If cell phones, computers, and cars disappeared, how would we live in the 21st century, and how has mechanical engineering changed our daily lives?

The technological conveniences we take for granted in the modern world are thanks to mechanical engineering, and it has had a profound impact on every aspect of human life. In the future, advancements in mechanical engineering will continue to converge with various fields to make our lives better.

 

In the 21st century, we use cell phones to easily communicate with others, computers to do our work, and transportation such as cars to get from one place to another, and we take them for granted. But this is how people lived without them: they sent news through letters that took a very long time to write, they transcribed and preserved everything by hand, and they traveled on foot or used animal power to get from one place to another. Now, in 2012, what would the world be like if cell phones, computers, and cars were to disappear in an instant? Would the world continue to move as if nothing had happened?
When we think about these questions, we realize how deeply modern technology has infiltrated our daily lives. Advances in technology have done more than just bring us convenience; they’ve changed the way we live. Today, we can connect with the world via the internet, utilize artificial intelligence to solve complex problems, and control everything in our homes with smart appliances. All of this has become ‘normal’, something we accept with little thought, but it took a lot of research and development for technology to make it possible. At the center of it all is mechanical engineering.
It’s the “machines” like cell phones and cars that bring speed and convenience to our lives, and it’s the discipline that studies and develops them further. When most people first hear the word “mechanical engineering,” they think of dull, complex machines, but in reality, mechanical engineering starts with the simplest of things in real life. For example, a child’s toy car has everything to do with mechanical engineering. Mechanical engineering provides practical solutions to questions like, “How can I make a toy car move?” and “How can I make a toy safer?
Mechanical engineering also plays an important role in making human life safer and better. Advances in automotive safety have led to the development of airbag systems that minimize impact in the event of an accident and autonomous driving technologies, which have saved countless lives. Mechanical engineering has also contributed to maximizing energy efficiency, enabling the development of environmentally friendly transportation, such as today’s electric vehicles. As you can see, mechanical engineering is driving innovation in every aspect of our lives, and its importance is only growing.
In the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, we are exploring the knowledge and technologies that will enable us to more conveniently and quickly utilize and effectively control the machines that accompany all aspects of human life. The scope of mechanical engineering ranges from aerospace technology, which covers millions of kilometers, to ultra-microscopic robotics, which covers nanometers (billionths of a meter). The most prominent field of mechanical engineering is transportation, which covers machines such as cars, railways, and aircraft. The distance from Seoul to Busan, which used to take three days to walk, is now a short four-hour drive, two hours by train, and less than an hour by plane. And with the development of high-speed train technology and supersonic aircraft, that time will be even shorter. These advances make it possible to move people and goods more quickly and use time more efficiently. The world is accelerating faster and faster on this foundation of mechanics.
These advances in mechanics are pushing the boundaries of human possibility, not just physical distance. For example, space exploration and deep-sea exploration, once unimaginable, are now a reality thanks to the achievements of mechanical engineering. Through mechanical engineering, humanity is moving into new worlds and facing new challenges and opportunities along the way.
In recent years, mechanical engineering has become increasingly interdisciplinary, broadening its scope. From energy technology, which utilizes scarce energy resources more efficiently and develops renewable energy, to biomechanics, which studies the development of human artificial organs and disease treatment using micro robots, to emotional engineering, which encompasses the realm of human emotion and spirit, mechanical engineering is always present in all fields of technology. In the future, the field of mechanical engineering will continue to intersect with more and more disciplines, requiring higher levels of research and more sophisticated skills.
In addition, mechanical engineering is providing solutions for environmental protection and sustainable development. Today’s climate change and environmental issues are of global importance, and there is an urgent need to develop technologies to address them. Mechanical engineering is playing an important role in developing technologies to increase energy efficiency, as well as alternative energy sources and designing green mechanical systems that minimize environmental pollution. These technologies will go a long way toward solving problems that are directly related to human survival in the future.
The world’s population has now surpassed 7 billion people, and machines are indispensable for those 7 billion people to coexist and enjoy a more fulfilling life. We can no longer dream of a world without cell phones, computers, and automobiles, and when we recall that the development of civilization has been accompanied by the development of machines, which has raised the standard of living of the average person around the world, we can say that machines are the broadest force driving the world.
Machines are no longer just tools; they are agents of creation, improving the quality of human life and opening up new possibilities. As long as mechanical engineering continues to advance, humanity will continue to shape the world around us. As we envision a future where machines and humans evolve together, we can’t wait to see what new innovations await us.