Air ConditioningCombining prior innovations and ideas, Carrier added his own ー related to humidity ー and created modern air conditioning. Tasked with controlling the humidity in a printing plant, because humidity affects paper, he found the connection between humidity and temperature. Carrier designed equipment to control humidity that also controlled temperature, modern air conditioning. By 1911, … Continue reading "Air Conditioning"
Gas MaskGas masks lower the risk of damage for firefighters and soldiers. Garret Morgan, the son of freed slaves, developed an early gas mask for use in fires. Hoses dragged along the ground where air was cleaner, because smoke rises. There was also a 15-minute air supply for when air became hopelessly polluted. Patented in 1914, … Continue reading "Gas Mask"
Instant PhotographsLong before the digital camera Polaroid’s delivered instant photographic gratification, albeit it at a steep price. Like countless tech inventors after him, Land dropped out of Harvard. He sneaked into the labs at Columbia while developing early Polaroid light filter technology. Land’s Polaroid created polarizing light filters, especially useful as sunglasses during WWII. Eventually, he … Continue reading "Instant Photographs"
Cordless ToolsIn 1895, C&E Fein, a German company, invented the first electric tool. It was a handheld drill weighing 16.5 pounds. The drill was underpowered because it ran on DC electricity. It also required two people to operate. In 1910, Duncan Black sold his car for $600 and used the funds to open a machine shop … Continue reading "Cordless Tools"
Condensing Steam EngineThe Watt condensing steam engine is widely viewed as the primary machine responsible for the Industrial Revolution. It enabled the use of engines anywhere, not only next to coal mines. Whereas factories before the Watt engines needed to be near high-volume streams, to derive power for water wheels, the Watt engine operated at a low … Continue reading "Condensing Steam Engine"
Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Chips (CMOS)The magical ability to power your mobile phone, tablet, and computer comes from a CMOS chip. These chips require minuscule amounts of power compared to other types of computer chips. They are as small or smaller than other types of chips. However, despite these advantages, it took decades for the technology to gain traction. Fairchild … Continue reading "Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Chips (CMOS)"
Portable VentilatorVentilators breathe for people when they cannot breathe on their own. John Emerson was a physician focused on breathing devices who developed the first mass produced iron lung. Building on Emerson’s work, Bird developed the portable ventilator and, later, created a company, Bird Corp., to commercialize it. Bird Corp. created a home ventilator in 1965, … Continue reading "Portable Ventilator"
- Bitcoin, Fruitcake, and Christmas Pudding
On the importance of being open to divergent ideas & non-experts. Cross-posted from the blue ocean thinking substack: https://blueoceanthinking.substack.com. About a decade ago I’d just moved with my new bride into a house we rehabbed. We owned our house mortgage-free and my work was routinely cited in leading newspapers including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, … Continue reading "Bitcoin, Fruitcake, and Christmas Pudding"
Privatized SpacePrivate space companies launch rockets that propel satellites (and eventually, people) into space without government funds or bureaucracy. Leaving government out of space removes political influence, simplifies space commercialization, and reduces costs. Elon Musk Elon Musk has a fondness for starting businesses that do the impossible. At first, there was PayPal. At that time, … Continue reading "Privatized Space"
Transatlantic CablesTransatlantic cables shrunk the world, vastly increasing the speed and lowering the cost of intercontinental communications. The first cable functioned only a few weeks. Transmissions, in Morse Code, were especially slow. Field, as a young businessman, joined a paper company that failed six months later. Despite his status as a young employee, with no responsibility … Continue reading "Transatlantic Cables"
Tetraethyllead (Leaded Gasoline)Leaded gasoline prevented engine ping, making driving safer and more pleasant. Correspondingly, it also caused an enormous amount of extremely toxic pollution. Working for GM under the direct supervision of Charles Kettering at Dayton Research Laboratory, Midgley discovered the benefits of adding lead to gasoline. They named their innovation Tetraethyllead, avoiding any mention of lead, … Continue reading "Tetraethyllead (Leaded Gasoline)"
Audion TubeThe Audion acts as an amplifier, transforming quiet electric signals into loud ones. Background In 1906, Lee de Forest invented the “three-electrode Audion” vacuum tube. In 1906, Lee de Forest invented the “three-electrode Audion” vacuum tube. The Audion acts as an amplifier, transforming quiet electric signals into loud ones. Originally de Forest wasn’t quite sure … Continue reading "Audion Tube"
Computed Tomography (CT or CAT scan)Computed Tomography (CT or CAT scans for short) are 3-dimensional x-rays. Self-taught innovator Hounsfield, while on a camping trip, wondered if he could x-ray the contents of a box in 3D by moving the x-ray machine. That worked. Eventually, he implemented it in his own machine and used that to image a cow brain. Subsequently, … Continue reading "Computed Tomography (CT or CAT scan)"
Refrigerated Trucks1939 Frederick Jones Refrigerated trucks, invented by Frederick Jones, enable modern commerce. Jones is somewhat of an innowiki aberration in that he 1) invented something useful with enormous impact, 2) successfully commercialized it, 3) managed to keep the business and build it out, and 4) was a minority. We’d like to have a long list … Continue reading "Refrigerated Trucks"
InsuranceInsurance – paying to spread risk – is an ancient practice. Modern insurance, where businesses specifically focus on assuming the risk of loss for a third-party is a more modern practice. The Hamburger Feuerkasse (Hamburg Fire Office) opened in 1676. Fire insurance spread throughout Europe. Eventually, Lloyd’s of London popularized shipping insurance, where people willing … Continue reading "Insurance"