Innovation is instrumental towards the advancement of our society, the growth of the economy, and the growth of a company. Whether it is through incremental developments or life-saving inventions, the development of new and improved solutions to enhance our lives and our understanding of the world involves dedication, vision and perseverance.
As we continue to make giant strides in science and technology, we constantly draw inspiration from innovations throughout history. Listed below are five innovations that were either designed, tested, implemented, patented, or commercialized in the month of March that have had a significant impact on our society.
- March 27, 1790 – Shoe laces were developed and patented by Harvey Kennedy. In addition, March 16, 2016 marks the announcement of Nike’s HyperAdapt 1.0 shoe, which featured adaptive or self-lacing technology.
- March 17, 1845 – Stephen Perry patented the first rubber band. His company, the Messers Perry and Co, Rubber Manufacturers of London, was an early manufacturer of vulcanized rubber products.
- March 30, 1858 – Hymen Lipman was granted a patent for his development of a pencil with an affixed eraser. The design featured an eraser installed within the wood of the pencil so that both the lead and rubber ends could be sharpened for “making of mathematical, architectural, and many other kinds of drawings in which the lines are very near to each other,” according to his patent.
- March 10, 1876 – Alexander Graham Bell achieved the first successful bi-directional phone conversation with the words “Mr. Watson, come here; I want to see you.”
- March 2016 – CalTech Researchers announced an advancement toward silicon-based life at the semi annual meeting of the American Chemical Society, through the development of a bacterial enzyme that efficiently incorporates silicon into simple hydrocarbons.