These experts will act as your guide as you navigate the details of providing a new product name that fits your brand, vision, and target audience. This is a process that usually entails collaboration, creativity, and strategic thinking, so it’s an integral step that you simply cannot take for granted. To make the process easier for you, here are seven tips to consider when naming your invention to ensure that the end result will resonate not only with your customers but also with you.

RELATED: How Much Does it Cost to Produce a Product? Bringing Your Invention to Market

1. Understand the product’s purpose and audience

Before you even start brainstorming names, you have to know your invention’s function and market target. What issue does your product address? What needs does it fulfill? Knowing the core aims of your invention will enable you to filter down your naming possibilities. A product intended for a particular niche will likely need a more specific name, one that references the particular challenges or benefits it offers.

For example, an environmentally friendly innovation may have words or ideas that reflect sustainability or the outdoors, targeting eco-friendly customers. If your item is advanced and for experts, the name can be modern and refined, reflecting its advanced capabilities. A product design company will walk you through the process. They will invest the time to learn about your objectives and make sure the product name fits with the overall design plan. This research process should be a foundation of the working relationship between you and your design team.

2. Make it simple and memorable

Simplicity is the name of the game when it comes to creating your product name something people will easily remember. A difficult or lengthy name can puzzle possible customers, which will make it more difficult to recall and spread the word about. This is especially necessary if you have the intention to promote your product and generate awareness by word-of-mouth. The easier your product’s name is, the better.

RELATED: Product Licensing vs. Manufacturing. What’s Best for Your Company’s Invention?

Consider some of the most successful brands and inventions in the world. Apple, Tesla, Nike—these are short, catchy, and memorable names. When you hire product design professionals, they will assist you in filtering options and making names that are simple yet unique. This can even apply to the logo, tagline, and the overall design elements, so the product’s identity is one that is simple and coherent.

3. Consider domain availability and trademark concerns

After you have made your choices as narrow as possible, you should then verify if the name can be used as a domain name and if it is legally available for trademarking. This is an important part of the naming process. You don’t want to spend time and money creating a brand image only to discover that another company holds the rights to the name. Trademarking refers to the legal process of securing a brand’s name, logo, slogan, or symbol employed to identify and differentiate its products or services from others.

A trademark secures the owner exclusive rights to employ the mark in business with the purpose of preventing confusion and misuse by competitors. Trademark registration increases brand identification, fosters consumer confidence, and secures legal action against infringers. Whereas trademarks may be unregistered, official registration with a national organization, such as the USPTO in the United States, provides greater protection. Trademarks may never expire, as long as they are well-maintained and used continuously in trade.

RELATED: All You Need To Know About Elevating Your Company Using CAD Product Design Services During Product Development

A product design firm can assist in this process by doing the research necessary to make sure that there are no conflicts. They can also assist you in navigating the legal landscape in protecting your intellectual property. By getting the trademark and domain name early, you can prevent legal action later on that will hold up your product launch or hurt your brand’s reputation.

4. Consider global appeal and localization

As your business develops, you can consider selling the product in other countries. Consider how your company name will sound when translated into various languages and cultures. Your company name can be perceived to have a negative meaning or implications if used in some countries, hurting the reputation and sales of your brand. When you outsource product rendering design services, they can help you research international markets and make sure that your product name doesn’t encounter any hindrances.

It is essential to ensure that the name evokes positive associations in various cultures and aligns with your overall marketing strategy. Localization plays a significant role in expanding your reach, and an experienced design team with international expertise will offer valuable insights. Regardless of whether you’re launching in Europe, Asia, or Latin America, it’s vital to understand how your product name may be perceived.

RELATED: 21 Things Invented by Famous Female Inventors

5. Make it future-proof

You want your product name to stand the test of time. A trendy name that taps into current pop culture might work for a while, but it risks becoming outdated as trends evolve. Additionally, if your invention is part of a larger product line or could evolve into something more expansive, you’ll want a name that can scale and adapt as your brand grows.

A product modeling services business can help generate ageless names, with leeway for the future. It involves avoiding specifics or using names specific to one iteration of the product. Instead, aim to craft a name with leeway for future innovations or expansion. Consider companies such as Dyson, which introduce new products and have an unchanged and timeless brand name. A future-proof name will help position your product as a lasting fixture in the market.

6. Try the name with target consumers

Perhaps the most significant thing about product naming is that it has to resonate with your target market. Ultimately, they will decide if the product succeeds or not. It is absolutely necessary to pre-test the name with prospective customers to determine how well it will resonate with them. You can do focus groups, surveys, or A/B testing to see how well your name is doing.

RELATED: Prototyping for Product Development & Investor Presentations

You can hire a product design firm to create these tests and help you understand the results. Is the name easily remembered by consumers? Does the name say what you want it to say about the product? Are there any negative connotations with the name? These are questions that will allow you to narrow down your options and make sure the name is working in actual usage.

7. Adopt creativity, but remain loyal to your brand

The process of naming a product should be catchy, but it should also align with a broader brand vision. You want to go off on something quirky, edgy, or overly creative, but you have to make sure the name fits your brand’s values, tone, and identity. A design help firm that specializes in concept design and product development can assist. The name must be an extension of the brand and in line with the message you want to convey.

A product naming company will assist in balancing creativity with strategic thinking. They will lead you toward names that are innovative but suitable for your product category. If your product is a high-end luxury product, for instance, the name must reflect sophistication. If, on the other hand, you are targeting a more relaxed, informal audience, the name must be friendly and playful. Creativity must always be balanced with the requirement for the name to be consistent with the overall brand ethos.

RELATED: 21 Companies Looking for Your Invention Ideas to License New Products

Wrapping up

Naming an invention is a step that needs careful thought and strategic planning. If you outsource to a product design company, you have the benefit of their expertise at your disposal, which can take you through the entire process. From understanding the purpose and audience of the product to the name being legally protected and future-proof, the experts can ensure that you make the correct decision at each point.

Don’t forget simplicity and universal appeal, and always validate your name among actual consumers to estimate its performance. First and foremost, remain true to your brand and ensure the name suits the values and identity you intend to convey. A good, carefully selected name can lay the ground for an effective product release and a stable brand image.

Cad Crowd is here to help

With the right name, your invention won’t just be another product on the shelf—it will be a memorable, recognizable solution that resonates with your audience and stands the test of time. But what if you’re running out of ideas? This is where Cad Crowd can help. Thanks to our massive pool of trusted product companies, finding the perfect name for your new invention design will be a breeze. Contact us and request a quote today!

Efficient new concept design and product development companies can cut down the time required to introduce a product to the market. Considering how fast-paced today’s industries have become, being the first to launch in the market can offer a significant edge over your competition. This will let you capture a chunk of the market share and generate revenue before your competitors. Below are helpful tips to optimize new invention development and product development for companies:

RELATED: All you need to know about elevating your company using CAD product design services during product development

Tips to optimize new invention development and product development for companies

Follow lean principles

Taking on lean principles with invention design help and product development services can create a significant enhancement in terms of effectiveness and efficiency. Lean thinking at its core revolves around the concept of providing customers with maximum value while reducing waste. If teams apply these lean principles during the development process, they will streamline their workflows, eliminate inefficiencies, and launch better products in the market. 

Identification and elimination of waste are among the main lean principles. It includes anything with no direct contribution to offering value to customers, like excess inventory, waiting time in between tasks, and unnecessary steps throughout the development process. Lean principles also help empower teams in making decisions and addressing issues right at their roots. Teams will be able to respond to challenges faster and make the most out of opportunities as they come if they decentralize decision-making authority and promote collaboration. 

Define objectives and goals clearly 

New product design teams should understand the issue that the product will address and determine their target audience for effective tailoring of their efforts. Defining success can create a roadmap that will guide all decisions made during the development phase and prevent unnecessary detours. The clarity will ensure efficient allocation of resources, as well as focused efforts for development to provide value where it is most needed. 

RELATED: 21 Companies looking for your invention ideas to license new products

For example, the integration of modern technologies for manufacturing can streamline the processes of production. This improves scalability and cost-effectiveness while retaining the quality of the product, which is among the most common product development goals in the first place.

Take advantage of agile methodologies

Kanban or Scrum changes the process of product development through the introduction of dynamism and flexibility. Agile, unlike conventional approaches with definite plans, encourages iterative enhancements powered by continuing feedback loops. The method involves breaking the project down into smaller and more manageable tasks before organizing them into sprints, or time-limited iterations. This allows manufacturing firms to quickly keep up with changing market conditions or requirements that can provide significant value during the development process. 

These agile methodologies emphasize communication and collaboration among the team through daily scrums or stand-up meetings. By doing so, team members will be able to address obstacles, review progress, and synchronize their efforts. Retrospectives at the sprint ends allow identification of improvements, process reflection, and implementation. The feedback loop encourages continuous enhancement, transparency, and collaboration. This empowers teams to quickly keep up with challenges and provide top-of-the-line products that can cater to the specific needs of customers. 

RELATED: Consumer electronics show (CES) recap 2024: Las Vegas inventors and design firms recap

Promote continuous improvement and learning

Promoting continuous improvement and learning is critical to fostering excellence and innovation within the product modeling designers and invention development teams. It’s important to recognize that the process of product development is something iterative where organizations should value experimentation, adaptability, and learning. It’s important to inculcate a mindset of openness and curiosity to novel ideas among the team members. Focus on the essence of staying updated about evolving customer requirements, emerging technologies, and industry trends.

Persuade people to actively search for learning opportunities, whether it is through informal sessions of sharing knowledge, online courses, workshops, or conferences. Creating a supportive and safe environment that empowers team members to share their lessons learned, experiences, best practices, and insights is vital. Offer platforms where they can share their success stories, best practices, and even their failures because all of these can give everyone involved some truly valuable opportunities for learning. 

Cultivate cross-functional collaboration 

Cross-functional collaboration has several key benefits and one of these is the fact that it facilitates improved cooperation and communication. When designers, developers, marketers, and the rest of the stakeholders work hand in hand right from the beginning of the project, they will have a better understanding of each other’s priorities, goals, and constraints. Having cross-functional teams as part of the product development process allows faster problem-solving and decision-making.

RELATED: 100 Famous inventors and their best invention ideas

With input from people who have different perspectives and expertise, 3D design teams will be able to explore a broader array of prospective solutions, asses their merits more carefully, and reach informed decisions more professionally.  Cross-functional collaboration also encourages a sense of accountability and ownership among the members of the team. It helps establish a more serious appreciation for their colleagues’ contributions and their respective roles’ interdependencies.

Stick to effective project management

The use of robust techniques for project management can help teams successfully coordinate all their efforts, stick to their timeliness, and designate resources proficiently. The project management software can also facilitate collaboration and streamline workflows. These tools allow teams to be more effective in prioritizing tasks, designating responsibilities, and tracking their progress in real time. Yet another crucial aspect of effective project management is setting realistic milestones and deadlines. Regular progress monitoring against the deadlines also allows project managers to determine possible issues or bottlenecks at an early stage and take the correct action as required. 

Allocate for automation 

Automation investments are important to optimize the invention and product development process and enhance efficiency. Techniques and tools for automation allow teams to reduce errors and speed up tasks. Continuous delivery/continuous deployment (CI/CD) and continuous integration pipelines have a critical role to play in the automation of deployment, test, and build processes. It guarantees seamless deployment and integration of changes in codes. It helps speed up feature delivery and upholds code quality across different environments. Automated testing frameworks can help identify software issues early on.

RELATED: Product design guide for freelancers developing an invention

This means that developers and prototype design services no longer have to spend considerable time manually testing and addressing problems, giving them more free time instead of adding new software features. Organizations that invest in automation can produce products faster, work smarter, and make sure that everything is top of the line once they hit the market. Automating tasks done frequently and ensuring thorough testing can prevent delays, get more things done, and ensure that customers are happier and more satisfied with what they offer. 

Take advantage of rapid iteration and prototyping 

Prototyping allows teams to validate ideas quickly by developing tangible representations of the concepts they have in mind. The prototypes serve as visual aids that allow stakeholders to get a good understanding of the recommended solution. They also offer feedback early on in the product and invention development process. Doing so allows teams to determine potential improvements or flaws before full-blown development. 

Rapid prototyping companies also allows rapid iteration, allowing teams to make quick design changes based on user feedback. In particular, low-fidelity prototypes come in handy during the early phases of development to quickly test broad concepts and gather initial impressions. After collecting and analyzing feedback, teams will be able to refine the prototypes and gradually improve fidelity to add more functionality and detailed features.

RELATED: Different kinds of prototypes and how to use them for your design project

The high-fidelity prototypes, because of their close resemblance to the finished product in terms of functionality and appearance, can help conduct more extensive user testing. By gathering user feedback through user interviews and usability testing, teams can acquire useful insights into how well the product caters to the users’ expectations and needs. 

Keep an eye on KPIs

Monitoring KPIs or key performance indicators is an essential part of the effective management of invention and product development. KPIs are quantifiable benchmarks offering insight into different development process areas. It lets teams gauge their performance and progress correctly. Organizations can assess the efficiency of their strategies and determine areas that need improvement or attention if they track their metrics, including team velocity, defect rate, customer satisfaction, and time to market. 

Time to market measures the speed of developing and launching a product, which indicates market competitiveness and efficiency. Customer satisfaction reveals the level to which the product can exceed or meet customer expectations, highlighting its market fit and value. Defect rates evaluate the product quality by measuring how frequent the errors or defects are, which can affect customer satisfaction and the product’s overall success. Meanwhile, team velocity is used to measure the speed at which the development team finishes the work to offer insights into resource allocation and productivity. 

How Cad Crowd can help 

Cad Crowd offers new invention development product design and prototyping services, and the like to help you bring your ideas and concepts to life.

Don’t believe us yet? 

If you need further convincing, here are some of the most notable revolutionary invention ideas that kids developed through the years. 

Table of contents

• Revolutionary invention ideas that kids developed: new invention development services
  • Makin’ bacon by Abbey Fleck
  • Christmas lights by Albert Sadacca
  • Swim flippers by Ben Franklin
  • Earmuffs by Chester Greenwood
  • Popsicle by Frank Epperson
  • Trampoline by George Nissen
  • Ocean energy probe by Hannah Herbst
  • Snowmobile by Joseph-Armand Bombardier
  • T-Pak by Kelly Reinhart
  • Alzheimer alert system by Kenneth Shinozuka
  • Wristies by KK Gregory
  • Pediatric IV backpack by Kylie Simonds
  • Braille by Louis Braille
• How Cad Crowd can help

Revolutionary invention ideas that kids developed: new invention development services

Makin’ bacon by Abbey Fleck

Eight-year-old Abbey noticed that her parents had a hard time soaking up fat from cooked bacon. She thought of hanging the bacon instead while cooking to eliminate the need for paper towels, not to mention that it would also make the bacon much healthier. Abbey and her father designed a microwave-safe dish on which to hang bacon while cooking. Her idea was patented in 1993, and the following year, they earned a distribution deal with Walmart. 

Christmas lights by Albert Sadacca

Before the rise of the electric Christmas lights that you’ve come to know today, people just used candles as decorations for their Christmas trees. But believe it or not, people originally had a hard time trusting electric lights and their safety compared to open flames. Thankfully, the public started trusting electric lights, although their prices were ridiculously high. However, things changed when Albert came up with a much cheaper version. The novelty lighting company of his parents started producing them in 1925, and today, thanks to him, electric lights are now a staple part of Christmas tradition worldwide. 

Swim flippers by Ben Franklin

Most of you are probably familiar with Ben Franklin’s accomplishments much later in his life. However, did you know that he started as a child inventor? At the young age of 11 in the early 1700s, he realized the possibility of cutting through the water more efficiently while swimming with the help of more surface area that he could use to push. Ben’s original design featured handheld fins created using oval-shaped planks with a center that had holes for his feet and hands. 

Earmuffs by Chester Greenwood

Chester Greenwood was only 15 years old in 1873 when he experienced painfully cold ears one day while he was ice skating. He discovered that wrapping his head with a scarf didn’t help much. He decided to look for a better solution instead. Chester designed a wire frame and asked his grandmother to have beaver skins sewn into it, marking the origin of the first-ever pair of earmuffs. Chester was only 19 when his invention was patented, and he even sold it to soldiers during World War I. 

Popsicle by Frank Epperson

Frank Epperson was only 11 when he invented what everyone knows today as a Popsicle. It was a 1905 winter’s eve when Frank mixed a frozen concoction of water and soda water powder. The drink was accidentally left outside overnight with a stirring stick still in the glass. The concoction froze solid, marking the birth of the first Popsicle. 

Although this was where everything started, the frozen treat gained notoriety only in 1922 when Epperson distributed it during a fireman’s ball. The idea was originally patented under the name Eppsicle, although it was changed after his children started to refer to it as Popsicle. It was a bit funny that children were responsible both for the idea and its name.

Trampoline by George Nissen

16-year-old George invented the trampoline in 1930 after he saw trapeze artists fall into a net following their performance. George thought there would be more excitement in the act if they continued to bounce around, so he started working in his parents’ garage. His original invention featured a metal frame with a canvas stretched on top of it. However, he perfected the design as he got older, using a nylon canvas to give it more bounce. 

Ocean energy probe by Hannah Herbst

Hannah Herbst always wanted to provide fresh water and a sustainable power source to people in developing nations. This led to her inventing the Ocean Energy Probe, a device that can convert ocean currents into usable power with the help of a generator. Hannah’s design was 3D printed after it was modeled with CAD. She also estimated that if her prototype was scaled up, she could convert sufficient current into energy to power three car batteries in less than an hour. 

She hopes to use this invention to power water desalination pumps that can convert salt water into potable water. This invention by Hannah bagged the first prize in the Discovery Education & 3M’s Young Scientist Challenge. She expressed her excitement about helping with the energy crisis that the world is facing and that she can’t wait for her invention to help save lives. 

Snowmobile by Joseph-Armand Bombardier

Joseph always had a keen interest in mechanics, and at 15 years old, in 1922, he developed the snowmobile. He mounted a Ford Model T engine to four runners featuring a handmade propeller placed at the back. The invention’s original model traveled half a mile across the snow before stopping. Joseph continued tinkering and fiddling with his invention, and in 1959, he developed the first ultra-light snowmobile model in the world, the Ski-Doo.

T-Pak by Kelly Reinhart

Kelly Reinhart was only a kid when her parents challenged her and her siblings to an exciting game. They were instructed to draw an image of an invention, and the winner would get a prototype made out of it. Envisioning cowboy gun holsters, Kelly decided to draw a thigh pack that would let kids carry their video games wherever they go. Kelly and her family went through several rounds of improvement to improve the design, and the idea was officially patented in 1988. The idea drew interest quickly, with the 9-year-old Kelly selling her company. She soon started a non-profit organization that teaches children how to become inventors. 

Alzheimer alert system by Kenneth Shinozuka

One of the fastest-growing threats to the health of modern Americans is none other than Alzheimer’s disease, with symptoms affecting not just the patients themselves but even their families and loved ones. Kenneth is aware of this issue all too well. As a 4-year-old, he remembered walking with his grandfather in a park in Japan when his grandfather suddenly got lost. It was when his family discovered that his grandfather had Alzheimer’s disease.

Kenneth wanted to devise something that would alert him if his grandfather got out of bed at night. At only 15 years old, Kenneth came up with a sock featuring a step-activated pressure sensor that would send a message to the smartphone of the caretakers of his grandfather. The teenager didn’t only succeed in looking after his grandfather because his invention also bagged the first prize and the $50,000 Scientific American Science in Action Award. 

Wristies by KK Gregory

KK Gregory was only 10 years old when she played in the cold outdoors one day. The cold started hurting her wrists, which made her decide to look for a way to ensure that both her wrists and hands would stay warm even during the winter months. She invented Wristies in 1994, fuzzy sleeves you could wear under your gloves to keep your wrists protected from the cold. KK and her mother worked together to bring the idea to fruition, and the product is currently sold worldwide. 

Pediatric IV backpack by Kylie Simonds

After Kylie Simonds beat cancer at nine years old, she wanted to address the issue that bothered many patients undergoing chemotherapy. Throughout the time she spent in the hospital, Kylie’s movements were limited because she was connected to a huge IV bag. 

She remembered tripping over and getting tangled up with the wires while dragging the big stuff around. This made her develop the Pediatric IV Backpack that lets kids move around while getting medical transfusions. This made the treatment somewhat more bearable for them. Kylie raised over $50,000 for her backpacks to be manufactured. These were featured on several shows including MSNBC and The Doctors. 

Braille by Louis Braille

Louis suffered from a severe eye infection at the age of three, rendering him blind. He had difficulty tracing his fingers over the raised letters for years. He was 12 when he learned the silent communication method that the French military used. The process was simplified, and reading became so much easier for him. He initially presented his work in 1924, with the blind community across the world using the Braille to this day. 

How Cad Crowd can help

Cad Crowd can pair you up with the best and newest invention development services that can turn the most revolutionary ideas into reality! 

Here’s a quick recap of some of the most captivating and exciting CES exhibits this year for Las Vegas Inventors and Design Firms:

Consumer Electronics Show (CES) recap 2024: Las Vegas inventors and design firms recap

Innovative In-Car Eye-Tracking Technology by Bosch

Bosch unveiled an innovative new and exciting use of eye-tracking technology in vehicles that goes beyond safety. Eye-tracking was originally a part of driver assistance systems, but this time, Bosch now sees it as a means to add enjoyment to the driving experience with two notable uses: 

Its first use is simple and has something to do with driver fatigue. Imagine yourself feeling sleepy and tired while driving on your way home, and your car’s eye-tracking notices it, so it offers to prepare an espresso for you once you arrive. This is possible because the vehicle is connected to your home’s automatic espresso machine to ensure that a freshly brewed cup of coffee will welcome you when you enter the door. 

Its second function is more state-of-the-art as it adds context to the drive. The eye-tracking system will notice what you’re looking at outside while driving and give you details about it. For example, the system might inform you of the opening hours of a coffee shop you passed by. It can also give you a quick recap of the history behind an interesting building that caught your eye. This feature transforms your usual drive into something more engaging, informative, and fun. 

Bosch.com

EcoFlow Delta Ultra Invention

One standout during the CES 2024 is the EcoFlow Delta Ultra, which offers a giant leap forward in how modern homes are powered. It was showcased in a cozy setting that resembles a house to highlight its mix of cutting-edge technology and practicality. At its core, the Delta Ultra invention is an inverter and battery system for the entire house meant to take advantage of the energy of rooftop solar panels. It stores and keeps solar power so homeowners can use it to run their residences. One of its cool features is its ability to pull electricity from the grid when it is more affordable and send back power once prices soar. 

The invention can also work with your home’s existing switches, but it shines out the most if you pair it with Smart Home Panel 2. With more and more houses getting solar panels, EcoFlow Delta Ultra is an all-encompassing, powerful, and stylish way of handling energy use in homes. To make things even better, the product is not a mere concept because you can now buy it and start your way of managing your home’s energy. 

Ecoflow.com

Gyrogear GyroGlove Invention

The Gyrogear GyroGlove is hailed as among the top product inventions during CES 2024 for a good reason: it is an innovative breakthrough meant to help people with disabilities. This invention is specifically made for people suffering from hand tremors, such as Parkinson’s patients. An advanced gyroscope is used to steady the hands. 

GyroGlove’s innovative product design makers, Gyrgear, are now in talks with top medical officers at different insurance companies in the US. The GyroGlove invention has also been approved by the US FDA and the Therapeutic Goods Administration of Australia as a medical device. Various global standards groups are certified to prove its effectiveness and safety. It’s a significant invention that will make daily life easier for people with motor challenges. 

Gyrogear.co

Hydrogen Initiative of Hyundai 

Hyundai shared its exciting plan during the CES 2024 to manufacture 3 million tons of hydrogen for the company’s steel mills by 2030. Becoming a leader in the ever-growing hydrogen economy is an ambitious move. It’s been a while since the company started to invest in hydrogen fuel cells and successfully introduced electric vehicles or EVs. However, with the tough competition and some challenges in the innovative market of battery EVs, the company decided to focus more on hydrogen to be on top of the game. 

This significant step towards hydrogen is not only about cars alone. It can also change industries, including maritime shipping and steelmaking. Hyundai placed big bets on hydrogen despite the infancy of the technology. It’s a shift in their technology and a strategic move for the future of green technology and the automotive sector. 

Hyundai.com

Gaming, Robotics, and AI Innovations by NVIDIA

A gaming and AI tech leader, NVIDIA, revealed so many exciting new advancements at CES 2024 that will change the realm of gaming, generative AI, robotics, and content creation. It focused on generative AI’s power, proving NVIDIA’s significant role in this field. Several key things discussed include the launch of the TensorRT-LLM library for Windows. It allows large language models to function better on RTX PCs and the new Chat with the RTX playground. The innovation enables users to enhance the reality and accuracy of generative AI models by combining them with various data sources. 

NVIDIA also showcased its progress in digital avatar technology with the Avatar Cloud Engine or ACE. It uses generative AI to produce realistic digital avatars for PC and online use. The company also partnered up with Getty Images to introduce iStock’s generative AI service run by NVIDIA Picasso for producing 4K images from text. It uses an AI model trained on the massive library of Getty Images. They also introduced the GeForce RTX 40 SUPER Series GPUs aimed to improve generative AI and gaming.

These GPUs, such as the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER and RTX 4080 SUPER, offer faster memory, more [power, and more significant boosts in performance for high-end content creation and gaming. The collaboration of NVIDIA with OBS and Twitched for Enhanced Broadcasting and the RTX Remix’s open beta proves their focus on enhancing gaming. The company is also all in on AI with the RTX laptops and the extensive use of RTX tech in more than 500 apps and games, which include those from Blizzard and Activision. 

They also have a Day Pass membership and the Cloud G-SYNC technology for GeForce NOW. NVIDIA also launched the Isaac platform, which focuses on more innovative robotics and shows its dedication to breakthroughs in various areas. The announcements by NVIDIA at CES 2024 prove that the company leads the way in technology to offer distinct experiences for creators, tech enthusiasts, and gamers worldwide. 

Nvidia.com

GREEN IMPACT Initiative by Panasonic

Panasonic made a ripple at CES 2024 with its focus on innovation and sustainability. They unveiled the Panasonic GREEN IMPACT initiative. It is a notable move towards carbon footprint reduction and support for a circular economy. The initiative covers an extensive array of solutions for a society with zero carbon dioxide, such as using renewable energy, the development of high-performance electrodes for hydrogen, intelligent systems for energy use management, and air-to-water heat pumps. Panasonic also announced its exciting partnerships with other companies, such as Infinity and Fisker, in the mobility and automotive industries.

They unveiled sustainable audio systems and the Neuron platform, a state-of-the-art solution that improves vehicle software and enhances the efficiency of electronic control units. Panasonic also introduced new sustainability technologies and partnerships, such as eco-friendly Kinari material and bio CO2 technology, which are meant to improve the growth of crops and fight climate change.

They also expressed their commitment to STEM education through programs such as the Innovators for Impact initiative. The presence of Panasonic at CES 2024 proved the company’s commitment to improving lifestyles while prioritizing technological advancement and sustainability. 

Panasonic.com

Visionary 0 Series EVS by Honda 

Honda shared some exciting plans during CES 2024 for their electric vehicles, or EVs, with the introduction of its 0 series EVs. The move challenges the existing trend of heavy and bulky electric cars. The brand unveiled a couple of concept vehicles, the Space-Hub and Saloon, marking a significant shift from conventional EV designs. 

They are preparing for the 2026 launch of their first-ever North American commercial model with a focus on producing light and thin EVs, which is a fresh take in the field of EVs. The Saloon, which is meant to be the first model in the 0 series, is the perfect example of the new direction. This sporty, spacious, and sleek EV looks like it came directly from a sci-fi flick. 

Honda.com

How Cad Crowd can help

Cad Crowd offers new invention development, consumer product design, wearables design, engineering design, prototype design, and more that could help you and your design firm become part of the CES soon. 

Top 101 black inventors & African American’s best invention ideas

1. Thomas L. Jennings (1791 – 1856) – Dry scouring

Born free in 1791, Thomas Jennings is widely regarded as the first African American to hold a patent. He invented a dry scouring process, a precursor to modern dry-cleaning. Jennings established his own tailor and dry-cleaning business and gained a reputation as a respected local community member. Using the profits from his business, Jennings could purchase the freedom of his wife and children.

2. Judy Reed (1826 – 1905) – Dough kneader and roller

Judy Reed invented a dough kneader and roller that revolutionized the baking industry, making preparing dough more efficient. She was the first African American woman to receive a U.S. patent for her invention. Reed’s invention significantly impacted commercial baking, and her patent paved the way for more women and minorities to obtain patents and contribute to the field of innovation. By improving the efficiency of dough preparation, her invention made baking easier and enabled the production of more baked goods. Judy Reed’s legacy as an inventor and pioneer in the baking industry has inspired generations of inventors and entrepreneurs.

3. Benjamin Banneker (1731 – 1806) – Striking wall clock and almanacs

As a self-taught mathematician, Benjamin Banneker demonstrated a natural talent for inventing from a young age. In his early twenties, he became fascinated with a pocket watch and borrowed it to study its mechanism. A year later, he created an early version of a chiming wall clock that struck a gong on the hour instead of playing the Westminster chime melody. Banneker’s clock kept time for over 40 years. Born free in 1731, Banneker never experienced slavery. At 61, he completed the first edition of Banneker’s Almanac and gave it to Thomas Jefferson and then the United States Secretary of State. In the 18th century, almanacs were essential household items.

They provided information about the timing of sunrise, sunset, lunar and solar eclipses, moon phases, and holidays. Farmers in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia relied on Banneker’s Almanac as a guide. When Banneker asked Jefferson to advocate for equal rights for African Americans and fight against racial prejudice, the Secretary of State acknowledged that Black people had talents equal to those of other races. Banneker passed away in 1806, 59 years before slavery was abolished.

4. James Forten (1766 – 1842) – Ship sails handle

James Forten was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1766. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Revolutionary War and was captured by the British. Despite being offered freedom if he agreed to live in England, Forten refused, choosing to remain a prisoner for liberty rather than betray his country. After the war, he became an apprentice sailmaker and developed equipment to help handle ship sails, significantly improving efficiency. His invention made him wealthy, and he used his wealth to support the abolition of slavery. Forten passed away in 1842.

5. George Peake (1722 – 1827) – Hand mill for grinding corn

George Peake, a soldier in the Revolutionary War, invented the conventional hand mill used for grinding corn. He was part of the first settlement in what would become modern-day Cleveland, Ohio, which was largely unsettled until the early 19th century.

Peake’s hand mill consisted of two round stones, each approximately 19 inches wide. At the time, the only tools available for grinding were the traditional mortar and pestle, making the hand mill a more efficient and convenient option. Although Peake did not file for a patent, he received credit for his invention thanks to a publication by the Cleveland Leader newspaper.

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6. Andrew J. Beard (1849 – 1921) – Jenny coupler

Andrew Beard was born into slavery but became one of the country’s most brilliant inventors. Even before working for various rail companies, he invented a flour mill, several plows, and a rotary steam engine. However, while working for the railroads, he developed his most famous invention: the Jenny coupler.

The Jenny coupler automatically linked and locked two train cars as they bumped into each other, eliminating the need for workers to manually insert a metal pin and significantly reducing the risk of accidents and deaths. Before Beard’s invention, connecting train cars was dangerous work, and the Jenny coupler revolutionized transportation efficiency and safety.

7. Henry Blair (1807 – 1860) – Corn seed planter

Although Henry Blair is often credited as the first Black person to hold a U.S. patent, that honor belongs to Thomas Jennings, who was awarded a patent in 1821. While the U.S. Patent Office did not typically identify patent holders by race, Jennings’ achievement was remarkable, given the racial prejudice and discrimination of the time.

Little is known about Blair, except that he was likely not enslaved, as enslaved individuals were considered property and unable to hold patents. Blair’s inventions included a corn planter that combined plowing, seeding, and soil coverage, which he patented in 1834. He was later awarded a second patent for a cotton seed planter in 1836.

8. Hugh M. Browne (1851 – 1923) – Sewer Backflow Preventer

High Browne was committed to improving people’s living conditions as an educator with a practical mindset. He worked alongside prominent figures like Charles Chesnutt, W. E. B. DuBois, and Booker T. Washington to advance education. In addition to his work in education, Browne also invented a device, combining his knowledge of prototype design engineering, to trap sewer water and prevent it from flowing back into homes. He was awarded a patent for his prototype design engineering invention in 1890, and his device helped people maintain a civilized living environment.

9. George Washington Carver (1864 – 1943) – Crop rotation techniques

All three patents awarded to George Washington Carver were for cosmetics, paints, and stains. None of them were commercially successful. Carver’s discoveries were much more important than his inventions. He discovered that continuous cotton crops in the same piece of land depleted the soil’s natural nutrients. To avoid the damage, he experimented with crop rotation. Using peanut and sweet potato plants as the intermediates, he figured out that the system helped restore nitrogen in the soil, making the land healthy again. 

Now that the market had more peanuts than anybody could ever need, Carver found other product uses. Among the products were metal polish, glue, shampoo, soap, and face powder. As mentioned above, none of the inventions made him a wealthy man.

10. Shelby Davidson (1868 – 1930) – Paper rewinding device

Just because someone works in a post office doesn’t mean the person has to deliver mail. Shelby Davidson worked for the United States Postal Service, specifically in the auditing department, where he kept track of schedules and numbers. Perhaps necessity is, after all, the mother of all inventions. Davidson invented a paper rewinding device for adding-machine in 1908 and an automatic fee device in 1911. Both inventions made his job much easier and more efficient.

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11. Lewis Latimer (1848 – 1928) – Carbon filament for light bulb

Born in 1848 to formerly enslaved parents, Lewis Latimer was fortunate enough to land a job at a patent law firm after the Civil War, where he fought on the Union’s side. At the firm, he provided valuable invention design help as a draftsman whose drawings of machinery, mechanisms, and various inventions determined whether any patent application would be approved or denied. A skillful draftsman of his time, Latimer was employed by Alexander Graham Bell to draw the draft for the telephone design for which Bell received the patent in 1876.

While working as a draftsman and assistant manager for the U.S. Electric Lighting Company, he improved the process of making carbon filament for light bulbs so that it might last longer and be cheaper to produce. The filament was even more effective than Edison’s design, and in 1884, he was invited to work with Thomas Edison himself. He was the first person of color to be included in the exclusive Edison Pioneers organization. Latimer also invented a precursor to the modern air conditioner known as “an apparatus for cooling and disinfecting,” locking umbrellas, improved train bathroom design, a lamp fixture, and a device called “book supporter.” 

12. Jan Ernst Matzeliger (1852 – 1889) – Shoe lasting machine

Jan Ernst Matzeliger spent a considerable amount of time creating numerous prototype designs until he succeeded in building his first shoe-lasting machine. This machine was designed to make the leather uppers fit flawlessly with the mold, ultimately revolutionizing the shoemaking industry. With his invention, shoemaking efficiency drastically improved, increasing production output from 50 pairs a day by hand to anywhere between 150 and 700 pairs daily. Introducing easier manufacturing processes and larger production quantities led to a 50% reduction in shoe prices nationwide. Additionally, Matzeliger is credited with inventing the nailing machine.

13. George Washington Murray (1853 – 1926) – Furrow opener

George Washington Murray’s inventions were all born from his experience as a farmer and his determination to make labor less arduous. Having been born into slavery, Murray grew up on a Rembert cotton plantation until the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. His first three patents – a furrow opener, a marker, and a stalk-knocker-cultivator – were granted in April 1984. Two months later, the U.S. Patent Office awarded him four more patents, including for cotton chopper and fertilizer distributor devices. Murray was also distantly related to Jim Clyburn, a U.S. House of Representatives member from South Carolina.

14. John Parker (1827 – 1900) – Tobacco press

John Parker, a conductor in the Underground Railroad network and an American abolitionist, dedicated his life to freeing over a thousand enslaved individuals. In addition to his heroic efforts, Parker was also a successful businessman and inventor. He is credited with the early designs of the tobacco press and harrow, for which he received patents in 1884 and 1885. Moreover, Parker established the Phoenix Foundry in 1890, the largest between Cincinnati and Portsmouth. Parker’s contributions to society were not limited to his activism; he also became one of only fifty-five Americans to be awarded multiple U.S. patents by 1900.

15. Norbert Rillieux (1806 -1894) – Vacuum evaporator for sugar refinery

Norbert Rillieux’s father was the owner of a vast sugar plantation. After studying in Paris, Rillieux returned to the United States and began inventing sugar production devices, focusing on the evaporating process. His first patented invention was a vacuum evaporator for the refining process, which produced whiter and more refined sugar. Over time, this invention was widely used in other industries, including whiskey, gelatin, condensed milk, glue, and soap.

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16. Samuel Scottron (1843 – 1905) – Dual-adjustable mirror for barbershop

Samuel Scottron, the inventor of the dual-adjustable mirror on a pole commonly seen in traditional barbershops, named his invention the “Scottron Mirror.” This mirror is positioned so clients can observe their haircut from every angle. Scottron patented this practical invention in 1868. Following his success in the barbershop industry, Scottron created several commonplace household items, including curtain rods, adjustable window cornices, a pole tip, and a supporting bracket. He spent approximately 15 years traveling between the United States and Canada to sell these products. In addition to his successful career in inventing, Scottron was also a co-founder of the Cuban Anti-Slavery Society.

17. Lewis Temple (1800 – 1854) – Whaling harpoon

Lewis Temple, a highly skilled blacksmith, is credited with inventing an improved harpoon that revolutionized whaling in 1845. Unlike conventional harpoons, Temple’s harpoon resembled a fish hook in shape. Once the hook penetrated the whale, it would latch onto the flesh, making it exceedingly difficult for the animal to escape. This improved design, called Temple’s Iron, became the standard harpoon in the whaling industry throughout the 19th century. Despite his invention’s success, Lewis Temple was not a whaler himself.

18. Sarah Breedlove Walker (1867 – 1919) – Hot comb and pomade

Sarah Breedlove Walker, popularly known as Madame C. J. Walker, is arguably the most well-known African American woman inventor. She revolutionized haircare by designing the first hot comb and inventing the idea of pomade. Before the hot comb, most African American women straightened their hair with clothing irons, resulting in scalp and facial burns and damaged hair. Walker sold her inventions and helped transform the marketing strategy for cosmetic products.

She established a large group of saleswomen known as the “Walker Clubs,” a system later adopted by Mary Kay. In 1908, Walker founded Lelia College in Pittsburgh to teach women how to sell cosmetic products. Her innovative marketing tactics made her the first African American woman millionaire in the United States. Despite her wealth, Walker remained philanthropic and contributed significantly to various nonprofit groups, including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Persons (NAACP). She even funded a scholarship to help women enroll in college-level education.

19. Granville T. Woods (1856 – 1910) – Telegraphony and synchronous multiplex railway telegraph

Granville T. Woods was awarded the patent for the steam boiler in 1884. Leveraging the communication technology of the late 1800s, he invented an apparatus that combined the functions of the telephone and the telegraph, called telegraphony. This groundbreaking system allowed telegraph stations to send both voice and text messages over the same line. Alexander Graham Bell’s company later purchased the technology’s patent.

Woods also invented the Synchronous Multiplex Railway Telegraph, a communication system that enabled railroad workers to determine the precise locations of trains on any given railway. This technology not only improved scheduling but also helped prevent railway accidents. Throughout his life, Woods received over 50 patents in various industries. Between 1900 and 1907, he was granted 20 patents for electronic devices that controlled trains. His numerous inventions earned him the nickname “The Black Edison.”

20. Elijah McCoy (1844 – 1929) – Lubricating cup for trains

Elijah McCoy never had to endure life in slavery thanks to the Underground Railroad, which helped his parents escape to Canada after being enslaved. At 15, McCoy enrolled in a boarding school in Edinburgh, Scotland, to study mechanical engineering. Despite his education, McCoy encountered difficulty finding respectable work in the United States, mainly due to racial discrimination.

He eventually secured a position as a fireman for a railroad company, where he was responsible for oiling the moving parts of the trains. The need for greater efficiency inspired McCoy to invent an automatic lubrication mechanism that reduced the need for labor and kept the train running smoothly. Some attribute the phrase “the real McCoy” to the success and efficiency of this mechanism, making it an expression of superior performance and quality.

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21. William Harry Barnes (1887 – 1945) – Hypophyscope 

William Henry Barnes, an ENT doctor at the Frederick Douglas Hospital in Philadelphia, was not only a pioneer in the field of medical device design and development but also credited with inventing the hypophyscope. Incorporating his expertise in medical device design and development, this innovative medical instrument was specifically designed to reach the pituitary gland on the brain’s underside. This gland secretes hormones into the bloodstream, and Barnes’ invention made it easier for doctors to access it. Although reaching the gland without any specialized medical device was possible, Barnes’ instrument greatly facilitated the procedure. In addition to inventing the hypophyscope, Barnes improved upon a method to remove tonsils without bleeding, refining the process for greater efficiency.

22. Leonidas Berry – Eder-Palmer biopsy gastrocope

In 1953, the Eder Instrument Company manufactured the Eder-Palmer biopsy gastroscope. Two years later, Leonidas Berry invented an attachment for the device that allowed doctors to collect tissue from a patient’s stomach without resorting to surgical procedures. The modified device, the Eder-Berry biopsy attachment, represented a significant advancement in medical technology.

In 1960, after conducting extensive studies of the stomachs of alcoholics, Dr. Berry made a groundbreaking discovery: excessive alcohol consumption caused more damage to the liver than to the stomach. This discovery revolutionized the treatment of alcoholism, shifting the focus to the liver as the primary organ affected by alcohol abuse. Berry’s discovery marked a significant milestone in the medical community’s understanding of the harmful effects of alcohol on the body.

23. Billy Blanks (1955 – present) – Tae Bo fitness program

Tae Bo is a total body fitness program that combines several disciplines, including martial arts and aerobics. The name is a portmanteau of “tae kwon do” and “boxing.” Developed in 1976 by tae kwon do practitioner Billy Banks, the program only gained widespread popularity in the United States during the 1990s. One hour of Tae Bo routine is believed to burn up to 800 calories, twice as many as a conventional aerobic session. This intensive calorie-burning program has made it a popular choice among fitness enthusiasts looking to achieve rapid weight loss and muscle toning.

24. Bessie Blount Griffin (1914 – 2009) – Portable receptacle support

After World War II, many soldiers returned home with permanent injuries. At the veteran’s hospital in Chicago, physical therapist Bessie Blount Griffin treated amputees and patients who had lost the use of their limbs. Determined to improve their quality of life, Griffin invented the “portable receptacle support,” a device that enabled patients to eat without assistance. The device consisted of a tube attached to a bowl and connected to a brace around the patient’s neck.

Though it may seem crude, the invention provided greater independence to those who needed it most. Griffin, born in Chesapeake, Virginia, was the first African American woman to work at Scotland Yard in London, England. Her innovative spirit and dedication to helping others continue to inspire new generations of inventors and medical professionals alike.

25. Otis Boykin (1920 -1982) – Electronic resistors for guided missiles

Otis Boykin was a brilliant inventor who made significant contributions across various fields. Throughout his life, he patented 26 devices, including the electronic resistors used in guided missiles, pacemakers, and IBM computers. Boykin’s electronic resistors were widely adopted due to their durability, which made them resistant to temperature changes, extreme acceleration, and shocks. In addition to these inventions, he held patents for an electronic air filter and a locking mechanism for cash registers. Boykin’s numerous innovations continue to shape and advance fields ranging from aerospace to healthcare and technology.

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26. George Carruthers (1939 – 2020) – Far ultraviolet camera and spectrograph

In 1969, George Carruthers invented the far ultraviolet camera and spectrograph that accompanied the Apollo 16 mission to the moon. The camera, plated in gold, could capture high-quality images of Earth from the moon’s surface. The device provided stunning photographs and helped scientists discover the presence of hydrogen in space and understand the mechanisms of air pollution. Carruthers’ invention has since led to new theories about the birth of stars and has influenced global efforts to control air pollution. The far ultraviolet camera and spectrograph remain remarkable in space exploration and scientific innovation.

27. Michael Croslin (1933 – 1989) – Blood and pulse monitoring device

Michael Croslin’s invention, the Medtek 410, revolutionized blood monitoring with its computerized technology. Before its development, medical professionals had to rely on their instincts and the patient’s vital signs for diagnosis. The Medtek 410 eliminated the guesswork, providing doctors with accurate and reliable data for making informed treatment decisions. Croslin also developed a similar device, the Medtek 420, which automatically adjusts for surrounding noise and air pressure while monitoring a patient’s pulse. Together, these inventions have improved the accuracy and efficacy of medical treatments, demonstrating the power of technological innovation in medicine.

28. Meredith Charles Gourdine (1929 – 1998) – Electradyne spray gun and incineraid

Meredith Charles Gourdine was a pioneering inventor who applied the principles of electrogasdynamics (EGD) to create groundbreaking devices. Among his most notable innovations were the Electradyne Spray Gun, which simplified painting on challenging surfaces like metal frames, and the Incineraid, which reduced air pollution from incinerators.

Gourdine was the first to apply electrogasdynamics to practical inventions, and his contributions extend beyond these devices. He also invented an electric car battery, a method for repairing potholes using old car tires, a system for extracting oil from shale rock, and a way to remove fog from airport runways. Throughout his career, Gourdine earned 25 patents between 1969 and 1996. His innovative spirit and commitment to improving the world around him continue to inspire inventors and scientists today.

29. Walter Lincoln Hawkins (1911-1992) – Weather-resistant cable coating

Walter Lincoln Hawkins, born in 1911 in Washington D.C., was the grandson of a slave. He attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute after high school and was one of only two African American students. Hawkins earned his doctorate from McGill University in 1938, becoming the first black person to hold a technical staff position at Bell Laboratories.

While at Bell Labs, Hawkins developed his most famous invention: a weather-resistant polymer coating for telephone wires. This plastic sheath could withstand extreme temperature changes and last for decades, replacing the lead materials previously used to protect telephone cables. Hawkins’ invention revolutionized the telecommunications industry and significantly impacted everyday life.

In 1976, Hawkins retired from Bell Labs and was appointed research director by the Plastics Institute of America. His groundbreaking work as a scientist and inventor opened doors for future generations of black scientists and helped shape the world we live in today.

30. Elmer Samuel Imes – Spectrometers

George Carruthers invented the far ultraviolet light camera and spectrograph, which captured high-quality images of Earth from the moon. In contrast, Elmer Samuel Imes was an astrophysicist who improved spectrometers to measure the amount of infrared in the atmosphere. His invention was subsequently used in various applications, including chemical lasers and rocket engines. Imes’ work helped pave the way for significant advancements in atmospheric and environmental monitoring and space exploration.

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31. Lonnie Johnson (1949 – present) – Super soaker

Lonnie Johnson’s passion for scientific experimentation began during childhood when he would conduct experiments in his kitchen, building robots and making batches of rocket fuel. After working at NASA from 1979 to 1991, Johnson founded the Johnson Research and Development Co., Inc., creating three other development companies in Atlanta, Georgia.

While Johnson’s work at NASA focused on high-tech research programs such as a nuclear power source for the Galileo mission to Jupiter and a stealth bomber, his passion for inventing toys and everyday tools never faded. With around 80 patents to his name, Johnson has created a wide range of inventions, including compressed air guns, digital distance-measuring instruments, an automatic sprinkler controller, and even a wet diaper detector. However, his most famous invention remains the Super Soaker, a pressurized water gun that revolutionized the toy industry.

32. Frederick McKinley Jones (1893 – 1961) – Roof-mounted refrigeration for vehicle

Returning to Hallock, Minnesota, after World War I, Frederick McKinley Jones found work as a movie projectionist and a mechanic. Jones’ natural gift for machines and mechanics led him to invent the first sound synchronization device for motion pictures. His innovation made it possible for films to incorporate synchronized soundtracks, and it quickly revolutionized the movie industry. While sound synchronization was a great invention, Jones held no patent.

His first patent was for a ticket dispensing machine. Jones held more than 60 patents, but his most famous and significant invention was the refrigerated truck or, more specifically, the roof-mounted cooling system used on trucks. He was awarded the patent for it in 1940. During World War II, his invention played an important role in preserving food, supplies, and blood for the wounded. Jones’s other inventions include a control device for internal combustion engines, a temperature control system, and a rotary compressor.

33. Marjorie Stewart Joyner (1896 – 1994) – Permanent hair-waving machine

Marjorie Stewart Joyner was an African American businesswoman and community leader who significantly contributed to the beauty industry. She was the supervisor of more than 200 beauty schools under Madame C. J. Walker’s network, and her clients included prominent figures such as Ethel Waters, Marian Anderson, and Billie Holiday. Joyner held the patent for a permanent hair-waving machine, revolutionizing the hair care industry. The machine used a combination of chemicals and heat to curl hair, replacing the traditional curling iron and reducing the time and effort required to achieve long-lasting curls. Joyner was also an advocate for civil rights and an active member of the National Council of Negro Women.

34. Percy Lavon Julian (1899 – 1975) – Aero-foam

Percy Lavon Julian was a renowned chemist who made many significant inventions. One of his creations was a soy protein coating paper that was a cheaper alternative to milk protein. This paper was used in a product called Aero-Foam, which was used to smother fires from burning gasoline and oil. During World War II, the U.S. Navy also used Aero-Foam. Although Aero-Foam had slow knockdown characteristics, it was safe to use as long as it was applied above the burning liquid.

Julian’s most famous inventions were synthetic hormones, including physostigmine and cortisone, also derived from soybean plants. Physostigmine is still used to treat glaucoma, while the cortisone is used for rheumatoid arthritis. In addition to his scientific achievements, Julian was a prominent civil rights activist and raised money for the NAACP’s legal and education divisions.

35. John King (1925 – 2000) – Sonic transducer

A sonic transducer uses sound waves to determine an object’s speed, distance, and other units of measurement. John King invented an early warning sonic transducer in 1972, which could detect potential problems with aircraft engines before takeoff. A professional in the aerospace and safety industries, he also invented an alarm system in 1999; it was not just any other alarm system for home uses but a NASA-approved one.

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36. Garrett Morgan (1877 – 1963) – Gas mask and traffic signal

Garret Morgan invented the first hair straightening cream, albeit by accident. However, his other two inventions, the traffic signal and gas mask, resulted from deliberate research and development. His gas mask, known as the Morgan helmet, was identified in the patent application as a breathing device and was adopted by firefighters to help them put out fires without inhaling poisonous air. Morgan was awarded the patent in 1912, and soldiers used the gas mask during World War I.

With the money earned from his inventions, Morgan could buy a car. While driving near an intersection in Cleveland, Ohio, he witnessed a terrible accident, which inspired him to invent a “yield” component as an addition to the existing traffic signal. The signal was intended to warn drivers about an upcoming stop. The yield component became one of the world’s first three-light systems, and Morgan was awarded the patent for it in 1924. Morgan’s other inventions include the round belt fastener, hat fastener, and friction drive clutch.

37. James Parsons Jr. (1900 -1989) – Iron alloy

James Parsons held several patents related to metal fabrication methods. In 1929, he was awarded a patent for an iron alloy, followed by a fabrication method for a silicon-iron compound in 1931. In 1934, he developed a treatment process for silicon alloy casting, and in 1940, he invented a corrosion-resistant ferrous alloy. These inventions paved the way for the development of stainless steel.

38. Edwin Roberts Russell (1913 – 1996) – Separation of plutonium from uranium

During World War II, Edwin Roberts Russell was one of the chemists working on the Manhattan Project at the Metallurgical Laboratory of the University of Chicago, a secret government-funded research to develop the atomic bomb. The project eventually led to the development of two types of atomic bombs, known to history as the Little Boy and Fat Man, used in the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.

Russel held eleven patents for nuclear energy, including a method for separating plutonium from uranium and ion exchange absorption for plutonium separation. His works contributed significantly to the advancement of nuclear technology.

39. Earl Shaw (1937 -present) – Laser beam power adjustment

Earl Shaw invented the spin-flip Raman tunable laser during his tenure as a research scientist at Bell Laboratories. This device is used to adjust the strength of a laser beam, which is particularly helpful when performing delicate precision-required operations.

40. Dox Thrash (1896 – 1965) – Carborundum

Working as a print maker during the Great Depression, Dox Thrash invented a new technique for etching copper in 1937. His discovery, known as the carborundum process, became a standard practice among printers and print makers. This process involves using silicon carbide grit, which is sprinkled onto the plate before it is printed, creating a texture and tone that mimics the look of charcoal or pencil drawings. Thrash wanted to name the process “Opheliagraph” after his mother, Ophelia.

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41. Moses Fleetwood (“Fleet”) Walker (1856 – 1924) – Artillery shell

Until Jackie Robinson joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, Moses Fleetwood Walker was among the first black people to play Major League Baseball in the 1880s. Walker was also an inventor. In 1891, he was granted his first patent for a detachable shirt collar. He also held three more patents related to methods for loading and changing movie reels.

42. Sarah Boone (1847 – 1904) – Improved ironing board

In the 19th century, Sarah Boone improved the ironing board, which had been around for years but often overlooked. Boone built a curved ironing board with a narrower width than the original, making ironing women’s clothing easier. Her design was patented in 1892 and became the most widely-copied iteration of the ironing board. It’s worth noting that Boone was born into slavery.

43. Mary Van Brittan Brown (1922 – 1999) – Home Camera Security System

An African American nurse named Mary Van Britta Brown spent many nights alone at her home in Queens, New York, in the 1960s. The crime rate was high in the neighborhood, making her feel unsafe each time her husband was away. In addition, the police were largely unresponsive and could sometimes be unreliable. In 1966, out of necessity, she built a homemade security system comprised of cameras connected to a monitor.

The camera could mechanically slide into several peepholes in the front door and broadcast the image to the screen. The design allowed her to survey the neighborhood from the indoor comfort of her home and avoid having unwanted guests around. Van Brittan Brown continued improving the system by adding a microphone to speak to the person at the door, a button to call the police, and an unlock mechanism. She and her husband were awarded the patent for the system in 1969. Modern home security systems feature various elements based on their design.

44. Alexander Miles – Automatic elevator doors

In the past, riding elevators was complicated and dangerous. Passengers had to manually shut both the elevator and shaft doors before riding. Forgetting to shut the doors properly, or ignoring them, posed a real risk of falling down the shaft. When Alexander Miles’ daughter was almost involved in a catastrophic accident, he decided to develop a system to make elevators safer. In 1887, he was granted a patent for an automatic opening and closing mechanism for elevator and shaft doors. Miles’ design is still used in modern elevators today.

45. James E. West (1931 – present) – Electret microphone

The vast majority of modern microphones, including those in phones and other communication devices, are based on the technology invented by James E. West in 1960. However, he was not the only person credited with the invention, and West was working alongside Gerhard Sessler at the Bell Laboratories, tasked with creating a compact and sensitive microphone.

Their invention, the foil electret microphone, was cheaper to produce than the conventional condenser variant. It was not until 1964 that they perfected the design and were awarded the patent. About four years later, the technology had already been adopted by manufacturers of telephones, tape recorders, hearing aids, and baby monitors. 

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46. Mark Dean (1956 – present) – Color monitor, Gigahertz chip, IBM PC

Among the 12 people working at IBM to develop the first PC, Mark Dean was one of them. Back then, the P.C. was connected to a monochrome monitor, and the computer had very limited processing power. Dean began working for IBM in the 1980s as Chief Engineer. In addition to helping develop the IBM PC, he was also involved in creating the first color monitor. Furthermore, he led the team that created the first gigahertz chip around 1999-2000.

It’s hard to believe that it was only about 20 years ago. Now we have supercomputers and artificial intelligence with blazing processing speeds to handle even the most complicated algorithms in split seconds. As a co-creator of the personal computer, Mark Dean holds three out of nine patents for the invention. In 1995, he became the first African American IBM Fellow.

47. Patricia Bath (1942 – 2019) – Cataract Laserphaco probe

Patricia Bath was an academic and ophthalmologist who invented the process of removing cataracts using a laser beam device known as the Laserphaco Probe. She was born in Harlem in 1942 to an immigrant father from Trinidad and a mother who was a descendant of enslaved Africans and Cherokee Native Americans.

Bath achieved many impressive milestones in her career. She was the first woman appointed to the ophthalmology faculty at UCLA and the first African American woman to serve as a surgeon staff at the UCLA Medical Center. Additionally, she was the first African American to be a Jules Stein Eye Institute member, lead a post-graduate ophthalmology training program, and complete a residency in ophthalmology at New York University. Finally, she was the first African American woman to hold a patent for a medical invention.

48. Benjamin Boardley (1830 – 1904) – Steam engine for ships

Benjamin Boardley was born into slavery around 1830 and taught himself to read and write with the help of his master’s children. He showed an early talent for invention, which led his master to recommend him to the United States Naval Academy in Maryland. Boardley’s first job at the academy was as an assistant in the Department of Natural and Experimental Philosophy, making him the first African American to hold a non-menial position there.

While working in the department, Boardley developed the first steam engine on a ship. Unfortunately, due to his status as an enslaved person, he could not legally apply for or be granted a patent for his invention. As a result, Boardley sold the rights to his invention and used the proceeds to purchase his freedom from slavery.

49. Henry Brown (1800s) – Safe deposit box

The safe deposit box, initially designed as a receptacle for storing and preserving papers, was invented by Henry Brown, who was awarded the patent in 1886. The metal receptacle came equipped with a locking mechanism, making it a simple and effective design that revolutionized safekeeping for centuries.

50. Alfred L. Cralle (1866 – 1920) – Ice cream scoop

Ladles and spoons were never meant to be the right tools for serving ice cream. Alfred L. Cralle, who had only received basic education as a child, noticed this while working at a hotel in Pittsburgh. He went on to develop a purpose-built tool for the job known today as the ice cream scoop. His invention spread so quickly that nobody knew the creative mind behind the design. Unfortunately, Cralle never profited from his idea.

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51. Mary Jones DeLeon (1838 – 1914) – Steam table

Mary Jones DeLeon was among the first black women to be awarded U.S. patents for their inventions, receiving her patent in 1896. Her invention was referred to simply as a “cooking apparatus” in the patent. Still, it was an innovative device that would become the precursor to the modern steam table commonly seen in food buffets today. Before DeLeon’s invention, hot food was often kept warm using chafing dishes, which required frequent refueling and could be dangerous.

DeLeon’s invention utilized steam to keep food at a consistent temperature without an open flame. Her invention featured several compartments, each with its own heating element, allowing different dishes to be kept at different temperatures. This invention was an important step forward in food service technology, making it easier and safer to keep food warm and ready to serve. While her name may not be as well-known as other inventors of her time, her contributions to the food service industry have undoubtedly had a lasting impact.

52. Ellen Eglin (1836 – 1916) – Improved clothes ringer

Ellen Eglin, born in 1849, was an African American woman who made significant contributions to the field of laundry and cleaning. While working as a housekeeper, Eglin developed an early mechanical clothes wringer that made it easier for people to wring out clothes after washing them, saving time and effort. Despite the practicality of her invention, Eglin faced significant barriers due to her race and gender. She was concerned that her invention would not be taken seriously because of her skin color.

As a result, she sold the patent to a white man named O. Wheeler for a small amount of money, which made him the official patent holder for the device in 1888. Unfortunately, Eglin did not receive the recognition she deserved for her invention during her lifetime. She died in 1890, never knowing the true impact of her contribution to the field of laundry and cleaning. It was not until years later that her name was finally recognized, and she was acknowledged as a pioneer in the field of laundry technology.

53. Sarah E. Goode (1855 – 1905)– Folding cabinet bed

Sarah E. Goode was born into slavery in 1855 as the second of seven children. After the Civil War ended, she and her family were finally freed. Goode later moved to Chicago, where she met and married a carpenter and stair builder. Together, they opened a furniture store, where Goode noticed that many of their clients lived in small apartments with limited space for furniture.

To address this problem, Goode designed a folding cabinet bed that could be used at night and as a roll-top desk during the day. This innovative design was a precursor to the modern-day wall bed and was particularly useful for small apartments. The bed could be easily folded and stored away, allowing the space to be used for other activities during the day.

Goode’s folding cabinet bed was a huge success and helped establish her reputation as an innovative and talented furniture designer. Despite facing discrimination as a black woman in a male-dominated industry, Goode continued to innovate and create new designs, including an improved version of the folding cabinet bed. Her legacy as a pioneering furniture designer and inventor continues to this day.

54. George Franklin Grant (1846 – 1910) – Golf tee

George Franklin Grant, Harvard’s first African American faculty member, was born to formerly enslaved people in 1846. He began his career as an errand boy for local dentist Dr. Albert Smith, but thanks to his hard work and performance, Dr. Smith promoted Grant to laboratory assistant. Grant pursued a career in dentistry and enrolled in Harvard Dental School, where he was one of only two black students at the time.

While he did not invent any dental care devices or products, Grant’s invention significantly impacted the sport of golf. He was an avid golfer and developed an early version of the golf tee using wood and latex resin. Before this invention, golfers would build a small mound of sand to place the ball before hitting it. Grant’s invention revolutionized the game, allowing for more consistent and stable ball placement, and his design is still used in modern golf today.

55. Lloyd Hall (1894 – 1971) – Vitamin concentrate, antioxidant salt, and asphalt emulsion

Lloyd Hall, an African American chemist, was born in Illinois in June 1894. His grandmother was a formerly enslaved person who came to the city with the assistance of the Underground Railroad. Hall earned a Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Chemistry in 1916 and worked at Griffith’s Laboratories.

Hall was a brilliant inventor, holding 59 U.S. patents and several others in different countries. His most significant inventions include a vitamin concentrate, an antioxidant salt, nitrogen-fortified whey concentrate, a method for preserving frozen pork, a gelatin-based coating for food products, and an asphalt emulsion. His contributions to food preservation and safety have significantly impacted the industry, making food safer and more accessible worldwide.

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56. Betty Wright Harris (1940 – present) – TATB spot test

Betty Harris was born in July 1940 in Louisiana and raised in a large family of twelve children. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry, then a Master’s, and finally a Ph.D. in 1973 from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. Throughout her career, Harris became a leading expert in hazardous water treatment, explosives, and environmental remediation.

Harris’s most notable invention was the TATB Spot Test, a method for identifying explosives. She was awarded the patent for this invention in 1984. Her test allowed for rapidly detecting explosives in the field, greatly improving safety in various industries. Harris was also recognized for her work in environmental protection, receiving multiple awards for her contributions to the area.

57. Benjamin Montgomery (1819 – 1877) – Shallow water steam propeller

Benjamin Montgomery’s story is similar to that of Benjamin Boardley, as both were born into slavery and taught to read and write by their owners’ children. Later on, they became inventors in the field of ship propulsion systems. While Boardley invented a steam engine for ships, Montgomery developed an adjustable propeller that could be operated at different angles, allowing boats to navigate shallow waters.

Montgomery was a skilled laborer who his master entrusted with the shipping operation of the plantation. He also had the opportunity to learn about drafting and land surveying. Despite being unable to file a patent for his propeller design due to his “slave” status, Montgomery was determined to commercialize it. His master, Joseph Davis, attempted to file the patent but was denied as he was not the inventor. Davis, however, allowed his slaves to keep the money they earned commercially from the operations.

Montgomery eventually accumulated enough wealth to purchase his master’s plantation as part of a long-term loan deal. He became the first African American to own and operate a plantation in Mississippi, where he implemented progressive agricultural practices, including crop rotation and diversification. Montgomery’s innovative spirit and entrepreneurialism inspired many, and he left a lasting legacy in the fields of agriculture and invention.

58. Lyda Newman (1885 – unknown) – Synthetic hairbrush

Lyda Newman, a hairdresser from Manhattan, New York City, revolutionized the hairbrush industry in the late 1800s. Hairbrushes of that time were made from animal hair, which was too soft to manage the typically thick African American hair. Newman proposed using synthetic fibers to replace animal hair. Her design closely resembled the modern-day hairbrush, with evenly spaced rows of bristles and open slots for cleaning. Additionally, she included a compartment at the back for easy removal of collected debris. In 1898, Newman was awarded a patent for her innovative invention. Despite her groundbreaking contribution to the beauty industry, very little is known about Lyda Newman beyond her invention.

59. Valerie Thomas (1943 – present) – Illusion transmitter

Valerie Thomas was an African American scientist and inventor who worked for NASA. She is known for inventing the illusion transmitter, which uses two concave mirrors to create three-dimensional images that appear outside the mirrors. Thomas was granted the patent for her invention in 1980, which has been used for various applications (i.e., surgery and television).

Thomas joined NASA in 1964 and worked there for over 30 years. She was involved in developing the Landsat program, which uses satellite imagery to study the Earth’s surface. She was also part of the team that developed the first satellite to provide images of the polar ice caps. Thomas was a trailblazer for women and minorities in science and engineering, and her contributions have impacted the field. She retired from NASA in 1995, but her legacy inspires future scientists and inventors.

60. Joseph R. Winters (1824 – 1916) – Fire escape ladder

Joseph Winter was a prominent African American abolitionist who lived in New Bedford, Massachusetts, during the mid-1800s. Alongside his activism, he was also an inventor and developed a fire escape ladder mounted on a vehicle. This invention resulted from observing a firefighter struggling to unload a traditional ladder from a wagon during a fire emergency. Winter’s fire escape ladder invention was more efficient and safer, as it could be deployed quickly and did not require the firefighter to carry it to the building.

In addition to his work as an inventor, Joseph Winter was an active member of the Underground Railroad, a network of secret routes and safe houses used by enslaved African Americans to escape to freedom in the North. He assisted many enslaved people in their escape, providing them with food, shelter, and directions on their journey. Winter’s fire escape ladder invention and his contributions to the Underground Railroad helped save countless lives and made him a significant figure in African American history.

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61. George Crum (1824 – 1914) – Potato chips

In the summer of 1883, George Crum, a chef, encountered a customer at his restaurant who complained about his plate of French fries, saying they were neither crunchy nor thin enough. In response, Crum sliced a potato into extremely thin pieces, fried them until they were crispy, and then heavily salted them to make them palatable. The customer was delighted with the new dish, and the potato chip was born.

The popularity of the snack was so overwhelming that Crum opened his restaurant and began serving a basket of potato chips on every table. The invention of potato chips created countless jobs worldwide and remains a favorite snack today. While Crum did not patent the invention, the snack has become a multi-billion dollar industry, with most potato chips now mass-produced and sold in bags.

62. George Alcorn (1940 – present) – X-ray spectrometer

George Alcorn is an impressive inventor who had an equally remarkable academic career. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in physics from Occidental College, then earned a Master’s Degree in Nuclear Physics from Howard University, and a Ph.D. in Molecular Physics from Howard University. Alcorn worked for various prestigious companies and agencies throughout his career, including IBM, NASA, and Perkin-Elmer.

Throughout his career, Alcorn was granted eight patents, but undoubtedly, the most popular and groundbreaking of these was the X-ray Spectrometer. His invention is used for determining the materials of an object that cannot be broken down for closer analysis. The X-ray Spectrometer earned Alcorn the patent in 1984, earning him the NASA Inventor of the Year Award.

Alcorn’s work has had a significant impact on science and technology, particularly in the fields of space exploration and materials science. His contributions have not gone unnoticed. He has been recognized with many awards, including the NASA Langley Research Center Scientist/Engineer of the Year award and the Black Engineer of the Year President’s Award.

63. Charles Drew (1904 – 1950) – Blood banks

Charles Drew’s research on blood plasma and the invention of blood banks revolutionized the field of medicine. By separating plasma from blood, Drew created a way to store and transport blood more efficiently, which became critical during World War II. Drew’s innovative approach to blood transfusion was instrumental in saving countless lives on the battlefield and beyond. In addition to his work with blood plasma, Drew played a significant role in the desegregation of blood donation centers in the United States.

He fought against discriminatory practices that prevented African Americans from donating blood, insisting that race should not be a factor in determining a person’s eligibility to donate. Tragically, Drew died in a car accident in 1950, but his legacy continues to live on. His contributions to the field of medicine have profoundly impacted how we approach blood transfusion and blood banking. His advocacy for racial equality in healthcare has helped pave the way for future generations of healthcare professionals.

64. Jane C. Wright (1919 – 2013) – Cancer treatment

Jane C. Wright’s contributions to cancer research were groundbreaking. She transformed chemotherapy from an experimental method to a proven cancer treatment. Her work developing methotrexate for treating skin and breast cancer further cemented her reputation as a leading figure in cancer treatment. Wright was the first African American woman to become a medical college dean, serving as the head of the New York Medical College’s Department of Cancer Research. She was also the first woman elected the New York Cancer Society president. Her contributions to cancer treatment have saved countless lives and continue to inspire future generations of scientists and medical professionals.

65. Janet Emerson Bashen – LinkLine software

Janet Emerson Bashen pioneered Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) management. While at an insurance company, she proposed an external team to investigate EEO, but the idea was rejected. Undeterred, she founded her own EEO management company, which became a huge success. To make the task of retrieving and storing EEO information easier, Bashen and her cousin Donny Moore developed the LinkLine software. This led to her being awarded a U.S. patent for software, making her the first African American woman to receive this honor. Bashen’s innovative spirit and commitment to EEO continue to inspire many today.

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66. Leonard C. Bailey (1825 – 1918) – Truss-and-bandage

Leonard C. Bailey’s career began in banking, where he helped establish the Capitol Savings Bank in 1888 and served as its president for a few years. However, he was also a prolific inventor with several patents. Bailey invented a truss-and-bandage for people with lower-body hernias in 1883, which the U.S. Army adopted. He also created a folding bed in 1899, designed for easy storage. Additionally, his speed stamper invention was used by the U.S. Postal Service. Despite not having a background in healthcare, Bailey’s inventions helped improve many people’s lives, and his legacy as an inventor continues to inspire today.

67. Alice Augusta Ball (1892 – 1916) – Leprosy treatment injection

Alice Augusta Ball was the first African American woman to graduate from the University of Hawaii with a Degree in Chemistry in 1915. She subsequently secured a teaching position at the university. Ball researched the effects of chaulmoogra oil on patients suffering from leprosy, which led to the creation of the first leprosy treatment injection. She discovered a method to isolate the fatty acid components and created a water-soluble compound from the oil. The injection was widely used for over 30 years to alleviate leprosy symptoms until the introduction of sulfone drugs. Ball’s groundbreaking work helped advance medical research and relieved countless individuals suffering from leprosy.

68. Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner (1912 – 2006) – Sanitary belt

Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner invented the sanitary belt, patented it in 1957, and revolutionized menstrual hygiene. Before her invention, most women were still using cloth pads for menstruation. The sanitary belt had a moisture-proof pocket and was adjustable to fit any user comfortably. Kenner also invented a toilet tissue holder, a back washer mounted on the shower wall, and a serving tray attached to a walking frame. Despite her many useful ideas now still widely used, Kenner was perhaps one of the most forgotten African American inventors.

69. Marian Croak (1955 – present) – VoIP technology

Marian Croak is a renowned computer scientist and inventor who has significantly contributed to modern communication technology. In 2013, she was inducted into the Women in Technology International Hall of Fame for her achievements. With over 200 patents to her name, Croak is best known for her work in developing Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology. She has held several high-profile positions throughout her career, including Senior Vice President of Research and Development at AT&T, and currently serves as the Vice President of Engineering at Google. Croak’s innovations have helped shape modern communication technology and continue to impact the industry profoundly.

70. Henry T. Sampson (1934 -2015) – Gamma-electric cell

Henry T. Sampson became the first African American to earn a Ph.D. in nuclear engineering in the United States. In 1963, he was awarded a patent for a gamma-electric cell, which converts radiation into electricity. The device is used for capturing the radiation in the shielding of a nuclear reactor and transforming it into auxiliary power. This technology is used to generate additional power in nuclear reactors. Sampson’s invention has been significant for the nuclear power industry and has contributed to developing innovative power sources.

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71. David N. Crosthwait (1898 – 1976) – Heating systems

David N. Crosthwait was an accomplished inventor with air conditioning and heat transfer expertise. Throughout his career, Crosthwait secured an impressive 119 patents, with 39 of them in the United States. He gained a reputation by the 1930s because of his numerous inventions, including a boiler, vacuum pump, and thermostat control. His most highly-respected accomplishments include his heating system design for New York’s iconic Radio City Music Hall and the Rockefeller Center. Crosthwait’s contributions to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) continue to inspire and inform new generations of inventors and engineers.

72. Charles Brooks (1800s) – Street sweeper

The invention of the street sweeper by Charles Brooks in 1896 revolutionized road cleaning. Before his invention, workers had to rely on rudimentary brooms or manually collect trash, making it a difficult and laborious task. The street sweeper was essentially a standard road truck equipped with brushes to push dirt and debris off to the side of the road. Initially, people were skeptical of the idea, as it did not meet their expectations. However, as cities grew larger and technology improved, street sweepers became indispensable road maintenance tools. Brooks’ innovation remains an integral part of road-cleaning technology today.

73. Jack Johnson (1878 – 1946) – Wrench

Jack Johnson was a professional boxer born in Galveston, Texas, in 1878. In 1908, he became the first African American World Heavyweight Champion after defeating Tommy Burns in Australia. However, Johnson lived in the United States when black men were not allowed by law to openly date white women. He was later charged with violating the Mann Act for transporting his white girlfriend, Lucille Cameron, across state lines for “immoral purposes” and sentenced to one year in prison.

During his time in prison, Johnson invented a wrench that could loosen and tighten fasteners, and he was granted a patent for it in 1922. Although not his primary claim to fame, Johnson’s invention of the wrench was significant and contributed to the development of modern tools.

74. Joseph Lee (1848 – 1908) – Bread crumb machine

Joseph Lee, born into slavery in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1848, was an entrepreneur, chef, and inventor. He served as a blacksmith during the Civil War and later worked as a steward in the U.S. Coastal Survey for eleven years. Lee then established restaurants and a successful upscale catering company. Lee was bothered by the idea of throwing away day-old bread, so he invented the machine to automate tearing and grinding the bread into crumbs. This invention was awarded a patent in 1895, and Lee sold the rights to the Royal Worcester Bread Crumb Company. Lee’s invention revolutionized the food industry by providing a way to repurpose what was once considered waste. His innovation still influences the food industry today.

75. Lloyd Ray (1860 – 1940) – Dustpan

Lloyd Ray’s patent for the dustpan, granted on August 3, 1897, revolutionized cleaning. Before Ray’s invention, dust and debris on the floor had to be swept up by hand using a broom or a brush. The introduction of the dustpan made the process of cleaning more efficient and less labor-intensive. Ray’s design was simple but effective, with a metal collection plate attached to a wooden handle. It remains largely unchanged to this day, a testament to the timelessness and functionality of the original invention. The dustpan has become an essential household tool in homes, offices, and commercial establishments worldwide. Ray’s invention simplified cleaning and paved the way for future innovations in cleaning technology.

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76. Joseph Dickinson (1855 – 1936) – Roller mechanism for sheet music

Joseph Dickinson began his career at the Clough & Warren Organ Company in Detroit when he was just 17 years old. The company was known as one of the largest organ makers in the world at that time. Dickinson designed an organ that impressed critics at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876. Despite his success in building organs for prestigious customers, such as the Royal Family of Portugal, Dickinson is most remembered for inventing the roller mechanism for sheet music.

The roller mechanism enabled pianos to play sheet music in forward and reverse modes, revolutionizing how people played music. This invention made it easier for people to learn new songs and easily switch between different pieces of music while playing. Dickinson’s roller mechanism became popular and is still used in player pianos.

77. Matthew Cherry (1800s) – Street car fender

In the late 1800s, collisions between streetcars and other objects on the road were commonplace. Matthew Cherry, who had witnessed numerous incidents, decided to develop a protective device that could be fitted onto streetcars. He invented the “fender,” a metal plate attached to the front of the car, designed to absorb shock in the event of a collision. Cherry was granted a patent for the fender in 1895, and it soon became a standard safety feature on streetcars.

78. Miriam E. Benjamin (1861 – 1947) – Gong and signal chair

Miriam E. Benjamin was awarded a patent in 1888 for her invention, the “Gong and Signal Chair for Hotels.” The chair featured a button that signaled a light when pressed, allowing the servers to quickly identify which guest required assistance. This invention eliminated the need for guests to use hand-clapping or verbal cues to call for help, making it easier for guests and servers. The United States House of Representatives later adopted the design.

79. Richard Bowie Spikes (1878 – 1965) – Automatic safety brake

Richard Bowie Spikes, who was almost blind then, invented and patented an automatic safety braking system for buses and trucks in 1962. This innovative system was designed to help prevent accidents by automatically stopping the vehicle if it sensed an obstacle ahead. The invention was quickly adopted by school buses across the United States, making them much safer for children. Spikes also held several other patents during his lifetime, including ones for an improved beer tap, an automatic gear shift device, and directional signals for vehicles.

80. Robert Pelham (1859 – 1943) – Improved tallying machine and pasting apparatus

While working at the United States Census Bureau, Robert Pelham invented the pasting apparatus in 1905 and the new tallying machine in 1913. The pasting device was used to attach paper strips containing census data onto large sheets, making the task quicker and more efficient. The new tallying machine Pelham invented in 1913 automated counting census data, resulting in significant time and resource savings. Both inventions revolutionized the census-taking process and helped ensure more accurate and comprehensive data collection.

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81. Thomas Mensah (1950 – present) – Improved fiber optics manufacturing

A series of innovations in the manufacturing process of fiber optics led Thomas Mensah to develop a new technique that could deliver 20 meters per second output in 1985. Previously the fibers were produced at a rate of only 2 – 3 meters per second. Such a massive jump in production efficiency allowed the manufacturers to sell optical fibers at prices comparable to copper cables. Based on his work, further improvements in manufacturing methods eventually reached a peak speed of 50 meters per second.

In 1986, Mensah moved from Corning Glass Works to Bell Laboratories and led a weapon development team for the U.S. Department of Defense. His team built the first laser-guided missile system. Mensah’s innovative spirit and technological contributions have had a significant impact, making fiber optic communication a reality and advancing weapon technology.

82. Thomas Stewart (1823 – 1890) – Mop

Thomas Stewart, an African American inventor from Kalamazoo, Michigan, invented the precursor of the modern mop in 1893. Before the invention, cleaning floors was a strenuous process that involved manually scrubbing the surface with rags or brushes. Stewart’s invention included a clamping device that held the rag attached to a lever, allowing the user to wring the water out of the mop after several strokes. Although manual labor was still required, the invention made the job easier and more dignified. Stewart also co-invented an improved version of the station indicator for railways. The indicator was designed to activate automatically as the train hit a small lever on the side of the track, allowing the station to determine the train’s position and track.

83. Thomas Elkins (1818 – 1900) – Refrigeration

Thomas Elkin revolutionized the food preservation industry with his groundbreaking invention in the late 1800s. Before his discovery, perishable goods were only preserved using large ice blocks, often insufficient during a hot summer. However, Elkin’s invention of the metal cooling coils was a game-changer, and it effectively preserved food without ice blocks, making it a more efficient and cost-effective solution. Thanks to his innovation, the modern refrigeration industry was born, forever transforming how we store and preserve food. Elkin’s significant contribution was recognized when he was awarded a U.S. patent for his revolutionary invention in 1879.

84. Willis Johnson (1947 – present) – Rotary egg beater

When Willis Johnson invented his mixing apparatus in 1884, he had no idea how it would revolutionize the world of cooking. By transforming the slow rotation of a crank into a high-speed whisking motion, the machine could easily beat eggs and other ingredients, saving valuable time and effort in the kitchen. Despite being small and easy to use, Johnson’s invention was powerful enough to impact food preparation significantly. His innovation was so influential that modern rotary egg beaters and electric mixers still use the same basic principle today. Johnson’s invention was a game-changer for home cooks and professional chefs, earning him a patent and a place in culinary history.

85. John Lee Love (1889 -1931) – Portable pencil sharpener

John Lee Love, who passed away in December 1931, is best known for inventing two simple yet practical products: the plasterer’s hawk and the portable pencil sharpener. Although not technologically advanced, his ideas aimed to make everyday tasks easier. Before the pencil sharpener, people commonly used a knife to sharpen their pencils, but Love’s invention offered a more straightforward, affordable, and practical solution.

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86. Henry Falkener (1924 – 1981) – Ventilated shoes

In 1890, Henry Falkener was granted a U.S. patent for his invention of the ventilated shoe, a breakthrough in footwear technology at that time. Unlike modern shoes, sneakers, and athletic runners made with breathable materials, Falkener’s design, aided by his expertise in prototypes for shoes, sneakers, and athletic runners, featured an innovative air passage between the material and lining, ensuring proper airflow in and out of the shoe. To achieve this, he fitted perforated inner soles to allow fresh air to enter the shoe without obstruction. Falkener’s design included a rubber bubble under the heel connected to an upward-facing open tube, creating an air passage. Whenever the wearer took a step and pressed the bubble, foul air would be forced out, allowing fresh air to enter the shoe.

87. Albert C. Richardson (1868 – 1932) – Casket lowering device

Albert C. Richardson from Frankfort, Michigan, invented a casket-lowering device that was granted U.S. patent No. 529311. The device was a simple, cost-effective solution that could be easily attached to a trench or ditch to receive the deceased’s casket. The device was mechanically operated, offering safe and stable support to prevent the casket from falling or dirt from spilling off the trench’s edge. It was constructed using a series of pulleys, cloths, and ropes, providing a secure and balanced descent for the casket.

88. Daniel McCree (1800s) – Wooden portable fire escape

In the 1800s, fire escapes were primarily available for commercial and multi-story buildings, leaving homeowners with few options. Daniel McCree solved the problem by designing a lightweight fire escape made of wood that could be easily attached to windowsills, allowing occupants on the second or third floor to escape in case of fire. His invention was awarded a patent in 1890, and modern residential fire escapes are still based on his design.

89. Benjamin Thornton (1800s) – Voice message recorder

In 1931, Benjamin Thornton was awarded a patent for his “Apparatus for Automatically Recording Telephonic Messages,” an early version of today’s answering machine. While some sources credit Thornton with inventing the answering machine in 1935, his device was an attachment for telephones that could record messages from callers and timestamp them. It also allowed the telephone owner to record messages on the device.

90. David A. Fisher, Jr. (1800s) – Improved joiner clamps and furniture caster

David A. Fisher, an inventor, designed two tools that revolutionized carpentry and cabinetry work: an improved joiner clamp and a furniture caster. The clamp eliminated the need for workers to pause multiple times to hold two pieces of wood together while applying glue or other fasteners. Instead, the clamp could mechanically and securely hold pieces of wood together, saving time and increasing efficiency. Fisher patented the invention in April 1875. A year later, in March 1876, Fisher received a patent for a furniture caster, which featured free-turning wheels (rollers) that allowed cabinetmakers to move large pieces of furniture effortlessly.

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91. Edward R. Lewis (1800s) – Spring gun

There is debate about who invented the spring gun to scare away trespassers. While some sources attribute its invention to Edward R. Lewis, the patent he was granted in 1887 pertained to a toy. The toy consisted of a metal tube on a wooden support with a wire trigger mechanism that required only a simple motion to activate the trigger release. The wire was attached to a holder, and the trigger would release when the holder was disturbed, causing the toy to shoot a projectile. While Lewis did not mention using the toy as a booby trap, some people may have repurposed it for that use.

92. Joseph Hawkins (1800s) – Improved gridiron

Joseph Hawkins received a patent in 1845 for his invention, the gridiron. The gridiron was a cooking apparatus with a metal rack attached to a wooden handle. It was designed for heating or cooking meals, particularly meat, and could be placed inside a fireplace or on a campfire. However, during the early 19th century, the gridiron was not widely used as most people had already switched to using more convenient kitchen stoves.

93. Alexander P. Ashbourne (1820 -1915) – A method for refining coconut oil

Alexander Ashbourne was born into slavery around 1820 in Philadelphia, and little is known about his early life. However, he later gained recognition for his inventions and was awarded several patents, including one in 1875 for a spring-loaded biscuit cutter. About five years later, Ashbourne also received a patent for his techniques for refining and treating coconut oil. Despite his success as an inventor, Ashbourne’s life story remains largely unknown today.

94. William Binga (1800s) – Apparatus for street sprinkling system

n 1879, William Binga was awarded a patent for an apparatus constructed from perforated pipes connected to water mains and attached to sidewalks, streets, and roads. The invention allowed the existing sprinkler system to reach all surface areas of a street, including gutters, with excellent efficiency.

95. James A. Sweeting (1800s) – Mechanical cigarette roller

James A. Sweeting’s invention, described in the U.S. patent file 549501, issued in 1897, was a device for easily rolling cigarettes. The device comprised a cylindrical rod holding the tobacco and a mechanism to hold the cigarette paper. When used correctly, the device would create a perfectly formed cigarette. The paper might require dampening along the roller line to prevent the cigarette from unraveling. Sweeting’s goal was to make it easy for regular cigarette smokers to roll their cigarettes rather than only being accessible to cigarette manufacturers.

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96. Robert R. Reynolds (1800s) – Design for non-refillable bottle caps

Robert Reynolds, with his expertise in custom product packaging design, was granted a patent in 1899 for inventing the non-refillable bottle. It was designed with valve stoppers permanently attached to the bottle to prevent unauthorized or misinterpreted use. The invention benefited products that needed to maintain their original quality, such as medication and food. This innovation prevented consumers from accidentally or intentionally refilling the bottles with other substances that could cause contamination or harm. As a result, the non-refillable bottle became a standard packaging choice for products requiring high safety and hygiene.

97. William B. Purvis (1838 – 1914) – Improved fountain pen

William Purvis patented an improvement to the early design of fountain pens in 1890. Before his invention, fountain pens did not have an onboard ink reservoir and required a separate ink bottle. Purvis’ design included a small ink storage inside the pen, allowing for even ink distribution onto the writing medium. Purvis’s invention of the fountain pen with onboard ink storage made handwriting work cleaner and more efficient than the previous method.

98. Kerrie Holley (1954 – present) – Mobile device finder system

Kerrie Holley is a renowned inventor and technology consultant who has significantly contributed to analytics and systems engineering. During his time at IBM, Holley has been awarded several patents for his groundbreaking inventions, including a system to locate lost mobile devices and a process for maintaining functionality in the face of component failure. However, his most notable invention is the IBM Service-oriented architecture (SOA) reference architecture, revolutionizing how businesses approached software development and integration. Holley was named Black Engineer of the Year in 2003 for his numerous contributions to the technology industry and continues to be a prominent figure in the field.

99. John White (1857 – 1937) – Lemon squeezer

John White’s invention of the lemon squeezer was a testament to his expertise in tool design and development. This simple yet practical, and the tool is now a household staple used by many worldwide. Unlike Kerrie Holley, who was awarded patents for complex technologies, White’s invention was much more straightforward. The lemon squeezer described in his patent application closely resembles the familiar modern design, and it also included a container attachment to collect the juice.

100. Washington Martin (1800s) – Lock

Martin’s lock design was revolutionary for its time and eventually led to the creation of many other improved locks. Martin himself went on to patent several other inventions, including an electric motor and an electrical switch. His lock design was significant not only for its security improvements but also for its impact on the field of locksmithing. Locksmiths no longer had to rely solely on the ancient bolt design but now had access to new and improved lock designs, eventually leading to more advanced security systems. Today, Martin’s lock design is still used as the foundation for many modern lock systems.

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101. Henrietta M. Bradberry (1903 -1979) – Torpedo discharge means

Henrietta Bradberry’s two inventions, the bed rack and torpedo discharge mechanism, showcase her range as an inventor. The bed rack, patented in 1943, was a simple yet practical design that allowed people to expose their worn bedclothes to fresh air. In contrast, her second invention, the torpedo discharge mechanism, was a highly technical device requiring extensive submarine operations knowledge.

Her improvements to the mechanism ensured that water could not enter the submarine chamber upon missile release, making it more efficient and effective. Bradberry’s diverse portfolio of inventions highlights her ingenuity and adaptability as an inventor, as she could design both practical and highly technical inventions.

Summary

The Top 101 Black Inventors and African Americans’ Best Invention Ideas that Changed the World highlight some of the most significant contributions of Black inventors to society. The list includes inventors from various fields, including science, medicine, transportation, etc. Among the inventions are traffic signals, the super soaker water gun, the ironing board, the refrigerator, and the carbon filament for the lightbulb. These inventions have had a significant impact on our daily lives and have helped shape modern society. The list serves as a testament to the ingenuity and creativity of Black inventors and their vital contributions to technology and innovation.

How Cad Crowd can help

Cad Crowd is an esteemed online platform that provides a seamless connection between inventors and highly skilled freelance CAD designers and engineers from across the globe. Our platform offers a comprehensive range of professional services, including but not limited to new invention design services, 3D modeling, new product design services, engineering analysis, prototyping, and manufacturing support. Through our platform, inventors can post their projects and receive competitive bids from proficient professionals with the necessary skillset and expertise. Our secure payment system, project management tools, and extensive talent pool ensure that the design and manufacturing process is conducted professionally and efficiently. 
Cad Crowd is the ultimate solution if you’re an inventor seeking professional invention design help & freelance product development services to bring your ideas to life. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you bring your vision to life. Request a free quote to get started on your project.

It helps to consider several aspects when deciding between product licensing and manufacturing. One of these two avenues may prove more lucrative or beneficial than the other, depending on your long-term goals for your company’s new product invention. Freelance product design services are available for companies needing help with new invention ideas, 3D Modeling, patenting, and more.

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What is product licensing?

Product licensing services involve proving your company’s new invention. During this stage, your work must answer why your product should be licensed and invested in by another company. Your goal is to persuade a company to pay you a royalty on the wholesale of your invention. But before the company does so, they will want to ensure that you have a worthy product that can be successful.

You can develop a concept drawing or prototype to prove your product’s potential success and worth. If your product uses existing technology without proof that it works, you should develop a sell sheet of your new idea. The sell sheet must include your new strategy, fresh approach, or anything else that sets your product apart from the existing similar ones. Remember that you are trying to sell the benefit of your new idea and not its prototype. Consulting with a new product development expert can provide valuable insights and strategies for effective market positioning. 

Your idea also needs some intellectual property protection, although filing for the patent doesn’t have to consume your resources and time. You can file a provisional patent to provide temporary protection without significant expenses. You can check online for helpful resources on patent filing without a legal team’s assistance. 

Ensure legitimacy with a professional website, letterhead, business cards, and a dedicated phone line for your business. Ensure you also understand the importance of the steps for manufacturing required for your invention’s design and production so you can talk about it to prospective licensees and handle implementation issues if they arise. You can complete the process in less than 30 days if you work efficiently, with the assistance of invention design help & freelance product development services, for approximately $500.

RELATED: Manufacturing or product licensing? The route to selling your invention

What is product manufacturing?

Product manufacturing is a process where you take your prototype and turn it into an actual product ready for production. It can include die-making, tooling, and others. To get to the product manufacturing stage, you’ll need to attend trade shows to showcase and introduce your product to your target market, set up an office, and invest in inventory.

You must also develop a marketing and advertising plan to introduce your product and entice customers into purchasing it. The entire process may take up to a year, and even with a low-cost invention, the estimated startup cost is $250,000.

RELATED: How to calculate the total manufacturing costs for a new product

How to license your company’s invention

The moment the patent owner decides to license an invention, they agree to let another party buy the rights to the intellectual property. The patent licenses are for a specific timeframe, and you receive the agreed compensation for licensing the rights to the invention.

The payment for patent licensing sometimes comes in a payment sequence called royalties. The licenser here is the patent owner, and the licensee is the party that pays for the rights to the patented invention. The party that licenses the invention usually does so to manufacture and market it. 

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How to manufacture your company’s invention

It is common for patent owners to opt to manufacture their new invention themselves instead of licensing the manufacturing rights to another party. It means that the patent owner will continue to control the invention fully. At the same time, they will also be responsible for coordinating the entire manufacturing process either overseas or in their own country. 

If you decide to manufacture your invention, you have to hire a company that will build or create the invention. It is an appealing option for inventors with specific visions for their invention to maintain complete control of the process. But if your company decides to manufacture your new invention, you also need to accept the costs and risks of this process. Prototype manufacturing experts can help navigate these challenges effectively.

RELATED: How much does it cost to produce a product? Bringing your invention to market

What are the benefits of licensing your company’s invention? 

The following are benefits you can enjoy if you sign a licensing agreement for your company’s invention:

• Income from royalties
• Inventor requires less involvement in the whole process post-invention.
• Reduced risk
• The chance to concentrate on future inventions while someone else markets the previous idea.
• Save expenses on prototype services

What are the drawbacks of licensing your company’s invention? 

One of the most significant downsides of licensing a patent is that the inventor will have to surrender the marketing and production of their invention. When another party acquires rights to your company’s invention, they may opt to change its name, pricing, or appearance. Negotiating the licensing agreement can be intimidating and complex, especially without the assistance of an experienced lawyer.

Other licensing drawbacks include launch delays, difficulty finding someone to license the patent, and manufacturing difficulties. It may also result in legal issues and loss of money and time if something goes wrong with the licensing agreement. Seeking guidance from design patent services for USPTO patent help can help safeguard your intellectual property and navigate potential legal challenges more effectively.

RELATED: How much does it cost to produce a new product design or invention idea?

What are the benefits of manufacturing your company’s invention? 

The patent owner can benefit if they handle their invention’s manufacturing process. Most of the time, inventions that investors manufacture make it to market much faster if the production is appropriately managed. The inventor maintains control over the invention’s future. There is often more profit potential for the inventor if they manufacture the invention themselves instead of just receiving royalties. 

What are the drawbacks of manufacturing your company’s invention? 

It would help if you also considered several drawbacks of manufacturing or licensing your company’s invention. For example, it is often cheaper to develop a virtual prototype than an actual one, and manufacturing, however, calls for a physical prototype.

Aside from this, starting an inventory of your new product is also very expensive. Some inventors also look for investors who can help them cover the initial costs of the product manufacturing process. The practice allows the inventor to retain creative control and get some assistance with the necessary expenses. In addition, corporations are a great option since they allow for several investors, although they take money and time to start. Engaging freelance prototype design engineering services can further optimize the development process and enhance the quality of your product.

RELATED: An OEM’s guide to product design and manufacturing prototypes

Licensing vs. manufacturing. What is the best route to take?

Licensing your product requires less money and time, but the potential payoff is smaller. Once you license your invention, you can work and live anywhere. Licensing requires resourcefulness, creativity, an understanding of manufacturing, and the ability to sell.  

A more significant investment of money and time is required to manufacture a product, but it can also produce higher returns, not to mention that you can accomplish it on your terms. Unlike licensing, manufacturing process designers involve a higher risk but can succeed if you do it properly. The process also requires a person to have all the skills necessary for running a small business, such as inventory control, understanding of manufacturing, sales, and finance. 

Wrapping it up

Considering the positives and negatives of product licensing or manufacturing inventions, it is easy to see that the manufacturing process is time-consuming and complicated. Many inventors find it worth the effort to maintain control of their products. Manufacturing provides a higher reward potential but also comes with more risks. On the other hand, most of the time, licensing has a lower risk and a lower cash potential. 

While neither product licensing nor manufacturing is inferior nor superior to the other, each requires a separate and distinct set of abilities and skills. Always play to your strengths and pick the most suitable path for you! 

How Cad Crowd can assist

Make informed decisions for your company’s invention with Cad Crowd. Whether you’re considering product licensing to leverage the expertise of established brands or taking the leap into manufacturing to retain control over production, Cad Crowd’s industry professionals are here to guide you. We provide tailored solutions to help you navigate the complexities of product licensing and manufacturing, ensuring the best path for your unique invention.

It’s time to take your invention to new heights and unlock its full potential. Request a free quote to explore the best options for your company’s success.

Sadly, an inventor’s life isn’t as colorful and easy as it seems. The harsh truth is that an inventor’s journey can be pretty arduous and challenging. An inventor will overcome bumpy roads, pitfalls, and obstacles before they can finally bring their product idea to life. To ensure a successful product launch, here are five things that any bona fide inventor should know first.

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RELATED: How-to guide: new product design, engineering, and prototyping your Idea for mass manufacturing

5 Fascinating things inventors need to know: taking products to the market

1. Establish a unique idea 

The fuzzy Front End or FFE is the first stage of the product development process. It is that period when product concept design services are required, and ideas are implemented before the actual development of a product. It often begins with identifying a need that the current marketplace can’t meet or satisfy.

To fill this need, you start with brainstorming. FFE has five specific areas:

1. Identify the opportunity for a new product
2. Analyze the opportunity
3. Establish the Idea
4. Select the Idea through brainstorming
5. Develop the Idea

RELATED: What is design thinking, and why is it essential for new product design?

After brainstorming, it is now time to determine your target market. It can be as specific or broad as necessary. However, a more specific target market will also be smaller, which means lower profits. Don’t forget to consider all demographics at this stage. If the 3D product demo services showcase your new toy design for little girls, entertain the kids themselves and the parents who will buy the toy. Are there existing similar products on the market? While it is impossible to come up with a unique idea, it doesn’t mean your Idea wouldn’t have anything new to offer.

If there are also existing products similar to yours, what is different about your product that would make consumers choose to buy it over other options? Make sure it is feasible to produce your new 3D product modeling service design, given your current technological limitations and abilities. It would be useless to waste your money and time trying to develop a product if you can’t make it work. Lastly, confirm your product’s potential to be profitable. It will come from knowing the production costs and determining if sufficient demand exists. You have to ensure that your new product isn’t too specific with an existing consumer base who will be interested in buying it.

RELATED: Guide to new product design and development: bring your concept prototype to market

2. Formalizing the concept

Now that you have figured out your million-dollar product idea, you should formalize your concept and determine how you plan to turn it into a reality. With the help of the earlier brainstorming, you should already have a good idea about your product and its intended purpose. It is the time when you should develop a mockup to showcase your ideas to other people for feedback. You can use a brochure that shows an example of your product, complete with a detailed explanation and what it can do. You can also create a presentation on your laptop or, better yet, develop a website that you can share with others.

A 3D animation service can help you present your new Idea in clear and definite terms; it will give you something you can show others to attract potential investors early on. Product development can involve high upfront costs, and investors can help you offset these costs. This mockup can also come in handy for market research to learn your product’s potential profitability. Presenting this mockup to others can also help you determine if there is demand for your product in the first place. It is a piece of information that inventors would be interested to know. You can talk to an accountant and market experts to learn more about the potential ROI or return on investment.

RELATED: 10 Tips for good product design

3. Develop a prototype

Developing a product prototype is the next step. You might have already completed this if you have a handmade product that you create yourself. Determining how you plan to scale the production to meet the demand would be best, directly affecting profitability. If your new product is only to generate an extra income on the side, hand-making every piece might be absurd. However, if your ultimate goal is to establish a presence in the marketplace, trying to hand-make each one won’t be feasible in the long run. Even if you have no plans to make every product yourself, using rapid prototyping services to develop the first one yourself is another viable option.  

If you cannot make the product yourself, your next best option is establishing a partnership with a reliable manufacturer. You can check online to find a company that can produce your product prototype. Most of these companies are often located outside the United States, so you have to decide if you want to work with a local or an overseas manufacturer. While overseas companies may have lower costs, remember that it will be logistically challenging to visit the factory for a first-hand observation if you live a thousand miles away. If you need to see and check the factory in person, you must look for the closest factory in your area. Take note that most consumers prefer US-made products.

RELATED: 10 Tips when hiring a prototype design firm for new product design

If it is a factor that matters to you, try narrowing your search only to factories located in the US. One more option is to license your product idea to a reputable company. With this option, you will let the company use your product idea, and the company will then pay you royalties for every product sold. Most inventors find it more straightforward since the process is more hands-off. Your chosen company will handle the entire production process, distribution, and marketing, and all you have to do is take a cut of the sales. Make sure you understand copyright law before doing anything else.

While this model means lower profits for you, this is a less stressful method for taking your product to the market. If you plan to license your product, ensure you are the legal owner of every aspect of your new Idea. It includes trademarking the product name and the phrases associated with it. You also need to patent your Idea if possible.

RELATED: 5 Tips to turn your Idea into a new product design with prototype CAD services

4. Obtain a patent

If you are confident that you have a unique and new product, you can get a patent to protect your intellectual property. If this field is unfamiliar to you, consider designing patent services that are familiar with the process and have the relevant expertise and experience. Research patents to confirm if you have a qualified idea. For a patent to be granted, the US Patent Office will determine that you have a new, non-obvious, and original Idea. Since all patents are available to the public, a good first step here is to search existing patents. However, don’t just limit the search to patents alone. If there are similar products anywhere, even those without patents, you may be unable to get a patent yourself.

RELATED: How to protect your new invention idea

5. Test, Refine, and improve your product

Say you have now developed a prototype using a freelance gadget design service, forged relationships with investors and manufacturers, trademarked the name of your product, and maybe even acquired a patent. It would be best if you started getting feedback to confirm that your product is as good as it can be. Your family and friends can be a reliable initial resource, although, given your relationship, they might not be able to give the most honest and unbiased feedback.

Focus groups consist of strangers who are not connected to you in any way or don’t have any preconceived ideas about the product and can provide usable and honest feedback. Many marketing companies specializing in focus groups can help you acquire this valuable information. If your new product is an app or software, performing a beta test run can help you get feedback from real users and identify existing bugs in your new product.

RELATED: 7 Tips for effective product development & design

A beta test is a limited product launch where a limited number of users spend time using the software and give feedback regarding its performance. Every software undergoes a beta test phase that provides invaluable information. Feedback from actual potential customers can give you the necessary information to improve and refine your product. It may also mean developing a new prototype that incorporates any changes made. You might need to go through the process a few times depending on your feedback.

Of course, it may add to your upfront costs. However, since you have already spent money, time, and hard work on your dream, it just makes sense that you want to be entirely sure that your new product is as good as it can be before you take it to the market.

How Cad Crowd can assist

Do you need design help to bring your new product to life? Cad Crowd can assist – contact us for a free design quote on your project.

A new invention idea starts with a strong vision and market research to turn your concept into reality. The last thing you want is your new product idea to lose traction and stagnate. Bringing a new product to market requires resources and can be costly. Learning to design a product from scratch, ready for the manufacturing stage, is critical and will save you from unnecessarily spending time, effort, and money. This is where a design for assembly service professionals can be handy.

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RELATED: How much does it cost to make a prototype for my new product invention?

Document everything 

When you develop a new invention idea, it’s essential to document everything. Document your inspiration for the invention, the date, how it works, and how you plan to make and market it. You may also want to make a rough sketch of the invention. Documentation is crucial in patenting your idea and ensuring it doesn’t get stolen. You may have heard of the so-called poor man’s patent, where you record your idea and put it in a sealed envelope.

You then send the envelope to yourself via mail for dated proof of conception of your invention. This method is unreliable and would not hold up in court. A more reliable option is to record your idea in an inventor’s journal and ask a witness to sign it. Journaling will help protect your new invention during the patent process. This inventor’s journal can be any notebook with consecutively numbered pages and cannot be reinserted or removed. 

RELATED: Common mistakes for inventors to avoid

Do your research 

Once you are ready to document the process, it’s time for you to research your new invention idea from a business and legal standpoint. Before filing a patent, you will need to take two critical steps. 

Complete your initial patent search 

Before you work with a patent agent or attorney, don’t forget to complete a free rudimentary search at www.uspto.gov to confirm that your idea hasn’t been patented by anyone else. You also need to perform a non-patent search before patenting an idea. Non-patent literature (NPL) is a way to look through other non-patent databases (i.e., social media, datasheets, magazines, public conferences, scientific journals, etc.).

Research your potential target market 

Just because your mother loves your idea for a grass cutter doesn’t mean your neighbor will! Unfortunately, over 95% of patents worldwide don’t earn inventors’ money. Before you invest capital and time patenting your invention idea, research your potential target market. Is your idea something that people will buy? Can you manufacture and distribute your product at a reasonable retail price? To determine these costs and better understand your competition, you can compare your product with existing products on the market.

RELATED: Understanding the different types of patents

Develop a prototype

Prototypes are a preliminary model of an invention that put everything you wrote down in your inventor’s journal into practice. A company specializing in rapid prototyping services can develop a prototype you can showcase and present to potential licensees and lenders. Avoid filing a patent if you don’t have a prototype yet. Chances are you will find a flaw in your original design or come up with a feature you want to add. If your idea is patented before you address these issues, it could be too late for you to include these in the patent, and this may put you at risk of losing the new design’s patent rights to someone else. 

Here are several rules to remember when prototyping your new invention idea:

• Start sketching your invention idea in the inventor’s journal before starting the prototyping phase. 
• Hire a product concept design professional to create a 3D model mockup of your product design concept. 
• Once you’re satisfied with the 3D mockup, you can construct a working model of your product idea. You can refer to kits and literature as your guide in creating your prototypes. You can also consider using a computer-animated virtual prototype if your invention is costly or unreasonable to prototype (i.e., a pharmaceutical drug or an oil refinery process).

RELATED: Guide to new product design and development: bring your concept prototype to market

File your patent

You have worked out all the kinks in your new product concept design, and it’s finally time to file your patent. You can choose from two primary patents. The first is a utility patent for new machines or processes, and the second is a design patent reserved for manufacturing ornamental designs. Writing the patent and filling out the application is something you can do on your own. But don’t file the patent until a skilled patent professional has reviewed it. 

There is always the possibility of someone infringing on your invention. Suppose you don’t have a patent written by a patent agent or attorney. In that case, you may be in a predicament if a competitor discovers a loophole that allows them to copy your idea. It’s best to seek legal help to avoid litigation.  

RELATED: Should you get a patent for your invention?

These steps will help you find the best patent expert:

• Do your homework and be organized. Having your notes, prototype, and inventor’s journal ready for a patent professional will save you time and money.
• Check to ensure that the patent professional has been registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. 
• Inquire about the professional’s technical background. For example, if you have an electronic invention, look for a patent expert who is an electrical engineer. 
• Discuss associated fees. Smaller patent firms are often more affordable and will work closely with you. Be sure to agree to the estimated cost before you hire a patent professional. 

RELATED: Manufacturing or product licensing? The route to selling your invention

Market your new invention

Once you’ve completed the steps above, it’s time to develop your business plan. How and where will you manufacture and sell a profitable product? Will you license your product through a company or manufacture and sell the product yourself? You will receive approximately 2-5% royalty fees if you decide to license the product. The main advantage of licensing is that you will not have the financial strain associated with running a business. In the long run, licensing may earn you more money.

The product development process is lengthy and can take years. From the conception of your invention idea to new product development, many inventions take years before they come to life. Be patient and follow the steps above to make the most of your hard work and effort. 

RELATED: The 50/50 rule of product marketing

How Cad Crowd can assist

Visit our Patent pages for more information on patents and USPTO patent applications. We offer comprehensive patenting services for inventors and entrepreneurs. From USPTO patent searches to utility and design patent applications, we’ll connect you with leading U.S.-based patent attorneys. Get a free estimate today.

This article discusses the top 101 female inventions that changed the world and women’s innovation history. Some of these invention designs were more practical solutions that eventually changed people’s everyday lives. In contrast, others were more earth-shaking technological advances that would have been impossible otherwise without their makers’ ingenuity, perseverance, hard work, and sometimes even sacrifices. 

RELATED: Top 100 famous inventions and most extraordinary ideas of all time

Top 101 Female Inventions

1. Airplane muffler

El Dorado Jones, famous for her nickname Iron Woman, was the owner of a metalworking factory where only women aged over 40 were employed. While she never got the funding to manufacture it, she received the credit for being the inventor of the airplane engine muffler in 1917. It was reported that this muffler could reduce noise with no effect on power at all.

It was also described as the first-ever successful exhaust muffler for airplane engines. Jones’ muffler featured a series of tiny pinwheels that could chew up sound waves and slow down the exhaust gases’ passage without forming unwanted back pressure on the engine. Unfortunately, Jones was infamous for her self-reliance, energy, and general distrust of the opposite sex. This disdain hampered the financial success of her airplane muffler. 

RELATED: Top 100 famous female inventors in history & modern women inventors

2. Alphabet blocks

As a parent, you are undoubtedly familiar with alphabet blocks and their educational value in teaching your kids how to read. These alphabet blocks also inspire imagination and encourage coordination skills as a form of building toys. Alphabet blocks are indeed fun, and during the nineteenth century, these were found in school rooms all over the educated world. 

Adeline D. T. Whitney authored many books for kids and adults alike. She was also the owner of the 1882 patent for the early version of these alphabet blocks, which were then available in different sizes and shapes with the ability to form letters, punctuation symbols, and numbers. 

3. Antifungal drug

Fungal infections can become life-threatening to recipients of organ transplants, burn victims, patients diagnosed with AIDS, and people undergoing chemotherapy. However, less severe forms of infection such as itchy ear problems, infant oral thrush, athlete’s foot, and yeast infections can also become chronic. Today, the most common and popular antifungal drug is Nystatin, used for treating antifungal infections of the mouth, skin, esophagus, intestinal tract, and vagina.

It also has nonmedical uses, such as preventing the spread of mold on valuable artworks. While working at the New York State Department of Health’s Division of Laboratories and Research, this breakthrough drug was developed by two women, Rachel Fuller Brown and Elizabeth Lee Hazeh. Nystatin was the first-ever effective antifungal medicine. 

RELATED: 100 Famous inventors and their best invention ideas

4. Apgar score

Virginia Apgar invented the Apgar score in 1952. The Apgar score offers doctors a quick means to evaluate all newborns’ health at one and five minutes after delivery and in response to resuscitation. Dr. Apgar, an anesthesiologist at Columbia University, originally developed it in 1952 to meet the need for a standardized method of infant evaluation shortly after birth.

The categories Dr. Apgar developed for assessing a newborn’s health remain the same today as those used in 1952. However, how these are utilized and developed has evolved through the years. Five criteria are used to determine the score when evaluating newborns: appearance, respiration, pulse, grimace, and activity or tone.

5. Aquarium

If you have an aquarium at home where you love watching your colorful fish, you might want to express your gratitude to Jeanne Villepreux-Power, a French naturalist. Back in 1832, she was attempting to prove that the paper nautilus didn’t take the discarded shells of other organisms; she wanted to prove that it could grow a shell on its own. To properly observe the paper nautilus for an extended period and simultaneously study marine life in general, the power came up with the idea of inventing the glass aquarium. 

RELATED: 101 Inventions that changed the world in the last 100 years

6. Automatic roti maker

Pranoti Nagarkar-Israni designed the kitchen robot she named Rotimatic, which makes rotis, puris, pizza crusts, and tortillas in less than a minute. She is a firm believer in simplification, and this philosophy served as her team’s guiding principle when turning Rotimatic into reality.
A Zimplistic product, Rotimatic is the first-ever robot that makes homemade healthy wraps and Rotis with a single touch. Israni is a new wife conscious of their health and wants to prepare healthy, delicious meals in the comfort of her home. She developed Rotimatic when she faced problems with time management amidst a busy schedule.

7. Barbie doll 

Have you ever wondered who invented Barbie? The first Barbie was created in 1959, available as a blond or brunette, by Ruth Handler, a savvy businesswoman. Together with her husband, Handler co-founded the Mattel Toy Company. According to the story, Handler watched her daughter play with paper dolls with friends.

She also noticed that they were playing future instead of present scenes and started imagining a doll they would like. With this in mind, she developed a doll inspired by a famous German doll initially sold to adults that she had discovered during a trip. The beauty was named Barbie after her daughter, Barbara, and Ken was invented later and named after her son. 

RELATED: Understanding the different types of patents

8. Beer

Would you believe that your favorite beer was created by women in Sumeria and Mesopotamia almost seven thousand years ago? Only women were allowed to drink beer and operate breweries for centuries.
They were also the only ones who could run taverns or brew the drink due to their excellent skills. It was also believed that beer was a goddess’ gift and not from a male god in many ancient societies. Jane Peyton is an author who has performed extensive research into beer’s origins for a book reporting that the touch of a woman was evident in beer through the centuries.

9. Big eye paintings

The American artist Margaret Keane was famous during the 1960s thanks to her trademark Big Eye paintings. However, during that time, people who appreciated her art were convinced that the paintings were made by Walter, her husband, and not her. 

During the 1950s, Margaret’s husband started to sell her paintings as if they were his own without asking for her permission. She confronted her husband when she discovered what he was doing, which led to him intimidating, threatening, and emotionally abusing her to silence her. However, after their divorce, Margaret revealed and proved the truth to the general public, making her gain her rightful claim to the Big Eye paintings. 

RELATED: Business tips for inventors: how to turn your invention into a successful product

10. Birth control pill

Katharine McCormick, a millionaire philanthropist and biologist was the woman responsible for providing the funds for research that paved the way for the discovery of the birth control pill. All women today should know her name since your life would have been very different if not for her. McCormick founded what was referred to in the New York Times as history’s most sweeping sociomedical revolution. Its impact on the US and other countries is too extensive to analyze.

11. Blissymbol Printer

t was in the mid-1980s when 12-year-old Rachel Zimmerman from Ontario, Canada, invented a device that became very useful for people dealing with communication difficulties. Zimmerman developed a software program using Blissymbols, or symbols that allow non-speaking people to communicate, including those suffering from severe physical disabilities such as cerebral palsy.
The program user points to different symbols on a board or page using a unique touchpad to communicate. Once the user touches the symbols, Zimmerman’s Blissymbol Printer translates them into written language. This allows users to correspond through email or record their thoughts.

12. Bra 

Born Mary Phelps Jacob, Caresse Crosby invented the one thing that ladies of today might not be able to live without—the modern bra. In 1910, 19-year-old Mary was preparing to go to a ball, and a tight garment was the everyday undergarment back then. 

However, her sheer dress didn’t go well as the corset poked out. She asked for some thread, a needle, some ribbon, and two handkerchiefs from her maid. Her design featured shoulder straps with wraparound laces fixed to the lower corners tied at the front to allow her to wear gowns cut down at the back. The patent she received in 1914 was for the backless brassiere. 

RELATED: 21 Things invented by famous female inventors

13. Bulletproof fiber

Stephanie Kwolek dreamed of being a future medical doctor. After she finished college and became a chemist, she worked temporarily as a research scientist at DuPont to save enough money for medical school. However, she was offered a permanent position at DuPont together with a promotion she couldn’t refuse. Little did she know that this would significantly change her life’s direction.
While Kwolek was studying long molecules at low temperature in 1965 to discover a lightweight plastic for car tires, she found a solid but lightweight material. This discovery resulted in the creation of the synthetic material known as Kevlar. During testing, it was shown to be five times stronger out of the water than steel and up to 20 times stronger underwater; it was also resistant to corrosion and heat.

14. Call Center System

The world can thank Erna Schneider Hoover for giving some sense of sanity to the complex telephone switching system used during the 1960s. It was in 1971 when she received a patent for her computerized telephone switching system. 

Telephone call centers tend to freeze up if they get flooded with lots of simultaneous calls. Frustrated customers were left with no choice but to endure listening to the lament of the operator about the circuits being busy. If a switch were down or froze up, the customers would be left unhappy. But thanks to Hoover’s invention, this problem was addressed accordingly. 

RELATED: Common mistakes for inventors to avoid

15. Call waiting and caller ID

Shirley Ann Jackson is an award-winning theoretical physicist. Her contributions to the telecommunication field paved the way for developing various technologies, such as call waiting and caller ID, fiber optic cables, and solar cells.

16. Cardiovascular drugs Eliquis^® and Cozaar^® 

Ruth Wexler left a significant mark in cardiovascular drugs when she developed the angiotensin II receptor antagonist Cozaar® as well as a novel anticoagulant and factor Xa inhibitor Eliquis®. Wexler has over 190 patents and papers to her name, with many others still on the way. At the same time, she works as Bristol-Myers Squibb’s Executive Director, where she leads their efforts in medicinal chemistry toward cardiovascular diseases. She was also inducted in 2014 into the MEDI Hall of Fame of the ACS Division of Medicinal Chemistry.

17. Car heater

Margaret A. Wilcox developed a way of heating vehicles in 1893 by channeling the air over the engine and then into the cab. With this invention, she took advantage of the heat already being produced as the byproduct of combustion.

18. Central heating

While the revolutionary central heating design of Alice Parker in 1919 was never used, it was the first one to use natural gas for heating a house instead of wood. Before Parker’s invention, most families would use wood or coal to heat their homes in fireplaces that could not reach the whole house. Parker developed a type of natural gas furnace that can send warm air all over the place in ducts. The multiple burners made it possible to have varying temperatures for every room. 

RELATED: Top 11 brilliant inventions discovered by accident

19. Chemotherapy

The oncologist Jane Cooke Wright initially pioneered the use of “chemotherapy” through methotrexate, a type of drug used for the treatment of skin cancer and breast cancer. 

20. Child carriers 

The peacekeeper and nurse Ann Moore was the first person to invent the child carrier Snugli during the 1960s. While working during that time as a Peace Corps nurse in Togo, West Africa, she saw something interesting done by African mothers. They carried their little ones in fabric slings securely tied to their backs. She liked how close the mothers and their babies were this way and noticed how babies looked calm because they felt more secure due to their closeness to their mothers.
Upon returning home to the US and having a child of her own, she wanted to carry her little one in the same way. Using a simple backpack and refining it to suit their needs, Moore and her mother developed a carrier that resembles those of mothers in Togo. They created the Snugli, the original soft baby carrier, and other types of specialized carrying cases.

21. Chocolate chip cookie

No one can say no to the enticing aroma of chocolate cookies as they bake to perfection in the oven on a chilly winter afternoon, nor can you resist that first warm and gooey bite. You might not believe it, but the recipe for your favorite cookies was made accidentally. Everything started when a young married couple, Ken and Ruth Wakefield, bought an old rundown toll house of Cape Cod style and turned it into a new tourist lodge named The Toll House Inn. 

While baking chocolate cookies one day, Ruth realized she no longer had baking chocolate, the type that melts inside the oven and then spreads all over the cookie. She used Nestle chocolate chunks or chips instead, and the chips stayed together, marking the birth of chocolate chip cookies and the Nestle Toll House. 

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22. Circular saw

Like most inventions during the nineteenth century, the concept of the circular saw was developed independently and similarly all over the developing world. In the United States, particularly in Harvard, Massachusetts, Tabitha Babbitt, a Shaker woman, is believed to have designed and created a circular saw entirely of her design in 1810.
Legend states that she thought of the concept after seeing two Shaker men having difficulty using a pit saw. Babbitt noticed how inefficient the method was and developed a saw that would waste less effort and time. She developed a notched tin disk, then rigged this to spin using her spinning wheel’s pedal push. Through this simple invention, it became possible to cut wood with less effort and time compared to using the traditional pit saw.

23. Clothes wringer

It was in the late 1880s when Ellen Elgin, a housekeeper, invented the clothes-wringing machine that could speed up the washing and drying process. The clothes were fed in the middle of two rollers attached to a crank, and the water was wrung out as the crank turned, which made them easier to dry and hang. During Elgin’s invention, there were only a few methods to clean clothes aside from doing it manually, making this creation a big deal. 

To increase her chances of succeeding, Elgin sold her patent for only $18 to a white person who wanted to manufacture the product. She claimed that her decision was because she wished white ladies to purchase the wringer, which might not be possible if they learned that the invention was patented by a Negro woman. 

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24. Coffee filter

Fans of pour-over coffee might be surprised to discover that the company Melitta didn’t take its name after a coffee maker from Italy. The truth is that it was named after the German entrepreneur Melitta Bentz, who came up with a minimalist and easy way of making coffee in 1908 by simply putting it inside a filter and then pouring water over it.

25. Computer algorithm

While translating her math professor’s lectures, Ada Lovelace added some notes of her own. She was later given credit for penning the first computer algorithm in the world in 1843.

26. Computer software

Grace Murray Hopper was a computer scientist who assisted in designing Harvard’s Mark I Computer. She also developed a compiler that could translate written language into computer code. She was also a member of the team that created COBOL, among the first languages in modern

27. Conditioner for black hair

Born Sarah Breedlove, Madam C. J. Walker was one of a few Black ladies who knew hair. It was during the 1890s that Walker started to suffer from a scalp condition that made her lose most of her gorgeous long hair. After she sought advice from others and experimented with different store-bought products and homemade remedies, Walker established a haircare business of her own, used the name Madam C. J. Walker, and started to sell her namesake Wonderful Hair Grower, which was a type of healing scalp formula and conditioning treatment. 

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28. CRISPR gene editing

Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Anne Doudna invented CRISPR gene editing, a form of genetic engineering in molecular biology that made it possible to modify the genomes of living organisms. This technique is crucial in medicine and biotechnology, as it allows editing genomes in vivo with ease, extremely high precision, and in the most affordable way possible. This also comes in handy for developing genetically modified organisms, agricultural products, new medicines, or a way of controlling pests and pathogens. 

29. Curling iron

No other people know hair as well as Black women. It was in 1980 when Theora Stephens received the patent for more efficient curling and pressing iron. The information about Stephens is limited, but she was known as a Black hairdresser. She was so fed up with the dull products for hair curling that she decided to take things into her own hands.

30. Diagnostic test strips

Together with her husband, Alfred Free, Helen M. Free invented easy-to-administer and cheap at-home tests not only for diabetes but also for other illnesses. This test is a paper strip whose color changes once it is dipped in urine. It was considered the first diagnostic test to be administered in a doctor’s office or home without pricy lab equipment.

ACS awarded free the Garvan Medal in 1980, which honored a woman’s distinguished service to the chemistry field. She also acted as ACS’s president in 1994, and ACS named a special award after her in 1995, the Helen M. Free Award in Public Outreach.

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31. Dishwasher

Josephine Cochran invented the dishwasher that uses water pressure rather than the scrubbers that were the norm during her time. Even though other prototypes existed, the design that Cochran developed in 1872 was considered the most effective out of them all.

32. Disposable diaper

Marion Donovan is the woman all moms and dads should thank for coming up with disposable diapers. However, if parents today no longer need any convincing to buy these products, things were different back then. Donovan had a hard time convincing manufacturers that her product was necessary in the first place. Since her father was also an industrial manufacturer by trade, she was already familiar with the industry. 

The idea to use a diaper cover occurred when she became a full-time mom who had to deal with wet bedding, baby clothes, and diapers. The mess became too much for her, and she thought there had to be a much better and easier way. 

33. Electric water heater

Ida Forbes isn’t a very familiar or well-known name. Still, one sure thing is known about her: she received the patent in 1917 for the first-ever electric water heater during a time when gas was used to run the majority of water heaters. 

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34. Electric refrigerator

In 1914, during an era when iceboxes were the go-to choice for keeping food chilled, Florence Parpart acquired a patent for the electric refrigerator. She succeeded in marketing the product and continued to improve it over the years. 

35. Electron microscopy

Pratibha Gai created the original atomic-resolution ETEM or environmental transmission electron microscope. This microscope made it possible to visualize chemical reactions at an atomic scale. Gai opted against patenting her device, the culmination of her hard work for 20 years, to further scientific advancement. 

Electron microscopes use a beam of accelerated electrons as the illumination source. Since an electron’s wavelength can reach a maximum of 100,000 times shorter than visible light photons, an electron microscope has higher resolving power, unlike light microscopes, with the ability to reveal smaller objects’ structures. 

These electron microscopes can investigate the ultrastructure of several inorganic and biological specimens such as cells, microorganisms, large molecules, biopsy samples, crystals, and metals. Electron microscopes are also industrially used for failure analysis and quality control. Today’s electron microscopes can produce electron micrographs using frame grabbers and specialized digital cameras for capturing images. 

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36. Feeding tube

A physical therapist born in Virginia, Bessie Blount Griffin, spent time looking after veterans of World War II, helping them use their feet and teeth instead of the hands they lost during combat. She developed a device to allow amputees to feed themselves and offer them an improved sense of self-confidence. This invention by Blount featured an electronic tube responsible for delivering tiny bites of food to patients at a pace of their choice.

This allows the patient to bite down on the tube to get another serving delivered through the mouthpiece connected to a machine. However, Blount’s invention was declined by the American Veterans Administration, which made her donate the rights to it to the French government. She was proud that her feeding tube proved that even Black women could invent things that could benefit humankind. 

37. Fire escape

The fire escape that received a patent in 1887 was the invention of Anna Connelly. While there is minimal information about her, the patent shows that she was from Pennsylvania. Connelly’s creation paved the way for the first-ever building codes recognized in New York City. The regulations stated that it was mandatory to have a second method of escape during a fire. 

The fire escape didn’t require the building to be remodeled, making it very cost-effective while helping firefighters speed up the process of getting water to the fire. This new fire escape even featured staircases with platforms in between levels to prevent people from falling. 

38. Folding cabinet bed

Sarah E. Goode was an entrepreneur and inventor born in 1850 into slavery. She was also among the first African American women to be given a patent by the United States Patent and Trademark Office due to her 1885 invention, the folding cabinet bed. Goode relocated to Chicago when the civil war ended to become an entrepreneur and set up a furniture business with Archibald, her husband.

Her customers were mainly working-class people living in small apartments with limited space for furniture. Goode developed a cabinet bed she described as a folding bed to address this issue. The bed could act as a roll-top desk with compartments for stationery and other writing supplies if not used. 

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39. Foot pedal trash can

Lillian Gilbreth, a psychologist and engineer conducted extensive research on workspaces and their psychological impact on productivity. Her genius in the field of ergonomics led to the creation of numerous valuable inventions, such as the foot pedal trash can. Being the mother of 12 kids, Gilbreth knew more than anyone else how important it is for homes to have efficient items. Aside from getting a patent for the foot pedal trash can, she also developed the electric food mixer. Gilbreth won more than twenty awards during her career. 

40. Fruit press

Presumably fed up with manually squeezing juice every morning, a woman from Oakland, CA, named Madeline Turner invented the elaborate machine with the ability to extract juice from fruits such as lemons, apples, and oranges. Her invention granted Turner a patent in April 1916, and she called it Turner’s Fruit Press. It is said that a member of the patent review committee called this machine ingenious, with Turner exhibiting it during the Panama-California Exposition. Imagine if Turner hadn’t invented the fruit press. Juice bars and smoothie chains wouldn’t be popular now. 

41. Geobond

An inventor, businesswoman, and sculptor, Patricia Billings invented Geobond, a fireproof and almost indestructible building material. Billings studied art with a specialty in plaster of Paris sculptures. During the latter part of the 1970s, one sculpture she made fell and shattered, making her perform experiments in her basement. After eight years, she developed an additive that forms a fireproof, non-toxic, and tough plaster once mixed with concrete and gypsum. Her work earned Billings two patents, although she kept Geobond’s complete recipe a secret. Contractors, on the other hand, use Geobond daily. 

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42. GIF animation

If you consider GIFs as a form of communication, Lisa Gelobter deserves a round of applause. Gelobter is the computer scientist responsible for developing the animation for making GIFs and other groundbreaking video technology such as Joost, Brightcove, Shockwave, and Hulu. A graduate of Brown University, Gelobter is currently the US Department of Education’s chief digital service officer. So the next time you want to use a GIF, make sure to thank her in your way. 

43. Globes

Ellen Eliza Fitz was an American working in New Brunswick, Canada as a governess. This clever woman decided to develop a better globe. While teaching the changing seasons with the sun’s course and geography to her young charges, she thought she could do a much better job, which inspired her to design a special globe mounting.

Fitz filed a patent in 1875 for this new globe mounting which showed the Earth’s daily rotation on its axis and the annual revolution around the sun, along with the effect of these rotations. Her students could finally follow the sun’s path and durations during twilight, night, and day, all year long. The globe debuted at the Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia in 1876. Fitz filed another patent in 1882 to show the positions of the stars. 

44. Hairbrush

Although it remains unclear who invented the original comb or brush, the Black woman Lyda Newman residing in Manhattan, was the first person to receive a patent for the hairbrush in 1898. This brush by Newman was the first one that featured synthetic bristles instead of the hair of an animal such as a boar.

It was also specifically designed to offer storage and ventilation for excess hair, making it easier to clean and more sanitary. Based on her patent, Newman’s design aimed to provide an improved and new hairbrush with durable and straightforward construction, extremely effective when used and arranged to allow convenient brush cleaning whenever necessary. 

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45. Home security system

During the mid-1960s, home security systems were almost nonexistent. However, Marie Van Brittan Brown wanted to feel safer in her house whenever she was alone. Being a nurse herself, she usually got home at odd hours. At that time, her neighborhood had high crime rates with a low response rate from the police. 

This inspired her to take things into her own hands. In 1966, she developed a closed-circuit television security system, or CCTV, to monitor her house. It is said that Brown offered the most information and is regarded as the inventor. Albert, her husband, an electronics technician, undoubtedly helped and earned equal credit on its patent. 

46. Humane cattle restraints

Temple Grandin’s innovative animal husbandry designs have resulted in fewer injuries and calmer livestock. She innovated different ways of handling cattle according to their natural behavior instead of using brute force. The center track cattle restraint system she developed is still used to manage most US cattle population. 

47. Hydyne rocket fuel

The success of Explorer I, the first satellite that the United States launched into orbit, was made possible thanks to Hyde. Mary Sherman Morgan created this improved rocket fuel in 1957 while working as the technical lead at the Rocketdyne Division of North American Aviation. 

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48. Hypertext fiction 

Judy Malloy is a self-taught single mom, conceptual artist, and computer programmer working at a tech company during Silicon Valley’s early days. She self-published a short story in 1986 entitled Uncle Roger. It was a cynical take on the tech culture of California through the perspective of an eccentric salesman of computer chips. Back then, reading the story was a whole new experience. 

It continues to live online to this day, with the reader clicking through the story’s fragments in any way they want, reshaping and twisting the storyline along the way. Malloy developed a new, elaborate database for telling her story, using what was a sophisticated search engine for that time and 32 UNIX shells. The emerging digital community acclaimed Malloy’s piece as the earliest prominent example of hypertext fiction. 

49. Ice cream maker

Nancy Johnson already knew her priorities before the invention of freezers. She invented a hand-crank double-cylinder ice cream machine in 1843, and the device can create two frozen flavors simultaneously but separately. 

50. Illusion transmitter

Valerie Thomas is a scientist who started to work as a data analyst at NASA in 1964. During her employment, she was in charge of a project involved with NASA’s image processing systems. She supervised the creation of Landsat, the first-ever satellite to send images directly from space. Thomas started to research and experiment on an illusion transmitter in 1977, which would form the appearance of 3D images using light rays and concave mirrors. It received a patent in 1980, with NASA continuously utilizing the invention. 

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51. Immunosuppressive drug

During Gertrude Belle Elion’s many years as a pharmacologist, she helped develop numerous drugs for treating herpes, malaria, AIDS, and cancer. Together with George Herbert Hitchings, Elion set Azathioprine, the first immunosuppressive drug that was initially used for patients undergoing chemotherapy as well as for organ transplants later on. 

52. Ironing board

Although patents for folding ironing boards originally appeared during the 1860s, the ironing board Sarah Boone developed in 1892 featured one significant difference from earlier ones. It had a double-sided narrow arm that made it helpful for ironing sleeves, with no need to worry about forming creases. 

53. Jerky

Native Americans relied on jerky, a specially prepared source of meat, long before European settlers arrived on the land. Made from mainly elk, deer, and buffalo meat dried in thin and long strips, jerky was a great source of protein during long winter months when the game was rare. Native American women gathered the food of the tribe growing in the wild, processed and cooked it, tended the campsite, made the clothing, and raised the children.

On the other hand, men did the fishing and hunting, took care of the horses, made the weapons and tools, and defended the tribe during the war. Of course, their roles overlapped as needed. However, considering their assumed roles, it is safe to claim that the most likely original inventors of jerky were Native American women. 

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54. Laser cataract surgery

Patricia Bath developed the patented Laserphaco Probe in 1986. It makes it possible for doctors to dissolve cataracts fast and painlessly before they apply new lenses to the eyes of the patient. This technology continues to be used all over the world to prevent blindness as a result of cataracts. 

55. Life raft

Philadelphia’s Maria Beasley dreamed of a better life raft that was safe, compact, fireproof, and could be launched right away when needed. The patent stated that the new design was invented in 1880. Beasley’s life raft featured rectangular metal floats, making it different from traditional rafts with zero safety railings and hollow tube floats.

Updating the float’s design allowed Beasley’s raft to be unfolded and folded more easily for storage and use, even if guard rails were added. The patent doesn’t state how she fireproofed the raft or why it was necessary. During the 1800s, life rafts were made of metal and wood, but it seems safe to assume that water would deter fire. 

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56. Liquid paper

Her invention of liquid paper propelled Bette Nesmith Graham from being a simple secretary into a millionaire. Originally marketed under the name Mistake-Out, Graham’s homemade typewriter correction fluid became instantly in demand among other secretaries. She was able to perfect the recipe after additional experimentation, leading to the birth of Liquid Paper. 

57. Locomotive chimney

Spurred by her passion for reducing air pollution and improving conditions in urban areas, Mary Walton developed a train chimney system in 1879 that reduced air pollution. Water was used to filter smoke, and the airborne chemicals were trapped and held in suspension.

58. Low-reflection glass

If you wear eyeglasses, you should thank Dr. Katharine Burr Blodgett for their non-reflective drink. Blodgett started an independent study of an oily substance previously discovered by another scientist. Learning how hard it was to precisely measure the importance, she looked for another way of accurately measuring transparent objects, leading to the creation of invisible or nonreflecting glass in 1938. 

This effect is produced by a special coating that prevents the glass from becoming visible when light reflects off the surface. If you have ever noticed the glare on another person’s glasses, chances are they don’t have this special coating, or invisible glass, as scientists like to call it.

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59. Medical syringe

During the early days, medical practitioners used syringes that required both hands to administer the injections. Letitia Geer developed the single-handed needle that all medical practitioners continue to use to this day. The syringe was not widely used immediately after its invention because most drugs were not injectable. However, the relevance of this breakthrough continues to grow by the day.

60. Microelectrode

Ida Hyde was Harvard Medical School’s first female researcher and developed one of the initial models of an intracellular micropipette electrode in 1921. It lets her monitor and stimulates a cell without disturbing the cell wall. The technology is still extensively used in today’s science laboratories. 

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61. Mint chocolate chip

Marilyn Ricketts is the woman behind the creation of mint chocolate chip, an ice cream flavor made up of tiny chocolate chips and mint ice cream. There are instances when the liqueur crème de menthe is also used to create a mint flavor. However, there are also cases when spearmint or peppermint flavoring is used. A food coloring is often added to make the ice cream green, although you can also find it in white or beige in organic or all-natural varieties. 

In 2000, around three percent of all ice cream sold was mint chocolate chip, making it the tenth most popular ice cream flavor. In July 2017, the mint chocolate chip also ranked as the fourth most popular flavor of ice cream in America. The flavor’s popularity led to its extensive use in foods like meringues, cookies, and other products such as air fresheners, cosmetics, and personal lubricants. Some brands call it choco or chocolate chip mint, mint chip, or mint ‘n chip.

62. Molecular sieves or synthetic emeralds

Edith M. Flanigen is most famous for her notable work in molecular sieves, including zeolite Y, used to improve oil refining. Her work earned her the Perkin Medal in 1992, making her the first woman who had ever done so. She also secured up to 108 patents along the way, one of which is a hydrothermal process for developing synthetic emeralds to be used in jewelry and industry. 

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63. Monopoly

Patented in 1904, “The Landlord’s Game” was initially designed to showcase unchecked capitalism’s evils. Close to three decades later, a very similar game named Monopoly was patented by a man who later sold it to Parker Brothers. The original inventor of The Landlord’s Game was Elizabeth J. Magie from Canton, Illinois, working as a stenographer daily. At night, Magie usually taught her political point of view and progressive politics to public classes. 

As an independent lady, Magie was serious about her teaching and thought it would be better to use a board game to show the unfair distribution of wealth in America. She was also fed up with the super-rich monopolizing the country’s wealth while others were dealing with income inequality. Her new board game was patented in 1904 and was published after a year. The Landlord’s Game became popular on college campuses, specifically among left-wing intellectuals, then later among a Quaker community who added local neighborhoods’ names to the board. 

64. Myers–Briggs type indicator (MBTI)

The psychological test Myers–Briggs Type Indicator or MBTI was invented by the mother and daughter tandem, Katherine Cook Briggs and Isabel Briggs Myers. Participants of the test must answer an introspective self-report questionnaire. Responses determine which of 16 possible “types” participants align with, indicating their psychological preferences. 

Each question on the test is assigned to one of four categories: perceiving or judging, intuition or sensing, extraversion or introversion, and feeling or thinking. One letter from each category is then taken to produce the test result of four letters. 

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65. Naturally colored cotton

Before the breakthrough plant-breeding work of Sally Fox, naturally colored cotton was temperamental, rare, and could only be spun and picked by hand. Fox’s work resulted in cotton that grows in various colors and can be machine-spun and harvested. It allows for a significant reduction in bleach and chemical processing and the need to use synthetic dyes. 

66. Optical analysis system

Have you ever wondered how robots are guided during operations or how robotically manufactured products are made possible in the first place? Ellen Ochoa was working on her electrical engineering doctorate, exploring holograms and lasers when she co-invented the Optical Analysis System with the ability to detect imperfections in repeating patterns. This made it possible to see an Image close to an image. This invention is useful for processes where detecting the slightest deviation and pattern consistency are crucial. 

The system received a patent in 1987 and is still used for equipment inspection, intricate parts manufacturing, and quality control operations through a robot-controlled guidance system and manufacturing processes. Ochoa is mostly admired as the first-ever female Hispanic astronaut who entered space in 1993 aboard the space shuttle discovery

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67. Paper bag machine

The brilliant 12-year-old Margaret E. Knight from York, Maine, made her very first invention in 1850, a device that stopped the operation of cotton mill machinery if a thread or other objects getting stuck. Knight loved inventing things, and this first experience remained in her memory. While employed at the Columbia Paper Bag Company after the Civil War, she thought that a better bag could be made that could stand up on its own with a flat bottom to make packing easier. 

She made some drawings and developed a model for the machine that could glue the bottom of the bag together. This machine was patented in 1871, and the new paper bag became an instant hit. Knight received more than 20 patents for her creations, including a skirt and dress shield, a shoe-cutting machine, and a rotary engine. 

68. Pastry fork

Anna Magrin received a patent in March 1892 for her invention of the pastry fork. This pastry fork was not the special small fork for eating cake and pie; it was a utensil for mixing dough for pastries, cookies, and pie crust. The fork also made it easier to mash potatoes and beat eggs. This helpful tool served as the precursor to the electric mixer. It also made mixing ingredients while baking and cooking less messy and less challenging at the same time.

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69. Permanent wave machine

The permanent wave machine was invented by Marjorie Stewart Joyner, which solidified her prominent mark in the history of cosmetology. Joyner helped write the first laws on cosmetology in Illinois, and, together with Mary Bethune McLeod, she established the United Beauty School Owners and Teachers Association in 1945. She was also active in the African American community and raised funds for Black colleges. Joyner also worked with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt to fight racial discrimination and segregation. 

70. Pertussis vaccine

Leila Alice Denmark was a pioneering female American medical researcher, doctor, and the pediatric community’s outspoken voice. A centenarian, Denmark earned the credit for co-developing the pertussis vaccine. Pertussis, a 100-day cough or whooping cough, is a highly contagious bacterial disease.

Its initial symptoms are often the same as those of a common cold: a mild cough, runny nose, and fever followed by severe coughing fits that last for weeks. After a coughing fit, a high-pitched gasp or whooping sound may occur when the patient breathes in. This coughing lasts for ten weeks or more, which explains the name 100-day cough. 

71. Photo enhancement

While Barbara Askins was employed at NASA, one of her tasks was to look for a way of improving the quality of images captured from space. Her technique of enhancing photo negatives was much more widely relevant since it could also be used for clarifying photographs even after they were developed. This technology was therefore also adapted for restoring historical photos and X-rays. 

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72. Portable optical biosensors

While working for the United States Naval Research Laboratory, Frances Ligler invented automated biosensors for use in the field. These sensors can detect pollutants, pathogens, explosives, and toxins.

Ligler’s sensors were used for detecting botulinum and anthrax toxin during Operation Desert Storm. Her group was also responsible for developing the underlying technology for the RAPTOR automated portable biosensor. The US Navy used these sensors to test the water, while NATO used them to analyze biological pathogens and toxins. Ligler currently works as Analytical Chemistry’s Associate Editor. 

73. Q-tips

Q-tips were among the more ingenious inventions of the 1920s. Leo Gerstenzang, an American businessman, born in Poland, was named the inventor of Q-tips in 1923. However, Ziuta, his wife, played a very significant role in the discovery of the Q-tip.

One day, while watching his wife bathe their baby, he noticed how she wrapped the tip of a toothpick with a piece of cotton to clean their ears. This was when he realized he had just thought of a product that would be a hit among women. Sadly, there was no official confirmation of Ziuta’s influence, so some people consider her role in the invention of the Q-tips somewhat legendary. 

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74. Pizza saver

Carmela Vitale from Dix Hills, New York, is the woman behind that small stool you find in the middle of your favorite pizza. She received a patent for the pizza saver in 1985. A pizza saver is also known as a pizza stool, pizza table, pizza chair, pizza bone, pizza ottoman, pizza lofter, and package saver.

It is an object that prevents the top of food containers, like a pizza or cake box, from collapsing or caving in at the middle and touching or ruining the food inside. It is made of plastic and has three or four legs. A pizza saver is also white most of the time, and it is common practice to put a pizza saver in the middle of the pizza before closing the box lid for delivery.

75. Radium and polonium 

Marie Curie is possibly one of the most popular physicists that the world has ever known. She is well-remembered and revered for discovering the elements polonium and radium. Curie and Pierre, her husband, took home the Nobel Prize for Physics with Henri Becquerel for their separate work on radioactivity. 

She won another Nobel Prize in 1911 for chemistry, developing a way to measure radioactivity. She also supervised the establishment of the first-ever radium institute for studying activity as well as for biological research into cancer treatment. During World War I, Curie also invented small and mobile X-ray units that could be used for diagnosing injuries close to the battlefront. It earned her the credit for saving the lives of over one million soldiers. 

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76. ReCell 

Dr. Fiona Wood transformed medical treatment for burn victims when she invented spray-on skin. It was in 1903 when Dr. Wood started to work with Marie Stoner, a medical scientist, to develop a technique for growing skin tissue directly on the patients rather than inside a culture flask. After two years, the two of them launched ReCell, which is a spray-on skin cell solution. ReCell captured international acclaim in 2002 after Dr. Wood used it to treat victims who sustained severe burns during Bali, Indonesia’s 2002 terrorist attack. 

77. Retractable dog leash

According to Mary A. Delaney, the leash she invented could be shortened at just a moment’s notice. its purpose was to ensure that dogs don’t run on the wrong side of pedestrians or lamp posts in a way that often annoys owners. 

78. Rock’ n’ roll

There are some debates about who invented rock ‘n’ roll music. However, during the 1930s, Sister Rosetta Tharpe was the first to mix folk music, gospel music, and blues with the rock and roll pulsating swing. Tharpe’s style is undoubtedly a predecessor to rock ‘n’ roll that influenced many music legends, including Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash. 

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79. Rolling pin

Inventive Age, an 1891 magazine, printed something about the rolling pin in their New Patents for Sale column. It stated that Catharine Deiner marketed the rolling pin, whose patent she had received just a month previously. The improved rolling pin was made available for sale and was made up of a rolling pin with an adjustable sleeve that, once placed on the hook, gave the user four cake cutters, making it possible to cut up dough fast enough into cakes with no waste. This could be used by families and in bakeries. 

80. Sanitary belt

If you find menstruation a taboo topic today, you will not believe how ladies during the 1950s had to be hush-hush about it. Although the market was already filled with the earliest versions of disposable pads, these were costly and even awkward to wear as they slipped back and forth. On top of that, most women were too shy to ask for them at stores directly. It made them use less sanitary ways such as rags and cloth pads every time they had their period. 

Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner knew that there should be a better way. It was in 1954 when she filed for a patent for her creation, an adjustable belt made for sanitary napkins featuring a moisture-proof pocket that secured the pad and was meant to be worn under ladies’ garments. However, due to racism, it was not until three years later that Kenner earned the patent for the sanitary belt. 

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81. Semiconductor saturable-absorber mirror

Ursula Keller invented and demonstrated the SESAM or semiconductor saturable absorber mirror in 1992. SESAMs are saturable absorbers used in mode-locking lasers. As early as 1974, semiconductor saturable absorbers were being used for laser mode-locking when p-type germanium was used for mode locking a carbon dioxide laser that generated up to 500 picoseconds of pulses. 

It wasn’t long afterward that SESAMs were developed to become intracavity saturable absorber devices due to the structure’s more inherent simplicity. From then on, using SESAMs allowed various orders of magnitude to improve the average powers, pulse durations, repetition rates, and pulse energies of ultrafast lasers in a solid state. 

82. Signal flares

Martha Coston was officially named as the administratrix on the patent made in 1961 that changed the method of communication between the vessels of the US Navy. However, Benjamin Franklin Coston, her husband, received the official credit, even though he was already dead during the ten years Martha worked with pyrotechnic engineers to turn his idea into reality. It was only after 12 years that Martha got a patent for the modified system, this time under her name. 

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83. Software that made the moon landing possible

Neil Armstrong made history decades ago when he took his popular first small step on the moon’s surface. However, as the adage goes, there is always a woman behind every great man, and in the case of Armstrong, the woman was none other than Margaret Hamilton. Hamilton was the programmer who developed the software that made it possible for Armstrong to land on the moon in the first place.

Through this, Hamilton assisted in developing priority and asynchronous scheduling software that let computers on board prioritize vital tasks. At the same time, it also placed less necessary or standard functions on hold until the completion of all priority tasks. Without this innovative software, there is a big chance that the mission would have been a complete failure. 

84. Science fiction

Mary Shelley invented science fiction in 1818. You can thank her for the existence of all of the hypermasculine adventures in space where women need rescuing from robot dragons and stuff. Shelley’s novel entitled Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus started a new genre that has remained popular for two hundred years. This was a significant feat for a woman born when writing was considered a kind of work exclusively for men and men alone. 

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85. Space rocket propulsion system

The hydrazine resists the jet was the groundbreaking invention of Yvonne Brill in 1974. These different streamlined rocket propulsion systems required various kinds of fuel with additional prohibitive weight and turned them into a lighter design with only one energy source. The monopropellant thrusters have become the standard today, which is why self-propelling satellites have become possible. 

86. Space station batteries

Solar power makes the International Space Station function, but the Earth tends to block the sun’s rays for a third of its rotation. Olga Gonzalez-Sanabria invented long-life nickel-hydrogen batteries in 1980. Thanks to these batteries, the International Space Station never loses power, even during the dark part of the rotation.

87. Stem cell isolation

Ann Tsukamoto co-patented the process of isolating the human stem cells in bone marrow in 1991. It was a significant breakthrough in cancer research and has already saved thousands of lives since its development. 

88. Straw and silk weaving machine

Mary Kies was the first-ever American woman to receive a patent from the government of the United States. Kies’ invention was a macdeviceat can weave silk and straw for fashionable hats. 

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89. Street sweeper

Although Florence Parpart’s street sweeper design was not necessarily the first, it was a significant improvement on previous models. In fact, after two years after receiving her patent, Parpart already had contracts all over the US for manufacturing her design. 

90. Submarine telescope and lamp

The 1845 patent Sarah Mather received was for the submarine telescope, an apparatus featuring a lamp connected to a tub that was sunk under water. Underwater vessels didn’t use it; instead, it was meant for the people above water who were trying to see into its depths to investigate damaged ship hulls, wrecks, and enemy activities during the Civil War. 

91. System for train noise reduction

Aside from the locomotive chimney that helped minimize noise, Mary Walton also acquired another patent in 1881 to significantly reduce the noise of the elevated railways in New York City by using boxes of sand to insulate the tracks. The rights to this invention were almost immediately bought by the Metropolitan Railroad of New York City. 

RELATED: Getting funding for your new product or invention

92. Thermoelectric power generator

Maria Telkes, an MIT researcher, is considered a pioneer in the industry of solar thermal storage systems. It was in 1947 that she invented the very first solar-heated system for her house in Dover, Massachusetts. 

93. Tissue holder

Even while disabled because of her multiple sclerosis, Mary Davidson developed an invention that made life easier for people today. Her invention, the tissue holder, featured a design that was an upgraded version of the traditional holder that ensured the accessibility of the loose end of bathroom tissue rolls all the time.

94. Ultrafast lasers

Ursula Keller was the woman behind the invention of ultrafast lasers, which are now deemed extremely helpful in different fields. Doctors, for example, use these ultrafast lasers to precisely cut out cancers. 

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95. Vacuum canning

Amanda Theodosia Jones may not be your average woman. Aside from being a magazine editor, she was also into spiritualism and considered a medium. However, her inventive mind helped bring about something that became very useful in the following years. One day, Jones woke up with a brilliant idea after taking a nap. According to her autobiography, for one, this idea was hers and hers alone. There have been debates on whether Jones’ idea was actually from her spirit muse because, after all, she credited numerous life events to the spirits’ guidance. 

Another source also claims that her dead brother’s spirit advised her that there was a better way of preserving fruits. Whatever it was, the idea was valid, and Jones sought the help of Leroy C. Cooley, a college professor, to put her theory to the test. She wrote in her book that she saw how it was possible to produce fruits without needing to cook them first—the air required to be removed from the cells and replaced with fluid. The fluid must also be airless, like water, a light sugar syrup, or the fruit’s juice itself.

This canning method was different from that of Nicolas-Francois Appert, in which food must be well-cooked first, often leading to loss of flavor. After some tests and experimentations, Jones and Cooley raised the internal temperature to 120 degrees Fahrenheit for sealing off the canning jars. The still uncooked fruit expanded with the air forced out of the pot.

Jones applied for a total of seven patents in 1873. It was commendable for Cooley to leave the honor to Jones; his name was never stated on the patent. This vacuuming process was called the Jones process and the Pure Food Vacuum Preserving Process, and this soon became the standard technique used in the US. 

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96. VoIP

VoIP, or Voice Over Internet Protocol, is the same technology that lets you make phone calls using the internet. Marian Croak is the woman you should be thanking because if it weren’t for her, you would never be able to have long-distance chats over Skype or connect with your colleagues via Google Hangouts. It was in 1982 that Croak became a part of AT&T, and there, she invented the core technology that made it possible to use the internet to communicate through video and audio alike.

Croak holds more than 200 patents, one of which is for text-based donation services. Yes, you’ve read that right. It was all thanks to Croak that you can simply text a code every time you want to make donations to charitable organizations. In 2014, Croak parted ways with AT&T and is now a part of Google, working as the vice president of engineering and supervising YouTube’s reliability engineering. 

97. Wash-and-wear cotton fabric

Ruth Benerito was a cellulose expert working for the United States Department of Agriculture. While there, she discovered the cross-linking procedure that reinforced the bones between the chainlike cellulose molecules of cotton, resulting in reduced wrinkles after washing. Benerito’s research also paved the way for creating the flame-retardant fabric. Throughout her career, Benerito had over 200 publications and 55 patents. 

98. Waterproof leather protector

Lab partners Patsy O’Connell Sherman and Sam Smith were trying to develop a new type of rubber for jet fuel lines when they discovered an insoluble polymer that was stain and waterproof. This polymer soon became known as Scotchgard. 

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99. Windshield wiper

Can you imagine what life must have been like before the windshield wiper was invented? A native of Alabama, Mary Anderson was visiting New York City. She was traveling on a trolley when the rain started to pour. Sleet soon piled up on the windshield, making it impossible for the driver to see correctly. He had no choice but to stick his head to the side and wipe the windscreen by reaching out with his arms. The rest of the streetcar drivers were in the same predicament. 

When she arrived back in Birmingham, Anderson pondered over the problem, determined to look for a solution. The one thing clear to her was that visibility in snow, sleet, and rain was a concern for the safety of all vehicle drivers. She received a patent for a window cleaning device in 1903, and the machine was meant for electric cars and other vehicles. This device featured a pair of spring-loaded rubber blades attached above the windshield, swinging across the pane independently as needed. 

The driver manually operated the blades using a handle from inside the vehicle. The edges could be simply removed if the weather was dry. However, this device was rejected despite seeming necessary and novel. The primary complaint about the device was that it would distract the driver. However, it appears that Anderson only made a single serious attempt, reaching out to a Canadian firm that rejected the design because of its lack of commercial value. 

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100. Wireless transmission technology

Hedy Lamarr was a famous movie star, but during World War II, she was in the spotlight after inventing the frequency-hopping communication system in 1941 that could guide torpedoes while remaining undetected. This breakthrough creation of Lamarr led to more modern inventions, including Bluetooth, GPS, and WiFi.

Recognition for her work came later in life when Lamarr was given the Electronic Frontier Foundation Pioneer Award in 1997. At that time, her son said that she had already lost her youth, beauty, and youth when he received the award on her behalf. Lamarr was also inducted in 2014 into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. 

101. Word processor

Evelyn Berezin invented the first-word processor in the world in addition to developing the first-ever computerized booking system for airlines. Realizing that her gender would prevent her from moving up the ladder, she also established Redactron, her own company, to ensure that her inventions would get out on the market.

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Top 100 famous female inventors in history

1. Ada Lovelace (1815-1852)

Ada Lovelace decided to add her own notes while she was translating the notes of Charles Babbage, a mathematics professor. These notes were about the analytical engine, Babbage’s theoretical invention. Lovelace has tripled the original text, earning her the credit for writing the first-ever computer algorithm worldwide in 1843. 

2. Adeline D. T. Whitney (1824-1906)

Adeline D. T. Whitney was the author of several books meant for young and old alike. In 1882, Whitney patented the early version of the alphabet blocks. These blocks come in different sizes and shapes and can form letters, punctuation symbols, and numbers. 

3. Aglaonice (02nd or 01st century BC)

Aglaonice is widely regarded as ancient Greece’s first female astronomer, with her studies focused on the cyclical patterns of the moon. Her predictions of the lunar eclipse were so precise that many people even believed that Aglaonice was a sorceress with the power of hiding the moon and making it appear again at her whim. Thanks to Aglaonice’s so-called magical reputation, she became renowned as the leader of the group of female astronomers known as the Witches of Thessaly. One of the craters of Venus with a diameter of 38.9 was named after her. 

4. Agnès Poulbot (1967-present)

Agnès Poulbot was a French researcher who made improvements to car tires. Poulbot’s tire-tread design was responsible for their better strength and ability to last longer. The result is that the car uses less fuel while producing reduced amounts of carbon dioxide. 

5. Alice Ball (1892-1916)

An African American chemist, Alice Ball, came up with the most effective leprosy treatment during the early part of the twentieth century when she was only 23 years old. Ball figured out how to make the chaulmoogra tree’s oil injectable and absorbable by the human body. Due to Ball’s untimely death at the young age of 24, Arthur Dean, another chemist, was the one who was credited for her invention. However, he was ultimately outed by Dr. Harry T. Hollmann, Ball’s mentor and advisor. 

6. Alice Parker (1925-present)

While the revolutionary design for central heating of Alice Parker in 1919 was never used at all, it was touted to be the first design that made use of gas for heating a home instead of the usual wood. 

7. Andrea Sreshta and Anna Stork (Unknown)

Andrea Sreshta and Anna Stork were graduate students at the School of Architecture at Columbia University when a destructive earthquake hit Haiti in 2010. These two students were assigned a project in one of their classes to look for a means to help with disaster relief. Following their talk with a relief worker, they realized a critical need that was often overlooked after a disaster hits, and this is none other than light. The two decided to develop a solar-powered, waterproof, inflatable light called the LuminAID Solar Light. This design provides light for 16 after a six-hour charge can be packed flat, and comes with a handle for portability. 

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8. Ann Lambrechts (Unknown)

Ann Lambrechts was the woman behind creating the steel wire element that strengthened reinforced concrete. This element helped develop structures that cannot be built or constructed using old or traditional methods. 

9. Ann Kiessling (1942 until present)

Ann Kiessling is a female American stem cell researcher, scientist, and reproductive biologist. Kiessling discovered the reverse transcriptase activity in normal human cells. She was also a member of the laboratory of Beaudreau and was one of the first scientists who proved that a reverse enzyme existed in the family of viruses. A reverse enzyme is an enzyme wherein the genetic information flows to DNA from RNA. 

10. Anna Connelly (18000s)

Tenement fires were relatively more severe and fatal before Anna Connelly developed an external metal staircase in 1887, which was considered the first-ever fire escape in the world. Aside from helping save human lives, Connelly’s invention also inspired one of the first building codes in New York City. These building codes mandated all residential buildings to have another path to escape in case of emergencies. 

11. Ann Tsukamoto (1952-present)

Ann Tsukamoto and her colleagues made a significant breakthrough in the medical field in 1991. The group was able to identify stem cells and isolate them. This discovery has been critical to numerous medical advancements, such as developing bone marrow transplants as a form of treatment for blood cancer. 

12. Ayla Hutchinson (1996-present)

Ayla Hutchinson, a New Zealand teen, saw how her mother cut her finger while using a hatchet to split kindling. It made her realize that there should be a better and easier way to complete such a critical task. Hutchinson decided to create a device that made it safer and easier to cut kindling for her science fair project. It resulted in the creation of the Kindling Cracker, a type of cast-iron device that uses a built-in ax blade inside a safety cage. This cage will hold the wood while the hammer hits it, easily splitting the log into pieces. Her prototype received a very positive response, so she decided to develop the idea further, and with the help of her father, she founded a company for its manufacturing. 

13. Barbara Askins (1939-present)

While Barbara Askins was a NASA worker, she was given the task of looking for a way to enhance the quality of the photographs taken from space. Askins’ system of improving photo negatives in 1978 was more widely applicable since it could also be used to clarify photos even after they were developed. Her technology was then adapted to be used with historical photo restoration and X-rays. 

14. Barbara Liskov (1939 until present)

Barbara Liskov was among the first women to earn a Ph.D. in computer science, but she was an IT trailblazer early on. This computing virtuoso has a few significant achievements under her belt, such as the invention of CLU, a programming language that helped lay the foundation for the object-oriented form of programming. Liskov was also the developer behind the object-oriented database system Thor, and Argus, the programming language, mainly CLU’s extension supporting distributed programs. These crucial advances in the field of object-oriented programming contributed to numerous modern OOP-based operating systems and languages, including Java, Mac OS X, Visual Basic Net, and Objective-C. 

15. Barbara McClintock (1902-1992)

The female American cytogeneticist and scientist Barbara McClintock was the woman behind the discovery of genetic transposition. McClintock was ahead of her time, and, during the 1940s and 1950s, she learned the role of controlling the elements in genetic transposition and regulation. Sadly, she halted publishing her work’s results and stopped giving lectures because of her deep disappointment with her colleagues since her work was regarded as too radical and downright ignored. However, McClintock continued carrying out her research. 

16. Bette Nesmith Graham (1924-1980)

Bette Nesmith Graham’s 1951 invention made her a millionaire from being a simple secretary. Originally marketed under the name “Mistake Out,” her homemade typewriter correction fluid became an instant hit among other secretaries like her. After additional experimentation, Graham perfected her recipe, which led to the birth of Liquid Paper. 

17. Beulah Louise Henry (1887-1973)

The complete list of the inventions of Beulah Louise Henry would be a long one because she was known for 49 patents and 110 inventions, and this female American inventor benefitted from all of them. She submitted her first-ever patent for the vacuum ice cream freezer in 1912 while she was only a college student. When she moved in 1924 to New York City, she founded two companies to sell her numerous inventions. During the 1930s and 1940s, Henry shifted her focus to improving existing machines such as typewriters. Among her patents was one for a protograph, a typewriter that created up to four original and identical copies with no need to use carbon paper. 

18. Caresse Crosby (1892-1970)

Born Mary Phelps Jacob, Caresse Crosby was a female American activist, writer, and publisher who invented probably one of the most essential garments in any woman’s life, none other than the bra. When she was only nineteen, in 1910, Jacob was preparing one evening to attend a debutante ball. She chose a sheer evening gown featuring a plunging neckline that exposed her cleavage. Her corset cover showed from under her gown. Jacob asked her personal maid to bring some pink ribbons, two pocket handkerchiefs, some pins, and thread and needle. She used all of these to fashion a simple bra. 

19. Caroline Herschel (1750 to 1848)

Caroline Herschel is a female German inventor, scientist, astronomer, and discoverer of some comets, such as the periodic comet 35P/Herschel–Rigollet. She often used the small Newtonian sweeper given to her as a gift by her brother William so she could study the sky by herself. She discovered the open cluster currently known as NGC 2360 on the 26^th of February, 1783. She later discovered and cataloged fourteen new nebulae, forms of a low-density cloud of dust and gas from which a star is born. These include the NGC 205, Andromeda Galaxy’s companion. It was her first-ever accomplishment and was also her first experience in the field of mathematics. 

20. Catherine Griswold (18000s)

Measured mainly on the number of patents under her name, Catherine Griswold is the 1800s’ most prolific American female inventor. She had thirty-one patents that were all apparel-related, which included twelve patents that covered her own unique designs and nineteen patents related to the design of and mechanical improvements to corsets. The dress reform movement started around 1876, focusing on improved comfort and less constraint on women’s fashion to reduce the harm and risk to women’s bodies. Griswold heralded the trend when she patented the skirt-supporting corset, which used elastic shoulder straps to carry the corset’s weight. 

21. Catia Bastioli (1957-present)

Catia Bastioli was the woman behind creating the bio-plastics that can turn into soil in three to eight weeks. This development can serve as a replacement for plastics and can help in reducing pollution on the planet. 

22. Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin (1900-1979)

In Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin’s doctoral thesis, the astrophysicist and astronomer suggested that stars were made up of helium and hydrogen. This notion was quite radical during that time and received a lot of rejections from people who believed that the Earth and the Sun were made up of similar elements. Gaposchkin was also the first to connect the stars’ spectral classes to their respective temperatures. 

23. Dorothy Hodgkin (1910-1994)

Dorothy Hodgkin is a female British chemist and scientist who worked in the Department of Mineralogy and Crystallography. Hodgkin was responsible for advancing the X-ray crystallography method, a technique used to identify the three-dimensional structures of crystals. 

24. Ella Gaillard (18000s)

In 1912, Ella Gaillard was described as the woman who set herself apart by developing numerous inventions, such as the eyeless needle still used mainly by surgeons. The innovation got rid of the need for doubling the surgical thread, which is a common characteristic when an eyed needle is used. Using a single thread strand allows for lessened scarring, and these eyeless needles are used to this day in modern surgery. 

Gaillard was also behind the invention of a combination musical watch, calendar, and paperweight, although it was not clear if this was commercialized. She also created a music box in 1885 that featured a portable fountain that spouted water while the music box was playing. 

25. Edith Clarke (1883-1959)

Edith Clarke is a female American electrical engineer. When she was employed at General Electric, she invented the Clarke calculator. Clarke’s invention was a simple graphical device that could solve equations involving voltage, electric current, and impedance in the power transmission lines. This innovative device could solve the line equations that involve hyperbolic functions up to ten times faster than earlier methods. 

RELATED: Top 100 famous inventions and greatest ideas of all time

26. El Dorado Jones (1860-1932)

El Dorado Jones earned the nickname Iron Woman. She had a metalworking factory of her own where only women older than forty years old were employed. Although she never got any funding for its manufacturing, Jones developed the airplane engine muffler in 1917. 

27. Elizabeth Lee Hazen (1885-1975) and Rachel Fuller Brown (1898-1980)

Elizabeth Lee Hazen and Rachel Fuller Brown were two lab researchers at the New York Department of Health who discovered Nystatin in 1950. It is among the first effective forms of anti-fungal medicine. The two collaborated on experiments by mail. 

28. Elizabeth “Lizzie” Magie (1866 – 1948)

Magie originally patented “The Landlord’s Game” in 1904, and it was a critique of all the injustices of unrestrained capitalism. It is also regarded as the first-ever version of the popular game Monopoly. Unfortunately, Charles Darrow stole Magie’s game and sold it in 1935 to the Parker Brothers. While the company tracked down Magie, she was only offered $500 for the invention. Hasbro, the company that currently owns the game, was criticized in 2019 when they released Ms. Monopoly, which was supposed to be the game’s feminist version, after they still don’t recognize the woman who invented the original. 

29. Eliza Murfey (18000s)

Eliza Murfey filed for thirty patents, but historians have only identified twenty-three of them. Although Murfey was a practicing physician, her focus was to improve the safety of railroad travel. She was the author of several patents to enhance the lubrication of axles, pistons, and railcar bearings. If the moving parts were not greased properly, there would be a seize-up of the mechanisms, usually with tragic consequences. Murfey’s processes were very effective, and these continued to be used even after introducing more reliable roller bearings. It also seems that after her husband’s death in 1869, Murfey became a prolific mechanical designer. 

30. Ellen Fitz (18000s)

Ellen Fitz worked as a tutor in Canada when she developed the globe mount in 1875, which can display the daily rotation in relation to the sun’s path not just by night and day but also throughout the entire year. 

31. Emmy Noether (1882-1935)

The great Albert Einstein himself has described Emmy Noether as the most important female in the entire history of mathematics. Noether came up with the mathematical principle that explains the relationship between the laws of conservation and symmetry. Noether’s Theorem, which was developed in 1920, served as the foundation of quantum physics, which helped Einstein formulate his general theory of relativity. 

32. Erna Schneider Hoover (1926-present)

Before Erna Schneider Hoover invented the telephone call traffic, the phone circuit equipment at the Bell Labs, where Hoover was working as a researcher, was overloaded all the time. Hoover’s computerized solution in 1967 could monitor the volume of calls and adjust the rates of acceptance accordingly to prevent overloading circuits. 

33. Esther Sans Takeuchi (1953-present)

Some people require pacemakers to ensure that their heart continues to beat. The only problem is that these pacemakers tend to run out of their charge fast. It leaves the user no choice but to undergo another major operation to replace the pacemaker’s battery. Thankfully modern pacemakers received an update based on the design of Esther Sans Takeuchi.

34. Evelyn Berezin (1925 – 2018)

Evelyn Berezin not only developed the first-ever computerized system for airline booking but was also the one responsible for creating the first word processor in the world in 1971. When she realized that her gender would make it impossible to move up the ladder in the industry, Berezin decided to establish Redactron, her very own company, to launch her unique inventions into the market. 

35. Florence Parpart (18000s)

The street sweeper design of Florence Parpart in 1900 was not necessarily the first. However, it was such a significant improvement on past models that two years after she received the patent for it, Parpart had contracts from different parts of the United States to produce her design. Aside from the street sweeper, Parpart also patented the electric refrigerator when most people were still using iceboxes. She also successfully marketed this electric refrigerator and improved it over the years. 

36. Flossie Wong-Staal (1946-2020)

Flossie Wong-Staal was the first person to clone HIV and proved that HIV is the leading cause of AIDS. Wong-Staal also finished the virus’ genetic mapping, which led to the possibility of developing the blood tests for HIV. Being iTherX Pharmaceuticals’ Chief Scientific Officer, Wong-Staal continues with her development and discovery of new drugs that can help in fighting off AIDS as well as other diseases. 

37. Gertrude Belle Elion (1918-1999)

During Gertrude Belle Elion’s long career as a pharmacologist, she helped develop numerous drugs to help treat cancer, malaria, herpes, and AIDS. In collaboration with George Herbert Hitchings, Elion developed Azathioprine, the first-ever immunosuppressive drug initially used for chemotherapy patients and was eventually used for organ transplants. 

38. Giuliana Tesoro (1921-2002)

Giuliana Tesoro was a female Italian chemist and scientist who invented flame-retardant fiber. Tesoro made crucial advances in the field of textile processing as well as organic compounds that helped improve the performance of textiles for ordinary consumers and the efficiency of the manufacturing systems. The flame-resistant fibers are among Tesoro’s most crucial developments. She came up with ways to avoid static accumulation in synthetic fibers, and she also made enhanced permanent-press properties for textiles. 

39. Grace Hopper (1906 – 1992)

The US-born Grace Hopper, in partnership with Howard Aiken, developed the room-sized 5-tonne machine in 1944 called Harvard’s Mark I computer. Hopper was the inventor of the compiler that could translate written language into computer code. She also coined the words “debugging” and “bug” when she had to remove the moths from her device. Imagine what the world would be like today if Hopper hadn’t invented programming. 

40. Harriet Tracy (1834-1918)

All of Harriet Tracy’s patents describe mechanical devices, and eleven of these were related to improving the sewing machine. Tracy also developed the collapsible fireplace grate, a method of attaching cribs to bed stands, and the upgraded fire escape described as a gravity elevator during that time. The fire escape featured automatic platforms that ensured that the shaft remained closed to ensure that no person would fall through it. 

Tracy’s elevator patent was then commercialized and was mentioned in a newspaper article in 1881. They also noted that it was installed in a large new building where everyone interested saw how they operate. She was granted ten patents between 1890 and 1893 during a specifically formative stage of her career. 

41. Harriet Williams Russell Strong (1844-1926)

Harriet Williams Russell Strong is a female American conservationist and social activist who was also the inventor of a way of constructing reservoirs and dams patented on the 6^th of December 1887. She was also responsible for developing a method for storing water and impounding debris patented on the 6^th of November 1894.

Strong’s patented inventions include:

• A device to raise and lower windows was patented on the 7th of October 1884.
• A window sash holder patented on the 16^th of November 1886.
• The Hook and Eye was patented on the 4^th of November 1884. 

The World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago also awarded Strong with two medals in 1918 for her notable inventions. 

42. Hedy Lamarr (1914-2000)

Many of you are probably familiar with Hedy Lamarr, one of the most glamorous and famous stars during the era of black and white films. But did you know that she was also among the brilliant minds who were responsible for the breakthrough invention that served as the foundation for Bluetooth, GPS, and even Wi-Fi technology? An Austrian–American actress, Lamarr was also a gifted engineer and mathematician. Once the Second World War broke out, she hoped to contribute to the war efforts by improving torpedo technology. 

Lamarr worked with composer and musician George Antheil to develop the concept of frequency hopping, the ability to encrypt torpedo control signals that could stop enemies from blocking them and then sending torpedoes off course. While this idea of Antheil and Lamar received a patent in 1942, their technology was ignored by the US Navy for two decades. However, it was eventually used during Cuba’s blockade in 1962. However, since then, Lamarr’s spread-spectrum technology has served as the foundation for the portable devices people use daily today. This inducted her in 2014 to the National Inventors’ Hall of Fame. 

43. Helen Blanchard (1840-1922)

Helen Blanchard was not only a productive inventor but also a successful entrepreneur who founded the Blanchard Overseam Machine Company around 1876 to manufacture her proprietary sewing machines as well as other related devices. While considered low-tech and quaint in the twenty-first century, home and industrial sewing machines were both the focus of innovation during the 1800s. Numerous women patented their own sewing machines, with some improvements on existing machines and others introducing a selection of different peripheral devices. 

Out of Blanchard’s twenty-eight recognized patents, twenty-two of them were related to industrial sewing machines, such as the invention of the device that could automate the zigzag stitch. Blanchard also invented a pencil sharpener, a surgical needle, a corset cord fastener, and upgraded elastic goring for shoes. She was also described in 1891 as an entrepreneur who owned a factory, grand estates, and several patent rights that yielded her a substantial income in terms of royalties. 

RELATED: 101 Inventions that changed the world in the last 100 years

44. Hertha Ayrton (1854-1923)

Hertha Ayrton was a female British physicist, mathematician, engineer, and inventor of the line divider. In 1915, she came up with a device that could blow poisonous gases away from the trenches to keep the soldiers healthy and fit. Over 100,000 of these fans were utilized on the Western Front. She also had other inventions such as arc lamps and electrodes, air propulsion, and mathematical dividers. 

45. Ida Forbes (18000-19000s)

Information about Ida Forbes is a bit limited aside from the fact that she received the patent for the first-ever electric hot water in 1917 during an era when gas was used for running most hot water heaters. 

46. Ida Hyde (1857-1945)

Ida Hyde was the very first female researcher at Harvard Medical School. Hyde developed one of the initial models of the intracellular micropipette electrode. This made it possible for her to monitor and stimulate a cell with no need to cause any disturbance on the other cell wall. Today, this technology developed by Hyde continues to be used in modern-day science laboratories. 

47. Irène Joliot-Curie (1897-1956)

Irène Joliot-Curie was a female French chemist and scientist who discovered artificial radioactivity. Together with her group, she spearheaded the research about radium nuclei. It helped another group of physicists from Germany, with Fritz Strassman, Lise Meitner, and Otto Hahn at the helm, to discover the so-called nuclear fission, or the nucleus’ splitting of itself, which emits massive amounts of energy. The now-popular calculations of Lise Meitner actually disproved Curie’s results to show the possibility of nuclear fission. Frédéric and Irène Joliot-Curie discovered artificial radioactivity together. To date, the Curie family has the highest number of Nobel laureates. 

48. Jane Goodall (1934-present)

Jane Goodall is a female British anthropologist, primatologist, and scientist. She is the foremost expert in the world when it comes to chimpanzees. She was also the one who discovered the fact that chimpanzees make and use tools and eat meat. On the 30th of October 1961, Goodall observed for the first time that chimpanzees feed on meat. After patient observation, she, later on, saw that chimpanzees also hunt for meat. Such revealing observations refuted the widely held assumptions about chimpanzees being vegetarian. 

On the 4^th of November 1961, Goodall observed the chimps Goliath and David Greybeard developing tools for termite extraction from their mounds. The chimps would first choose a thin branch from a tree and strip off the leaves before pushing the branch into the mounds of termites. The chimps would then pull out the stick, now covered with termites, and use their lips to pick off the termites. This event was among the most significant of Goodall’s discoveries. 

49. Jane ní Dhulchaointigh  (19000s-present)

Jane ní Dhulchaointigh is a product designer from Ireland who was behind the creation of Sugru. Sugru is a type of moldable glue that can make it much easier for people to fix things.

50. Jeanne L. Crews (1940-present)

During an era when NASA was almost devoid of female scientists, Jeanne L. Crews, an American engineer, made a substantial contribution. She designed a space bumper to protect a manned craft and satellites from meteorites and space debris. After Crews became a member of NASA in 1964, she noted how space vehicles could not endure impact from even tiny objects. Crews was not the only one concerned about it. Burt Cour-Palais, another employee at NASA, was also worried about this issue. As soon as Crews met Palais, she declared that they would fix the problem.

The two didn’t agree on the best solution, and each of them followed a different approach. Crews decided to work with a ceramic fabric called Nextel. She developed a multi-fabric, multi-layered shield that is lighter than a single aluminum sheet and can stop most space debris by diffusing the object’s energy once it penetrates the layers of the bumper. Thanks to the creativity and determination of Crews, both present and future astronauts are a tad safer when traveling the solar system. 

51. Jeanne Villepreux-Power (1794 – 1871)

While not many of you may have heard of the name Jeanne Villepreux-Power, this French naturalist was popular during her time for an invention that simplified the process of studying marine life, and this is none other than the aquarium. On the island of Sicily, she began her scientific studies, and it was in 1832 that she started to investigate the paper nautilus. According to popular opinion, the nautilus acquired its shell from a different organism. However, to confirm if it was true, Power required something to observe the nautilus more closely. 

It inspired her to create the first-ever glass aquarium to let her monitor the nautilus under controlled conditions, which proved that it produced its own shell. Power designed two more variants: an aquarium resembling a cage that can be raised and lowered to varying depths and a glass apparatus inside a cage to study shallow-water creatures. Thanks to Power’s groundbreaking work, she became the first-ever female member of Catania Accademia and several other scientific academies. 

52. Joan Clarke (1917-1996)

Alan Turing is probably the first name that comes to mind when Bletchley Park is mentioned. It is the old mansion in England where the cryptographers were working hard to decode documents from their enemies during World War II. But what many people don’t know is that Joan Clarke was among the best minds behind the codebreaking scheme. Clarke graduated from the University of Cambridge with a degree in mathematics. Listening to her professor’s advice, who noticed her talents, Clarke started to work at Bletchley as a clerical assistant.

Her abilities helped her rise to become a cryptographer who unscrambled messages coming from the German navy. Clarke’s work paved the way for almost instantaneous responses within the military that saved lives from possible U-boat attacks. The contributions of Clarke earned her the award in 1946 of a Member of the Order of the British Empire.

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53. Jocelyn Bell Burnell (1943-present)

Jocelyn Bell Burnell was responsible for discovering radio pulsars in 1967 as a post-graduate. Radio pulsars are highly magnetized neutron stars that produce an electromagnetic radiation beam that effectively pulse the light they give off at the Earth while spinning. The Nobel Prize in Physics recognized the discovery in 1974, but Burnell was not named the recipient due to her status as a student. 

54. Josephine Cochrane (1839-1913)

Josephine Cochrane frequently entertained guests at her home, which made her wish for a machine that could do the job of washing her dirty dishes much faster than the servants, with less chance of breaking them. Cochrane’s machine was the first-ever automatic dishwasher that used water pressure and featured a motor that turned a wheel within a copper boiler. Cochrane’s alcoholic husband left behind massive amounts of debt following his death. It served as her motivation to patent her dishwasher in 1886; she then decided to open her very own factory for its production. 

55. Katharine Blodgett (1898-1979)

Before Blodgett invented her breakthrough non-reflective glass coating in 1935, glass during that time was not nearly as reliable and valuable as you know it today. Blodgett’s invention has proven indispensable in producing eyeglasses, camera lenses, and microscopes. 

56. Joy Mangano (1956-present)

The female American entrepreneur Joy Mangano has developed and sold almost $3 billion worth of products. Her first invention was the Miracle Mop, which was followed by many others. One of these was the Huggable Hangers, the velvet-flocked no-slip hangers with a slender profile that help conserve wardrobe space. She also developed Forever Fragrant, a product line of odor neutralizers including drawer liners, shoe shapers, finials, wickless candles, scent stands, and sticks.

Mangano also designed Performance Platforms, which are shoes featuring rubber platform heels that provide extra height to the user. This line initially began with sneakers that extended to Mary Janes, sandals, and mules. Mangano also created Spinball Wheel luggage, Shades Readers, and Comfort and Joy Textiles.  

57. Letitia Geer (18000s)

For many years before Letitia Geer developed the one-handed syringe in 1899, medical professionals used syringes that required both hands to administer injections. 

58. Lillian Gilbreth (1878-1972)

Lillian Gilbreth was a psychologist and engineer who performed extensive research on workspaces and their psychological impact on productivity. Gilbreth’s genius in the field of ergonomics has blessed the world with a lot of valuable inventions, and the most notable of them all is the foot pedal trash can. 

59. Lynn Conway (1938-present)

Lynn Conway is a female American electrical engineer, computer scientist, and co-inventor of numerous breakthroughs. In 1966, during her employment at IBM, she developed the dynamic instruction scheduling used for delivering out-of-order issuance for various instructions for every machine cycle in the superscalar computers. Classified at first, the research paper was declassified by IBM officially on the 7^th of September 2000. It granted Conway a worldwide license for its distribution for academic and historical purposes. 

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60. Margaret Hamilton (1936-present)

Margaret Hamilton is a modern-day icon in more ways than one. She was among the first people who used the term “software engineering” and urged its development as a legitimate discipline in engineering. During her career, Hamilton also published more than one hundred papers and worked on more than sixty projects and six major programs. 

Together with Grace Hopper, her work helped open the door for more females to hone successful careers in the field of STEM. Hamilton is the subject of one of the most famous images associated with moon landings, in which she was standing beside the code that she wrote for the Apollo project with her team at MIT. Aside from this, Hamilton also established two successful businesses, and in 2016 she was awarded the highest civilian honor in the US: the presidential medal of freedom. 

61. Margaret E. Knight (1838-1914)

Margaret E. Knight is the woman you should be thanking for the paper bag you often use today. Thanks to her invention, she was the most popular female inventor of the nineteenth century. She was thirty years old when she developed a machine that could fold and glue paper to form a paper bag with a flat bottom. This product was so popular that the concept was stolen by a man to patent it himself. During the court trial of the patent interference case filed by Knight against the man, he argued that a woman couldn’t understand mechanical complexities.

Knight won the case when she provided proof that she was the one who developed the machine, which gave her the right to patent it. Throughout Knight’s career, she invented more than one hundred different machines, 20 of which were patented, such as a window frame with sash, the shoe-cutting machine, and a rotary engine. However, if staying power is an actual test of any invention, the paper bag that continues to be used to this day is solid proof of Knight’s incredible gifts. 

62. Margaret A. Wilcox (1838-2015)

Margaret A. Wilcox made the most out of the heat already produced as combustion’s byproduct. She developed a way of heating cars in 1893 by having the air channeled over the engine and into the cab.

63. Maria Goeppert-Mayer (1906-1972)

This female German-born American physicist and scientist was the developer of the atomic nucleus’ nuclear shell model. During the latter part of the 1940s, Mayer invented her mathematical model of the nuclear shells’ structure, which she published in 1950. Her model explained why specific numbers of nucleons within an atomic nucleus lead to notably stable configurations. Eugene Wigner called these numbers the magic numbers, consisting of 126, 82, 50, 28, 20, 8, and 2. Mayer realized that the nucleus is indeed a series of closed shells with pairs of protons and neutrons coupling together. 

64. Maria Beasly (1836-1913)

The female American inventor Maria Beasley wanted to ensure that people would no longer die out at sea. For millennia, people had been navigating and exploring the seas, but during all that time, existing lifeboats were not that effective if an SOS situation took place. Beasly saved thousands of lives after she invented the life raft in 1882. Some of these people include 706 passengers of the sunken Titanic. 

65. Maria Telkes (1900-1995)

Maria Telkes was a Hungarian scientist renowned for developing the first-ever thermoelectric power generator in 1947. With the help of this technology combined with the semiconductor thermoelectricity principles, Telkes created the first 100 percent solar heating system for Dover Sun House, located in Dover, Massachusetts. By 1953, she had also developed the pioneering thermoelectric refrigerator. 

66. Marie Curie (1867-1934)

When Marie Curie, a Polish physicist, was only forty-four years of age when she presented the theory of radioactivity, a term she coined herself. She also discussed methods of isolating radioactive isotopes and discovering two new elements, radium and polonium. Marie Curie was also the first person ever in history to win two Nobel Prizes. She is also the only person worldwide who won twice in multiple sciences. 

67. Marie Van Brittan Brown (1922-1999)

Marie Van Britten Brown was a nurse who was alone at home most of the time. She thought of an idea that could make her feel much safer. With Albert, her husband, she developed the first-ever home security system to keep up with the slow responses of the police to the rising crime rates during the 1960s. Van Britten Brown’s device was a bit complex, with a motor powering the camera as it moved down and up the door to look through the peephole. Her bedroom also had a monitor complete with an alarm button.

RELATED:  18 Random invention ideas that made millions

68. Marion Donovan (1917-1988)

If you find it messy to deal with a baby’s diapers today, can you just imagine what things were like before the waterproof covers were invented? When Marion Donovan, an American entrepreneur, had kids, she soon realized that the regular cloth diapers that didn’t have covers were highly susceptible to leaks. Donovan spent long hours taking off clothing and bed sheets and washing them. Using a shower curtain, Donovan sewed a cover that would go over the cloth diapers, which helped prevent leaks without causing diaper rash or chafing. 

In 1949, Donovan earned four patents for the boater diaper cover she made, which included one that featured plastic snaps instead of diaper pins. However, her first attempts at selling her creations to manufacturers didn’t succeed. She decided to hire a company to produce them on her behalf and started to sell them through Saks Fifth Avenue. After two years, she sold her patents and company for $1 million to Keko Corporation. Donovan invented and patented twenty more items based on the notion of simplifying everyday tasks. 

69. Marissa Mayer (1975-present)

Marissa Mayer, a female American software engineer, scientist, and businesswoman, had a significant influence on the establishment of Google Inc, the leading search engine company, during its early years. Later on, Mayer served as the president and CEO of Yahoo! Inc. from 2012 to 2017. Mayer rejected a high-paying consulting job in 1999 to take a position with Google as the first female software engineer of the company and was its twentieth employee at that time. Soon after this, Mayer became an influential figure at the company, steering most of the highly successful efforts in her different roles as an executive, designer, and product manager. 

Mayer is the woman behind the design of the search interface of Google’s home page. As the product manager for the company’s search engine Google Search for over ten years, she earned credit for increasing the number of everyday searches from just a few hundred thousand to over a billion.  

Other products and services that Mayer contributed towards were:

• Free email service Gmail
• The Google Chrome web browser.
• Google Directions and Google Maps – a searchable database of street-level photos and street views.
• Google Earth – offers comprehensive satellite images of many locations worldwide.

Mayer was also the co-founder of Lumi Labs in 2018, which was involved in developing AI-enabled consumer applications. The company changed its name in 2020 to Sunshine, and during the same year, it released Sunshine Contacts. It was their first product which is an app for contact information management. 

70. Marjorie Joyner (1896-1994)

Marjorie Joyner was a female American businessperson who invented the permanent wave machine. She was searching for an easy solution to curling women’s hair when she was inspired in 1939 by a pot roast that was cooking, using paper pins to speed up preparation time. Joyner experimented with the same paper rods before designing a table that one can use for straightening and curling hair by wrapping the strands on rods on top of the person’s head. 

The new method made it possible for hairstyles to last a few days. To improve the comfort of the process, Joyner enhanced it by developing a scalp protector that the woman would wear when her hair was being curled. Joyner’s permanent wave machine was in demand in salons all over the country among white and African American women alike. In 1967, she also co-founded the United Beauty School Owners and Teachers Association. 

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71. Martha Coston (1826-1904)

Back in the day, communication between ships used to be limited solely to lanterns, colored flags, and even screaming specific phrases really loudly, such as “Thar she blows!” It wasn’t just Martha Coston alone who came up with the concept of marine signal flares. She discovered plans in the notebook of her late husband. The widow’s determination caused her to spend ten years working together with pyrotechnics experts and chemists to turn the idea into reality. However, Coston was only named in the 1859 patent as administratrix, with Mr. Coston earning the credit as the product’s inventor. 

72. Mary Anderson (1866-1953)

It was a winter’s day in 1903 during her visit to New York City when Mary Anderson noticed that her driver had no choice but to open his window to remove the snow on his windscreen. Whenever the driver opened the window, the car’s passengers felt colder. It inspired Anderson to draw her solution, a rubber blade that you can move from inside the vehicle. She received a patent for the device in 1903. However, Anderson’s invention didn’t succeed with car companies, as they considered it a distraction to drivers. Her invention didn’t earn her any profits even after windscreen wipers became standard on vehicles later. 

73. Mary A. Delaney (1936-2013)

Mary A. Delaney claimed that her invention of the leash that can shorten at just a moment’s notice was to help in preventing dogs from going to the wrong side of pedestrians or lamp posts, which only makes things annoying for the owner. If you are a proud pet parent, you should be thanking Delaney for designing the retractable dog leash. 

74. Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner (1912-2006)

Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner had five patents under her belt—more than any other African American woman to date. Kenner came from a family of inventors, from her grandfather to her father and sisters. In 1982, she shared the patent for the groundbreaking toilet tissue holder with Mildred Davidson, her sister. The sisters’ design threads the roll’s free end through the mechanism that holds it apart from the rest of the roll, making it easier to grasp the tissue with just one hand. Kenner’s other significant patented inventions include a mounted back massager and washer and a wheelchair tray attachment. 

75. Mary Lou Jepsen (1965-present)

Mary Lou Jepsen is very much aware of how the screen serves as the gateway to all the transformative powers a computer holds. She was the co-founder of MicroDisplay in 1995, serving as its chief technology officer, and worked on developing small screens. Later on, she ran Intel’s display division until her bold dream of a computer for each child spirited her away. 

She co-founded the nonprofit organization One Laptop Per Child to give kids all over the world green and affordable notebook computers. She also applied her expertise in hardware to the production of XO, which is one of the lowest-cost and lowest-power notebooks ever developed. Kofi Annan unveiled the prototype device at the UN, with Jepsen winning the support and backing of major manufacturers that allowed OPLC to begin their devices’ high-volume production. 

76. Mary Sherman Morgan (1921-2004)

When Mary Sherman Morgan decided to study science, she never imagined that her work would help make history in the heated space race. This American chemist chose to leave university to take on a secret position during World War II in a munitions factory. They improved ordinance and explosives to be used at the front. After the war, she sent her application to work for the Rocketdyne Division of North American Aviation, working on rocket propellants. Morgan was one of only a few without a college degree out of the 900 engineers, and she also happened to be the only woman. 

When the Jupiter missile project contracted NAA to design an improved rocket fuel, Morgan became the technical lead. She developed Hydyne, which propelled the Jupiter rocket when it placed Explorer 1, the first satellite of America, into orbit. Since most of Morgan’s career was classified, not many people were aware of her contributions until George Morgan, her son, wrote a book and a play about her life. 

77. Mary Walton (18000-19000s)

With her passion for improving air pollution and urban conditions, Mary Walton developed the train chimney station in 1879 that helped lessen pollution in the air by using water to filter smoke, trapping and holding the airborne chemicals in suspension. Aside from this locomotive chimney that minimized air pollution, Walton also got a patent in 1881 for a method of reducing the noise of the elevated railways of New York City by using boxes of sand to insulate the tracks. The city’s Metropolitan Railroad purchased the rights almost straight away. 

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78. Melitta Bentz (1873-1950)

If you are a certified coffee lover, you might want to thank Melitta Bentz, a German entrepreneur who made brewing easier. A housewife, Bentz had a hard time making coffee. Most of the time, percolators over-brewed it, cleaning the linen bag filters was too complicated, and her era’s espresso-style machines produced leftover coffee grounds in the drink. After experimenting with different materials, Bentz came up with the idea of using some blotting paper from her son’s school exercise book, placed inside a brass pot punctured with a nail.

The design was patented, and she established a business to produce her filters. In just a year, Bentz sold hundreds of the filters, and when 1928 came, her company already had dozens of employees. She continued to work on her filter through the years, making it even more popular. Today, the Melitta Group continues to make coffee, filters, and coffee makers. 

79. Nancy Johnson (17000-18000s)

Nancy Johnson from Philadelphia rose to become one of the most influential people in history when she received a patent in 1843 for her design of a manually operated ice cream maker. The most exciting thing about it is that the design is still used today. Can you imagine how hot days would have been if Johnson didn’t come up with this brilliant idea?

80. Olga D Gonzalez-Sanabria (19000s – present)

Olga D Gonzalez-Sanabria originally came from Puerto Rico. She was the woman behind the technology development that helped create space station batteries during the 1980s. She currently works as the director of energy at NASA’s Glenn Research Center. While this invention might not be the catchiest you can find on this list, these nickel-hydrogen batteries and their long-life cycle help run the International Space Station, making this an important discovery. 

81. Patricia Bath (1942-2019)

Since Patricia Bath became a part of the ophthalmology field, she continuously broke new ground. Bath was the first-ever black person to work as a New York University’s ophthalmology resident and the first-ever woman to become a part of Jules Stein Eye Institute’s staff. But Bath’s most significant achievement is the fact that she was also the first African American female doctor to earn a patent for medical purposes. This patent was for the medical device Laserphaco Probe, which Bath developed in 1981. Laserphaco Probe painlessly and quickly uses a laser for dissolving eye cataracts. It then cleans and rinses the eyes to make it easier and faster to insert the replacement lens. 

The Laserphaco Probe is currently used worldwide as a safe and quick way to avoid blindness as a result of cataracts. Bath is also behind the development of community ophthalmology, a new discipline dedicated to ensuring that the entire population gets access to vision and eye care. While people cannot pay for the operation, Bath firmly believes that it is important for ophthalmologists to do everything they can to look after their patients’ vision, the ultimate reward of which is the ability to restore sight. 

82. Patsy O’Connell Sherman (1930-2008)

During her attempt to develop a new type of rubber to be used for jet fuel lines, Patsy O’Connell Sherman and Sam Smith, her lab partner, discovered an insoluble, stain-proof, and waterproof polymer. This 1956 creation ultimately became Scotchgard. 

83. Rachel Zimmerman (1972-present)

At the young age of twelve, Rachel Zimmerman developed software in 1984 that makes it possible for people with speech disabilities to carry out nonverbal communication using symbols on a touchpad. These symbols are then translated into written language. 

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84. Radia Perlman (1951-present)

Radia Perlman was employed as a consultant engineer for DEC or Digital Equipment Corporation when she came up with her most famous invention, the STP, or Spanning Tree Protocol. The STP is essential to how network bridges operate. An American network engineer and software designer, Perlman, also developed the TRILL protocol to address some of the shortcomings of the spanning trees. 

85. Rita Levi-Montalcini (1909-2012)

Rita Levi-Montalcini, a female Italian neurophysiologist and scientist, was granted a research fellowship for a year in September 1946 in Professor Viktor Hamburger’s laboratory at the Washington University in St. Louis. The professor was impressed after Montalcini replicated the results of her own home laboratory experiments. Professor Hamburger offered Montalcini a research associate position, which she held for three decades. It was not until 1952 that she completed her most critical work. It was isolating NGF, or nerve growth factor, from observations of specific cancerous tissues that can lead to the very rapid formation of nerve cells. 

86. Roberta Williams (1953-present)

Adventure gaming no longer has the same level of popularity today as the latest third-person and first-person shooter games such as Call of Duty. However, there used to be an era when all geeks only talked about adventure games and nothing else. Roberta Williams, probably most well known for King’s Quest, a series of adventure games that went up to its eighth sequel, was a visionary and pioneer in creating and popularizing this genre of PC games. 

Together with Ken Williams, her husband, Williams co-founded the company Sierra On-Line, which was later called Sierra Entertainment. The couple helped shape the history of the world’s video games with their comprehensive storylines and complicated puzzles. Hints of Williams’ concepts and ideas can be seen in other gaming genres, such as fighting games that have a quest mode where the fighters need to battle their way through a series of achievements and bouts to seal their victory. 

People’s obsession with games can also be associated with numerous non-gaming contexts. The games developed by Williams taught problem-solving and logic skills while making it seem like an adventure all the time. It is similar to how gaming changes things that seem mundane such as location check-ins, turning them into exciting quests for collecting digital badges. 

87. Rosalind Franklin (1920-1958)

Even though the discovery of the DNA double helix is usually associated with Crick and Watson, who won the 1962 Nobel Prize in Physiology, Rosalind Franklin was actually the one whose work established their theory on the structure of DNA. A British biophysicist, Franklin, was the first person in 1952 to capture a photographic image, with the nickname Photo 51. She used a technique she developed herself where molecules are observed using X-ray diffraction. 

It is believed that Wilkins, Franklin’s estranged colleague, decided to show her photograph to competitors Crick and Watson without asking for her permission. It is why their name was forever attached to a discovery that they never made in the first place. 

88. Ruth Graves Wakefield (1903-1977)

You might not believe it, but all the things you see, use, and eat every day were invented by someone out there, and yes, even your favorite chocolate chip cookies are not an exception! Ruth Graves Wakefield, an American entrepreneur, was not usual for her time. A university graduate, Wakefield started her career going on tours as a dietician to teach people more about nutrition and food. In 1930, Wakefield and her husband took over the Toll House Inn, which soon became popular for her food, specifically her desserts. But Wakefield wanted to give her guests something new and different. She used an ice pick on a chocolate block and added it to the cookie dough, marking the birth of the chocolate chip cookie. 

When Wakefield published a new issue of her bestselling cookbook, she decided to include the “Toll House Chocolate Crunch Cookie” as a part of the dessert section. The cookie became so popular that Nestle, the chocolate company, noticed an increased demand for semi-sweet chocolate. They then approached Wakefield regarding the recipe’s rights. Nestle soon produced semi-sweet chips especially for cooking, with the Toll House recipe printed on all boxes. Wakefield received a sweet although minimally profitable payout of a dollar and a lifetime chocolate supply. 

RELATED: Top 11 brilliant inventions discovered by accident

89. Ruth Handler (1916-2002)

Ruth Handler, a female American businessperson, was the woman behind the invention of the Barbie Doll in 1959. Later on, she invented Ken, Barbie’s boyfriend. 

90. Ruzena Bajcsy (1933-present)

Ruzena Bajcsy is the director and founder of the General Robotics and Active Sensory Perception Laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania. Currently working as Berkeley’s Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Bajcsy has led research in AI and machine operation. Her breakthrough advancements in computer vision and robotics earned her a position on the Information Technology Advisory Committee of the President from 2003 to 2005. With over 225 journal articles, 66 technical reports, and 25 book chapters under her name, Bajcsy earned the 2009 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Computer and Cognitive Science. 

91. Sally Fox (1959-present)

Before the groundbreaking plant-breeding work of Sally Fox in 1997, cotton with natural color was temperamental, rare, and could only be manually picked and spun. This innovative work of Fox resulted in cotton that grew in a plethora of colors that could also be spun and harvested using a machine. It paved the way for a significant reduction in bleach and chemical processing and the requirement for synthetic dyes. 

92. Sarah Boone (1832-1904)

While it was during the 1860s when patents for folding ironing boards started to show up, Sarah Boone’s ironing board featured a notable difference. It had a double-sided and narrow arm that made it an ideal choice for ironing sleeves to prevent the formation of creases. 

93. Sarah Breedlove or Madam C. J. Walker (1867-1919)

Her parents’ first child, born following the Emancipation Proclamation, Sarah Breedlove, would become the United States’ first female self-made millionaire. Married and widowed at the young age of 20 years old, Breedlove was employed as a laundress when she realized that she and a lot of other Black women had a hard time dealing with scalp diseases and hair loss. It was because of the harsh ingredients in most hair products and the lack of indoor plumbing. 

Through the years, she created her very own line of products for haircare especially made for the hair of African American women. She branded them under Madam C. J. Walker, her new identity. She deliberately chose the title to conjure Parisian luxury. Once her line of products was ready to be launched in the market, she also established a college for training hair culturists. It created a new opportunity for employment for thousands of women of African American descent. With the growth of her influence and wealth, Madam Walker used it to deal with political and social concerns. She made substantial donations to retirement homes, orphanages, and schools for African Americans. However, perseverance is her true and most important legacy of them all.  

94. Sarah E. Goode (1855-1905)

Sarah E. Goode is a furniture store owner and inventor from Chicago who earned a patent in 1885 for her cabinet bed. This new furniture piece was a form of desk that could fold out to form a bed, giving users a chance to save space in a small apartment. This invention of Goode predated the pull-out sofas and pull-down Murphy beds of the twentieth century. Goode was born into slavery and only became free following the Civil War—thanks to her cabinet bed, she became one of the first black women to have an invention patented with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. 

95. Sarah Mather (1796-1868)

The 1845 patent of Sarah Mather was for the submarine telescope she developed. It was an apparatus that featured a lamp affixed to a tub sunk underwater. This device was not used by underwater vessels; instead, it came in handy for people above water trying to view the depths to investigate damaged ship hulls, wrecks, and the activity of enemies during the Civil War. 

96. Dr. Shirley Jackson (1946-present)

Dr. Shirley Jackson, a theoretical physicist, was the first-ever Black woman to earn a Ph. D. in 1973 from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. While employed at Bell Laboratories, Jackson conducted innovative scientific research on subatomic particles. This research allowed others to design and develop the touch-tone telephone, portable fax, fiber optic cables, solar cells, and the technology behind call waiting and caller ID. Imagine all those vital details you would have missed if Jackson hadn’t made such a fantastic discovery. 

97. Stephanie Kwolek (1923-2014)

While it was actually a happy accident that helped the American chemist Stephanie Kwolek invent Kevlar in 1965, its discovery has been able to prevent harmful accidents up to this day. This material, up to five times stronger than steel, is used in racing sails, bicycle tires, armored cars, body armor, musical instruments, frying pans, and even building construction. Today, Kevlar has more than two hundred applications thanks to its incredible tensile strength to weight ratio. 

98. Susan Kare (1954-present)

With some people describing her as the Betsy Ross of the personal computer, Susan Kare was the designer. She made it possible to bring to life the Apple computer with her sophisticated skills in iconic graphic design and typography. Working side by side with none other than Steve Jobs himself, Kare shaped most of Mac’s now-common interface elements, such as the command icon that she discovered while checking a book of symbols. 

Kare is also the creator of the Happy Mac icon that greets Apple users every time they boot their machines and the trash can icon that informs users about where to put unwanted files. If Jobs took the credit for making the technology much more personable with the help of Apple’s devices, this is partly the result of the efforts of Kare to make computers feel less like a machine and more like a friend. However, she didn’t only work on Apple products. After Jobs was forced out during the mid-1980s, Kare also left Apple to work with Microsoft. She put her design skills to work there as she humanized the Windows 3.0 operating system. 

Kare’s design work didn’t stop with Microsoft and Apple. You can also see her hand in most of the digital gifts on Facebook, such as friendly rubber ducky. You can also see her latest digital footprint in Glam Media, the online media powerhouse of which she is the co-founder and creative director. 

99. Tabitha Babbitt (1779-1853)

While Tabitha Babbitt was employed as a weaver and residing in a Shaker community, she witnessed how people had difficulty using a pit saw to cut wood since two users are required. Cutting could also only be done in a single direction. With her determination to help, Babbitt grabbed her spinning wheel and attached a circular blade to it, marking the birth of the more efficient circular saw in 1812. 

100. Temple Grandin (1947-present)

The innovative designs of Temple Grandin in the animal husbandry field have led to fewer injuries and calmer livestock. She has come up with different methods of handling cattle according to their natural behavior instead of using brute force. The center track cattle restraint system that Grandin developed in 1990 is now being used to manage approximately half of all cattle in the US. 

These 100 famous females have definitely proven to the rest of the world that women are indeed empowered in many ways! 

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