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30,000 BCE
Stone Tools
The earliest form of technology in recorded history was tool-making, which dates back to 3.3 million years ago. The ancient rocks depicted here were found in different parts of Kenya. Humans chiseled one rock against another to create spear heads, knives, or other utensils with a technique known as knapping. Larger rocks were hit against smaller rocks or other materials in the form of a hammer to break open hard foods or combine materials together. -
6000 BCE
Irrigation
The first irrigation systems arose in Mesopotamia and Egypt at a similar point in history. These systems harnessed the overflow of water from nearby rivers and channelled it to support vegetation. This technology was a significant mark of social organization and understanding of the earth's elements -
1200 BCE
Iron
Before iron was widely used in tool-making, people resorted to copper or bronze, which were far more difficult metals to access and were unreliable in structure. After iron began being produced, it was found to be a far more common metal, and was sturdy and long-lasting. This technology was significant because it expanded the use and capabilities of metal tools. For more information, watch this video of the history of iron-making: Link text -
1455
Printing Press
Guttenburg's printing press was the first in the west to print a book using moveable type. The invention of the printing press changed everything about how information was distributed, how people could relate to one another, and how the world worked. Click here to watch a demonstration of how Gutenburg's printing press worked: Link text -
Telephone
Alexander Grand Bell was the first to make a telephone call on March 10, 1876. His telephone was battery powered and worked by converting sound into an electrical signal using a wire rod, acid water, a magnet, and a diaphragm. Vocal sound would cause the rod to vibrate, causing electrical resistance in the liquid. This current was then sent to the other diaphragm, which translated the vibrations into sound.
Rudnicki, A. (2022). How Did an 1876 Phone Work? | Techwalla. Techwalla. -
Computer
John Atanasoff, a mathematician and physicist, was the first to design an electronic digital computer. This computer worked by using binary numbers (base 2, in which all numbers are expressed with the digits 0 and 1), and its data was stored in capacitors. This innovation opened up a new era of information transfer and distribution; it allowed for many tasks to be done far more efficiently and accurately. -
Robotic Care Assistant
In the near future, I predict that robotic at-home and in-school care assistants will become much more common. Based on the insights of Richard Yonck in Heart of the Machine, the future of technology is going in the direction of being able to meet educational, personal, and emotional needs. For this reason, I think that robotic tutors will become more common for kids with learning disabilities and robotic companions will increase for the elderly and people with intellectual disabilities. -
Imbedded Microchip
A prediction I have for a far off innovation is computer chips that are imbedded into the skin. With this technology, humans will never have to carry around keys again–their arm can be scanned to enter into their home or open their car. The chip can also be programmed through a separate computer to give a person access to their work or school, and it could be attached to their bank account so that they can pay for things with the scan of their arm.