Names of people who invented things

Once Cooper took the phone wireless, the sky has truly been the limit for modern communication. So the two areas that I talk a lot about and really believe are important are the wireless impact on medical technology and on social networking. Both of those two things are going to be revolutionary. His impact on technology: Gerald Lawson created the first cartridge-based video game system, the Fairchild Channel F.

That invention pushed the video game industry forward into a flexible, diverse future — a world in which games were no longer married to their hardware think Pong. Once players could switch games on a whim, game developers and software companies flourished.

And yet, Lawson is not a well-known name in video game history — or tech history, for that matter. This, despite the fact that he was one of the few black members of the historic Homebrew Computer Club, which counted Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak as members. Lawson died last year of complications from diabetes.

After spending eight years with Fairchild Semiconductor, the makers of the Channel F video game console he helped pioneer, Lawson left and started his own company, VideoSoft, which produced cartridge games for the Atari , the system that ultimately made the Channel F obsolete.

However, Marc is more of a software person, while his father was fond of hardware. Over time, Marc has grown to appreciate where his father was coming from.

So being programmers, we'll write code without even understanding the architecture of the underlying hardware and what we can really do with it, because programming is abstracted. As I got a little older, I started to get a little bit more into the hardware side of things. He was more interested in the technology behind video games than in playing them.

That means you take what you've taken and gone beyond that. You've learned other things, correlated the pieces, and put it together and added something to it. That's genius. His impact on technology: Long before cloud computing became a tech buzzword, almost everyone was using the cloud without knowing it.

Have you ever e-mailed yourself important files and used your inbox as an archive of sorts, going back to retrieve files as needed? Then you were using the cloud, courtesy of Nathaniel Borenstein, inventor of the e-mail attachment. E-mail has always been quick, easy to use and reliable, and before the Facebook era, it was the primary method of sharing digital media such as scanned documents, photos, sound files and video. You can hear the first e-mail attachment ever sent on Borenstein's site here.

It's an audio file of Borenstein and his barber shop quartet singing about the glory of the newly invented MIME. The amazing degree of unanimity that greets such a simple declaration is, paradoxically, the biggest impediment to progress in antispam standards. Unlike dial-up networking, Ethernet transmits data at much higher bandwidths.

As part of his Ph. Xerox officially filed for the Ethernet patent in , listing Metcalfe, David R. Boggs, Charles P. Thacker, Butler W. Lampson as co-inventors.

Today, Ethernet has grown to immense sizes such as 10 Gigabit, 40 Gigabit and Gigabit Ethernet, which allows for more than enough bandwidth to accommodate data-hungry technologies such as streaming video and applications in the cloud. Learn about the history of Bic pens and other writing instruments. The history of the foot-powered riding machine. Benjamin Franklin is credited with creating the first pair of eyeglasses that help both near- and far-sighted people see better.

The bikini was invented in and named after the Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands, the site of the first atomic bomb testing. The first proposition to use biological methods to treat odorous compounds came as early as Biometrics technology is used to uniquely identify or verify an individual through characteristics of the human body. Charles Richard Drew was the first person to develop the blood bank.

Non other than Levi Strauss invented blue jeans. Puzzle over the history of board games and other brain teasers. Throughout recorded history, people have used various types of materials as body armor to protect themselves from injury in combat and other dangerous situations. George Babcock and Steven Wilcox co-invented the water tube steam boiler, a safer and more efficient boiler. The history of the boomerang.

In , the Bourdon tube pressure gauge was patented by Eugene Bourdon. It's and Mary Phelps Jacob's corset was not the undergarment to wear under her new shear evening gown.

The history of dental braces or the science of Orthodontics is complex, many different patents helped to create braces as we know them today. Louis Braille invented braille printing. Brushes were used as early as 2,, years ago. The invention and history of chewing gum, bubble gum, gum wrappers, gum tins and bubble gum machines.

It is not certain who invented the first bulldozer, however, the bulldozer blade was in use before the invention of any tractor. As an inventor, Robert Bunsen developed several methods of analyzing gases, however, he is best known for his invention of the Bunsen burner.

Ebenezer Butterick, together with his wife Ellen Augusta Pollard Butterick, invented the tissue paper dress pattern. Learn about the invention of early clocks, calendars, the quartz watch, timekeeping devices and the science of time. Timelines covering calculator patents since Learn about the history of Texas Instruments, the origins of the electronic calculator, the hand-held calculator and more. The history of the camera, including Camera Obscura, photography, the significant processes of photography, and who invented the polaroid and photographic film.

A timeline of tin cans - learn how cans are made, filled and recycled. The history of the first can opener. Canadian inventors have patented more than one million inventions.

The delectable history of candy. Edward Goodrich Acheson invented carborundum. Carborundum is the hardest man-made surface and was essential to ushering in the industrial age.

The history of playing cards and card games like Uno. Wilson Greatbatch invented an implantable cardiac pacemaker. Carmex is a salve for chapped lips and cold sores invented in The history of the automobile covers over one hundred years. Learn about the patents and famous car models, view timelines, read about the first gasoline powered car, or about electric vehicles. The interesting history behind the carousel and other circus and theme park innovations.

James Ritty invented what was nicknamed the "Incorruptible Cashier" or the cash register. In , the Philips company became the first company to demonstrate the compact audio cassette. Percy Shaw patented his road-safety invention called cat eyes, in when he was only Thomas Fogarty invented the embolectomy balloon catheter. Betty Rozier and Lisa Vallino co-invented the intravenous catheter shield. Ingemar Henry Lundquist invented the over the wire balloon catheter that is used in the majority of angioplasty procedures in the world.

Electronic television is based on the invention of the cathode ray tube, which is the picture tube found in modern television sets. How the FCC slowed the progress of a cellular phone system. Cellophane film was invented by Jacques Brandenberger in Swedish astronomer, Anders Celsius invented the centigrade scale and celsius thermometer.

In , the First Census of the United States was taken. The history behind the humble chain saw. French monks were the first to bottle a sparkling form of wine called Champagne, named after the Champagne region of France. The history of Chapstick and its inventor. Pompoms and the history of cheerleading innovations. The history of "Cheese in a Can". The cheese-slicer is a Norwegian invention. Cheesecake is believed to have originated in ancient Greece.

The history of chewing gum and bubble gum. Animal figurines have been designed which have live herbs that simulate the fur or hair of a particular animal. The history behind chocolate, chocolate bars and chocolate chip cookies. The history of candy canes, Christmas lights and Christmas trees. In , the first Christmas tree was lit by the use of electricity. This history of tobacco related products.

The clarinet evolved from an earlier instrument called the chalumeau, the first true single reed instrument. Robert Fulton's steamboat, the Clermont, became the first successful steam-propelled vessel.

The history of reproductive and therapeutic. Television closed captions are captions that are hidden in the television video signal, invisible without a special decoder. The history of what we wear: blue jeans, the bikini, the tuxedo, fabrics, fasteners, and more. John Pemberton in The cochlear implant is a prosthetic replacement for the inner ear or cochlea.

The history of the cultivation of coffee and innovations in brewing methods. Viktor Schauberger was the "father of cold fusion energy" and the designer of the first non-energy consuming "flying disc".

Color television was by no means a new idea, a German patent in contained the earliest proposal—RCA color television system—Living Color. Samuel Colt invented the first revolver aptly named the Colt revolver. History of the internal combustion engine. Rudolf Diesel was the father of the "diesel-fueled" internal combustion engine or diesel engine. History, timeline, and innovations. James Russell invented the compact disc in Russell was granted a total of 22 patents for various elements of his system.

The history of the magnetic compass. An index to famous persons in the computer business, over twenty-six fully illustrated features cover the history of computers from until today.

Dietrich Prinz wrote the original chess playing program for a general purpose computer. This history is more fun than a joy stick. Steve Russell invented the computer game called "SpaceWar. The invention of the modern computer keyboard began with the invention of the typewriter.

Compact disks, the computer mouse, computer memory, disk drives, printers and other peripherals are discussed. The history of printers used with computers. Concrete was invented by Joseph Monier. The history of construction and building materials.

The history of corrective lenses—from the oldest known glass lens to modern contact lenses. Enjoy some snack food history and learn how the Fig Newton got named, how cotton candy works, and all about chocolate-chip cookies. Sir James Dewar was the co-inventor of cordite, a smokeless gunpowder. This illustrated history of cork extractors explains the origins of this humble invention, found in households all over the world. The kooky history of Corn Flakes and other breakfast cereals.

Percy Lavon Julian synthesized the medicines physostigmine for glaucoma and cortisone. Lewis Sarett invented a synthetic version of the hormone cortisone. Eli Whitney patented the cotton gin on March 14, The cotton gin is a machine that separates seeds, hulls and other unwanted materials from cotton after it has been picked.

See also: The Cotton Gin Patent. GM developed this test device nearly 20 years ago, to provide a biofidelic measurement tool -- a crash dummy that behaves very similarly to human beings. The Crayola Company's founders invented the first crayon. Seymour Cray was the inventor of the Cray Supercomputer. Learn about credit, credit cards, and the first banks to issue them. The crossword puzzle was invented by Arthur Wynne. Carl Sontheimer invented the Cuisinart.

Ernest Lawrence invented the cyclotron, a device that greatly increased the speed with which projectiles could be hurled at atomic nuclei. Chester Greenwood , a grammar school dropout, invented earmuffs at the age of 15 to keep his ears warm while ice skating. Greenwood would go on to accumulate over patents in his lifetime. The history of ear plugs. Inventions created for Easter occasions. In , Thomas Hancock patented elastic fastenings for gloves, suspenders, shoes and stockings.

In , the first automatic electric blanket was invented. The history and of the electric chair. Several famous persons in the field of electricity and electrical theory are profiled. The history of electricity and electronics. Michael Faraday's big breakthrough in electricity development was his invention of the electric motor.

An electric vehicle or EV by definition will use an electric motor for propulsion rather than being powered by a gasoline-powered motor. An electromagnet is a device in which magnetism is produced by an electric current. Innovations related to magnetic fields. See Also - Timeline of Electromagnetism. The complex history behind the electron or vacuum tube. If pushed to the limit, electron microscopes can make it possible to view objects as small as the diameter of an atom.

The copy machine was invented by Chester Carlson. Electroplating was invented in and paved the way for economical jewelry. The electroscope - a device for detecting electric charge - was invented by Jean Nollet in Elisha Elisha Graves Otis did not actually invent the first elevator - he invented the brake used in modern elevators, and his brakes made skyscrapers a practical reality. Have you ever wondered what this in your email address is for?

Understanding how engines work and the history of engines. The history of engraving, a popular method of printing. In , Jesse Reno created a new novelty ride at Coney Island that led to the invention of the escalator.

Robert Metcalfe and Xerox team invented network computing. Exoskeletons for human performance augmentation is a new type of body army being developed for soldiers that will significantly increase their capacity. The history of explosives. The history of the oldest known glass lens to the first pair of spectacles invented by Salvino D'Armate. Denim, nylon, colored cotton, vinyl Learn the fascinating story of how Facebook was invented. What can be considered the first modern thermometer, the mercury thermometer with a standardized Fahrenheit scale, was invented by Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit in Innovations related to farms, agriculture, tractors, cotton gin, reapers, plows, plant patents and more.

The facsimile was invented in by Alexander Bain. The history of the ferris wheel. Fiber optics and the use of light to communicate. The history of photographic film. One of the first significant developments in forensic science was identification by fingerprinting. The history of guns and firearms. When the flashlight was invented the biblical quote of Let There Be Light was on the cover of the Eveready catalog.

The history of flight and the invention of the airplane including inventors Orville and Wilbur Wright. Alan Shugart nicknamed the first disk - the "Floppy" for its flexibility.

The history of fluorescent lights and mercury vapor arc lamps. While air balloons allowed mankind to float inventors dreamed of making flying machines that would allow mankind to have controlled flight.

John Kay invented the flying shuttle, an improvement to looms that enabled weavers to weave faster. Steve Chmelar invented the foam finger or foam hand often seen at sporting events and political rallies, and he can thank Miley Cyrus for finally getting the credit he deserves.

The invention of football, American style. Hacky Sack or Footbag is a modern American sport invented in The history of fountain pens and other writing instruments. The history of this famous kitchen appliance. The brass French horn was an invention based on early hunting horns. Freon is now infamous for greatly adding to the depletion of the earth's ozone shield. How the empty pie plates of the Frisbie Baking Company became the early prototype for the world's funniest sport.

The basic process of freeze-drying foods were known to the Peruvian Incas of the Andes. Freeze drying is the removal of water from food while the food is frozen. Learn how Clarence Birdseye found a way to flash-freeze foods and deliver them to the public. Fuel cells were invented in by Sir William Grove, and are now becoming the power source for the 21st century. In , Roy Jacuzzi invented and marketed the first self-contained, fully integrated whirlpool bath by incorporating jets into the sides of the tub.

The jet ski was invented by Clayton Jacobsen II. Hans von Ohain and Sir Frank Whittle are recognized as the co-inventors of the jet engine. See also: Different Types of Jet Engines. John Spilsbury created the first jigsaw puzzle in Select personalised ads.

Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Share Flipboard Email. Mary Bellis. Inventions Expert. Mary Bellis covered inventions and inventors for ThoughtCo for 18 years. She is known for her independent films and documentaries, including one about Alexander Graham Bell.

Updated December 20, Changing the World It's no coincidence that some of the most famous inventors come from all walks of life. Cite this Article Format. Bellis, Mary. History's 15 Most Popular Inventors. Watch Now: Profile of Nikola Tesla. Important Innovations and Inventions, Past and Present.

The Inventors Behind the Creation of Television. The Most Important Inventions of the 19th Century. Mechanical Television History and John Baird. August Calendar of Famous Inventions and Birthdays. Historical Significance of the Cotton Gin.

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