Relationship Between Taste and Consumption

Relationship Between Taste and Consumption The links between taste, consumption, social class and power Introduction The renowned French sociologist and philosopher Pierre-Fà ©lix Bourdieu believed that taste and cultural consumption was inextricably linked to social class, which in itself is determined by those with power and position (Bourdieu’s 1994). His detailed research on the subject concluded that the pressures of the society that we live in thus bring about all human acts and, to this extent are not governed by decisions made by solely by the individual. In his view the society in which we live, together with our standing individual standing within that culture will have considerable influence upon both our particular tastes and the choices of taste that we make. Furthermore, Bourdieu finds that those in a position of power, such as the media and government, by virtue of their position, are consistently using the power that they possess to create and feed the social distinctions that we see about us, and therefore manipulating the consumption pattern. The conclusion of Bourdieuâ₠¬â„¢s research therefore is that the individual does not act autonomously from the dictates of his or her society, but rather reacts to patterns of social distinction that are being presented to them. To assess the validity of this theory, it is the intention of this research to identify, examine and evaluate the potential links that exist between â€Å"taste† and cultural consumption and social class. The research will be segmented in an attempt to first of all provide an understanding of consumption and its cultural relevance and how this can be manipulated by those with the power to do so, before examining the relevant aspects of social class. This process will enable us then to reflect upon taste and reach a conclusion as to whether the hypothesis outlined above is still as relevant in modern society as it was when Bourdieu (1994) conducted his research into the subject. Consumption In the context of this research, the term consumption is not simply being examined in relation to the goods or services that we purchase with the purpose to consume, for example grocery items, although that is an integral element of the purchasing act. However, it also is relevant to the purpose and reasoning that lies behind the consumption process itself. The basic concept of consumption is that we make a choice of purchase based upon a number of factors, for example because we like the taste of the content in the case of food products or we are attracted to the look of the item, as would be the case in the decision for non foodstuff, such as furniture, automobiles, homes and a host of other goods. Irrespective of the validity of these determinates of choice consumption is not â€Å"merely the recognition or miss-recognition of the aesthetic intention† (Storey, 2003, p.48). When we make a product choice we are also, either making a statement about our social position, and ourselves, or reacting to a statement that has been placed before us by others. Furthermore, as is reflected in the term â€Å"keeping up with the Joneses,† an element of our buying patterns will be made in relation to what others, our peers, might have that we do not. In terms of the influence of others, be the media or peers, this may be perceived as a guide to move us in a certain direction or to give us a distinction that we previously did not have. Therefore, it is true to say that the way in which we exercise our right to consumption is determined by the social structure that surrounds us (Mackay 1997, p.255). This can perhaps be better seen when viewed in a historical context. In the Victorian era, when the class situation within UK society was more pronounced, the patterns of consumption were seen as an inherent part of that system, in that the purchase should match the social position. A typical example of this process was obvious in the clothing industry, In those days one purchased clothing, that was considered to be commensurate with one’s standing in society, be that class or professional position. It would have been considered â€Å"an offence to dress above one’s station† (Corrigan 1997, p.6). The theory of consumption being relative to position, and objected too if it does not maintain that distinction has been seen more recently in research conducted by Radway (1990, p.705 and p.710). The case being studied here was the emergence of book clubs and the controversial reaction to this in some areas of society. These book clubs were offering products that ranged from the mass-market romantic and detective novels through to the classics and â€Å"highbrow† products. The controversy arose because many believed that this was an unacceptable intrusion into the considered norm of social culture and distinction. Despite the fact that the social strata and distinction has been blurred to some extent in modern times, to a great degree the cultural habits of consumption still exist and operate in society. Irrespective of the wide variety of goods and products available, the patterns of individual purchase are still determined by the social and cultural position. For example, when faced with a choice for holidays, the general perception is still that the package tour and coastal seaside two-week summer break is mainly the domain of the working class element of society. Similarly, purchasing a Ford car instead of the more expensive Mercedes will automatically make a statement about the buyers standing, therefore producing a social distinction in consumption (Miller 2002, p.275). However, nowadays this pattern is tempered with consumption for the purpose of aspiration. Today the objective of bettering oneself is an integral part of the social culture. Peer pressure has also become more intense. People are concerned with being seen to either maintain their status by ensuring that they have the latest product, as may be the case with their neighbour, or wishing to use consumption and purchase as a way of moving up a position in the social ladder. They use consumption to make a statement to this effect (Brewer 1994, p.275). Furthermore, the availability of the product, in terms of price, model and novelty is also important. Consumption will change as a product becomes more popular. For example, a person of high social standing seeks a product that is not generally available to the masses. This can be seen in the case of the Mercedes car, once solely affordable by the few. As it became more popular and therefore more affordable, the novelty and distinction it gav e to the wealthier elements of society wore off (Miller 2002, p.180), and they sought to re-establish their position by transferring their consumption to more distinction and expensive automobile ranges. Typically, the peer-generated influence can be seen occurring with the â€Å"new rich,† such as footballers, corporate moguls and celebrities. Having achieved a position of wealth such people will use the purchasing process to acquire products that make a conspicuous statement about the new position they have achieved within society (Featherstone 2000, p.20). In terms of other influences on consumption, the advertising and marketing media have played a pivotal role. This has become particularly apparent during the period of rapid developments in technological and digital advances being made in the media. Marketers distinguish their target markets by demographic segments, and therefore operate on the basis of class distinction when determining â€Å"consumption criteria† (Miller 2002, p.112). These organisations will use the segment analysis for a number of reasons. In terms of mass marketing, for instance with grocery and low cost household products, the intention will be too attract the working classes to consume their products in preference. Similarly, this system will be used to drive the â€Å"peer-pressure† determinant, using the subconscious cultural message that to maintain one’s individual standing, these products are culturally essential. At the other end of the scale, Marketers will use their message to acce ntuate the difference in social standing that can be achieved by purchasing their product. Again this can be aptly seen with motor vehicles, where the promoter might use the vision of ownership of a 44, or top of the range vehicle as an indication of higher social standing. From this analysis it can be seen that consumption when viewed on a number of levels does reflect, either directly or indirectly, a social struggle to achieve a certain level of distinction. Consciously or sub-consciously it will affect the consumers position and social standing (Corrigan 1997, p.32). Taste Taste in dictionary terms, is defined as being the manifestation of an individual’s particular preference. This will extend beyond the simple food connotation of the word to all aspects of life, including all of the goods, services and activities they purchase or use. In his research Bordieu (1994, p.42) rightly identifies taste as being a matter of choice, which varies from individual to individual. Therefore, by definition taste has both a positive and negative reaction. For example, one chooses a particular food because of the preference to its taste or conversely rejects of food because of individual’s dislike of its taste. In the same way, similar decisions are made about other goods. Furthermore the levels of taste are varied. For example, one may react on a low level of negatively to something simply on a matter of ascetic taste, as in not being keen on the colour, or the level of taste dislike can reveal itself in the emotion of disgust, which in the case of foo d can even lead to sickness. From the individual point of view taste can therefore be attributable as an indications of the specific preferences of a particular person (Featherstone 2000, p.83). However, having previously stated that taste is a matter of choice, a rider should be added to this. Choice in taste is not always a decision that is taken freely. In most areas of life there is limitations and taste is often one such area. As Bordieu (1994) pointed out in his research, often in our daily lives and decision-making processes our taste decisions are restricted by a choice being forced upon us. For example, to return once again to an automobile comparison, it is often the case when faced with a choice of vehicles to purchase, that one’s deep routed preference would be for a Mercedes. However if the income level of the purchaser is only say $10,000 per annum, this vehicle is clearly out of an acceptable price range. In such a situation one has to make a taste decision based upon an affordable, or forced, range of lower standard vehicles. Therefore taste is tempered by the social and economic position that the individual is situated within. Taste can also be applicable in a cultural sense and in this respect Bourdieu (1984, p.56), states that it can act as a class barrier. As with consumption, again this can be seen as more pronounced in historical times, although it still exists. By nature, the individual will aspire to a certain social level and consequently they will have an aversion to a life-style that does not match with their expectations. In respect of society itself, there are two levels of taste that can be deemed to play both an interactive and exclusive role. These are common taste and class taste respectively. In addition to individual taste, the format of society also dictates that there will be a common taste. This is an element that is shared within the specific culture to which one belongs. For example, within the UK there will be commonly accepted tastes in terms of the way that people should behave, and where the limits of acceptable common legislation should be drawn, although this is by no means the only area of taste that would be considered to be common. However, as Bordieu (1994), this common taste scenario produces a dichotomy. Achieving a balance between the common taste and the taste of individual classes of society is often difficulty. By the simple distinction of their class, there will be those elements of society that will wish at least part of their taste to be separate from those of other classes. For instance, the upper class will have a distinct taste that they would perceive to set them apart from the working class (Bucholtz and Sutton 1999, p.355). Taste and choice is another are where those with power, such as the media, can exercise significant influence. One only has to look at the television to notice the wide range of new products and designs that are constantly being promoted. This can serve to create movement in the individual and social taste requirements (Miller 2002, p.216). Whilst consumers demands and tastes for new products may change, as has been demonstrated this is not always as a result of their own changing tastes (Brewer and Porter 1994, p.601). Similarly, as with consumption, often these taste determinants will be directed at particular demographic segments of the community. A typical example of this occurred when â€Å"Wedgewood Potteries, in north Staffordshire, deliberately tried to direct upper-class taste† through design and promotional efforts (Corrigan 1997. p.9). Taste therefore is influenced by a number of factors, not the least of which is the relative position of the individual â€Å"in the social structure† (Mackay 1997, p.230) of their own culture. Similarly, taste can be distinct between the relative class structures and also can create a tension when seen not to be achieving the correct values (Corrigan 1997, p.100). Social Class What is social class and how does it manifest itself? As will be seen within this section there are many aspects to class and numerous influences attached to its creation and maintenance of the class system. The class system in the UK has been in existence for countless centuries and, despite the moves during the last century to achieve equality is has still managed to survive, particularly, as Bordieu (1994) points in his research, within the higher intellectual and ruling class level. Indeed, as Brewer (1994, p.128), points out, in Wigston Magna, an old village, which is now a part of an expanded city called Leicester, social differences were being created as the village grew. Much of the creation of class Bordieu (1994) puts down to education and language. Success in education is achieve not simply by the act of learning, but also as a result of behaviour and even language, which in turn is a reflection of upbringing. Those students from privileged backgrounds will have learnt how to present themselves physically, in speech and their attitude, whereas the less privileged will not, precisely as a result of the way they have been brought up. Language is also important, not simply because it is a way of communication, but because it is seen as an indicator of position within society. To evidence this one only has to look at the immediate perception that is formed in the mind as a result of the â€Å"mannerism of speech of different social groups† (Bucholtz and Sutton 1999, p.101). Automatically, the subconscious seeks to identify not simply the geographical background, but also their position within society. The way that people speak does therefore te nd to create an immediate recognition of class. There is a natural tendency for people to segregate themselves into groups where they feel comfortable, and an equal tendency to reject or distance themselves from those who do not fit into their own â€Å"circle.† This phenomenon is known as social distinction. Social distinction is what creates the various classes. It is defined by different values, tastes and consumption activity. Furthermore, its occupants rigorously protect it. For example, when describing ourselves to others we tend to refer to the social category that we belong to as a way of distinguishing ourselves from others (Mackay 1997, p.68). Mackay (1997, p.205) further evidences this by explaining how the middle classes, in an attempt to maintain their distinctive class, will put â€Å"geographical distance between itself and manual labour† or working classes. Even within classes that can be demonstrated by economic advantage, there still remains a distinction that is closely protected. The latter half of the last century saw a significant increase of wealth created and attracted to people who previously would have been considered to be working or middle class. As the wealth accumulation continued, these people began to acquire the trappings of the upper classes, such as large land estates, international residences and the like. This situation threatened the existence and position that was previously the domain of the nobility and aristocrats. As Bourdieu (1994) explains, the nobility were not prepared to lose their standing within society, based upon position and breeding, nor would they settle for it being diluted by invasion from individuals who they considered to be of a lower class, irrespective of wealth. Thus they encapsulated the retention of their previous distinction by use of the terms â€Å"old money† and â€Å"new mone y,† Individuals and groups within society use numerous ways to distinguish themselves from other classes. For example, the amount of leisure time that is available to an individual is often used as an example of their social standing (Storey 2003, p.37), as might be their house style where a detached property is viewed a social standing distinct from a terraced. Similarly, ones work position can be used to reinforce the social distinction. Subconsciously, when the terms blue-collar worker, white-collar worker and professional are used in relation to the employment of the individual, there is an automatic social and class distinction attributed to them. Power also helps to maintain the social distinction and class. By its terminology, the government is as guilty of this as any other sector of society. For example, consistent references to being a party of the â€Å"working class† by Labour is intended to distinguish them from the more affluent reaches of the conservatives. Similarly, the media makes use of class distinction in promotional strategy. For example, if a retailer wishes to appeal to the masses, for example with cosmetics, its promotion will lead with the term â€Å"Lower-priced cosmetics† Corrigan 1997, 87. Conversely, if it wishes to appeal to affluent classes it will use quality and aspirations as its message. Conclusion From the research that has been studied during the preparation of this paper, it is concluded that there are numerous and significant links between consumption, taste and social class and power. Despite the fact that the modern trend is towards a more deregulated and less controlled society (Featherstone 2000, p.15), these links still exist, although they manifest themselves in different ways to those that were used in the past. Consumption is still driven by an individual’s desire to better themselves, which is deemed to be achieved by improving ones class or standing in society. Taste is still governed by ones upbringing and changed by both peer pressure and a desire to changes ones position in society, and the various social classes still endeavour to maintain their individuality and distinction from other classes. The major difference in the modern world when compared with the historical structure of society is the manner in which all of these links and distinctions are maintained. Today, the concentration is upon the use of signs and images as a method of promoting ones position in society (Featherstone 2000, p.85). Material possessions, together with the work position are used, consciously or subconsciously, to denote where the individual stands in society in terms of their class. Encompassing all of these aspects in the manipulative forces of those with power, such as the media and government. The government, by attributing demographic segmentation to the population, maintains the concept of different social classes with varying tastes and consumption needs. The media, whilst in many ways performing the same social distinction role as government, also use the individual’s distinctive position to create situations that convey how these positions should be maintained and, in addition, provide a perceived path for the individual to exchange the class and position they are currently in for one that would improve their standing in the community. References Bourdieu, Pierre and Nice, Richard (Translator) (1994). Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgement of Taste. Harvard University Press. Massachusetts, US. Brewer, J., and Porter, R. (eds.) 1994. Consumption and the World of Goods. Routledge. London, UK. Bucholtz, M., Laing, A.C and Sutton (eds.) (1999). Reinventing Identities. Oxford University Press. New York, US. Corrigan, Peter (1998). The Sociology of Consumption: An Introduction. Sage Publications. London, UK. Featherstone, Mike (2000). Consumer Culture and Post-modernism. Sage Publications. London, UK. Mackay, H (ed.) (1997). Consumption and Everyday Life. The Open University. Milton Keynes, London, UK. Miller. D (2002). Acknowledging Consumption: A Review of New Studies. Routledge. London, UK. Moran, Joe (2005). Hum, ping. rip: the sounds of cooking. The New Statesman. London, UK. Radway, J. (1990). â€Å"The scandal of the middlebrow: the Book-of-the-Month Club, class fracture, and cultural authority†. South Atlantic Quarterly. Fall, pp. 703-7. Storey, J. (2003). Cultural Consumption and Everyday Life. Arnold. London, UK.

Deciding On a Vehicle Type

Many factors influence the automotive design process. Some of these include the target price, workload intended for the vehicle, safety in crashes, aesthetic appeal in design, fuel economy or fuel efficiency, ergonomics, and mechanical design. These factors deeply affect the vehicular design procedure. This paper will travel into each of these aspects and deeper to explain why they are so influential. DECIDING ON A VEHICLE TYPE The first step in the development of an automobile is to decide what kind of vehicle it will be. A truck is most useful for construction, moving, farm work, and things of those natures. However, people employ a minivan or sedan in transporting families or taking vacations. There are sports cars, designed only to get its passengers there fast and in style. The engineers cannot even initiate more complex design phases until the car's basic style is decided, thus making it one of the most important steps in the entire process. PRICE Price appears at the same stage in development as choosing the car type. Money is a major factor in the development of any new technology or product. Not only will the price have to be suitable for the consumer, it must also be feasible to put the amount of funding required into the project. Developing a new automobile takes thousands of hours of work and millions of dollars in funding to make a reality. Companies must make sure that they are putting their millions of dollars into a worthy cause, as most concept cars never see the assembly line. Before designing the car's performance and feature list, the engineers must know in what price range the car is to be sold. Budgets have to be set, and they assist in determining the outcome of the car. FUEL EFFICIENCY Along the same general lines as price is the fuel economy of the vehicle. Manufacturers must meet certain emission standards to make their creations street-legal. Drag exerted on the vehicle greatly affects fuel economy. Engineers use the drag coefficient formula to determine how much force drag applies on their design. The formula for the drag coefficient is where FD is the drag force. P is the density of the medium through which the object is traveling. In automobile design, this medium is the air, whose density is a relative constant. U is the speed of the body journeying through the medium (which in this case is air), and L is the scale of the body measured in square units1. This formula is used to calculate the drag coefficient of a vehicle. The independent variables in the above equation are measured using a wind tunnel and other standard measuring techniques. The higher the drag coefficient is the more drag is exerted on the car and the worse its fuel economy would be. Lowered fuel economy is, naturally, undesirable and makes the consumer less likely to purchase the vehicle. With the rising fuel issues, a growing interest in creating new environmentally friendly engines has become known. Millions of dollars are being poured into projects that will lead to highly efficient motors to power the world's automotive force. This is another section, and alternate engines will be discussed later in the paper. As previously acknowledged, cars are tested in wind tunnels to assist in measuring the drag forces on the vehicle. Wind tunnels are essentially large tubes with an enormous fan at one end. The object to be tested is placed in the wind tunnel, and the fan is started, causing air particles to accelerate and generate wind. The wind then reaches the object to be tested. However, the human eye cannot see exactly where the wind goes when hitting the object. Therefore, wind tunnel technologists use smoke to view the airflow around their subjects2. Automotive engineers use the data gathered in wind tunnel testing to calculate the drag on the vehicles. Another factor of the fuel economy of a vehicle is its weight. Generally, lighter cars boast better fuel efficiency. Engineers wage a constant war between lightweight and heavyweight vehicles. Lightweight vehicles are more efficient than their heavyweight counterparts are, but they are also considered less safe. Lighter vehicles also maintain their tires better, further increasing their efficiency. In recent years and through most of automobile history, the clear choice has been to go with the safer vehicles and simply postpone the efficiency until better technologies exist to improve upon it. During the 1980s, however, the trend of producing smaller, more compact cars was introduced. A standard called the Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standard (CAFE) was set at 27.5 miles per gallon, forcing automotive manufacturers to create smaller, less safe cars to meet the optional CAFE standard3. This standard has been blamed for many deaths because lighter cars are more insecure. Safety issues will be discussed later. The 1990s brought back the era of the large vehicle, and we have since been seeing monstrous SUVs rule the market. Perhaps one day, engineers will unearth the perfect balance between efficiency and safety. As for now, great strides are being made in improving the safety of the smaller vehicles and more and more sports cars are being made small. Plastics are making it possible to create safe, lightweight vehicles. From body panels to interior parts, plastic may very well be the future of automotive design. The tires on a vehicle also contribute to fuel efficiency, so the lighter cars have yet another advantage in the efficiency department4. AESTHETIC APPEAL The overall look of a car is sometimes enough to sell a buyer on purchasing a certain vehicle. Thusly, the design of the vehicle's exterior is a major concern in the designing of a vehicle. The curves of a car are what define it and give it its personality. A vehicle with personality is appealing to the consumer, and they are sometimes able to identify with the vehicle. Many people would consider their vehicle to be an extension of themselves. People judge one another by what kind of car they drive and even recognize each other as they travel. A person's vehicle can tell an entire story about its owner. Therefore, it is nearly unnecessary to state that the exterior styling of an automobile is of paramount importance because nobody wants a vehicle that is going to reflect poorly upon them and their lifestyle. Concept cars usually feature aggressive lines and bold design features. Why is it then that if all the cars on the road were once a concept are there relatively few aggressively styled vehicles on the road? The answer is simple: the manufacturers of the automobiles must get the most value out of their designs, and that involves toning down the design's outrageous factors in many cases. The aggressive and bold lines are attractive, however, and demand attention from the heads of companies. The sad truth is that sometimes the extreme designs are simply infeasible due to another section to be later discussed, compatibility with current configurations at the plant that builds the vehicles. However, innovations in design must occur at some rate because if progression stops, so does the automotive industry. Progression is the force that keeps the world moving. Companies make slight changes to their vehicles annually, and every so often, a completely new vehicle on a completely new framework can be introduced into the market. New cars often share the chassis of a similar car to avoid the need to create a new frame for the car. When a company finally does introduce a radical new vehicle into the market, the manufacturers must have made sure that the investment was worth it, because the vehicle could be a complete failure in the rough and tough world of commerce. Style is not an objective concept. Different people from varying backgrounds have differing opinions about what looks good. The artists involved in styling the vehicle's exterior must take into account the target audience of the product. Before production, they must implant their idea of style into the public's mind to take note of the reactions, usually done at auto shows. There are, for example, several styles of trucks: big and powerful trucks, small and sporty trucks, and family-oriented trucks. Obviously, a family with young children would not find the styling of the large, tall, powerful truck to be appealing because their children would not be able to enjoy fully their investment of an automobile, which is more than likely unsatisfactory. ERGONOMICS OF THE INTERIOR The interior of a vehicle is just as important in the design of an automobile as the exterior styling of the vehicle. Many times, a test drive will turn away customers. If the consumers do not like to be in the vehicle, they are far less likely to purchase the vehicle than if the interior is pleasing. Many drivers like to have a full range of features at their disposal, while others like to keep their dashboards as free of clutter as possible. Design engineers keep this in mind when developing the interior of their creations. Cheaper cars tend to have far fewer luxurious devices, while the more expensive vehicles have gadgets galore. This is most likely because it is the gadgets that increase the price, making a costly car what it is-expensive. To keep the market moving forward, as it must, new car parts need to be invented annually and implemented either in concept vehicles or in reincarnations of old vehicles. Comfortable seats are a necessity in a vehicle. In a car, the seats must be adjustable to accommodate the differently sized people who use them, because it is unfair to discriminate against either short or tall people. In trucks, designers have been paying attention to this as well, and have developed power foot pedals since the seat in a truck is often nonadjustable. There is an entire science dedicated to creating comfortable seats. Companies pour hundreds of thousands of dollars into designing and producing comfortable chairs for automobiles. Therefore, there are numerous products on sale across the world claiming to give the most comfortable trip possible. They range from gel pads to masterfully designed and engineered pads built into the seat. In mathematics, the letter r is used to represent confidence in an arithmetical estimation. Through extensive research, engineers have developed formulas to measure comfort. They have experimented and have found r to be as high as .638 when they asked two questions of a subject: Does this provide lower back support? Is this chair comfortable? Researchers believe that lower back support is the key to extreme comfort. Pressure should be evenly distributed and not focused on any particular region. No pressure should be put on the sciatic nerve, or discomfort will surely ensue. This pressure is diverted to other areas by the clever usage of curves in the chair and padding. This diversion also reduces blocked blood flow, leaving the user comfortable. However, simply designing a rigid yet ideal structure for the seat in an automobile is not enough, because people are naturally disproportionate to one another. Active comfort systems are being designed to conform to each person individually, rather than setting a standard in which everyone should fit. 5 ELECTRONICS SYSTEM According to Bayerische Motoren Werke (BMW), the electronics system accounts for more than 30% of the overall design cost for a new vehicle6. Currently, the mechanical design of automobiles is the core, but it is predicted that the electronic components will become the nucleus, and mechanical innovations will grow fewer and fewer. Some future electronic innovations projected to arrive in the automotive market are more complex power train management systems, Electronic Control Units (ECU) that control dashboard displays, and the ability to communicate wirelessly with other vehicles and road signs. Designers must take extreme care in designing such electrical systems because the more complex a system is the more room for error exists. Power and drive train and management systems currently exist and manufacturers commonly implement them. Traction control and limited slip differentials are excellent examples of such systems. In the future, ignition control systems will be used to create more efficiency in the ignition process. An ECU will be used to regulate the amount of fuel injected into the engine's cylinders. This will assist in fuel economy because no fuel will be wasted, and will increase the power of the engine. There will be systems to utilize more effectively the weight distribution of the vehicle in steering and braking. Automotive corporations are developing more intricate and advanced systems to transmit the power to the wheels that permit absolutely no loss of grip during acceleration or braking. Dashboard controls have an effect on the overall effectiveness of the gauges in a vehicle. If a device could cull what gauges were relevant, more gauges would with less clutter than the typical dash of today, provided the gauges are displayed digitally. The coding necessary for such an electronic display would likely exceed 45,000 lines and take more than 262,800 man-hours to develop fully. Such an effort would probably need millions of dollars in financial backing, and currently nobody has been willing to invest so much money in something that would probably not gain as much as it costs. According to OSEK (In English, Open Systems and the Corresponding Interfaces for Automotive Electronics), â€Å"Vehicle manufacturers traditionally focus on production cost rather than on development cost-the sensors and the actuators, along with the bare ECU, represent almost the entire cost for electronics in the car. † However, although software does not have a â€Å"production† cost, it is not for free! The software development costs are skyrocketing: today, they are about twice as much as the development costs for hardware.† New technologies such as bluetooth will allow vehicles to interact with both people and their electronic objects. For instance, a cellular phone is inserted into a jack in a vehicle. The vehicle downloads the phone's data such as addresses, phone numbers, and other information. The car's own speakers deliver any phone calls that come through the line, and this allows the driver's hands to remain free while they talk on the phone. This technology exists, and is readily available. Design engineers are always keeping up with the times, and realize that cellular phones are now of utmost importance to many people. Possible future technologies will allow vehicles to communicate with one another and will assist in stop and go traffic. Perhaps an adaptive cruise control will be designed that monitors traffic and can alter its setting on the fly, allowing greater functionality of the cruise control unit. Bad electrical design can lead to exceedingly dangerous situations. Design engineers have finally realized the human mid has its limitations and cannot process an infinite amount of information at one time. Having to fumble around to find the right button to change the radio station is not only dangerous, it is annoying. BMW has integrated stereo systems into its steering wheel, and is interested in â€Å"x-by-wire† technology. It will remove the mechanical linkages in the steering wheel, brake system, and shifting mechanisms, creating new phrases like steer-by-wire, brake-by-wire, and shift-by-wire. They think that the steering wheel will only turn 160à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½. This will allow for vastly enhanced maneuverability in parking and other situations7. General Motors has also shown great interest in the x-by-wire technology and debuted its Autonomy in late 2002, a vehicle that is essentially a flat board attached to wheels. While they have created a drivable version, they admit that the technology to actually produce such a vehicle is still years in the working. They will surely verify the electrical integrity of the x-by-wire electrical system before allowing it to be released into the market, or else they risk endangering citizens and being sued. One new safety feature already available is the lane departure system from Siemens VDO Automotive. Upon the vehicle changing lanes without signaling, it will beep, informing the driver of the unintentional lane change. This will be monumental in the field of driving safety and is made possible by the electrical engineers who work on such projects. PERFORMANCE DESIGN Automotive designers must take into account the mechanical design of their vehicles. They must decide whether to use an existing frame for the vehicle or design a new one from scratch. If they do decide to design a totally new vehicle, they must decide at what caliber performance the vehicle will be created. The specific needs of the vehicle to be created decide what performance features will be implemented in the vehicle. An offroad vehicle will likely require an active suspension and four-wheel drive, among other things. A sports car should have rack and pinion steering and an aerodynamic body to create downforce and reduce drag and should be lightweight to allow for high-speed maneuvering. New technologies in performance engineering are always developing. Vehicles are becoming more well rounded and are suiting many needs. For example, a truck can now be used to haul freight or haul a family of five. In the past, trucks were meant only to drive offroad and carry cargo. Still, there is the need for specific performance standards in vehicles. Horsepower reigned king in the day of the muscle car, but now new technologies in gearing and energy transmission allow less horsepower to do more work toward the ultimate goal of propelling a vehicle into motion. It is incontrovertible that the engine is one of the most vital components of any automobile. The transmission is able to harness more of the engine's power with our new, advanced technology. Nowadays, greater measures have been taken in engineering safety measures, allowing vehicles to travel faster while increasing previous safety standards. A smaller vehicle does not necessitate a large engine being installed. However, what may be a vivacious engine for a lightweight vehicle may prove to be a sluggish one for larger vehicles such as trucks and some sports cars. Many new engine types are being developed. There have been diesel powered engines for a long period, and they get slightly improve fuel efficiency over their gasoline counterparts. In recent years, engineers have been pushing hybrid electric-fuel engines. The Honda Insight is likely the most well received hybrid vehicle. It boasts sixty mile per gallon on the city streets and sixty-six on the highway. It has an electric engine that uses regenerative braking to recharge itself, allowing for the vast improvements in gas mileage. The Insight is an excellent model for engineers to follow, as everything related to it is state of the art8. Also introduced recently is the hydrogen motor. It is just as promising as the hybrid motor, and one day it will probably replace the outdated, fossil-fuel burning engines. Lightweight materials such as fiberglass are making it possible for the automotive industry to make large cars lightweight. The Chevrolet Corvette is a prime example of fiberglass body panels. As stated earlier in this paper, lightweight vehicles are more efficient and can lead to higher performance levels. Advances in suspension are evident in recent past. Independent suspensions have been installed in many Ford vehicles. The independent suspension system allows each half of an axle to be affected by the road free of its counterpart. With each wheel acting freely, the vehicle rides much more smoothly. Engineers must consider what type of terrain on which their vehicle is intended to be driven. They must exceed these expectations as they need their vehicle to be able to stand up to more than is expected and repeat customers will exist. Going beyond what is expected is something most automotive and design engineers take great pride in. CONCLUSION The vehicle type is of utmost importance in the automotive design process. People do not wish to drive a two-person vehicle if they need to take their family on vacation. Therefore, a suitable marketing scheme must also be derived. The price of the vehicle may attract or turn away some buyers. The price should not be set too high if the company wishes for the vehicle to be its marquee attraction because most people do not have unlimited amounts of money to invest in a vehicle. In these days of soaring oil prices, the automotive design process is greatly affected by the fuel efficiency of a vehicle. Fuel is a precious commodity and the industry realizes that. Therefore, we are seeing an increase in the fuel economy of all vehicles. Cars must be attractive to be sold. Sometimes a company must make an audacious move in the field of styling, but they always weigh the chances of it flopping once it reaches the market. Bold styling is a necessity, however because of the key word to all industry-progression. The interior must be both electronically tuned and comfortable to be in. Safety is of great concern here, and airbags should be installed. There should be as low as possible of a chance of fire due to electrical failure, and electrical engineers are responsible for assuring this. All new vehicles must be able to perform well and travel along the roads without slowing down the rest of the traffic flow. Certain vehicles are designed to perform, while others are designed to be as simple as possible while still meeting all standards and codes set by the government. The automobile industry is a vastly complex and ever changing one. New technologies are being developed constantly that can change the industry's outlook on the future. It is factual that any industry cannot survive if it does not continually progress and adapt to the changing markets and desires of its patrons. New software is developed to more accurately model and simulate situations that will occur in automobiles. Technologies in this field have become so advanced that the need for real-world prototyping is almost eliminated. Now, the prototypes are merely displays for the public to catch a glimpse of the future of transportation; all the real work is done virtually. From wind tunnels to test tracks, the automotive design process is one that encompasses many varying disciplines and each field must work together to create a final product that is desirable, functional, efficient, and aesthetically pleasing to its consumers.

Information security authentication program for Moonshine Mining Essay

Moonshine mining deals with the mining business related to diamond, sapphire, gold etc. Moonshine mining maintains all its intellectual properties and other important documents in 3 internal servers in Perth head office. This information is very confidential to the moon shining. This information should be available only to the internal moon shining employees and other authorized personnel’s. Moonshine has identified the potential risk for the information assets through the risk assessment procedure. To overcome these risks, proper authentication and other security procedures must be implemented in the organization. Each and every method has its own disadvantages and advantages, the proper investigation and study must be performed to choose the best fit method for the organization. Introduction Computer security must be an integral part of the organization. Computer Security is the protection afforded to an automated information system in order to attain the applicable objectives of preserving the integrity, availability and confidentiality of information system resources. Through the selection and application of appropriate safeguards, security helps the organization’s mission by protecting its physical and financial resources, reputation, legal position, employees, and other tangible and intangible assets (NIST 2006). Many organizations are spending millions of dollars in computer security. Computer security policies and goals should be inline with the organization mission and policies. Computer security should be very cost effective. Specialized teams must be formed in the organization for monitoring and controlling the computer security policies and procedures. Basic Security policies should be followed in Moonshine Company Computer security policies must be accessible by everyone in the organization. Each and every single personnel in the organization is responsible for implementing and maintaining the computer security. User support must be provided for solving various problems related to computer security. Help desks are needed to be created for this type of support. Additional support can be any helpline and online chat. Software support should be available in the organization. Various restrictions are needed to be imposed on the usage of several kind of software in the organization. Licensed and authenticated software are recommended for trouble free working environment. Backup plan should be implemented and followed carefully for restoration if disaster or unrecoverable errors caused. Media should be properly maintained and periodic assessments are to be needed. Login information should be kept secret and several log records are to be assed for detecting unauthorized user access. Basic security features like firewall, antivirus software are to be made ready in the system. Integrity checks and other checks are to be performed frequently. Documentation and maintenance are the important activities needed to be done regarding computer security. Authentication Authentication is very important for maintaining the computer security. Each and every personnel must be authenticated for accessing the information resources. There are many types of authentication methods. It can be broadly classified into two categories, Biometric authentication and Non Biometric authentication. The authentication must be implemented with the proper security algorithm to avoid intrusions. Many authentication schemes are developed over the years. Several hashing and other schemes are combined to make the better authentication protocol. Privacy through Biometric Authentication It is based on identifying the person based on their personal and behavioral traits. There are several biometric authentication methods like finger print recognition, face recognition, iris recognition. Some the distinct advantages of biometric method are users need not required to remember password/codes, permanent characteristics and ease of use. Finger print authentication: Finger print authentication is the basic biometric authentication method. The patterns available on ridges and valleys of person’s finger are unique for every individual (Harris D. 2000). Several algorithms are available in the market to uniquely identify the persons based on the patterns. The finger print authentication can be implemented in moon mining company with a very small amount of investment. The cost of installing devices and other software required for finger print authentication would be very minimal when compared to other biometric authentication methods. When compared to non biometric methods the database size would be litter larger for biometrics methods. Since the numbers of users in the moon mining company is very less the biometrics method can be easily implemented without any trouble. Finger print authentication method is not very much suitable for moon shine mining company because in the mining company the person works with lot of dusts and smoke. Some readers might not recognize the dirty and dusted hands. Since it is a mining company persons may have some cuts in their hand so the readers may not work properly in those situations. Most of the time users might wear gloves in their hand, they might feel uneasy to remove for each and every time for the authentication. Face recognition Face recognition is another basic biometric authentication method. In this method, the persons face is captured using camera or infrared waves and it is authenticated with the existing database. The spatial geometry in the face is analyzed to uniquely identify the face. The face can be easily recognizes with change of facial expressions or change of hair style etc. The advantages of face recognition it is the contact free process. The database should be maintained with facial information of the users. The change in the face is very minimal. The moon mining company can prefer this method of authentication. The cost of implementation is also not so high. Some of the disadvantages include detecting the face mask and low light environment (Vijayan 2009). Since it is a mining company it would operate in low light areas, so proper methods must be chosen to avoid low light environment problems. People from some ethnic groups and nationalities won’t expose the face to outer world. In those situations the face recognition it is not possible to implement. Iris Recognition Iris recognition is one of the latest methods of biometric authentication. The colored area that surrounds pupil is used for the identification of the persons (Daouk 2006). Every people have unique color pattern. It is also a non contact method of authentication. The cost of implementation is little high when compared to other methods. It is very fast and robust. The latest iris technologies are very powerful in recognizing the patterns even though they are covered with the contact lenses and glasses. Iris based authentication is recommended if the moon mining company wants high end solution for the biometric authentication and ready for little high investment. Digital Signatures A digital signature is an automated method of verifying our usual handwritten signatures. The various features like speed, pressure, nodes etc are verified for authentication. This method is based on behavioral aspect of the person. It is simple method for authentication. It has many disadvantages like it can be imitated by others easily; signature is tending to change slowly by time. It’s not so safe to go with this type of authentication method. Privacy through Non Biometric Authentication The non biometric method for authentication is very common in the organization. It is simple and easy to implement. No extra infrastructure is required to implement these authentication methods. It is very cost effective method. RFID Authentication method The privacy can be provided by ensuring the proper authentication mechanism in practice. Several authentication protocols are used in existence systems. The authentication will be performed in the readers and authentication parameters and value are stored in the RFID tags. The RFID readers would be available in each and every computers of the moon shining company. One of the common practices is store common password in all the RFID tags to be used. Whenever the tag is read if the password matches the other processing is done else the tag would be neglected. Another method for authentication is to assign store all the RFID tags unique number in database, when the tag is detected the number is cross checked with the database for authentication. Despite the numerous benefits of RFID systems, it has few pitfalls and some common problems. The main security threat in the RFID system is the privacy security breaches. All the information is stored in the RFID tags. The RFID tags can also be read by others who have the RFID readers. The data can be read and modified in the tags by any one using the RFID readers (Moscatiell 2007). The RFID systems may be collapsed if several RFID tags are processed together. The RFID tags can communicate only to one RFID reader at instance. If two RFID readers are accessing a single tag, there may be a junk or collapse in the system. Other Radio signal interference can violate some of the properties of the RFID systems. Some other security threats also exist for the RFID systems. Device Based Authentication: In this device based authentication, some special secure devices are used to generate the passcodes. These passcodes are verified for authorizing the persons. One of the famous devices is RSA based secureId device. It uses public key encryption for generating the passcode. Each and every user will have a small hand held device to generate the passcodes. These passcode are verified using the security algorithms for authentication. This method of authentication is also suggested for moon mining company. Conclusion All the organization should follow the tight computer security principles and policies. The basic security features must be installed in each and every computer system in the organization. All the users must be educated about the computer security principles and various threat regarding. The company can also go for the third parties for implementation and maintenance of computer security in the organization. This would help the organization to have the better security. Dedicated teams must be available for performing and monitoring all the computer security activities. The organization will be in trouble if the computer security practices are not followed in the organization.

Qualitative Food Tests - 1585 Words

Name: Marcus Gonzales Date: Wednesday 12th September 2012 Form: L62 Subject: Biology Teacher: Ms. Hutton Lab #: 1 Title: Food Tests Aim: To test an unknown substance for various food substances. Apparatus/Materials: * Unknown Solution X * NaOH * Iodine * Ethanol * Copper Sulphate * Benedict’s Solution * HCl * Cold Water * Syringe * Beakers * Bunsen burner * Tripod stand * Test tubes * Dropper Introduction: This Lab shows the detection of different food sources using different tests. Some of the food tests carried out was Benedict’s test, the test for non-reducing sugars, iodine test (test for starches), emulsion test and the biuret test. Carbohydrates include†¦show more content†¦| Emulsion Test (Test for Fats/Lipids) †¢ 2cm3 of Unknown Solution X was added into a test tube.†¢ 2cm3 of concentrated ethanol was added to the solution.†¢ The mixture was shaken vigorously.†¢ 4cm3 of cold water was added then it was shaken vigorously. | Cloudy White emulsion was suspended in the solution. | This showed that there was a moderate amount lipid in the solution. | Iodine Test (Test for Starch) †¢ 2cm3 of Unknown Solution X was added into a test tube.†¢ The same amount of NaOH was added into the solution.†¢ Approximately 2cm3 of copper sulphate were added to the solution. | A small amount of blue-black precipitate suspended in yellow-cream solution. | Due to the small reaction, this experiment showed that there was a small amount of starch in the solution | Protein Test †¢ 2cm3 of Unknown Solution X was added into a test tube.†¢ The same amount of NaOH was added into the solution.†¢ Approximately 2cm3 of copper sulphate were added to the solution. | Blue precipitate suspended in purple solution. | Protein was present in the solution. 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