Transportation & Infrastructure
Alexander Miles eliminated the need for riders to manually seal off moving elevator shafts with this invention.
What are automatic elevator doors?
Sarah Boone reshaped this object to accommodate tailored clothing rather than flat fabric.
What is the modern ironing board?
Phil Brooks improved hygiene by redesigning this commonly used medical tool.
What is the disposable syringe?
Jerry Lawson invented this household technology – which allowed entertainment software to be changed without replacing hardware.
What is the video game cartridge?
Alfred L. Cralle engineered this lever-based serving utensil for frozen desserts.
What is the ice cream scoop?
Joseph Winters designed this equipment to reach a buildings upper floors before hydraulic ladder trucks existed.
What is the fire escape ladder?
Thomas W. Stewart removed the need to wring this cleaning device by hand.
What is the mop?
Dr. Charles Drew made it possible to store this critical resource for later lifesaving use.
What are blood banks and plasma preservation?
Granville T. Woods enabled multiple callers to share one telephone connection with this technology.
What is three-way calling?
George Crum created this snack while responding to a complaint about fried potatoes.
What is the potato chip?
Richard Spikes reduced the physical and mental coordination needed to operate early cars with this invention.
What is the automatic gear shift?
Nathaniel Alexander designed this form of collapsible seating. Shout out Montgomery.
What is the folding chair?
Dr. Daniel Hale Williams performed a historic 1893 operation involving this important organ.
What is open-heart surgery?
Transmission of scanned documents across phone networks relied on this once-essential office technology.
What is the fax machine?
Frederick McKinley Jones transformed food logistics with this temperature-controlled transport method?
What are refrigerated trucks?
Garrett Morgan demonstrated this protective device during a real rescue before it became standard safety gear.
What is the gas mask?
Richard Spikes simplified large painting jobs with this application tool.
What is the paint roller?
Dr. Thomas Mensah advanced materials that helped shrink diagnostic imaging technology.
What is the portable X-ray machine?
Jesse E. Russell developed this system that manage communication between phones and network towers.
What is cellular base station technology?
Joseph Lee changed the way dough was prepared to meet growing urban demand with this appliance.
What is the automatic bread maker?
Dr. George Grant’s small invention standardized how every round of golf begins.
What is the modern golf tee?
Philip B. Downing improved the reliability and protection of everyday correspondence with this household fixture.
What is the modern mailbox?
Research contributions by Dr. Jackson Robinson supported this protective material, designed to absorb ballistic force.
What is bulletproof vest material?
Dr. Marian Rogers Croak enabled conversations to travel as digital data across the internet with this technology.
What is Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)?
George Washington Carver diversified agriculture through hundreds of uses with this one crop.
What are peanuts?