The Telephone
(Alexander Graham Bell)
Problem Solved (Purpose)
 To improve the telegraph and help the hearing impaired
Resources/How it worked
 Several sounds are sent along the same wire if the sounds/signals differ in
pitch
 a device that would transmit speech electrically
 a working transmitter with a membrane capable of varying electronic
currents and a receiver that would reproduce these variations in audible
frequencies
Changes Lives
 Greater mobility and communication; quicker responses to emergencies;
faster business connections
Extend Abilities
 Able to talk over long distances and hear a response immediately
Role of Technology Today vs. prior to 1950
 In 1950 it was the only way to communicate person to person in real time
and it’s main use was communication. In modern day the cell phone is used
for communication, entertainment, information and more. It also allows
people to communicate through written messages in real time.
The Hydrofoil
(Alexander Graham Bell, Casey Baldwin)
Problem Solved (Purpose)
 It was invented as a possible aid to airplane takeoff from water. It
also was meant to help things heavier than water float so it could
go faster
Resources/How it worked
 It uses wing-like structure mounted on struts below the hull of a
boat, which lifts the boat partially out of the water during forward
motion, in order to reduce drag.
Changes Lives
 People can get places faster when traveling over water.
Extend Abilities
 Enabled people to have faster water travel.
Role of Technology Today vs. prior to 1950

Today ships use this technology to move much faster. It is used
mostly for fast passenger ships, but it is also used by the military.
The Metal Detector
(Alexander Graham Bell)
Problem Solved (Purpose)
 The device was quickly put together in an attempt to find the bullet in
the body of U.S. President James Garfield
Resources/How it worked
 It failed to work because the metal bed’s frame disturbed the
instrument, resulting in static.
 When near metal, its electric circuit unbalances and starts the receiver
humming
Changes Lives
 did not find the assassin's bullet partly because the metal bed frame on
which the President was lying disturbed the instrument, resulting in
static
Extend Abilities
 It finds valuable ores that people otherwise couldn’t find. It also helps
find metal in food products.
Role of Technology Today vs. prior to 1950
 Before it was used to find bullets in people, now it is used to find land
mines before anyone even gets hurt. It is also used for treasure
hunting.
Phonograph/Gramophone
(Alexander Graham Bell)
Problem Solved (Purpose)
 Improved Edison's tinfoil phonograph considerably by
making it reproduce sound from wax instead of tinfoil.
Resources/How it worked
 It used wax-coated cardboard cylinders, and a cutting
stylus that moved from side to side in a "zig zag" pattern
across the record
Changes Lives
 Now, few people who likes it still use it, and collecting
them. However, it changed to a recorder.
Extend Abilities
 People were able to listen to recorded sounds.
Role of Technology Today vs. prior to 1950
 A tape recorder started as a phonograph.
The Vacuum Jacket
(Alexander Graham Bell)
Problem Solved (Purpose)
 to help people with respiratory problems (e.g. polio) breathe
Resources/How it worked
 It was an airtight iron cylinder which fitted closely around the
torso. Once strapped into the cylinder, a suction pump forced
air in and out of the “iron lung” stimulating the patient’s own
lungs.
Changes Lives
 it helped out people with breathing difficulties and also helped
people live longer.
Extend Abilities
 it helped people with polio/respiratory problems live a longer
life.
Role of Technology Today vs. prior to 1950
 today, we have oxygen masks or defibrillators to help
breathing instead of a vacuum jacket.
The Photophone
(Alexander Graham Bell)
Problem Solved (Purpose)
 Bell had hoped his new invention could be used by ships at sea and to
displace the excess of telephone lines that were booming along busy city
streets.
Resources/How it worked
 It allowed for the transmission of both articulated sounds and normal
human conversations on a beam of light. It used crystalline selenium cells
at the focal point of its parabolic receiver.
Changes Lives
 It wasn’t successful over long distances but it did get people to think about
using light to communicate. His designs failed to protect its transmissions
from outdoor interferences such as clouds, fog, rain, snow and such that
could easily disrupt the transmission of light
Extend Abilities
 It was used to help hearing abilities. It was intended to be used to
communicate at sea and to reduce the many telephone wires.
Role of Technology Today vs. prior to 1950
 We do use this method, but in a different way. It is used in fiber optic
network communication. Wireless communication is easier today.
The Airplane, Silver Dart
(Alexander Graham Bell)
Problem Solved (Purpose)
 Bell shared with his wife the vision to fly and wanted to invent the
first controlled powered airplane in the British Empire. He wanted to
solve some of the problems of aviation.
Resources/How it worked
 It was made of bamboo, with steel tube ferrules, friction tape
binding, Japanese silk and wood. The wing struts were hewn from
spree the individual wings were made of ash. It also had a 35hp V8
engine. It had had poor control and no brakes.
Changes Lives
 More transportation, further and faster.
Extend Abilities
 People were able to travel further than other planes also can carry
other passengers.
Role of Technology Today vs. prior to 1950
 Planes are different today because you can fit more passengers,
more built stronger, more protection, more big. Fly more longer, and
travel further.
Kerosene
(Abraham Gesner)
Problem Solved (Purpose)
 It burned cleaner and was less expensive than competing products,
such as whale oil.
Resources/How it worked
 He made it by refining a liquid fuel from coal.
Changes Lives
 It changed our lives for the better because it was a good clean
burning multipurpose fuel and saved the poor whales. Street lights
installed in Halifax and other cities made is brighter and safer at
night.
Extend Abilities
 Able to see easier at night in cities
Role of Technology Today vs. prior to 1950
 We use jets nowadays.
 We use electricity for lights today.
Dump Truck
(Robert T. Mawhinney)
Problem Solved (Purpose)
 To carry very heavy things long distances.
Resources/How it worked
 Dump box attached to a flatbed truck and attached it to
a wrench to make it lift up and go down.
Changes Lives
 It can carry heavy things long distances that humans
can’t.
Extend Abilities
 More heavy things get carried long distances.
Role of Technology Today vs. prior to 1950

The dump trucks today are way bigger than before
because they use hydraulics.
Radio Transmitted Voice
(Reginald A. Fessenden)
Problem Solved (Purpose)
 To broadcast human voices without the use of wires..
Resources/How it worked
 A high-frequency alternator-transmitter connected to an
aerial with a microphone in the transmission line
Changes Lives
 You could hear news and songs. You can make your own
radio station and talk about stuff.
Extend Abilities
 You could hear people far away without wires.
Role of Technology Today vs. prior to 1950

Back then they had to write letters. Today they can
actually talk to the person that is far away.
Trans-oceanic Wireless Communication
(Guglielmo Marconi)
Problem Solved (Purpose)
 He wanted to talk to people who are far away, and do it
wirelessly.
Resources/How it worked
 It was made by an oscillator, wire, coherer, telegraph
key, and by a telegraph register.
Changes Lives
 It enabled us to communicate globally.
Extend Abilities
 There are less bad emergencies because people can
respond faster.
Role of Technology Today vs. prior to 1950

Today more things use wireless communication.