The commonwealth comprises around fifty-six nations from all over the globe. Primarily those that were once colonized by the British. Considering the sheer number of countries, it is not hard to see how many technological innovations could have come from these places. Here, we will explore some of the most significant ones to come out of these nations.
Wi-Fi (Australia)
One of the most frequently asked questions by visitors to your house or office is with regards to the Wi-Fi password. Wi-Fi technology revolutionized the availability and distribution of the internet. An Australian man named John O’ Sullivan came up with this idea. He worked at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) in 1992. After looking into faint echoes of black holes, they found a way to send signals without interruption. This was the first version of Wi-Fi that the world had ever seen (agl). The word stands for Wireless Fidelity, which allows for creating wireless local area networks. Nowadays, it is used virtually everywhere for the internet and other network connections.
Good day mate, indeed!
USB (Singapore)
The pen-drive or the USB is the go-to storage device for most people. It is compact, secure, can store large quantities of data, and is pocketable. It was invented by a Singaporean company called Trek 2000 International (Tay). It was first revealed in the year 2000, and the popularity of this device has skyrocketed since then. Without this small device, we would still carry floppy disks, which would be a hassle. Thanks to Trek 2000 International for this innovation!
Hand Vacuum Pump (New Zealand)
Food storage has been a pressing issue of the past. Humankind has been looking for ideas to maintain and preserve the integrity of the food. The hand vacuum pump was the innovation of Norma McCulloh. Coincidentally, she was working at a refrigerator manufacturing plant where she realized that maybe she could freeze food inside bags. After many attempts, she devised the hand vacuum pump that removes the air from the bag (Westall). This means there is no air, hence no oxygen for the rotting of food items. An excellent idea, indeed!
Electric Drill (Australian)
We go back down under for the electric drill, which was created by two Australian electrical engineers: Arthur James Arnot and William Blanch. The original design weighed more than 80 kg and was used for mining rock and coal. The handheld and portable design resulted from innovation that took place over the coming years (agl). In the modern era, an electric drill is pretty much a machine that is present in every household. Whether a small task or drilling a massive hole, an electric drill saves the day!
Bibliography:
agl. Six Australian Innovations That Changed The World. 2022, https://discover.agl.com.au/progress/six-australian-innovations-that-changed-the-world/.
Tay, Andy. “10 Inventions From Singapore That Solve Global Challenges”. The Brilliant, 2022, https://thebrilliant.com.au/case-studies/10-inventions-from-singapore-that-solve-global-challenges/.
Westall, Mark, and Mark Westall. “Inventions Of New Zealand That Have Changed The World”. FAD Magazine, 2022, https://fadmagazine.com/2020/10/14/12-inventions-from-new-zealand-which-have-changed-the-world/.
https://www.pexels.com/photo/hand-holding-a-car-vacuum-cleaner-5233264/
https://pixabay.com/vectors/wifi-wifi-signal-internet-network-1290667/
https://pixabay.com/vectors/usb-port-flash-memory-technology-2705872/
