10 Inventions that

Significantly Changed
the World
By:
Rushil Surapaneni (Student ID: 24782638)
Industrial Engineering and Operations Research 190G

The Movable Printing

Press
First known movable type printing
press technology invented and
developed in China by Bi Sheng
between years 1041 and 1048.
Invention of movable type
mechanical printing technology
credited to German printer
Johannes Gutenberg in 1450.
Arrival of this movable type in
Renaissance Europe introduced
the era of mass communication.
Unrestricted circulation of
and ideas
information
Power of political and religious authorities threatened as increase in
transcended borders.
literacy broke monopoly of literate elite on education and led to rise of
middle class, Reformation, and nationalism.

The Mobile Phone

First mobile phone was demonstrated by John F. Mitchell and Dr. Martin
Cooper of Motorola in 1973 and in 1983, DynaTAC 8000x was first to
be commercially available.
From 1983 to 2014, worldwide mobile phone subscriptions grew from
zero to 7 billion, penetrating 100% of the global population.
Credited with revolutionizing socio-economic culture through the
ability to connect with others at an instant pace.
Controversial with its impact on
social culture as inter-personal,
face-to-face attention diminishes
with the growth of the mobile
phone.

The Incandescent
Lightbulb
Incandescent bulbs are the original form of
electric lighting and have been in use for over
100 years.
Has allowed for greater working hours, better
workplace and home safety, and has increased
leisure hours and activities.
Has become a modern necessity of life and has
brought networks of wires into homes and
offices, allowing for it to be relatively easy to add
appliances and other machines.

The Microwave Oven

Invented by Percy Spencer after World War II from radar technology
developed during the war.
Heats food by bombarding it with electromagnetic radiation in the
microwave spectrum causing polarized molecules in the food to rotate
and build up thermal energy.
Raytheon licensed its patents for a home-use microwave oven that was
first introduced by Tappan in 1955.
Beyond the confines of the home
kitchen, the microwave ovens impact
has been felt in a number of ways
including the ability of the food
service industry to meet the demands
for quality food served fast.

The Automobile
The year 1866 is regarded as the birth year of the modern car built by
Karl Benz with the completion of the Benz Patent-Motorwagon.
Did not become widely available to masses till early 20th century with
manufacturing of Ford Model T.
Cars rapidly adopted in U.S., where they replaced animal-drawn
carriages.
Became de facto standard for passenger transport in most developed
While introduction of mass-produced
countries.
car represented revolution in
mobility and convenience,
consequences have included
increase of non-renewable fuels
damaging to the environment.

The Toilet
Ancient civilizations such as the Indus Valley
civilization used toilets attached to simple
flowing water sewage systems.
Precursor to flush toilet system designed in 1596
by John Harington but such systems did not come
into widespread use till the work of Thomas
Crapper in the late 19th century.
Has helped reduce diseases such as cholera,
which can be largely be prevented when effective
sanitation and water treatment prevents fecal
matter from contaminating drinking water
supplies.

The Internet
Origins date back to research commissioned by the U.S. government in
the 1960s to build robust, fault-tolerant communication via computer
networks.
Funding of a new U.S. backbone in the 1980s, along with private
funding for other commercial backbones led to worldwide participation
in the development of new networking technologies.
Commercialization of internet resulted in popularization and
incorporation of the Internet into virtually every aspect of modern
human life.

The Computer
Programma 101 was the first commercial desktop personal
computer, produced by Italian company Olivetti and invented by
engineer Pier Giorgio Perotto.
Originally used by major corporations and the federal government,
became developed for household use in the early 1980s.
Named the Machine of the Year by Time Magazine in 1982.
Global personal computer shipments were 350.9 million units in 2010.
Computers have led to space exploration, new
designs of vehicles and other forms of
transportation, increase in entertainment
industry, and revolutionized medical and
biological sciences to address healthcare issues.

The Television
Became commercially available in an experimental basis in the late
1920s, popularized greatly after World War II and has become
commonplace in homes, businesses, and institutions.
Serves in many instances as the primary vehicle for entertainment,
advertising, and news.
During the 1950s, television became the primary medium for
molding public opinion and continues to do so today.

The Telephone
First patented in 1876 by Alexander Graham Bell and further
developed by many others; the telephone was the first device in
history that enabled people to talk directly with each other across
large distances.
Became indispensable to businesses, government, and households,
todaya some
the of
most
and
Has are
fostered
wholeofhost
newwidely used small appliances.
inventions as both the cellular phone
and the internet are a result of the
telephone system.
Telephone has changed our mindset to
a more complex way of thinking and
continues to impact us as we move
into the 21st century.

The Logic Behind the

Selections

Overall, it came down to what I saw was most practical and

necessary for society and the modern world to exist the way it
does today.

I believe that the inventions I chose revolutionized the socioeconomic standing of society to the point that allowed for radical
changes in thought and ideology to take place due to these
inventions.

I see the inventions of this world allowing for society to not only
grow in the present but also further advance into the future as
they can be tinkered with to better optimize the potential of
humankind in the long-run, whether it be technologically,
socially, or economically.