11 Tech and Science

Breakthroughs of the
2000s
PIMO

JANUARY 8, 2012

Mankinds dependence on science is undeniable. All the civilized races

today strive for scientific progress underlining mans quest for knowledge.
Even religion, ethics and culture takes a backseat in comparison to science.
What better way to celebrate this progress than to commemorate some
famous and some not so famous scientific inventions of the previous
decade.

1
2000

The first self-balancing, electric-powered transportation machine invented

by Dean Kamen, known as the Segway Human Transporter was invented in

2000. Launched in the year 2001, the Segway human transporter uses
dynamic stabilization to enable the transporter to balance itself with the help
of tilt sensors, gyroscopes and a built-in computer. The transporter adjusts
to the body movement at a rate of 100 movements per second. The first
model did not consist of any brakes and traveled at a speed of 12 miles per
hour, and the speed and direction could be controlled by manual
mechanisms. An improvised model released in 2006 allowed users to adjust
the speed and direction through computer assistance too.

2
2001

Along with the famous iPod invented by Apple Inc. in the year 2001, another
remarkable invention of this year was the bio-artificial liver. Dr. Kenneth
Matsumura and Alin Foundation invented the artificial liver by designing a
device that utilizes animal liver cells. Instead of sticking with the age-old
idea of using mechanical devices used to replace organs, this breakthrough
technology included a mechanical device as well as biological elements.
The animal cells are trapped behind a membrane (thin parting inside) in the

bio-artificial liver. Therefore, while the cells can perform all the common
functions of the liver such as filtering the blood, and eliminating toxins, the
cells do not merge with human blood causing no reactions or harm to the
person.

3
2002

The birth control patch, the Braille Glove, and the Nano-tex fabric were all
scientific inventions of the year 2002. Using leather Golf gloves, Ryan
Patterson, invented a device that can identify the wearers hand movements
and transmit them wirelessly to a hand-held monitor as words. Although not
very famous, the Braille Glove has enough importance in the world of
impaired people. The Nano-tex fabric was another invention that went
slightly unnoticed by the common people. The Nano-tex fabric goes through
chemical treatment that gives them around a million tiny fibers which are
one hundred thousand of an inch long, which for their basic use repel spills.
The birth control patch invented by Ortho McNeil Pharmaceuticals known

as the Ortho Eva patch was the first birth control patch that could be
changed once a week and had the same effects as the contraceptive pills.

4
2003

Toyotas Hybrid Car was the invention for the year 2003. Getting its popular
share of publicity the Hybrid car is known for its self parking attributes. The
gas-electric powered automobile has a feature that lets it park itself! This
happens with the help of a rear mounted camera, power steering and
software called Intelligent Parking Assist, designed to direct the car into a
parking space. The user does not even have to touch, talk or provide any
input throughout the process.

5
2004

The two inventions that grabbed popular attention in the year 2004 were the
Sono Prep, and the Adidas 1 shoes. The Adidas 1 shoes with built-in
microprocessor think for themselves, deciding what kind of foot support the
wearer needs. Sono Prep invented by Robert Langer, was an advancement
in the field of biotechnology that can administer medications through sound
waves rather than conventional methods such as injections. The device is
said to direct low frequency ultrasonic waves to the skin for 15 seconds that
opens up the lipids in the skin enabling transfer of liquids. The skin returns
to its original state in the following 24 hours.

6
2005

The most popular and successful invention in the year 2005 was YouTube.
The website which achieved the greatest consumer response is a videohosting website that lets users share videos across the globe. The website
invented by Jawed Karim, Steve Chen and Chad Hurley is currently one of
the most famous websites in the world!

7
2006

Year 2006 was slightly slow-paced in the field of scientific inventions.

Although a lot of prototypes and beta-testers were released, only a few
actual products were seen in the markets. One of these products was the
Loc8tor. Loc8tor attaches radio frequency emitting tags to all your small
possessions that you forgetfully misplace the most. It points in the right
direction, left and right, and up and down too, bringing you as close as an
inch from the item. The tag does its part and beeps to pinpoint the exact
location too.

8
2007

The Invention of the year 2007 was none other than Apples famous
iPhone. When first released, the iPhone was a breakthrough in mobile
technology boasting unprecedented sensor technology, a brand new
operating system, which actually fits the operations of a computer inside the
attractive body of a phone. iPhone as we know today has restructured the
entire world of Mobile gadgets and was Apples ace in the world of
technology.

9
2008

The scientific and medical miracle for the year 2008 was the personal retail
DNA testing kit. Through a saliva test the DNA kit can estimate your genetic
links to more than 90 hereditary traits ranging from baldness to chronic
diseases. Although the kit was not invented in the year 2007, it was
released publicly to the common consumers. Human genotyping has been
available to every person rather than just the executive order thanks to the
inventors 23andMe. Consider the possible benefits and consequences of
such an invention that can track your chances of being in a specific state, or
medical condition based on your genes and not just social, environmental
and purely technological factor. Genotyping through this DNA kit can
identify the chances of genetically inheriting any traits out of 6 million
different traits. Another notable invention of this year was the Bionic Lens.
Babak Parviz from the University of Washington invented contact lenses
that use tiny LEDs powered by solar cells and use radio frequency receiver
to display images, maps and other data over the wearers visual field.

10
2009

The Sixth Sense developed in the year 2009 by Pranav Mistry at the MIT
media lab USA is a wearable gestural interface turning all actions into digital
information capable of being processed in any technologically advanced
device, such as a computer, mobile, etc. It has been the fundamental
technology of digital effects in sci-fi movies for almost a whole decade. The
Sixth Sense consists of a pocket size projector and a camera connected to
a portable computing device. The camera identifies the hand gestures and
movements of the user while the projector can use surfaces to display
visual data and let them be used as computer interfaces. The device uses
the video streaming from the camera and processes it with the software in
synchronization with the visual tracking referencing sensors that the user
wears at his fingertips.

11
2010

Teleportation is the next big thing attracting scientific interest all over the
world. Although only in its testing phases, this technology makes traveling
over a distance in a blink of an eye possible. The stuff of the movies might
finally come true in the near future. For now, scientists at Joint Quantum
institute at the Maryland University, USA have been successfully able to
teleport information from one atom to another atom, placed in separate
containers, one meter apart in distance