This post unveils the fascinating and sometimes humorous beginnings of some iconic technological inventions. From the webcam born out of a scientist’s coffee frustration to the accidental discoveries of the microwave and pacemaker, these stories are sure to surprise.
Read on to discover how tech inventions, including the phonograph and photocopier, took shape in ways you might never have imagined.
Webcam
Image credits: openculture.com
Have you pondered the origins of the webcam? It wasn’t birthed for surveillance, as you might suspect. Instead, its inception was rooted in something more mundane – monitoring the coffee pot!
In 1991, Quentin Stafford-Fraser, a computer scientist at Cambridge University, grew tired of making trips to an empty coffee machine. So, he devised a solution – a camera pointed at the coffee machine, programmed to take three images every minute and display them on their computer screens. And just like that, the precursor to the webcam was born. Though it initially shared photos, not video, the seed of an idea sprouted here.
Microwave
Image credits: owlcation.com
wave, birthed by accident in 1945 by self-taught engineer Percy Spencer from Howland, Maine. During a radar experiment (using radio waves to find and track things like aircraft or weather patterns), Spencer noticed a magnetron creating heat waves that melted his candy bar.
Intrigued, he tested popcorn, which cooked successfully, marking popcorn as the microwave’s first deliberate meal. However, an egg test resulted in an unexpected facial for one experimenter due to built-up pressure.
The first microwaves were behemoths, standing at 6 feet and weighing over 750 pounds.
Phonograph
Image credits: Science photo library
The phonograph, also known as a gramophone or record player, was intended for something other than music recording. While trying to inscribe telegraph messages on paper for repeated sending without re-typing, Thomas Edison had a brainwave – why not record telephone messages?
This led to the creation of the phonograph. Fittingly, the first recording was the nursery rhyme “Mary Had a Little Lamb.”
Photocopier
Image credits: npr.org
Chester Carlson, a patent attorney, part-time inventor, and the brains behind the photocopier, aimed to simplify his work. Struggling with arthritis, making numerous copies of vital documents was a chore, so he sought a solution.
His first photocopy was made using a sulfur-coated zinc plate. “10-22-38 Astoria” was written on a microscope slide, placed on more sulfur, and lit up. Once removed, a mirrored image of the words remained.
The pacemaker
Image credits: buffalohistorymuseum.com
Lastly, the pacemaker was brought to life by electronics enthusiast Wilson Greatbatch. He didn’t initially aim to create a device to stimulate a weak heart; he sought to record heartbeats.
But, when he mistakenly used the wrong resistor in his machine, it began to emit an irregular pulse while consuming minimal battery power. Over time, he refined this device, ultimately creating a lifeline for failing hearts.
It’s astonishing to learn how some everyday tech gadgets started with surprising, accidental, or even humorous origins. As we look back, we appreciate these innovative leaps and the inventors behind them, who, despite unexpected outcomes, shaped these inventions into the groundbreaking tools we know today.
These stories remind us that in the world of technology, a bit of frustration, a dose of serendipity, and a lot of ingenuity can lead to remarkable breakthroughs.
References:
- https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/snapshot/microwave-oven#:~:text=Percy%20Spencer%20developed%20and%20patented,weighing%20more%20than%20750%20pounds.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microwave_oven
- https://www.loc.gov/collections/edison-company-motion-pictures-and-sound-recordings/articles-and-essays/history-of-edison-sound-recordings/history-of-the-cylinder-phonograph/#:~:text=The%20phonograph%20was%20developed%20as,sent%20over%20the%20telegraph%20repeatedly.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photocopier
- https://www.britannica.com/video/186402/Wilson-Greatbatch-invention-pacemaker