Top 10 Important Inventions of 21st Century
Saturday, September 6, 2014 7:47
We live in a world of technology, and we can see new things invented by scientists and inventors every day. Just remember how in the past, things were done in hours; nowadays, it can take less than one minute for the same thing. We owe it to the technology, and to the latest inventions that are improving our lives considerably. We are talking here about the inventions of our century that helped us live in a modern world. If you are curious about them, here is a list of the top 10inventions of the 21st century:
10. Genetic Engineering
When scientist discovered genetic engineering, they considered it their greatest achievement. It is not right an invention, but helped humans to unlock not only the information found in the genes of the animals, but also to understand better the relation between new beings and their parents. It is also a big step that will help us to know our origins better, and to discover the way we are heading to.
9. Hypersonic Transportation
The transportation is one of the most important issues of our century. The way we travel changed so much in the last decades, due to the development in the hypersonic transportation area. Airplanes and trains are traveling nowadays with a speed almost equal to the light speed. And the technology is still developing, so in the future, you should expect even more surprises and innovative ways to travel.
8. Free energy
It is true that the 21st century is the century of information, but the energy is still the thing that makes everything move. If in the past, the humanity was relying only on fossil fuels, in our century, scientist discovered a lot of innovative ways to extract energy from various sources. We are not dependent on fossil fuels and gas anymore. We can create energy from wind, geo-thermal heat, water, and even sun. These techniques are still under development, but in the future, they will become extremely efficient energy forms.
7. Artificial Intelligence
People have been dreaming about smart robots for ages, but the artificial intelligence was only developed in the 21st century. If until now, robots, toys, or computers, where quite limited, the scientists are happy to be able to imbibe some intelligence in every device. Soon, all these devices will be able to understand us and our wishes, and to react according to our expectations. How cool is that?
6. Nanotechnology
For many people, especially for experts, this is the most fascinating invention in the technology field. Probably you’ve also heard about nanotechnology before; it is all about extremely small particles that can be seen only with a microscope. They are useful to the human body: the plan is to inject them into the system, where they can repair the cells and the organs. The reality is still far away from it, but it is for sure on the right way.
5.Human Cloning
People around the world are scared about human cloning, but the scientist made the impossible areality. They are able to copy human cells, and after someexperimentsand some failures, they announced a success: they managed to grow new organs, by using cloned cells. Experts announced that it means they are able also to grow a complete new human body. It changes everything we knew before about the medical system, and the age of 200 becomes a possibility.
4. Anti-gravity
This is a classic case of physics.Scientistshave been dreaming about it for decades, but it happened to be discovered only in our century. Actually, magnetic monopolies cannot exist, so even the experiments with the anti-gravity were dangerous. During the experiments, the specialists used magnets, and they hope that in the future, humanity won’t depend on wheels anymore.
3. Automation
This invention is similar to the robots, but it is actually used in the industry, for the assembling process. It was invented during the studies for robots, but it actually simplified the people’s work in fabrics. Since the robots are still under development, experts said that the automation will be developed and improved as well.
2. Robotics
Well, this isindeeda big step for the humanity, and it is something thatscientistswere working for a long time. The first working robot was developed in the 21st century, and nowadays experts think that a robot can be used with success to do different stuffs that were done by men before. Robots are often used in military actions.
1. Cars Powered by Hydrogen
This is the most important invention of the century: people around the world dreamed about hydrogen powered cars, and they can also change completely thepollutionlevel on our planet. These cars can function withhydrogen as fuel. It happens in the combustion chamber, and as a result, it has only a puff of watervapor. The only problem with this car is that it can be a little bit costly for everyday use.
"Top 10 Important Inventions of 21st Century."Mix Top Ten Lists. Wordpress, 6 Sept. 2014. Web. 12 Mar.
2015.
Innovations of the 21st Century: 10 of the Best Inventions in Recent History
written by: William Busse•edited by:Linda Richter•updated: 5/18/2011
The New Century
The first decade of the 21stcentury has been a remarkable period forentrepreneurial discoveries and inventions. Each year seems to offer a new host of innovative products and services that continually change the business landscape while improving our quality of life.
Top Ten Inventions
The explosion of technology makes it difficult to identify the best inventions of the 21stcentury since there are so many worthy candidates.Inventions that have had a significant impact on societyand culture as well as those that hold promise for future revolutionary applications are presented in the following list.
1)iPod and iTunes: These two interrelated inventions from Apple Inc. presented a revolutionary new way for people to listen to musicand fundamentally changed the music and recording industry.
iTunes was introduced in January, 2001 and was marketed as a program that converted CDs into compressed digital audio files and helped organize digital recordings. Later that year, Apple introduced the iPod, a device that used a hard disk to store music files. The first model had a 5GB capacity and could hold over 1,000 songs.
Enhancements to the iPod and iTunes over successive years have been astounding in terms of features and consumer benefits. In 2003, Apple introduced downloadable songs for .99 cents through iTunes. Subsequent models of the iPod became smaller, more stylish, and had much larger storage capacities. The evolutionary process resulted in the iPod Touch, which includes Apple’s unique touch sensitive screen interface that provides the ability to access songs, movies, and the internet through wi-fi
2)iPhone: The iPhone from Apple Inc was released in June of 2007 and radically altered the way mobile phones are used personally and in business.
Older phones typically included voice communications and sometimes a keyboard to send text messages. Phones that offered internet access were usually unreadable and difficult to maneuver. The iPhone introduced the multi-touch interface that allows for quick and easy access to data, music, and pictures while providing storage for other important information. The seamless integration of touch screen features allowed the internet to be used in meaningful ways.
Subsequent generations of the iPhone included operating system upgrades and the introduction of “aps” which are free or inexpensive programs designed to increase the functionality of the phone.
3)Electric Car: Tesla Motors was formed in 2003 and unveiled its first production-model all-electric car in 2008. Although different electric cars have appeared in various configurations since the 1920s, Tesla was the first company to produce a vehicle that did not have significant obstacles for production or sales.
Tesla vehicles boast an 88% efficiency rating compared to 20-25% for traditional gasoline-powered cars. Tesla currently offers a roaster and plans to release a coupe priced under $50,000 in 2012.
4)YouTube: YouTube was debuted in 2005 and had a significant impact on media distribution and social networking. Using Adobe Flash Video technology, the website provides a forum for displaying videos from an endless variety of sources including businesses, consumer groups, and individuals seeking media exposure for themselves, their products, or their causes.
5)Teleportation: In 2002, research at the Australian National University resulted in the successful teleportation of a laser beam. This research was an extension of an earlier experiment at Caltech in which a proton was successfully teleported. Essentially, this process involves using light and matter where one serves as the carrier of the data and one is the storage medium. In the Australianexperiment, the object was teleported 1.6 meters.
The applications for this technology are astounding. Through continued research, scientists are beginning to believe that eventually teleportation of large objects over great distances will become practical.
6)AbioCor Artificial Heart: The AbioCor artificial heart was initially implanted into a patient in 2001. It is the first device that is completely self-contained and doesn’t require external wires or tubes. The device is powered by an internal battery that is recharged through a transcutaneous energy transmission process. Although the original version was somewhat limited in terms of operational use, the second generation product is expected to last up to five years. The ultimate goal is to develop an artificial heart that has a design life that will far outlast the recipient.
7)Blu-ray Players: Blu-ray is a storage medium for optical discs that is used primarily for high definition video. Blu-ray was commercially introduced in 2006 and uses a blue laser to read or write data to a disc. Blue lasers use a smaller profile wavelength than traditional red laser DVDs. The development and proliferation of Blu-ray has helped high definition video displays realize their full potential.
8)Facebook:Facebookwas not the first social networking website, but its introduction in 2004 was the most influential in the development of the medium. 150 million users worldwide appreciate its multitude of features and easy accessibility. The concept of building contacts through virtual interaction has changed the manner in which businesses market their products and people interact with one another.
9)Solar Shingles: Introduced in 2005, the Dow Chemical company developed a thin filmsolar photovoltaicroof shingle. The small profile panels can be integrated with traditional asphalt shingles and will cost 10 to 15% less than traditional solar panels. The Dow product is also quicker and easier to install.
10)Smart Bullet: Smart bullets use microchip technology to detonate a round beyond an obstruction. By using the weapons range finder, the number of bullet rotations is calculated to determine the distance to the target. Soldiers in urban situations can use these smart bullets to reduce collateral damage while terminating enemies that are hiding behind obstructions.
The New Century
The 21stcentury is only a decade old. The future is promising, and it will be interesting to see how the list of the best inventions of the 21stcentury changes as the years unfold.
Busse, William. "Best Inventions of the 21st Century: Read Our List of the Top 10."Bright Hub. 18 May 2011.
Web. 12 Mar. 2015.
21st Century Inventions
21st century inventions – Can you remember when they launched?
Choosing to write on just a few indicative21st century inventions is a hard task.We are well into the current century and the number of innovations, especially in areas of computer technology, but also in other fields, are tremendous. This page covers some indicative inventions, that are not necessarily the most important ones, or innovative ones – but they did make a lot of buzz when they were invented and have definitely left an impact.
They are likely to be some of the inventions that still resonate with us to this day and in the future, when we will think of the 21st century in retrospect.
21st century inventions #1: The Segway (2000)
It started as a well kept secret. It was an intensely hyped mystery invention that was supposed to change our daily lives. People in the know said it will completely alter the way we design our cities and will revolutionize personal transportation. Steve Jobs, then CEO of apple computers predicted “it could be bigger than the PC”.
And then it was revealed, on December 2001: the Segway, the invention of Dean Kament , an American inventor and entrepreneur. The invention which was originally code named ‘Ginger’ was a ‘human transporter’. The first electric powered transportation vehicle that was able to self-balance. The first version could travel smoothly on several surfaces (from grass to sand) and was controlled by the rider shifting his weight to change the direction and the speed of the device.
The most innovative part of the Segway was a revolutionary technology called “Dynamic stabilization”. The technology allowed the Segway to self-balance, while integrating with the body’s movements.
The invention is still used today, but it definitely didn’t materialize into the revolutionary promise it originally posed.
21st century inventions #2: Artificial heart and liver (2001)
2001 brought with it two new inventions (among many others), that might have not registered in your radar but made a world of change for those impacted by it.
The robotic artificial heart, known as the abioCor was the size of a softball, was self-contained, and worked on a battery pack that the user could strap to his waist. It was made of titanium and plastic and unlike previous artificial organs, had no wires or connections to external units. When it was first implanted in a human being in 2001, it was deemed a huge success – it lasted 5 months, much longer than expected. However, since then the productdidn'tbecome a staple in hospitals cardiology units, mainly due to its limited usage and the fact that the product has an expected life span of 18 months.
Like the heart, the liver is also one of the most important and complex organs in the body – not something you can easily replace.The bio artificial liver, uses human blood in one chamber and live rabbit cells in a solution in the other – with a membrane in between. The rabbit cells do the work of the human liver cells, replacing the purpose of a real liver – but since they are contained within a chamber, there is a reduced risk of infection or rejection. When it was announced in 2001, it was just approved for clinical trials and was meant to eventually serve as a liver replacement – either temporarily, to allow a damaged liver time to heal itself, or as a permanent replacement. Today similar artificial livers are being developed using stem cells.
21st century inventions #3: Bluetooth technology (2002)
The Bluetooth technology was introduced to the market first in 2002. It was dubbed the first low energy peer to peer wireless technology, and was developed by a consortium of electronics manufactures, with the aim of connecting several digital devices over short distances. The concept was first born in an Ericssonlab in Sweden in the 1990’s and went on to revolutionize wireless connection.
The beauty of the technology when it was just launched was that for the first time it has connected devices from different industries, introduced new possibilities for device development and changed consumers behaviors.
The first devices to hit the market were Bluetooth earpieces used to connect with our cell phones. Today, the technology dominates almost any consumer electronic device, fitness and sports devices, and others in the fields of smart homes, cars, medical and health.A recent research report predicted 2 billion Bluetooth enabled unites will be shipped in 2013 alone.
21st century inventions #4: Roomba the robot vacuum cleaner (2002)
The Roomba robot vacuum cleaner might not have changed our world significantly, but it definitely made our life just a little bit easier.
A group of inventors originally from the Massachusetts institute of technology and then from the irobot company have created the round robot which runs on batteries and vacuums your house for you. It has sensors which helps it navigate around the house, prevents it from bumping into walls or falling down stairs.
In an interview one of the inventors, Helen Greiner said how the company knew that in order to make it big with robots, they need to come up with an invention that will help people in their households: “every time we introduced ourselves people would say to us ‘Can you make a robot that will clean my house?’”. And so they did.The company developed other robots with different functionalities and target audiences, but the Roomba is probably one of its biggest commercial success stories.
21st century inventions #5: Apple inventions
Not much needs to be said about apple and their inventions during the 21st century. From the ipod, to iPad and iTunes to name a few – apple has changed the way we use technology to communicate, listen to music, consume information and much more.
The first on the list, the iPod, actually started up as a business idea of an independent inventor: Tony Fadell. His vision was to take an mp3 player and build a music sale service such as Napster to work with it. He wanted to build a company around it. However, Apple hired Fadell in 2001, gave him a team of 30 designers, hardware engineers and programmers and the rest his history – The iPod and iTunes store were born.
The iPhone concept actually originated as early as in 2000, despite the fact that the final product was launched only in 2007.A worker of Apple, John Casey, sent his colleagues drawings of a concept idea he termed the Telipod - a combination of a telephone and an iPod. That original idea went through several stages of evolution, with the touch screen being added by Steve Jobs itself, before we were all introduced to the famous iPhone.