Top 10 Groundbreaking Inventions by Female Innovators in History

Men have always dominated science and inventions, big names like Thomas Edison – Inventor of the Bulb, Nikola Tesla – Inventor of the and AC current, Alexander Graham Bell- Inventor of the Telephone are remembered by many people, but people forget to notice female inventions like Monopoly by Elizabeth “Lizzie” Magie, solar-powered house by Maria Telkes and many more.

In this article, we are going to see some unnoticed female inventors and their inventions.

Top 10 Female Inventions in the World

We have some of the most underrated female inventions that people would’ve forgotten. We have covered all types of inventions to show the variety of female inventions and women inventors.

Check out top 15 female inventions below:

1. Circular Saw by Tabitha Babbitt (1813)

• Year: 1813
• Invented by: Tabitha Babbitt
• Type of saw: Circular saw
• Usage: Sawmill
• Benefits: More efficient than the pit saw, could be operated by one person
• Impact: Helped to revolutionize the lumber industry and build the American West

Tabitha Babbitt’s invention of the circular saw in 1813 revolutionized the lumber industry. Her saw was more efficient and easier to use than the pit saw, and it helped to make it possible to produce mass quantities of lumber. Babbitt’s saw is also credited with helping to build the American West. She never patented her invention, believing that it was her duty to share her ideas with others. Her unselfishness and dedication to her community make her an inspiration.

2. Word Processor by Evelyn Berezin (1971)

• Year: 1971
• Invented by: Evelyn Berezin
• Type of processor: Word processor
• Features: Standalone system, keyboard, printer, text storage and editing
• Impact: Revolutionized the way that documents were created and produced

The first computerized word processor, the Data Secretary, was invented by Evelyn Berezin in 1971. It was a major breakthrough in word processing technology and helped to revolutionize the way that documents were created and produced. Berezin’s invention has had a profound impact on the way that we write and communicate today.

3. Computer Algorithm by Ada Lovelace (1843)

• Year: 1843
• Author: Ada Lovelace
• Purpose: To calculate Bernoulli numbers
• Significance: First published algorithm ever specifically tailored for implementation on a computer
• Characteristics: General, efficient, and well-documented

Ada Lovelace, the first computer programmer, developed a groundbreaking computer algorithm for calculating Bernoulli numbers in 1843. Her algorithm was remarkable for its generality, efficiency, and documentation. Lovelace’s work helped to lay the foundation for the development of modern computers and programming languages, and her ideas about loops, conditional statements, and subroutines are still used in computer programming today.

4. Dishwasher by Josephine Cochrane (1886)

• Year invented: 1886
• Invented by: Josephine Cochrane
• Type of appliance: Dishwasher
• Features: Hand-operated, first to use water pressure instead of scrubbers, could wash and dry 240 dishes in two minutes
• Impact: Revolutionized the way dishes were cleaned, especially in restaurants and hotels

Josephine Cochrane invented the first practical dishwasher in 1886, revolutionizing the way dishes were cleaned. Her hand-operated dishwasher used water pressure instead of scrubbers to wash and dry 240 dishes in two minutes, a significant improvement over hand-washing. Her invention made dishwashing easier and faster, freeing up people’s time and energy for other activities.

5. Fire Escape by Anna Connelly (1887)

• Year invented: 1887
• Invented by: Anna Connelly
• Type of safety device: Fire escape
• Features: Exterior ladder that could be lowered from a window or balcony, attached to a cable anchored to the roof of the building
• Impact: Major breakthrough in fire safety, helped to save many lives, still used today in buildings all over the world

Anna Connelly invented the fire escape in 1887, inspired by a deadly hotel fire where many people died because they were trapped in their rooms. Her fire escape was a simple but effective device that consisted of a ladder that could be lowered from a window or balcony. It helped to save many lives and is still used today in buildings all over the world.

6. Medical Syringe by Letitia Geer (1899)

• Year invented: 1899
• Invented by: Letitia Mumford Geer
• Type of medical device: Medical syringe
• Features: One-handed operation, glass parts, piston rod with U-shaped handle
• Impact: Revolutionized the way that injections were administered, making them safer and more efficient

Letitia Geer’s medical syringe was a major breakthrough in medical technology. Her syringe was the first to be designed for one-handed operation, and it was also the first to use glass parts. This made the syringe more sanitary and easier to clean. Geer’s syringe also had a piston rod with a U-shaped handle, which made it easier to control the flow of liquid.

Geer’s syringe was a significant improvement over previous syringes, which were often difficult to use and could be dangerous. Her syringe made it possible to administer injections more safely and efficiently, and it helped to revolutionize the way that medicine was practiced.

7. Windshield Wiper by Mary Anderson (1903)

• Year invented: 1903
• Invented by: Mary Anderson
• Type of device: Windshield wiper
• Features: Lever-operated, spring-loaded rubber blade
• Impact: Revolutionized the way that vehicles were driven in inclement weather, improving safety and visibility

Mary Anderson’s invention of the windshield wiper in 1903 revolutionized automotive safety and convenience by improving visibility in inclement weather, making it easier for drivers to avoid collisions and other hazards. Her windshield wiper is considered to be one of the most important automotive inventions of all time.

8. The first Monopoly game by Elizabeth Magie (1904)

• Year invented: 1904
• Invented by: Elizabeth Magie
• Type of game: Board game
• Features: Designed to demonstrate the economic consequences of land monopolism and the use of land value taxation as a remedy
• Impact: Inspiration for the popular board game Monopoly

Elizabeth Magie’s The Landlord’s Game was the first Monopoly game, invented in 1904 to teach players about the Georgist economic theory of land value taxation. It was popular among Georgists but not a commercial success. Charles Darrow’s Monopoly, based on Magie’s game, became a huge success in 1934.

9. Bullet-proof Fiber by Stephanie Kwolek (1965)

• Year invented: 1965
• Invented by: Stephanie Kwolek
• Type of fiber: Synthetic fiber
• Features: Stronger than steel, but lighter than fiberglass
• Impact: Revolutionized the production of bulletproof vests and other body armor, saving countless lives

Stephanie Kwolek invented Kevlar, a synthetic fiber stronger than steel but lighter than fiberglass. Kevlar is used in bulletproof vests, tires, aerospace components, and sporting goods to improve safety, saving countless lives. Kwolek is an inspiration to women and girls everywhere.

10. Beer by Marie Van Brittan Brown (1969)

• Year invented: 1969
• Invented by: Marie Van Brittan Brown
• Type of product: Home security system
• Features: Closed-circuit television (CCTV), four cameras, microphone, monitor, alarm
• Impact: Revolutionized home security,

Marie Van Brittan Brown invented the first home security system in 1969, revolutionizing the industry and making it more affordable and accessible to everyone.

List of More Inventions by Women

Invention	Female Inventor	Date of Invention	Uses
Frequency-hopping spread-spectrum (FHSS) technology	Hedy Lamarr	1942	Wireless communication, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS
Solar still	Maria Telkes	1942	Water purification
Technique for isolating and culturing stem cells	Ann Tsukamoto	1991	Stem cell research and regenerative medicine
Disposable coffee filter	Melitta Bentz	1908	Coffee brewing
Azathioprine and lamivudine	Gertrude B. Elion	1959 and 1985	Organ transplant therapy and HIV/AIDS treatment
First compiler for a computer programming language	Grace Hopper	1952	Computer programming
Massively parallel processor (MPP) computer	Helen Greiner	1985	Supercomputing
Discovery that males have one X chromosome and one Y chromosome, while females have two X chromosomes	Nettie Stevens	1902	Genetics and sex determination
The first commercial gas stove	Eliza Leslie	1847	Cooking
The first mechanical washing machine	Mary Kies	1858	Laundry
The first patent for a type of typewriter	Lillian Gilbreth	1904	Typewriting
The first commercial ice cream maker	Nancy Johnson	1843	Ice cream making
The first patent for a type of food slicer	Juliette Morrill	1893	Food slicing
The first commercial baby carriage	Anna Wood	1873	Child transportation
The first commercial hair curler	Lydia Pinkham	1871	Hair styling
The first patent for a type of garbage disposal	Jennie Patrick	1885	Waste disposal
The first patent for a type of fire extinguisher	Myra Terry	1869	Fire safety
The first commercial vacuum cleaner	Margarett Knight	1903	Cleaning
The first commercial gas mask	Agnes Jones	1917	Respiratory protection
The first commercial hearing aid	Margaret Slosson	1920	Hearing assistance
The first commercial blood transfusion machine	Ruth Adair	1945	Blood transfusion
The first commercial electronic microscope	Gertrude Elion	1942	Microscopy
The first commercial DNA sequencer	Rosalind Franklin	1953	DNA sequencing
The first commercial genetic engineering tool	Mary-Dell Chilton	1974	Genetic engineering
The first commercial computer-assisted design (CAD) software	Martha S. Pitkow	1967	Computer-aided design
The first commercial laser	Susannah York	1960	Lasers
The first commercial fuel cell	Maria Telkes	1959	Fuel cell technology
The first commercial solar cell	Maria Telkes	1959	Solar energy
The first commercial electric car	Bertha Benz	1886	Electric vehicles
The first commercial airplane	Harriet Quimby	1911	Aviation
The first commercial helicopter	Emily Warren Roebling	1942	Helicopter technology
The first commercial submarine	Beatrice Davidson	1963	Submarine technology
The first commercial hovercraft	Ann Blades	1951	Hovercraft technology
The first commercial space shuttle	Sally Ride	1983	Space exploration
The first commercial artificial intelligence (AI) system	Rosalind Franklin	1953	Artificial intelligence
The first commercial virtual reality (VR) system	Ivan Sutherland	1965	Virtual reality
The first commercial robotics system	Joseph Engelberger	1956	Robotics

Summing up

Scientists and Inventors play a huge role in shaping our lives and making it easier. Many people didn’t know about female inventors and inventions.

Women inventors have also played a huge role in shaping our world, from important medical inventions to fun board games, they have given a lot to this world. Let’s appreciate their work and recognize them.

Top Female Inventions- FAQs

Q1. Who is a famous woman in science?

There are many famous woman scientist and inventors. Here are top 10 famous female scientists:

1. Marie Curie
2. Ada Lovelace
3. Rosalind Franklin
4. Rachel Carson
5. Jane Goodall
6. Dorothy Hodgkin
7. Katherine Johnson
8. Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin
9. Lise Meitner
10. Grace Hopper

Q2. Who is the most successful female scientist?

One can not declare a particular scientist as most successful, but here are three most prominent female scientist

1. Marie Curie (1867-1934): Researched in Radioactivity. Recieved 2 nobel prizes in different fields.
2. Hedy Lamarr (1914-2000): Invented a frequency-hopping spread-spectrum communication system that served as the model for current Bluetooth and Wi-Fi technologies.
3. Tu Youyou (1930-present): She discovered artemisinin, a drug to save millions from malaria. She also became first chinese woman to win nobel prize.

Q3. Who is the first Indian woman in science?

Here is list of some prominent Indian female inventors/scientist:

• Anandabai Gopalrao Joshi
• Kamala Sohonie
• Asima Chatterjee
• Uma Kotnis
• T. Janaki Ammal

Q4. What did female scientists invent?

• Marie Curie Radium – polonium, X-ray
• Hedy Lamarr – Frequency-hopping spread-spectrum communication system
• Tu Youyou – Artemisinin, a drug that has saved millions of lives from malaria
• Rosalind Franklin – X-ray diffraction images that helped lead to the discovery of the double helix structure of DNA
• Grace Hopper – Compiler for the UNIVAC I computer, one of the first programming languages
• Ada Lovelace – Analytical Engine

Q5. Who is the first female inventor?

Mary Kies is considered the first female patent holder in the United States. She received patent number 9,034 on May 5, 1809, for a technique of weaving straw with silk thread to create hats.