Innovation

Photos: The Smithsonian's 'Places of Invention' exhibit, a look inside

By // October 1, 2015, 6:15 AM PST // ErinCarson

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  • Places of Invention

    The Smithsonian National Museum of American History looks at key spots in America where invention has boomed, and why.

    The Smithsonian National Museum of American History's exhibit on "Places on Invention" explores when the right circumstances lead to a hotspot of invention and innovation.

    Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic

  • Silicon Valley, 1970s-1980s

    Journalist Don Hoefler was the first to call Santa Clara Valley "Silicon Valley" in 1971 when talking about the development of microprocessors and personal computing.

    Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic

  • The first computer mouse

    It looks quite different than what we're used to. It was invented at the Stanford Research Institute in 1964 by Douglas Engelbart and his colleagues there. Xerox PARC researchers took the design further, and the mouse became popular with the release of the 1984 Apple Macintosh.

    Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic

  • The Bronx, 1970s

    Music would never be the same after the birth of hip-hop in the Bronx in New York City.

    Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic

  • Scratch that

    Early hip-hop artists figured out how to turn speakers, turntables, and other components into the first deejaying equipment.

    Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic

  • Medical Alley, 1950s

    Organizations like the Mayo Clinic, 3M Company, Medtronic, and the University of Minnesota helped form Medical Alley in Minneapolis as a place of medical innovation.

    Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic

  • Bubble oxygenator reservoir coil

    Here's an example of an invention that came out of Medical Alley—this mechanism, created in 1955, oxygenates blood.

    Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic

  • Hartford, 1800s

    Hartford, Connecticut became home to precision manufacturing in the 19th century.

    Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic

  • Sewing machine

    The sewing machine, created in 1844, was one of those inventions that changed a lot, including transferring the duty of making clothes from the housewife to the factory.

    Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic

  • Hollywood, 1930s

    The American film industry headed west chasing land that was cheap, weather that was good, and scenery that was varied. They found Hollywood, of course, in Los Angeles, California.

    Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic

  • Technicolor

    A major innovation from Hollywood was the ability to shoot film in Technicolor. Here's an early camera with that capability.

    Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic

  • Fort Collins, 2010s

    More recently, Fort Collins, Colorado has become an important spot for the research and development of green technology.

    Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic

  • Envirofit Cookstove prototype

    On the right you can see this 2011 prototype for a cookstove for people in developing countries. It burns cleanly, efficiently, and is affordable.

    Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic

Places of Invention

The Smithsonian National Museum of American History looks at key spots in America where invention has boomed, and why.

The Smithsonian National Museum of American History's exhibit on "Places on Invention" explores when the right circumstances lead to a hotspot of invention and innovation.

Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic

Related Topics:

Innovation Digital Transformation Artificial Intelligence Internet of Things Smart Cities Hardware

By Erin Carson

Erin Carson is a Staff Reporter for CNET and a former Multimedia Editor for TechRepublic.