar Bush created the first modern analogue computer in the 1930s which was huge and weighed 100 tons. In the year 1938, the US Navy developed an analogue computer that was small and could be used on a submarine. The electronic digital computer which was introduced in the year 1943 marked the beginning of the era of the Digital Revolution.

History of Digital Revolution

The transistor was invented in 1947 and video games were introduced in 1958. However, video games did not become popular till the 1970s. The first digitally operated robot which was also programmable was created in the year 1954

The ATM made its debut in 1969 and went on to revolutionize the banking industry. Motorola came up with the first handheld cell phone in 1973. By 1979, the analogue 1G phone service had started.

The (IBM) personal computer debuted in the year 1981. The commercially portable cell phone was approved by the FCC in 1983. In the year 1985, the first version of Microsoft Windows was released. In the latter half of the 1980s, the world witnessed remarkable inventions.

Additive manufacturing emerged in the year 1987, and it was followed by the invention of the world wide web in 1989. Tim Berners-Lee who was a British scientist invented the world wide web to meet the demand for automated information-sharing between scientists throughout the world.

Digital Revolution - Overview

The first commercially successful tablet computer was released in the year 1989. Tablets became hugely popular with the masses since they were portable and convenient for browsing. Computers led to digital record keeping and helped governments, armed forces and businesses. Analogue-digital phones led to digital cell phones in 1991

The internet was made available to the masses in the 1990s. Digital TV, which opened up a world of entertainment, was introduced to the public in 1998. By the end of the decade, the internet became so popular that a large number of businesses had their own website and almost all the countries in the world had their own internet connection

By the 2000s the sale of cell phones, personal computers and tablets started booming even in developing countries. High-Definition TV broadcasting also became very popular

Benefits of Digital Revolution

Digital Revolution has made it easy for us to access data regardless of our geographical location. We can now work from home and learning is possible regardless of our age because of all the information that is freely available on the internet.

The Digital Revolution has made online banking, social networking, online shopping and e-booking of tickets for travel possible. Businesses are now able to maintain digital records, automate manufacturing processes and market their goods online.

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GPS combined with satellite technology has made travel very easy. Drones and missiles rely on digital technology. These unmanned aerial vehicles are being increasingly used in warfare in order to minimize causality. Additive manufacturing, which is the result of the Digital Revolution, is helping the environment since it generates less waste and reduces energy consumption by using just a little more material than what is necessary to create the product.

The 3D printing of models of complex natural ecosystems like The Great Barrier Reef helps us understand how the environment is degrading them. Such models can help us save the natural ecosystems in the world so that they can be preserved for future generations.

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Digital Revolution - Final Thoughts

The Digital Revolution has improved our lives tremendously and will continue to change the world for the better in the days to come. Some people feel that discarded electronics and electrical waste is harming the environment, especially in third world countries because they don't recycle waste properly.

India is one of the largest electronic waste producers in the world, so steps have to be taken to recycle electronic and electrical waste in order to protect the environment.

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FAQs on Digital Revolution

Q1) With regards to Digital Revolution, in which year did the first electronic digital computer make its debut?

With regards to Digital Revolution, It was introduced in the year 1943

Q2) In the context of the Digital Revolution when did the ATM debut?

In the context of the Digital Revolution, The ATM debuted in the year 1969.

Q3) Keeping Digital Revolution in mind, when was the World Wide Web invented?

Keeping Digital Revolution in mind, It was invented in 1989.

Q4) In the context of the boom of the Digital Revolution, when was the IBM PC introduced?

In the context of the boom of the Digital Revolution, The IBM PC was introduced in 1981

Q5) With regards to Digital Revolution, the commercially portable cell phone was approved by the FCC in which year?

With regards to Digital Revolution, It was approved by the FCC in the year 1983.