Computer systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Computer systems - Essay Example Software enables the computer to perform the computing functionalities and performing numerous tasks. Computer software entails system software (the operating system and all utilities that enable computing functionalities), applications software (these are programs that assist the users to perform specific tasks such as word processors, spreadsheets, database management system).Computer systems handle the execution of instruction through selection, iteration and sequencing a set of instructions. They execute binary instructions; hence, any kind of instructions given to the computer must be first converted into binary form (number base 2) before any computing action takes place (Blundell, Khan, Lasebae, and Jabbar, 2007). The advancement of digital technology has enabled the development of complex computing systems in the recent decades to encounter the changing and dynamic needs of the processing and dissemination of information in various organizations. There has been an improvement in the functionality and processing powers of computing machines lately and this has enabled vast quantities of information processing and storage. Computer systems have evolved from the older mainframes, which were bigger in size with low processing speeds, to now personal computers, which are smaller, cheaper, efficient, and easily portable. The tasks performed by the humans have been taken by computer systems that have increased the speed and efficiency of performing various tasks within a short period due to their multitasking nature (computers can perform various tasks at the same time). The operating systems of computers have been designed in a way that allows numerous tasks to be accomplished, and individuals can switch between tasks without waiting for any of the tasks to be completed (Dhotre, 2009). Monitoring The medical field has employed computer-monitoring technology on the functionality of the human body. The human body produces heat because of the metabolic activitie s that take place in the living cells. Modern thermograph machines are used to detect heat changes in the body; they convert such pulses to thermo grams fed into the computers, which are used to give images of the body parts that are unusually hot and cold. The images are used to investigate such defects as arthritis, breast cancer. Medical imaging is a technique that is used by physicians to observe the internal organs and functioning of the body. Imaging enables detection of causes of illness; such techniques include X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, and tomography. They send beams of waves into the body and later receive the reflections from the body. Computerized tomography uses extensive scans from different angles and sends to the computer, which arranges the images. Magnetic resonance imaging uses magnets and radio waves to form images. A computer analyzes the radio waves coming from the patient to produce a detailed image. Ultrasound scans pressed against the b ody, relay waves into the body and receive back the waves, sends them to the computer, which processes an image on the screen, is used especially on pregnant mothers to detect the position and the overall development of the baby in the womb. Electrocardiographs are used to record signals originating