Top 10 Inventions(Technological Advancements)

that changed the world

Dr. Tal Lavianhttp://cs.berkeley.edu/~tlavian

tlavian@cs.berkeley.eduUC Berkeley Engineering, CET

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10….PRINTING PRESS

The printing press made it possible to possible for the mass spread of books.

The printing press was an agent of change because it made the mass production of books possible – circulating information and ideas farther than anyone at the time could have imagined.

The printing press was invented by Johannes Gutenberg in the 15th century.

1. Summary2. 3. 8. 9.7.6.5.4. 10.

9. Refrigeration• What and why: Refrigerators have

significantly impacted the availability and storage of food, prolonging the storage of foods, especially fresh food. This increases our breadth for food choices, our diets, and our eating habits.

• When: The early 20th century. Chemical refrigerants became widespread in the 1920s.

• Source: http://www.geniusstuff.com/blog/list/10-inventions-changed-world/

http://www.geappliances.com/appliances/refrigerators/images/thumb_bottom_freezer_refrigerators.jpg

IEOR 190G: Patent Engineering

8. First Commercial Lightbulb

@ 2015 ERIC QUACH. All rights reserved. 4

Thomas Edison

• 1879• Lightbulb transmit electricity through a wire with high resistance.

• Patent filed for light bulb categorized as “a carbon filament or strip coiled and connected to platina contact wires”.

• Paved way for infrastructure that provided electricity to every house and business.

• Today there are several choices of light bulbs available, from incandescent to fluorescent to LED.

Steam EngineFirst patented by Jerónimo de Ayanz y

Beaumont in 1606.Popularized with introduction of

rotary motion by James Watt in 1781.Spurred Industrial Revolution, leading

to massive increases in productivity. Leads to global population and

resource consumption explosion of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Supplanted by the Internal Combustion Engine and Electric Motor for rotary power generation in early and mid 20th century.

Sources:1) Garcia, Nicholas (2007). Mas alla de la Leyenda Negra. Valencia: Universidad de Valencia. pp. 443–454.

Translated by University of Valencia.2) Hills, Richard L. (1989). Power from Steam: A history of the stationary steam engine. Cambridge: Cambridge

University Press.

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4. Personal Computer

• An modification to mainframes and microcomputers that allowed these computational devices to enter family and individual use.

• Improved data storage, processing, and transmission capabilities, bringing more power and convenience to individuals.

• Almost ubiquitous in developed nations, with many variants (e.g. smartphones, tablets) becoming popular in developing nations as well.

Pictured: IBM PC (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f1/Ibm_pc_5150.jpg)

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2. MOBILE PHONES

In the past decade, mobile phones have rapidly changed today’s society.

Mobile phones made information and communication even more accessible, and changed rapidly changed society and economic structures. Now, many companies are built around mobile devices – such as mobile applications. Cell phones have also shaped the nature of relationships and the way people relate to one another. They have also influenced journalism, child development, and many other aspects of life.

Mobile phones were invented by the Bell Laboratories in 1946.

1. Summary2. 3. 8. 9.7.6.5.4.10.

1. The Internet

• Connects billions of users worldwide (social networking and emails), starts public movements and campaigns • Allows access to articles, videos, research papers,

music, and more!• Allows sharing of data between friends over long

distances, allows expanded search for job opportunities• Many businesses are based solely upon the Internet• May purchase services or items online, may advertise

store sales

Theglobeandmail.com

Internet 27 Assembly Line 1 Laptop 1

telephone 21 Battery 1 Mac / Windows OS 1

Airplane 17 Bicycle 1 MAGNIFYING GLASSES 1

Computer 13 Birth Control 1 Man-made satellites 1

WHEEL 12 Boats and Ships 1 Mass production of medicines 1

Automobile 12 Car 1 Medicine/Surgery 1

Engine 12 Cement 1 Microscale 3D Printing 1

Lightbulb 11 CHOCOLATE 1 Microwave Oven 1

Refrigerator 11 Clock 1 Mobile Devices 1

Printing Press 11 Cloud 1 Modular machinery/ Assembly line 1

Electricity 10 Compound Microscope 1 MRIs, CT Scans, & X-rays technologies in Medicine 1

Camera 7 Compressed Pills 1 Music 1

Agriculture 6 Contact lens with blood sugar level tracker 1 NAIL 1

Compass 6 Contraception 1 Navigation Bracelet for the Blind 1

Television 4 Control of Fire 1 Nuclear Fission 1

iPhone 3 De-emulsifying Agents 1 Optical Lenses 1

Paper 3 Defibrillator 1 Photography 1

Penicillin 3 Domestication 1 Power Generation 1

Radio 3 Electric Cars 1 Prosthetic Limbs 1

Transistor 3 Electric circuits 1 Railroads 1

X-Ray Imaging / X-RAYS 3 ELECTRIC LIGHT 1 Rifle 1

alphabet 2 Electrical Lighting 1 Rocket 1

Anesthesia 2 Electrostatic Telegraph 1 Satellites 1

Contraceptives 2 Email 1 Sliced Bread 1

Currency 2 Facebook 1 Spaceflight 1

GPS 2 Facial Recognition Security 1 Spinning Jenny 1

Irrigation 2 Factory Model Assembly Line 1 Steel 1

Metalwork 2 Fiat Currency 1 Stone Tools 1

Plumbing 2 Fire 1 Suspension Bridges 1

Toilet 2 Firearm 1 Telecommunications 1

Turing machine 2 Gears 1 Tesla Electric Car 1

Vaccination 2 Genetic Engineering 1 Titleist ProV1 Golf Ball 1

Google 2 Glass 1 Touch screen 1

Semiconductor 2 Global Capital Markets, GCM 1 Train 1

Sewage 2 Global Positioning System 1 Vaccines/Antibiotics 1

Telegraph 2 Global Positioning System/Satellites 1 Wrist Watch 1

Money 2 Henry Ford’s Assembly Line 1 Writing Utensils 1

3D Printer 1 Hormonal Birth Control 1Abacus 1 Integrated Circuit 1Artificial Intelligence 1 Integrated Circuit Chips 1

Internet

Telephone

Airplane

Computer

WHEEL

Automobile

Engine

Lightbulb

Refrigerator

Electricity

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Students’ Top 10 inventions

Printing PressCamera

AgricultureCompass

TelevisioniPhone

PaperPenicillin

RadioTransistor

X-Ray Imaging / X-RAYS

alphabetAnesthesia

ContraceptivesCurrency

GPSIrrigation

MetalworkPlumbing

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10.0

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6.0

6.0

4.0

3.0

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Students’ Top 11-30 inventions

Toilet

Turing machine

Vaccination

Google

Semiconductor

Sewage

Telegraph

Money

3D Printer

Abacus

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2.0

2.0

2.0

2.0

2.0

2.0

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2.0

1.0

1.0

Students’ Top 31-40 inventions