Technical Means (Meaning and Explanation)

We explain what are the technical means that can be used in a procedure. In addition, we give you examples and the functions of each one.

A group of workers checks the turbine of an airplane. — Technical means compensate for the limitations of the human body.

What are technical means?

The technical means are the set of instruments, procedures or mechanisms that human beings have to facilitate, accelerate or control a procedure and achieve a purpose certain. They can be tangible means (such as a tool) or intangible means (such as an algorithm). In both cases, they allow energy savings and compensation for deficiencies or weaknesses of the human body.

The use of technical means has been decisive in the history of civilization, to the point of changing it forever. The development of methods and tools, typical of the human species, facilitated people's way of life, solved problems and allowed them to search for answers to questions about the world. The latter laid the foundations for the emergence of technology (understood as the union of technology and science).

There are three types of technical means:

Person-product media. They are those in which a person is required to use an element. The individual must apply some type of methodology or technical knowledge, that is, they must know how the tool operates. For example, cutting down a tree using an axe.
Human-machine media. They are those in which the person uses a machine or mechanical device to perform the task, without knowing how the machine operates but knowing how to use it. For example, felling a tree with an electric saw.
Machine-product media. They are those in which a person does not intervene, but rather an automated system is responsible for carrying out the task. For example, felling a tree using an automated felling machine.

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Importance of technical means

A seamstress uses a sewing machine. — The invention of tools and methods facilitated people's way of life and solved problems.

Technical means are fundamental for human beings and have been since the origins of civilization. This is because facilitate work and compensate for the body weaknesses of the species, which in turn allows the use of available resources. Without technical means, technology would have been impossible, and therefore living conditions would be much more precarious for humanity.

Examples of technical means

Some examples of technical means are:

the phone. It allows the human voice to be transmitted over great distances, allowing conversations between physically separated people.
The email. It allows you to send text messages and pieces of digital information over long distances, as long as you have a device capable of connecting to the Internet.
The washer and dryer. They allow clothes to be washed, rinsed and dried automatically, without requiring more than initial intervention from the subject.
The drill. It allows you to open holes in resistant surfaces and also screw or unscrew quickly and efficiently.
The measuring tape. It allows surfaces to be measured accurately, using an established scale engraved on a strip of light and elastic metal.
The microscope. It allows you to observe tiny and microscopic objects, increasing the visual capacity of the human eye several times through an optical system of polished lenses.
The hearing aids. They allow you to listen to music or recordings directly in your ear, without other people being able to perceive it.
The thermometer. It allows temperatures to be measured accurately, using an established scale and a heat-sensitive substance (originally mercury) inside a graduated container.
The bicycle. It allows you to travel distances in less time and with less physical effort than on foot.
The blender. It allows electricity to be transformed into movement, propelling a set of sharp blades that crushes food or mixes liquids.
The iron. It allows you to smooth fabrics and other similar materials, making them more pleasant to the touch and sight.
The crane. It allows lifting and moving heavy objects through a system of pulleys and counterweights.
The scissors. They allow you to easily cut different materials and fibers, taking advantage of the strength of the hand and the sharpness of the metal blades.
the book. It allows knowledge to be preserved and transmitted, as it serves as a durable, lightweight and practical support for written texts.