AsphaltAsphalt increased the utility or roads by allowing horses to travel faster, carriages and bicycles ride more smoothly, and (later) enabled cars. Natural asphalt paved the Champs-Élysées in 1824. However, it was unstable and difficult to maintain. de Smedt created an artificial asphalt, manufactured from oil, that was more consistent and manageable than natural asphalt. … Continue reading "Asphalt"
Antibiotics“I did not invent penicillin. Nature did that. I only discovered it by accident.” Sir Dr. Alexander Fleming Few medical discoveries impacted life expectancy and quality of life more than antibiotics. Before their discovery, simple wounds were often fatal. For example, during the US Civil War, most soldiers eventually died from infection, not from their … Continue reading "Antibiotics"
Nuclear Aircraft CarrierNuclear aircraft carriers are enormous ships capable of traveling the world indefinitely. Indeed, the ships feature relatively large flight-decks capable of launching and landing fixed-wing aircraft, typically fighters. At 1,123 ft. (342 m.) the USS Enterprise is an enormous ship. In contrast, only oil supertankers are larger. The Enterprise supported 4,600 service members. First launched … Continue reading "Nuclear Aircraft Carrier"
Braille Writing1829 Louis BrailleCharles Barbier Most of the innovations on Innowiki are for-profit inventions. While it could be argued that Braille’s writing technique opened new markets, the size of that market was limited to blind people. However, the impact of the innovation — a process enabling the disabled to regain one of the most important human … Continue reading "Braille Writing"
LinuxLinux is a stable and secure operating system. The operating system is open-source and free. However, there are many companies that sell support for Linux, and maintenance is typically the source for most of the cost comes of maintaining an operating system. Background Limited to 16 concurrent users at his school’s computer, Linus wanted a … Continue reading "Linux"
Tri-Motor AirplaneThe Ford Tri-Motor airplane popularized the notion of low-cost, reliable, rugged, and serviceable planes. Before the Ford Tri-Motor, there were countless aircraft, but many were proprietary with difficult-to-service parts that frequently broke down. Along with 20 other wealthy individuals, Ford and his son Edsel funded a new airplane company by designer William Bushnell Stout. In … Continue reading "Tri-Motor Airplane"
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"
Optical Disk (CD/DVD)“If it was any good, IBM would have already invented it.” James Russell CD’s and DVD’s increase convenience from analog tapes for music and video. Users may instantly jump to songs or parts of a video. Unlike tapes, CD’s and DVD’s never wear out reducing replacement media cost. David Paul Gregg In 1961, Gregg claims … Continue reading "Optical Disk (CD/DVD)"
Commercial Business Computer (EDVAC/UNIVAC)Mauchly and Eckert, inventors of the ENIAC, set out to create a commercial computer. They worked with government officials who needed fast computing, including military and census officials. Eventually, their employer, the University of Pennsylvania’s Moore School of Engineering announced an intent to keep all patents produced by faculty. Henceforth, the two promptly resigned and … Continue reading "Commercial Business Computer (EDVAC/UNIVAC)"
Turing Complete Electronic Computer, ENIACBackground Commissioned in 1943, partially functional in July 1944, but not entirely finished until Feb. 1, 1946, ENIAC is the first all-electronic general-purpose Turning complete computer. Engineers built ENIAC to calculate ordinance tables. Eventually, von Neumann used the computer to perform calculations for nuclear weapons and break ENIGMA encrypted messages. Built at the University of … Continue reading "Turing Complete Electronic Computer, ENIAC"
Diesel EnginesUses engines use compression to increase engine power. That increases engine power and reduces fuel costs. Diesel is French though studied engineering in Germany. After graduating he returned to Paris and opened an early modern refrigeration factory, patenting several innovations. He eventually left and, barred from the industry, turned his attention to engines. In 1893, … Continue reading "Diesel Engines"
Alternators / Long-Distance Transmission of ElectricityAlternators and Alternating Current enabled the long-distance transmission of electricity. Edison’s electrical plant ran on DC which does not transmit far. Under Edison’s system, there were electric plants every few blocks in cities (the inner Chicago loop had 25 electric plants at one point). Tesla’s AC system transmitted electricity much further; it’s the same we … Continue reading "Alternators / Long-Distance Transmission of Electricity"
Transistor RadioDeveloped in 1947 but commercialized in 1954, transistor radios are small. Battery-operated portable radios that fit in a pocket. They rely on transistors rather than vacuum tubes. There were several attempts to build radios with transistors but none were optimal until 1954. Eventually, a Texas Instruments team invented the Regency TR-1, the first radio miniaturized … Continue reading "Transistor Radio"
Autonomous Vehicles (Self-Driving Cars)DARPA, the US government agency that invented the internet (among other things) created a contest to build a self-driving car. The first DARPA Grand Challenge, in 2004, was a 150 mile (240 km. route). The robot-car that drove the furthest before breaking down, built by Carnegie-Mellon University (CMU), lasted 11.78km. Undeterred, DARPA tried again. Subsequently, … Continue reading "Autonomous Vehicles (Self-Driving Cars)"
Prefabricated Housing ComponentsHistory Limited amounts of prefabricated components date back to ancient times. Mesopotamian’s used burnt clay bricks. Romans utilized concrete molds for aqueducts and tunnels and William the Conqueror conquered the concept. There were movable modular buildings for industry, defense, and even hospitals. However, hand construction was the norm for the vast majority of houses and … Continue reading "Prefabricated Housing Components"
