Know and understand advantages and disadvantages of using computer controlled systems rather than humans

6 ICT Applications – Computer‑Controlled Systems

What is a computer‑controlled system?

A computer‑controlled system is an ICT solution in which hardware (sensors, actuators, processors), software (control algorithms, operating systems), network infrastructure (wired or wireless links) and data (real‑time parameters, logs, user information) work together to perform tasks that were previously carried out by people. The Cambridge IGCSE ICT syllabus expects students to describe the characteristics and uses of such systems, evaluate them against five AO3 criteria (cost, speed, reliability, safety, ethical/social impact) and link each example to the systems life‑cycle (analysis → design → testing → implementation → documentation → evaluation).

1. Automated Manufacturing – Robotics

Characteristics & Uses: Industrial robots on assembly lines carry out welding, painting, component placement and quality inspection with high precision and repeatability.

• Safety & security: Emergency‑stop circuits, safety‑rated PLCs, and redundant sensors provide fail‑safe operation.
• Data‑protection / legal: Production data is usually covered by corporate confidentiality policies; where personal data is collected (e.g., operator IDs) GDPR or local data‑protection legislation applies.

Evaluation (AO3)

• Cost: High initial capital for hardware, software licences and programming; lower long‑term labour costs.
• Speed: Continuous operation; cycle times often measured in seconds.
• Reliability: Very high when redundancy is built in; downtime mainly due to hardware failure.
• Safety: Removes workers from hazardous environments; safety‑rated design reduces accident risk.
• Ethical / social impact: Reduces low‑skill jobs; creates demand for higher‑skill technical staff.

Systems life‑cycle links

• Analysis: Identify repetitive, high‑precision tasks.
• Design: Select robot type, define work envelope, choose PLC and safety standards (e.g., IEC 61508).
• Testing: Simulate movements, verify safety interlocks and emergency‑stop response.
• Implementation: Install hardware, program robots, integrate with PLCs and supervisory control.
• Documentation: Produce operation manuals, maintenance schedules, safety‑assessment reports.
• Evaluation: Monitor output quality, perform cost‑benefit analysis, review safety incident logs.

Advantages

• High speed and continuous production.
• Excellent precision (tolerances of ±0.01 mm).
• Improved safety for human workers.

Disadvantages

• Large upfront investment in hardware, software and programming.
• Low flexibility – re‑tooling for a new product can be time‑consuming.
• Potential displacement of low‑skill employment.

2. Traffic Management Systems

Characteristics & Uses: Computer‑controlled traffic lights, vehicle‑count sensors and adaptive signal control optimise urban traffic flow and reduce congestion.

• Safety & security: Red‑light cameras and fail‑safe controller design prevent dangerous signal states; encrypted communication protects against tampering.
• Data‑protection / legal: Video footage is subject to privacy legislation (e.g., GDPR) and must be stored securely with limited retention periods.

Evaluation (AO3)

• Cost: Moderate – equipment and maintenance; cheaper than expanding road capacity.
• Speed: Immediate response to changing traffic conditions.
• Reliability: Dependent on sensor accuracy; redundancy (dual sensors, backup controllers) improves uptime.
• Safety: Reduces collision risk through coordinated signalling and emergency‑vehicle pre‑emption.
• Ethical / social impact: Improves travel time but raises privacy concerns with camera data.

Systems life‑cycle links

• Analysis: Map traffic patterns, identify bottlenecks.
• Design: Choose sensor types, develop adaptive control logic, adopt IEC 61850 where appropriate.
• Testing: Simulate peak‑hour scenarios, calibrate thresholds, test fail‑safe modes.
• Implementation: Install hardware, upload software to controllers, connect to central network.
• Documentation: Produce operation manuals, data‑privacy statements, maintenance schedules.
• Evaluation: Compare before/after travel times, incident rates, and public‑feedback surveys.

Advantages

• Reduced congestion and shorter travel times.
• Real‑time adaptation to traffic conditions.
• Improved road safety through coordinated signalling.

Disadvantages

• System failures can cause city‑wide disruption.
• Reliance on accurate sensor data; faulty sensors produce incorrect decisions.
• Privacy concerns when cameras record vehicle registration plates.

3. Automated Banking – ATMs & Online Transactions

Characteristics & Uses: Self‑service terminals and web‑based platforms enable cash withdrawal, deposits, fund transfers and bill payments without teller assistance.

• Safety & security: End‑to‑end encryption (TLS), hardware security modules (HSMs) for PIN protection, and anti‑skimming devices on ATMs.
• Data‑protection / legal: Must comply with GDPR (EU) or local data‑protection acts; banks are also subject to financial‑sector regulations such as PCI‑DSS for card data.

Evaluation (AO3)

• Cost: Lower operational cost than staffing full‑time tellers; high upfront security investment.
• Speed: Immediate transaction processing; 24‑hour availability.
• Reliability: High, but outages affect many customers simultaneously.
• Safety: Reduces cash‑handling risks for staff; ATMs include CCTV and tamper‑evident designs.
• Ethical / social impact: Improves access for remote users but may exclude those lacking digital literacy.

Systems life‑cycle links

• Analysis: Determine transaction volumes, security requirements, and accessibility needs.
• Design: Choose hardware specifications, design user interface, select encryption standards.
• Testing: Perform penetration testing, simulate peak loads, verify compliance with PCI‑DSS.
• Implementation: Deploy ATMs, configure backend servers, integrate with core banking system.
• Documentation: Produce user guides, disaster‑recovery and incident‑response plans.
• Evaluation: Monitor uptime, fraud incidents, and customer satisfaction metrics.

Advantages

• 24‑hour service availability.
• Reduced queuing time and staff workload.
• Lower operational costs for banks.

Disadvantages

• Technical faults can cause service outages.
• Security threats such as skimming, phishing and malware.
• Limited assistance for complex or exceptional queries.

4. E‑commerce Platforms

Characteristics & Uses: Websites and mobile apps automate product browsing, selection, payment processing and logistics coordination.

• Safety & security: Secure payment gateways (PCI‑DSS compliant), two‑factor authentication, and regular vulnerability scanning.
• Data‑protection / legal: Must adhere to GDPR (for EU customers) or comparable data‑privacy legislation; privacy policies must disclose data‑collection purposes.

Evaluation (AO3)

• Cost: Variable – initial platform development vs. reduced physical‑store overhead.
• Speed: Instant browsing and checkout; order processing can be fully automated.
• Reliability: Dependent on server uptime and network stability; CDN improves resilience.
• Safety: Encryption protects financial data; fraud‑detection monitors suspicious transactions.
• Ethical / social impact: Global market access but raises concerns over data privacy, consumer rights and environmental impact of delivery.

Systems life‑cycle links

• Analysis: Identify target market, required features, and regulatory constraints.
• Design: Wireframe UI, design database schema, select payment‑gateway provider.
• Testing: Usability testing, load testing, security audits (including GDPR compliance checks).
• Implementation: Deploy to production, integrate with logistics partners and payment processors.
• Documentation: Write user manuals, API documentation, privacy notices.
• Evaluation: Track conversion rates, customer feedback, incident logs, and data‑breach reports.

Advantages

• Global reach – customers can shop from anywhere.
• Personalised recommendations using data analytics.
• Reduced need for physical storefront staff.

Disadvantages

• Dependence on reliable internet connectivity.
• Potential for data breaches and online fraud.
• Customer‑service challenges for returns, complaints and warranty claims.

5. Medical Diagnostic Systems

Characteristics & Uses: Computer‑assisted diagnosis using imaging (CT, MRI), artificial‑intelligence (AI) algorithms and decision‑support tools to aid clinicians.

• Safety & security: Redundant storage, audit trails, and role‑based access control; AI outputs are presented as decision‑support, not autonomous decisions (fail‑safe design).
• Data‑protection / legal: Must comply with HIPAA (US) or GDPR‑equivalent health regulations; patient consent is required for data used in AI training.

Evaluation (AO3)

• Cost: High capital outlay for equipment and licences; long‑term savings from early detection and reduced unnecessary procedures.
• Speed: Rapid image analysis, often within minutes.
• Reliability: Generally high, but depends on algorithm validation and quality of input data.
• Safety: Improves diagnostic accuracy, reducing mis‑treatment.
• Ethical / social impact: Raises issues of trust, consent, and algorithmic bias, especially for under‑represented groups.

Systems life‑cycle links

• Analysis: Define clinical problems to be supported (e.g., tumour detection).
• Design: Select imaging modalities, develop AI model architecture, adopt HL7/FHIR for interoperability.
• Testing: Clinical trials, validation against gold‑standard diagnoses, bias‑assessment.
• Implementation: Install hardware, integrate with PACS and EHR, configure access controls.
• Documentation: Produce clinical guidelines, user training manuals, data‑governance policies.
• Evaluation: Monitor diagnostic accuracy, patient outcomes, user feedback, and compliance audits.

Advantages

• High accuracy in detecting patterns (e.g., cancer cells, fractures).
• Faster analysis compared with manual review.
• Supports clinicians in making evidence‑based decisions.

Disadvantages

• Algorithm bias can lead to misdiagnosis for under‑represented populations.
• Requires regular updates, re‑training and rigorous validation.
• Patients may distrust results generated by a computer.

6. Smart Home Automation

Characteristics & Uses: Internet‑of‑Things (IoT) devices control lighting, heating, security cameras, appliances and voice‑assistant services.

• Safety & security: Encrypted communication (TLS), regular firmware updates, and optional local‑only control to mitigate hacking risks.
• Data‑protection / legal: Devices that collect personal data must comply with GDPR or national e‑privacy laws; manufacturers should provide clear privacy notices.

Evaluation (AO3)

• Cost: Moderate – device purchase plus possible subscription for cloud services.
• Speed: Near‑real‑time response to user commands or sensor triggers.
• Reliability: Dependent on network stability; local fallback (e.g., Zigbee mesh) improves resilience.
• Safety: Automated alerts and remote monitoring enhance security; smart locks provide controlled access.
• Ethical / social impact: Improves convenience and energy efficiency but may increase dependence on technology and raise privacy concerns.

Systems life‑cycle links

• Analysis: Identify household tasks suitable for automation.
• Design: Choose compatible protocols, design user scenarios, plan data‑privacy measures.
• Testing: Verify interoperability, test security settings, simulate power‑failure fallback.
• Implementation: Install devices, configure hub and apps, set up user accounts.
• Documentation: Provide user manuals, privacy notices, and troubleshooting guides.
• Evaluation: Review energy savings, user satisfaction, incident logs, and privacy‑impact assessments.

Advantages

• Energy savings through intelligent scheduling and monitoring.
• Convenient remote control via smartphones or voice assistants.
• Enhanced security with automated alerts and remote camera access.

Disadvantages

• Vulnerability to hacking if devices are not properly secured.
• Interoperability issues between different manufacturers and protocols.
• Potential over‑reliance on technology and loss of manual skills.

Summary of AO3 Evaluation Criteria