We explain what electronics is and the history of this technical and scientific discipline. Also, what it is for and its importance.
What is electronics?
It is called electronic a technical and scientific discipline considered as a branch of physics and as a specialization of engineering, which is dedicated to the study and production of physical systems based on the conduction and control of a flow of electrons or electrically charged particles.
To do this, electronics uses not only certain basic theoretical principles such as electromagnetism, but also materials science and other forms of practical application of scientific knowledge. Its results are of special interest for other fields of specialized knowledge, such as computer science or systems engineering.
Contemporary applications of electronics include:
- Control systems They allow processes to be started or stopped, as is the case with the light circuits in our homes, and they can even acquire a certain degree of automation.
- Power electronics It is based on the use of electronic devices to regulate electrical power and voltage, especially at significant levels, which is key in energy distribution and other contemporary industrial processes.
- Telecommunications It is one of the broadest areas of technological development of electronics and has to do with databases and digital information systems, such as the Internet. As well as with the universe of gadgets or electronic devices available for the so-called culture 2.0.
See also: Computing
History of electronics
The electronics It had its beginning with the so-called “Edison effect”. Thomas Alva Edison in 1883 first noticed thermionic emission, that is, the possibility of releasing electrons from an element by incorporating heat energy into it. This was key to the invention of the diode by Sir John Ambrose Fleming and then the triode in 1906 by Lee De Forest.
The latter is considered the father of electronics, since thanks to his contributions it was possible to overcome the stage in which only power supplies were built, and begin to amplify signals of all kinds, allowing the first steps towards the invention of the radio. , television and other modern gadgets.
Over time, miniaturization and, therefore, the construction of more practical devices was achieved with the invention of transistors in the mid-20th century, with which vacuum tubes were replaced, saving energy and money.
Already in 1958, the first integrated circuit was developed on silicon sheets, housing six transistors on the same chip. From there to the creation of the first microprocessor in 1970 there was a direct path. Thanks to electronics, the field of industry and human life itself was revolutionized at all levels: cell phones, remote controls, autonomous circuits, etc.
What is electronics for?
Electronics serve endless applications in the contemporary world. Virtually all the implements we use daily (computers, calculators, cell phones, digital watches, electrical circuits, remote controls, televisions, radios) have their origin in the development of electronics, in the improvement of their conduction mechanisms and materials. Thanks to electronics we have revolutionized our technological capacity.
Importance of electronics
Electronics are fundamental in the ability of human beings to build complex implements and autonomous tools that allow them to communicate over enormous distances, automate various daily tasks or make them easier in any case.
The ability to build logical mechanisms that work from closed circuits of electricity has been fundamental to generate a new generation of more powerful and intelligent devices and, without a doubt, will offer greater advantages in the future in the field of robotics and automation.
