Aussie tech inventions that changed the world

[Black Orchid]

There are many inventions that we are proud to call Australian, like the rotary clothesline, dual flush toilets and even the first full-length feature film!

What you might not know is that Australia has also made a dent on the world of technology – Aussies are behind some of today’s most significant developments. Here are a few of them:

Wi-Fi
In 1992, a team from the CSIRO that was led by John O’Sullivan were looking for a way to improve the radio waves that were being used to research exploding black holes.

This research eventually led them to find a way to clean up radio waves, which in turn found practical uses on earth. These findings enabled Dr. O’Sullivan and his team to create a system known as multipathing. This system allowed for faster and more reliable wireless internet connection.

The patented Wi-Fi standards created by the CSIRO team are still in use in the majority of laptops, TVs and phones today.

Google Maps
Created in the Engineering department of the Sydney offices of Google, Maps is the go-to for many people when they need directions. With Google Maps available free on mobile devices, it has become one of main programs used for navigation.

The original program was created by Noel Gordan, Stephan Ma and two Danish brothers Lars and Jens Rasmussen. In 2004 this technology was bought by Google and made into what is now Google Maps.

SmartModems
In 1982, Chris Howells was looking for a way to make two different computers speak to each other. Chris, along with two technicians, created a device that allowed Apple and IBM computers to link to each other. This technology was later bought by Apple.

Modems of the time were large and cumbersome. Howells created the company NetComm and he and his team continued to create smaller and faster modems, which eventually led to the world’s first smart modem in 1985.

Cochlear Implant - Bionic Ear
In 1967 Graeme Clark, a PhD student at the University of Sydney, started research into ways to allow people with hearing difficulties be able to hear.

The implant uses electrical impulses to the auditory nerve, combined with a microphone and speech processor, which allows a person to be able to better hear sound.

Ultrasound scanner
Born out of concern for excessive x-ray use on newborn babies, the first commercially practical ultrasound scanner was created in Australia by David Robinson and George Kossoff.

While other scanners had been used around the world for similar purposes, the results from the CAL Echoscope, the Australian version, were better quality than the others around the world.

While these are just a few of the Australian tech inventions that have made a mark on the world, there are many others that continue to be made to the present day.

Access to a fast Internet connection for more Australians might mean that the next big Aussie invention is just around the corner. Check your address to see if you can connect to the nbn™ network.

https://www.nbnco.com.au/blog/education ... world.html

I didn't realise that Aussies invented Wi-Fi and Google Maps. Well done Aussies.

[Black Orchid]

Now this. Sounds interesting and is apparently being rolled out around Sydney. Everywhere but near me I bet!!

A NEWLY developed ultra-thin device that can change the colour of light and turn invisible light into visible light has been developed by Australian researchers in a breakthrough that promises internet boosting applications.

Researchers at the Australian National University (ANU) behind the invention, say it could one day be used to help turbo-charge internet speeds around the world.

The device is a new type of nonlinear photonic crystal, as thin as a human hair, and represents a major advance in the field.

Photonic crystals are essentially an analog of semiconductors for light waves, and are materials which provide novel and unique ways to control many aspects of electromagnetic radiation.

Co-researcher Dr Yan Sheng, from ANU, said the research team conducted numerous experiments by using ultra short laser pulses to change the internal structure of a nonlinear crystal.

“The outcome is that we invented a powerful device that can change the colour of light,” she told news.com.au. “To change the colour of light is equivalent to changing the frequency of light which is vital in optical technology that has many applications.”

Dr Sheng said the device they developed was made from “artificial material, not a uniform crystal”.

When it comes to things like laser technology and high-speed fibre internet, the ability to manipulate light is paramount.

“This could be very useful for the optical fibre internet,” Dr Sheng said. “It’s light carrying the information, so variously we need to manipulate this light and changing the frequency is very important.”

One of the lead researchers from ANU Professor Wieslaw Krolikowski said: “This is the first time these feats have been achieved by scientists.”

As part of their work, the researchers also found a way to manipulate light in a third dimension.

“Scientists had previously been restricted to one- or two-dimensional structures in nonlinear photonic crystals, which had limited scope to change light, but we found an innovative way to modify them in three dimensions to unlock exciting new capabilities,” Prof Krolikowski said in a statement.

Speaking to news.com.au, Dr Sheng said the 3D nature of the device introduced an “additional degree of freedom” when manipulating light, asserting that “the power of data processing is hugley enhanced”.

“We are very happy that this research result was published in the leading journal Nature Photonics,” she added.

While the potential applications are vast, the research remains in the very early stages. For the next step, Dr Sheng said the team will try to produce a device as long as possible.

If they’re able to produce a much longer device, the possibility for such technology to be integrated in fibre optic networks and other manufactured devices will become closer to reality.

https://www.news.com.au/technology/inno ... 4b57c7956c

[BigP]

You are drawing a long bow on some of your claims B...lol

[BigP]

Next you will be claiming Pavlova and sheep shagging as Aussie inventions

[Neferti]

I didn't realise that Aussies invented Wi-Fi and Google Maps. Well done Aussies.

I had this discussion with a Japanese email friend a while back. He had been communicating with a Kiwi chap I know (and introduced him to) and he found out about Sir Edmund Hillary. So he asked me whether Australia had any "famous" people, adventurers and so forth. I sent him these links and he wrote back that he was surprised that Australian had invented some much stuff as he though they were American inventions! Aussies are way too modest!

https://australianmuseum.net.au/media/t ... 0-list.pdf

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-01/a ... ds/9105082

https://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-ac ... 49ffa5d464

https://www.weekendnotes.com/60-great-a ... nventions/

http://www.whitehat.com.au/australia/in ... tions.aspx

The Scottish have invented a lot of things that people think the Americans invented.

I remember communicating with this bloke in the USA who swore that America invented the PIZZA and that Christopher Columbus discovered North America ... he did NOT he discovered Cuba and the Caribbean (the Americas). .... check out his travels. Yet the Yanks have a public holiday for Columbus Day.



Anyway ...

[BigP]

Good on you Nef, Australia has certainly made its contribution, But you guys need a reality check lol

[BigP]

Victor Hayes, nicknamed "the Father of Wi-Fi", was born in Surabaya, Netherlands-Indies at that time, on July 31, 1941. He repatriated with his family in 1950 to the Netherlands and received his B.E. degree from the "HTS Amsterdam" in Amsterdam, the Netherlands in 1961. After military service in the Dutch Air Force, he joined Friden Holland, later called Singer Business Machines, a company making Flexowriters (paper-tape oriented typewriters, often used as input/output machines for computers) and electro-mechanical billing and accounting machines. His first assignment was customer programmer for the latter. Eventually he played a key roll in engineering the first commercially available billing and accounting machine with integrated circuits.

In 1974 he joined Agere Systems, Utrecht, the Netherlands, when the group was still a part of NCR. He authored various NCR Corporate Engineering Standards on data communications, including HDLC and X.25 packet level protocols and represented the company in various standards bodies such as the Dutch Standards Institute NNI and the European Computer Manufacturers Association ECMA. As the Chair of the NNI JTC 1/SC 6 committee he often headed the Dutch delegation to the ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC6 committee. As the Chair of the LAN Task Group of the ECMA he was its delegate to the International Telecommunications Union.

Vic was one of the persons responsible for establishing the IEEE 802.11 Working Group for Wireless LANs in 1990. He chaired the group from its establishment until March 2000 at which time the term in office allowable under IEEE Project 802's rules was completed. Thanks to his Chairmanship, he convinced the European authorities of the need for radio spectrum for wireless LANs in Europe, resulting in the assignment of the 83.5 MHz in the 2.4 GHz area and 475 MHz in the 5 GHz area. In March 2000 he assumed the role of Regulatory Ombudsman in the Executive Committee of IEEE Project 802 (the LAN/MAN Standards Committee), serving in that capacity until March 2002, when the IEEE 802.18 Regulatory Technical Advisory Group was established.

In March 2001 Vic established and chaired the Regulatory Subcommittee within the Wi-Fi Alliance. This committee played a major role in preparations that resulted in the adoption of Resolution 229, and accompanying footnotes, at the World Radio Conference 2003, allocating 475 MHz of spectrum in the 5 GHz area for Wireless Access Systems including Radio LANS on a primary basis.

Vic is honored to have been the recipient of a number of awards in the standards and regulatory area. In 1998 he received the IEEE Standards Medallion "for the internationalization of the IEEE 8 802.11 standard". In 2000 he received the IEEE leadership Award "for 10 years of leadership and extraordinary dedication as chairman of the IEEE 802.11 Wireless LAN Working Group". In 2002 he received an award "in recognition of the outstanding leadership of the Regulatory Committee of the Wi-Fi Alliance" and in September 2003 he received an award "for outstanding leadership as Regulatory Chair and continued support of the Wi-Fi Alliance". In 2004 he received the Vosko Trophy, a dutch award "in recognition of his and his team's work that lead to the success of Wi-FI (IEEE 802.11)".


And not Australian lol

[Neferti]

Next you will be claiming Pavlova and sheep shagging as Aussie inventions

Nah, sheep shagging is purely a Kiwi male pass time.

We know of Members of these Political Forums who allegedly shag their dogs.

Plus I did read about somebody who (around here) had a relationship with a sock ... or was it a blow up doll .... something like that.

[BigP]

Next you will be claiming Pavlova and sheep shagging as Aussie inventions

Nah, sheep shagging is purely a Kiwi male pass time.

Its always nice to have something to call yur own lol

[FLEKTARN]

Wi-Fi and Radio were actually both invented by Tesla.