We create future learning from the past… In most cases this quotation proves to be true, especially when we speak about patents.
Actually, it’s a hard job being an inventor. Dreaming up new devices, gadgets and understanding the basics of patents, copyrights and trademarks is not an easy task. Some ideas may seem to be useless, bizarre or even ridiculous, others turn our life upside down and in a few months or even years we cannot even assume how we lived without this or that tool before. What patents of the XX century were the most interesting and life-changing?
Mobile Phone
The significant rise of super-fast mobile internet and swift communications, social networks and selfies… We can barely picture our life without a handy in our pocket. Was it an unusual invention? Surely! Especially if we go back to 1973, when Martin Cooper, a senior Motorola engineer, made the first mobile phone call. Just imagine that 43 years ago it was something outstanding, extraordinary and novel. A mobile device that weights about 1.1kg can be called a dinosaur in the twenty-first century, but in those days it was a top-notch solution that simply revolutionized the communication sphere and defined the course of the XX century.
Rubik’s Cube
What do we buy toys for? To entertain kids, to develop imagination and creative thinking? All these definitions can be hardly applied to a doll or a teddy bear, but they serve as correct descriptions when speaking about the Rubik’s Cube. After its invention in 1974, the puzzle cube became the best selling toy in history. The most interesting fact is that it wasn’t initially intended to be a toy, but, according to its inventor Erno Rubik, an illustration of the three-dimensional geometry. With the 43 quintillions of possible configurations even now it leads the pack in the puzzling and gaming world. By the way, have you ever been able to solve this thing?
High-Five Machine
Today is a play-off of your favourite sport team but there is not a single soul to watch sports with you and going to a sports bar is not an option? Thanks to the Albert Cohen, the inventor of the high-five machine, you can release the agitation of a touchdown or any other positive event during the game giving a high five to an artificial arm attached to a wall or set on a table. Along with positive emotions it promises to improve your mood and coordination. So, have you already prepared the “high five” machine for tomorrow’s big game?
Anti eating Face Mask
Are you desperate to cut your weight or want to keep yourself from overeating? Well, you know that desperate times require desperate actions and there are situations when people are ready to put on a cage-like mask to reach the goal. If you have no self control when it comes to delicious dishes and tasty bakery, this invention could be the key solution. Made up of a cup-shaped face mask and straps it prevents from eating any food at all. Designed to fight the obesity epidemic, it looks quite weird and scary, although it had its target audience in the 1980s. Of course, with the variety of different diets and fitness clubs we can hardly consider putting on this mask, but this patent still remains the most fascinating in the list of the weight control appliances.
Portable Nuclear Shield
If you want peace, prepare for war. There were times when people lived in a never-ending fear of the upcoming nuclear war. It is likely that this fact provoked the invention of a portable nuclear shield in late fifties. It was designed to protect the human body from harmful contaminants and unfavourable conditions, if a nuclear bomb would ever explode in the area. According to description, you only need to dig a cavern and open the shield to secure yourself and get an essential degree of safety in a war-time. Sound to be really reliable, but keep in mind that you need to dig really fast. Can we call this invention unusual? Surely! Can we consider it a life-saving? Probably.
So, these are the most fascinating patents of the XX century. But there are far far more interesting discoveries ahead. Let’s wait and see what will amaze or make us laugh in the nearest future. Meanwhile, it is also worth to check out “Top 6 the most fascinating inventions of the last years“.