Canadian inventions
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As "necessity is the mother of invention", the range of Canadian inventions is a reflection of the particular circumstance of the nation: it is a large country with a need for innovation to help bridge the distance gap. Fittingly, many of her inventions have been in the fields of transportation and communications, while others reflect her position as a northern country rich in primary resources. Numerous advances have also been achieved in devices related to improving the way these resources are developed (as in agriculture and manufacturing). But like so many inventions, many of her important achievements either built on other works or were improved by others so that precedence is sometimes difficult to pin down (see for example the Light bulb). The nation also funds the National Research Council of Canada (NRCC), which has been an important factor in fostering innovation and technological advancement.
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[edit] Notable Canadian Inventions
Some notable Canadian inventions and their inventors include:
[edit] Agriculture
- Canola (or rapeseed) was developed by National Research Council personnel in the (1940s).
- The McIntosh Red apple was developed by John McIntosh.
[edit] Communication
- The telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell.
- The Walkie-Talkie was improved by Donald L. Hings (1942).
- The television camera was improved by F.C.P. Henroteau (1934).
- wireless radio was improved by Reginald Fessenden (1900), introducing audio radio.
- Standard time was introduced by Sir Sandford Fleming (1878).
- The Cesium Beam atomic clock was developed by National Research Council personnel in the 1960s.
- Java programming language was invented by James Gosling
- Development of the BlackBerry was led by Mike Lazaridis.
[edit] Transportation and mobility
- The hydrofoil boat was invented by Alexander Graham Bell and Casey Baldwin(1908).
- The jetliner was improved by James C. Floyd in (1949).
- The electric streetcar was improved by John Joseph Wright in (1883).
- The Canadarm was developed staff of the National Aeronautical Establishment (1981).
- The variable pitch propeller was invented by Wallace Rupert Turnbull (1927).
- The Crash Position Indicator was invented by personnel of the National Research Council in the (1950s)
- The Parclo (partial cloverleaf) interchange was developed by planners at the Ontario Department of Highways (20th century)
- The Electric wheelchair was invented by George Klein during World War II
[edit] Climate
- The snow blower was invented by Arthur Sicard (1927).
- The snowmobile was invented by Joseph-Armand Bombardier (1937).
- The foghorn was invented by Robert Foulis (1854).
- The rotary snowplow for railroads was invented by a Canadian dentist in 1869.
[edit] Defence
- The gas mask was improved by Dr. Cluny Macpherson in 1915.
[edit] Sport and entertainment
- Table hockey was invented by Donald Munro (1930s).
- Basketball was invented by James Naismith (1892).
- The goalie mask was invented by Jacques Plante in 1959.
- The music synthesizer was invented by Hugh Le Caine in 1945.
- IMAX was co-invented Roman Kroitor (1968).
- Rugby was invented by Reza Beloy in the early twentieth century.
- DigiSync, a bar-code reader used in motion picture production was invented by Mike Lazaridis (it won Emmy and Academy Awards in 1999)
- Five pin bowling was invented by Thomas F. Ryan in Toronto in 1909.
[edit] Domestic life
- The jolly jumper was invented by Olivia Poole in 1959.
- Pablum was invented by Frederick Tisdall, Theodore Drake, and Alan Brown in 1930.
- The light bulb was invented by Henry Woodward but the patent was later sold to Thomas Edison.
- The garbage bag was invented by Harry Wasylyk.
- Kerosene was invented by Abraham Gesner.
[edit] Tools
- The Paint roller was invented by Norman James Breakey.
- The Robertson screwdriver was invented by P.L. Robertson
