-
-
Hubert Cecil Booth invented the first motorized vacuum cleaner. It used tubes and suction and made house cleaning more convenient, but also more expensive as he sold his services rather than his machine.
-
Earl Richardson invented the first electric iron in 1903 which was made with a hot spot on the tip that is still used today for maneuvering around buttons and such. The early beginnings of efficiency in the household and the need for quality products.
-
James M. Spangler invented the first portable vacuum cleaner and sold the rights to William Hoover. Hoover imroved upon the idea with a high-speed motor and the first model was sold in 1908 for $60; an invention to save time for families everywhere.
-
Fred W. Wolf invented the first domestic electric refrigerator which revolutionized the standard for which food was processed outside the home and packaged for consumption.
-
The first electric dishwasher was produced by the Walker brothers in 1913. This invention freed up mom's hands and time by doing the dirty work for her, leaving her to spend quality time with her family.
-
Clarence Birdseye created the system of flash freezing foods in 1916 which revolutionized the way families ate and prepared meals.
-
An electric powered machine to take the heavy lifting and dirty work out of mom's hands and into the future! Mom would soon be free to focus on child-rearing and other household duties.
-
An invention to sit alongside the washing machine that saved time in clothes hanging and probably some sore arms from pinning all the clothes up on the line.
-
Philco-York invented the first air conditioning window unit using Freon in 1938. This innovation was sure to make the home a more comfortable place for all of the family to enjoy.
-
This is the CP1, the first automatic coffeepot, which was invented by Russell Hobbs in 1952. This was an invention that, again, would make life easier and more time efiicient for the family.
-
The first coast-to-coast color transmission occurred in 1954; this made the price of black and white TVs so low that most families could afford one, thus changing the focus of family time in households around the world.
-
General Electric came out with the self-cleaning oven which would help expedite housework and allow the home-makers more family time.
-
Magnavox began shipping the Odyssey 100 video gaming system in 1972, which sold for $99.95 at the time. This device opened the flood gates for future gaming systems that would allow children and adults alike to enjoy the gaming experience, either individually or together.
-
Martin Cooper of Motorola invented the first cell phone and made a call on it in 1973. Technology like this allows family members to stay in touch, while also encouraging them to branch out from the family home. This may be the beginning of a breakdown of the family system.
-
The first elecronic sewing machine was produced by Singer and was an innovation that would save many hours in the process of clothes making, thus allowing more time for other activities within the household.
-
The first laptop computer ever invented was done so by William Moggridge in 1979. The technology would lead the industry in the direction of efficiency and mobility in the field of entertainment. Families would be able to enjoy their entertainment outside of the home as well.
-
The personal computer was released by IBM in 1981, but first became popular in households around 1985. The PC was a new form of entertainment on which games could be played individually or with other family members.
-
The World Wide Web in a service that is used on the Internet and opened up endless possibilities for communication throughout the world. The knowledge and ability to share information via the Web is a priceless invention that has led, and will lead, to so many more innovations.
-
A PDA is a personal digital assistant and is, essentially, the basis for smartphones today. This leap in technology was the first of its kind to help organize the lives of busy people, Management's focus is to use resources to get a desired outcome and this device was a handy resource.
-
Conserving energy became a widely discussed topic in the 90s and when necessary family appliances started converting to efficient energy savers, families started saving money on electricity and water usage, even though the appliances were a bit more expensive.
-
The Apple iPod is a handheld device that plays downloaded music on demand. This device changed my personal family dynamic when my 12-year-old daughter got one. She is more closed off and harder to get through to, mostly due to the music blaring in her ears. Today's iPods can do much more than just play music.
-
The artificial heart was invented to help people with heart problems live longer. In the family dynamic, this may affect how long older relatives live and how dependent they are on their families.
-
The Roomba is a robotic vacuum cleaner that works all by itself. This invention leaves mom, dad, and kids more time to interact with less time taken up by housework. Efficiency is the name of the game.
-
Skype is a video connectivity website that allows people to live stream video with one another. It is somewhat more interactive than social networking sites because it allows the face-to-face connection and conversation. Families that live far from each other can stay more involved through live video chats with other famiy members.
-
The flu shot brought, for some families, less stress about kids getting sick, but for lots of people it brought controversy over whether it was safe and/or effective. Vaccinations altogether are a highly debated topic.
-
Facebook is a social networking website that allows families to keep in touch from a short or very long distance. The site allows photo sharing and status updates the bring families and friends together in a world where we can all live so far apart.
-
The website known as YouTube has revolutionized how we view news, entertainment, etc. It has become a new career for some and a new form of entertainment in a world that requires constant stimulation. Families are either brought together or torn apart by this technology.
-
The Amazon Kindle is a device that allows the user to read without touching actual pages. It may be useful to families in our society which promotes electronic devices to be part of our everyday lives.
-
The iPad and devices of the like have changed how families interact, or the lack of interaction due to personal entertainment and individual preferences.
-
While these cars have yet to be released to the public, I believe they will change how families manage their errands, but also there will be less tragedy in the way of car accidents.
