Digital Mobile PhoneDigital mobile phones vastly reduce the cost of mobile phones by enabling many more phones to utilize the same number of towers. After the successful launch of analog mobile phones, the need for a digital standard quickly became apparent. Digital phones are smaller, use less power, and require fewer towers. There are two mobile digital … Continue reading "Digital Mobile Phone"
Stepping SwitchStepping switches change the direction of a magnetic flow to one of multiple channels, stepping through them incrementally. Which sounds incredibly boring until we realize they enabled the modern phone system and powered the decryption machines which morphed into the modern computer. Stepping switches were literally a step from the industrial revolution to the modern … Continue reading "Stepping Switch"
Electronic Desktop CalculatorDesktop calculators led the idea of computers small and cheap enough to sit on an individual’s desk. Eventually, they also became the impetus for the general-purpose microchip. History The first desktop electronic calculator is the ANITA Mark VII and ANITA Mark VIIII, both launched late 1961. The Bell Punch Co. of Britain designed the ANITA. … Continue reading "Electronic Desktop Calculator"
Container ShippingBefore container shipping, trucks were manually unloaded by longshoremen, loaded onto ships, and the process repeated at the destination. This added enormous cost, slowed shipping times and increased the risk of breakage. Inspired by WWII standardization, McLean designed containers that fit directly on ships. His standardized containers and ships enable faster and less expensive loading … Continue reading "Container Shipping"
Carbon Fiber1958 Roger Bacon Paper airplanes glued together are fun but not something anybody would actually fly on. But that is essentially what modern jet aircraft are. Carbon fiber is essentially threads glued together into a fabric and turned into the bodies of aircraft, the wings, cars, bicycles, and countless other objects. Carbon Fiber is stronger … Continue reading "Carbon Fiber"
Ted Hoff’s General Purpose Microprocessor“…even though science and technology are wonderful, what really gets them out there for people to use is to have businesses built around them. It takes savvy businessmen as well as savvy technologists to make that work.” Tedd Hoff Background Ted Hoff had access to then state-of-the-art vacuum tube circuits in high school. In 1954, … Continue reading "Ted Hoff’s General Purpose Microprocessor"
BraCommunist spitfire Ida Rosenthal came from a line of Jewish intellectuals in what was then Russia and is now Belarus. She returned from college an outspoken communist revolutionary and with a boyfriend, William. Threatened with jail, the army, or both they fled to the US in 1905 and married in 1906. Ida, who was 4′ … Continue reading "Bra"
Credit CardMerchants have always issued credit in one form or another directly to customers. But the idea that a bank would issue credit to purchase anything then, eventually, collect from their customer is newer. In 1946, after WWII, John C. Biggins invented the first universal credit card, called “Charg-It.” However, the card only worked at participating … Continue reading "Credit Card"
PlasticAs described in the post about rubber, Charles Goodyear created the vulcanization plastic making mass-market rubber possible. Goodyear’s durable rubber enabled an entire field of new products from tires to raincoats. However, rubber is both thick and spongy, giving it limited utility. Nobody is going to create a rubber telephone and a rubber water bottle … Continue reading "Plastic"
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)"
Health InsuranceBackground Germany has the oldest health insurance system, the Sickness Insurance Law of 1883. Employers paid one-third and employees two-thirds. The insurance covered both medical treatment and sick leave. In 1911, the UK created basic health insurance. Russia followed in 1912, nationalizing all healthcare after the Russian Revolution of 1917. Most countries rolled out some … Continue reading "Health Insurance"
Fiber Optic CableFiber optic cable is extremely thin cable that uses light, rather than electricity, to send information. Background In 1854, John Tyndall demonstrated that light bends through water. In 1880, Bell showed an analog voice signal propelled by light. He called it a Photophone. However, the process was subject to interference and abandoned. Additionally, Europeans demonstrated … Continue reading "Fiber Optic Cable"
Speech RecognitionSpeech recognition is the ability of a computer to recognize the spoken word. “Alexa: read me something interesting from Innowiki.” “Duh human, everything on Innowiki is interesting or it wouldn’t be there.” Today, inexpensive pocket-sized phones connect to centralized servers and understand the spoken word in countless languages. Not so long ago, that was science … Continue reading "Speech Recognition"
Supertall SkyscraperBuildings higher than 300 meters (984 ft.) are supertall skyscrapers. During the late 1920s there was an unofficial competition to see who could build the tallest building in New York City. Background In 1913, the Woolworth Building was the highest in New York City, at 792 feet. New York architects William Van Alen and Craig … Continue reading "Supertall Skyscraper"
Barcodes & Universal Product Code (UPC)Barcodes and UPC: Vastly sped checkout times. Reduced the number of staff and training required and the risk of the wrong price being rung. Increased the ability to electronically manage inventory, lowering carrying cost and spoilage risk. Enabled Just-In-Time ordering and itemized invoices. Transformed market research, enabling “big data” studies about items purchased together and … Continue reading "Barcodes & Universal Product Code (UPC)"