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Laser
Inventor: Theodore H. Maiman (physicist) Description: Although the theories leading to the development of the first laser go back as far as Max Planck in the early 1900's, and Albert Einstein in 1917, Maiman is credited with building the first laser using a ruby crystal. Lasers today are used in many industries including medicine/surgery, industrial applications, law enforcement and more. History of the Laser -
SAGE Computer
Inventors: Jay Forrester and George Valley (MIT professors)
Description: The SAGE Computer system stood for Semi-Automatic Ground Environment, and was designed for the U.S. military to be used for air defense. The SAGE system could detect and track hundreds of aircraft, and was the predecessor of NORAD's air defense system. SAGE became operational in 1961, and remained in operation until 1983. SAGE Computer -
Belgrade Hand
Inventor: Rajko Tomović (Serbian scientist). Description: The Belgrade Hand is considered the first powered prosthesis. It had five-individual fingers which could move independently by way of electrical impulses. This technology allowed the user to be able to pick up and hold objects, and played an important role in the development of prosthetics technology. Belgrade Hand -
Computer Mouse
Inventor: Douglas Engelbart (first mouse was built by his lead engineer Bill English). Description: The first computer mouse that they created was made from wood. It had two wheels of motion, one for the x-axis, one for the y-axis. In the patent he filed for it in 1967, he called it "X-Y Position Indicator for a Display System." In a 1968 video demo for the mouse, Mr. Engelbart said "I don't know why we call it a mouse"(https://www.dougengelbart.org/content/view/162/000/) -
Tentacle Arm Robot / Minsky Arm
Inventor: Marvin Minsky (MIT scientist). Description: The Tentacle Arm Robot, also known as the Minsky arm, was a computer controlled arm. It was called the Tentacle Arm because it moved like an octopus. It had 12 joints, could reach around objects, and was capable of lifting the weight of a human. The technology involved with the arm's ability to perform tasks was significant to the development of artificial intelligence. Minsky Arm
