The creation of cutting-edge technology as well as improvements in weaponry was one of the many things that contributed to the beginning of the Age of Exploration. What started during the Age of Exploration has continued to have repercussions not just in the New World but also in Europe right up to the current day. There was a discernible impact on the society at large, as well as on the culture and the economy. One of the consequences of this is a change in economic, cultural, and social norms. This came about as a direct consequence of the progress made in the creation of cutting-edge instruments and weaponry.
The economic transformations that took place during the Age of Exploration were significantly influenced by the role that trade played. Several countries participated in international trade by trading surpluses of one item for other commodities, such as spices and other unusual flavours. Commerce was conducted between the three continents of America, Europe, and Africa, as well as between these continents and other places. The structure of this transaction was referred to as a “Triangular Trade,” and that was the phrase that was used to describe it. Before the Age of Exploration, they did not have quite the same number of opportunities to engage in commerce as they had after it. The development of new tools such as the Caravel, which could be converted into a cargo ship, a warship, a patrol or dispatch boat, and even a pirate ship, and the Astrolabe, which could be used to measure angles and altitudes, facilitated the organisation of trade among the colonies. Both of these instruments were created in the 16th century.
One of the many benefits that came about as a direct consequence of advances in weapons and technology was an expansion of people’s geographical and navigational expertise. Before the Age of Exploration, sailors understood little little about the seas or the places they travelled over as they sailed across them. Nevertheless, the knowledge that was obtained through the travels of explorers during the Age of Exploration was very useful. They put their knowledge to good use by designing ships that were both faster and more manoeuvrable. The magnetic compass was a significant step forward in terms of weaponry technology. By the time it was first developed in the fourteenth century, the magnetic compass had already seen widespread use.
Indirectly and directly, the fast development of information and communication technology affects all elements of scholarly inquiry and pursuit. At this point, there is an exponentially increasing amount of data and knowledge available to researchers. New paradigms of cooperation, networking, and information exchange are emerging, and they are profoundly novel. Having a solid and well-developed ICT infrastructure is thus necessary for supporting instruction and study, and it has become an increasingly important competitive edge for institutions all over the globe.
ETH World (http://www.ethworld.ethz.ch), a programme at ETH Zurich, is dedicated to developing and deploying technologies that enhance communication and cooperation, and the technology discovery approach that was presented is a part of this initiative. ETH World was responsible for analysing ICT advances in the realms of education and administration. Further, the group was charged with facilitating the evaluation of potential new technical breakthroughs inside ETH Zurich. In particular, it was expected to take the lead in assessing the likelihood of future technological advances. From 2000 through 2005, a total of six ETH World conferences were organised.
At ETH World, the first phases of the innovation process relied on a bottom-up approach. In a regular basis, ETH World would ask for ideas to be sent in. At ETH Zurich, all divisions are encouraged to provide suggestions for university-wide activities. A third-party peer assessment (Bates, Bobrow, Ernst, and Hutch, 2003) conducted after almost three years found the following problems with this bottom-up approach: While several of these projects were innovative and even game-changing, others were too insular and missed out on some key global shifts because of their narrow focus. […] It is critical to distinguish between the introduction of new technology and the introduction of new pedagogical approaches. Many of ETH’s engineering minds have been drawn inexorably by the institution’s magnetic pull of innovation and technological advancement. However, this attraction may have hindered the technical minds at ETH from looking more closely at technological developments and models of successful technology-based teaching practise outside ETH. Using already-existing technology components in a creative way to improve the teaching and learning process is one form of innovation. If you compare this to the costs of developing a brand new product from scratch, you’ll see that this option is less fraught with financial peril. Developing a new technology from scratch often requires a large initial investment as well as the coordination of several companies.
