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Period: to
1900s
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Diesel Engine is Demonstrated at World's Fair, Paris
Named for its creator Rudolph Diesel, the diesel engine is a form of internal combustion engine, the widespread advent of which shaped the early 20th century. Increased factory automation and mass-produced automobiles affected nearly every area of society. -
First Electric Typewriter
The Blickensderfer Electric, part of a line of typewriters beginning in the late 1800s, was the first electric typewriter ever made. Consistent typing force and automatic carriage return and line spacing made this device significantly ahead of its time. However, it never saw real commercial success, as it ran on AC, which was not standard at the time of its release. -
First Neon Light
Georges Claude had observed that tubes of neon gas emitted light when exposed to current, and adapted this effect into an electric lamp, first demonstrated in Paris, and marketed by their potential for advertising. -
Ford Model A
The first model ever produced by the Ford Motor Company, the first Model A was sold in summer 1903, paving the way for one of the most important and enduring automakers of all time. -
Photostat Machine
Also simply called Photostat, this was the first projection photocopier, and the progenitor of a core machine of modern business.