Passive Communication Devices

As a human being the way we communicate with others is vital to our survival. There are many different types of communication that are utilized in any given day. We communicate with our voice, our body, our gestures, and more. There are also different types of expressions within our communication. One type is passive communication. Passive communication is a style where the person is often afraid of confrontation and does not feel they are entitled to certain wishes or desires. This style is often accompanied with disorders like anxiety, anger, depression, and helplessness.

On a different note communication can come in the form of technology through a variety of devices like cell phones, Internet, pagers, intercoms, radios and many more. So what do passive communication and communication devices have in common? If being passive in terms of communicating means a lack of confrontation then how do passive communication devices work?

A passive device does not require a source of energy for it to work. These devices are often used in electronic engineering. For example, if a device uses batteries it is a passive device. An example of a passive communication device could be a microphone that uses batteries to operate or a medical alarm system.

Here is an example of how passive communication devices work. Let’s use a watch as an example of a passive device. Watches are registered together with the telephone number of a cell phone of a subscriber to the data message service. Since cell phones transmit a beacon signal, the wireless network can track the location of the phone. The cell phone then forms a communication of the subscribed data to the watch through a local cell provider.

This example may be overwhelming to some which is completely normal. I was confused at first too. As someone who is not electronically savvy when I look at a circuit board I see a bunch of buttons and things I can’t identify. But basically the components consist of either resistors or transistors and can be either active or passive devices. Again, a passive device contributes no power gain to a system nor does it require any energy to work which are resistors.

When speaking of passive communication devices it helps to be technologically and electronically adept but by learning certain basics you can begin to understand the ins and outs of what a passive device means and provides. Passive communication in terms of human communication is similar to passive devices in that both communications lacks action. Action can be seen as energy in this case.