From personal digital assistants at your fingertips to exemplary progress in medical science and advancements in virtual reality, it was a fruitful year. All of it has helped shape how we use technology in today's world.
There were pivotal moments, innovative product launches, and significant medical improvements. Many of the technological advancements were fueled by mobile and social media. For better or worse, new applications, technologies, breakthroughs, and technology-driven societal transformations have dramatically changed the way we live our daily lives.
If you like reading top stories and facts about innovations and technology, why not check our articles on 2001 inventions and 2012 inventions
What happened in 2011 technology?
2011 saw a multitude of inventions, from Apple's computerized personal assistant, Siri, to milk-based clothes, a malaria vaccine, and an MRI that can replicate dreams. Siri, the malaria vaccine, and clothes made of milk all three made it to the list of 50 best inventions that Time magazine published.
There have been plenty of interesting technological breakthroughs like the medical mirrors, stark hand, vibrating belts, the DIDO technology, and many more which will be discussed further ahead in this article.
Just as crazy popular 2011 innovations were, 2010 had been a year of great discoveries too!
The 2010s saw the birth of a new era of cloud computing and artificial intelligence, as well as a slew of new devices and gear, 4G networks that powered a new generation of connected apps and services, and much more.
The iPad launched a whole new category of computers and computing devices in 2010, the Google Nexus One was the first smartphone under the Nexus brand, which was launched at the same time.
The introduction of 4G networks in 2010-2011 ushered forth a new era of mobile innovation.
4G internet connection enabled mobile devices and apps like Uber, Spotify, and Google Maps to flourish in tandem with the proliferation of smartphones. Google self-driving automobiles are equipped with radar sensors, video cameras, and a laser range finder, and it was seen to cover 86991.96 mi (140,000 km) without stopping for directions.
The degradable plastic; made from lignin (a wood by-product of the paper-making process), resins, flax, and other natural fibers, 'liquid wood' plastic eventually dissolves – like wood – into harmless water and CO2.
Havard Medical School scientists conducted studies on laboratory mice to see if they might reverse the effects of aging.
Their experiments pushed back the indications of brain aging in mice and rejuvenated several brain tissues with the potential to restore lost talents, such as their sense of smell, that had degraded over the course of their brief lives as mice.
The rate of innovation continued to accelerate in 2012 as well. Among the technical inventions is the sensor fitted talking gloves, Google Glasses, the Curiosity Rover Mars vehicle, and the Z1 Space Suit, which provides prolonged radiation protection. Another robotic construct highlighted is Baxter and a breathalyzer for your car.
All these innovations have made our world easier and have scope for future improvements.
2011 Best Technology Inventions
Take a look at some of the most innovative tech from 2011.
The Siri, virtual assistant integration program in Apple products.
Clothes created from sour milk- Anke Domaske, a German biologist and fashion designer, has discovered the idea to make clothing out of a material made from sour milk. He takes the milk's protein fibers and spins them into yarn.
The medical mirror is the next big thing- Ming Zher Poh created a mirror that monitors the amount of light your face reflects and calculates your heartbeat using a webcam hidden behind the glass.
This is an important creation because we'll be able to monitor our heart health without the need for a doctor's appointment or a slew of sticky electrodes or sensors.
This mirror can reveal your heart rate by creating an analysis of your face.
The Stark Hand was created by Mark Stark. It is a prosthetic hand that is both aesthetically beautiful and functional and has the best industrial design, it moves like a high-end electronic version for a fraction of the cost.
People who are missing appendages, particularly arms and hands, have a difficult time deciding between pricey and useful options. The Stark Hand can bend to the user's desire, and the person can easily pick up oddly shaped objects.
Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) is a method that evaporates sewage to produce fresh, drinkable water. The ZLD system works like a miniature sewage treatment plant, except it doesn't harm the environment with odors, sediments, or other chemicals.
The technique breaks down sewage and produces pure water vapor using exhaust heat. Namon Nassef's creation eliminates the need for enormous holding tanks, freeing up for other things like clean water or freight. It also solves the dilemma of where to deposit sewage-holding tanks when there aren't any available.
Stem cells from fat- did you know that in 2011 researchers found fat that is scooped out during liposuction and could be turned into cardiac cells to compensate for dying tissue rather than being discarded? This can be done using stem cells.
Researchers essentially found a way for extracting stem cells from a liposuction sample. Fat includes stem cells that can be transformed into heart muscle in a lab dish, and the researchers basically devised a method for obtaining stem cells from a liposuction sample.
Xalkori- a novel lung cancer treatment that may be especially successful for nonsmokers. A faulty anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene produces proteins that are targeted by these newly licensed medicines.
Lung cancer kills more people than any other type of cancer on the planet. If the medicine is as effective as the studies suggest (nearly half of those who took it saw their tumors shrink or disappear), it could assist thousands of people in the United States.
2011 Worst Technology Inventions
Some technological discoveries can't be categorized as innovative, they are simply weird and not worth the hype. Let's have a look at some of these technologies of 2011.
The Flyboard jetpack is a device that allows you to fly. A creation by jet ski racing champion Franky Zapata, this 2011 invention is a combination between a hoverboard and a jetpack that came into reality.
It allows users to accomplish some fairly insane airborne tricks, such as jumping in and out of the water like a dolphin, executing 360-degree spin maneuvers, and even pulling off backward somersaults.
The di-wheel re-charged was an innovation where the historically strange di-wheel concept was given a modern revisionist reworking by college students. The joystick-controlled vehicle has a top speed of 24.8 mph (40 kph), a 12-degree inclination, and is powered by an electric battery. However, this concept was not much of a success.
The Gurinal- UiWe, a team in Copenhagen-based company, create an innovation known as Pollee, a revolutionary new design that allows women to relieve themselves in the same way that males do.
2011 Expensive Technology Inventions
As fascinating as it may sound, some best inventions in the world of tech cost quite a bit for the facilities they provide. Here's a list of some of the insanely expensive inventions of 2011.
The surveillance hummingbird: The Nano Air Vehicle was created by AeroVironment engineers and research teams to resemble the flight of a hummingbird. It has a wingspan of 6.4 in (16.5 cm). The Nano Air Vehicle is remote-controlled and at the time its cost was listed as $4 million!
The most expensive RV during the year 2011 was designed by Marchi Mobile. There's now an ultra-luxurious option for those of you who can more than afford an RV (if there ever was one).
The EleMMent Palazzo RV by Marchi Mobile is equipped with a slide-out deck that allows the interior to expand to 430 sq ft (39.94 sq m). Owners can pick from a variety of layouts, including a bar area, fireplace, and rooftop patio, with that much living space.
The invention of the PrintBrush printer, an 8.8 oz (249.4 g) handheld device that prints uploaded images and text on any flat surface, including paper, plastic, wood, and even cloth, using inkjets, computer mouse-like optics, and navigation software. It was quite an expensive product costing about $10 million at the time.
2011 Cool Technology Inventions
If you are interested in knowing some of the coolest breakthrough inventions, we've got you covered.
Lab-grown meat: The concept of lab-grown meat was conceived by Mark Post, a vascular biologist at the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands. Actual animal meat was generated in a lab using stem cells from animal parts that had been discarded.
As the global demand for meat increases, grown meat has the potential to be more efficient and would create a more environmentally friendly production condition than traditional livestock agriculture.
DIDO (distributed input distributed output) is a new tech that claims to have a broadcast range of 30 m (48.2) without the need for a cell phone tower and will be able to transfer data at speeds up to 100 times (and possibly 1,000 times) faster than currently achievable.
The long-held proposition that there is a definite upper limit to the speeds at which data can be conveyed wirelessly is known as Shannon's law. However, DIDO intends to defy this rule by providing an identical amount of bandwidth to everyone who connects to it.
Cell phone towers and poor download speeds will be replaced with DIDO-powered wireless routers and incredibly fast connections for everyone.
The popular Xbox 360 video game console got an add-on. Games could be played without the need for a traditional remote control with the latest Kinect.
This version was able to detect emotion and interpret lips. The Kinect 2, like Apple's Siri, has the potential to change our relationship with advancements. We can become more absorbed in our entertainment experiences as the video game technique grows more interactive- the Kinect 2 can recognize facial expressions and voice tone to see how we're feeling.
2011 Clever Technology Inventions
Inventions that are of utmost practical utility have been devised using some of the cleverest technologies.
To avoid violent situations, the bodyguard armor sleeve is equipped with a high-voltage stunner, video camera, laser pointer, and lighting. David Brown was the one who came up with the research.
The breathable glove is covered by a rigid shell that reaches across the forearm and weighs less than 3 lb (1.3 kg).
The stunner (which is generated by four electrodes on the wrist) is prepared by a pull pin, and it is activated by a button on the palm. The laser pointer, video camera, and flashlight are all controlled by the same buttons.
The bed bug detector imitates the way dogs detect scents, allowing it to detect bedbug pheromones, which are compounds used by insects to interact with one another.
Through seven small holes in the wand, a fan draws air in. Research shows the three sensors detect a bed bug's distinctive olfactory signature, which is a combination of pheromones, carbon dioxide, and methane when the air comes into touch with them.
A color display reveals when the user is coming closer or farther away from the source, and software monitors and adjusts the system.
Glare-blocking LCD sunglasses were invented by Chris Mullin. He employed a liquid crystal lens material, which he had extensively researched while pursuing his doctorate.
Although a liquid crystal's visual qualities can be electrically altered, the material can be as transparent as a standard sunglass lens. the glare is detected by a tiny sensor on the nose bridge, which informs a neighboring microcontroller.
To block glare, the microcontroller commands the liquid-crystal lens to display a 0.15-0.23 (4-6 mm) black square in front of the eye. When the sensor detects glare, it sends a signal to the microcontroller, which instructs the LCD lenses to show a glare-blocking black dot.
We hope you have had a great read and discovered some amazing inventions from 2011!
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for 2011 technology inventions then why not take a look at 2010 inventions or 2007 inventions.
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Joan AgieBachelor of Science specializing in Human Anatomy
With 3+ years of research and content writing experience across several niches, especially on education, technology, and business topics. Joan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Human Anatomy from the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria, and has worked as a researcher and writer for organizations across Nigeria, the US, the UK, and Germany. Joan enjoys meditation, watching movies, and learning new languages in her free time.
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