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
a reality. They are able to copy human cells, and after some experiments and 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. Scientists have 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,
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
development, experts said that the automation will be developed and
improved as well.
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2. Robotics
Well, this is indeed a big step for the humanity, and it is something
that scientists were 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
the pollution level on our planet. These cars can function with hydrogen as fuel.
It happens in the combustion chamber, and as a result, it has only a puff of
water vapor. 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 21st century has been a remarkable period for entrepreneurial 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 21st century since there are
so many worthy candidates. Inventions that have had a significant impact on society and 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 music and 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 Australian experiment, 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: Facebook was 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 film solar
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 21st century 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 21st century 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 indicative 21st 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
product didn't become 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 Ericsson lab 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.
21st century inventions #6: Web inventions and sites that changed our lives
The 21st century is most definitely (among other things) the century that changed the way we use the web.
Youtube, Google maps street view, social networking and Facebook are just some of the websites and
technologies that are today an inseparable part of our lives, and didn’t exist 14 years ago.
YouTube was invented in 2005 by 3 partners Jawed Karim, Chad Hurley and Steve Chen, and revolutionized
the way we consume and share videos. Google maps street view which in 2007 launched with 360 panoramic
images of NYC, Chicago, San Francisco and many other cities and changed the way we navigate or look for
addresses.
Social networking, which is these days is an inseparable part of our daily lives and Facebook, its epitome,
started in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg in his dorm room at Harvard.
"21st Century Inventions That Made an Impact." Inventions Handbook. Inventions-Handbook, 1 Jan. 2014. Web. 12 Mar.
2015.
Top 10 Most Important Inventions of the 21st Century in Technology
1. iPhone
In the 21st century iPhone became one of the most popular gadgets, bringing the term
"smartphone" to a new level. The first model was officially presented by Apple Inc in
January 9, 2007. Users were able to buy the handset starting June 2007.
Today the iPhone can be used to make videos and pictures, listen to music, watch clips
and more. The users get the device with both Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity.
The most impressive, however, is the multi-touch touchscreen that boasts fast response
to touch. Users have the possibility to use a myriad of applications that can be
downloaded from the App Store or third parties. These applications have different
functionalities - users can play games, activate GPS navigation, browse social networks,
watch movies and more. Currently there are 4 generations of iPhone models
2. iPad
This is another revolutionary device from Apple. After the launch of the iPad a lot of tech
companies started creating their own tablet computers that could rival Apple's gadget,
which in short time became the most popular tablet computer on the planet.
The iPad can be used for audio-visual media. Thus users can read books and periodicals,
watch movies, listen to music, play video games, and surf the web. The size and weight of
the device are ranked between modern smartphones and laptop computers.
Just like its smaller brother iPhone, the iPad features a multi-touch display with a large
virtual keyboard. The users can surf the web using a Wi-Fi data connection. It is possible
to load and stream media, and install software. There are iPad models that also boast a
3G wireless data connection.
3. Google's Driverless Car
A driverless Toyota Prius equipped with radar sensors, video cameras, as well as laser
range finder, has been launched by Google. The world's first driverless vehicle traveled
140,000 miles without any issues during its trip.
The new technology is a step towards the development of a safe driverless
transportation system on city streets. The first steps in the creation of such systems
were made in the military field, but Google was the first to come up with a system that
allows a vehicle to drive along busy city streets.
The main goal of the Silicon Valley-based company is to create a safer and more
efficient transportation system that would reduce the number of car accidents.
4. Electric-Car Charging Stations
With the development of a large number of eco-friendly vehicles some companies started developing
special EV charging stations where drivers have the possibility to fill up their batteries. Thus owners
of electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid and electric-gasoline vehicles will no longer be limited to domestic
wall socket.
In the 21st century the need for publicly accessible power points is in continuous rise. Today we can
witness a number of large installation designs like Park & Charge located in Europe and Better Place
found in the United States.
5. Flip Mino
This small device became extremely popular at the beginning of the 21st century, becoming
America's most popular video camera.
Flip Mino has an internal drive that allows storing up to 1 hour of video clips. Thus users are not
bound to video tapes or memory cards when shooting videos. In addition, there is no need to
purchase batteries for the device as it can be recharged using PC connection.
One of its biggest advantages is simplicity in use. To start or stop recording the user only has to push one red button.
The USB connector allows the user to easily upload videos on YouTube or on their computer.
6. Nintendo Wii
This video game console was launched by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. Its main competitors
are Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3.
However, the Wii has one distinguishing feature from Xbox and PS3 - users can play video games
by making use of special wireless controller called the Wii Remote. The latter detects the user's
movements in 3D.
In December 2009 the console managed to break the record for best-selling gaming console in
one month in the US. As of May 2011, Nintendo's device is the leading console in sales around the world, followed by
PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
7. Google Android
This software stack for handheld devices that features an operating system, middleware and key applications was
developed by Google Inc. Today Android is the most popular operating system for smartphones.
To develop and launch Android, Google worked together with members of the Open Handset
Alliance.
Android represents a large community of developers that create applications for various uses. So
far the Android market boasts more than 200,000 apps. It is worth mentioning that Android
Market is the online application store run by Google. However, users also have the possibility to
load apps from third-party sites.
8. The Tesla Roadster
The Tesla Roadster was the world's first commercially available battery electric
sports car. It was developed by Tesla Motors, a company based in California.
Until March 2011 Tesla managed to sell 1,650 Roadsters in 30 countries. In 2010
Tesla started developing right-hand electric vehicles for the British Isles, Australia,
Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore.
The most impressive feature of the vehicle is acceleration. The car can shift from 0
to 60 miles per hour in 3.9 seconds. The Tesla Roadster can also reach a top speed of about 130 miles per hour. The
company claims that the vehicle can register a maximum range of 220 miles per charge.
9. YouTube
The world's most popular video-sharing website was created by three former PayPal employees
back in February 2005. In November 2005 Google acquired the website for $1.65 billion.
The website allows users to upload, share, and watch videos. A lot of content available on
YouTube is uploaded by individuals. But media corporations also like to use this popular service.
Some of the companies that upload videos on YouTube are CBS, BBC, Vevo and Hulu.
Everyone can watch videos but only registered users can upload. The number of videos one can
upload on YouTube is unlimited.
10. Facebook
The famous social networking website was launched in February 2004, being developed by
Mark Zuckerberg and his college roommates.
Facebook boasts over 600 million active users, being the most popular social networking
website in the world. It allows users to create a personal profile, make online friends, and
exchange messages.
In addition, the social network makes it possible for users to join common interest groups.
The service's name comes from the colloquial name for the book that university
administrations in the United States give students at the starting point of the academic year.
"Top 10 Most Important Inventions of the 21st Century in Technology."Technology.
InfoNIAC.com, 1 Jan. 2011. Web. 12 Mar. 2015.