Consumer Technology

This University of Virginia site uses flow charts to show Alexander Graham Bell's invention process for the telephone in the 1860s and 70s. The flow charts show which breakthroughs occurred when, and which innovations led to subsequent technological advances. Beyond showing Bell's invention process diagrammatically (and showing earlier Bell creations which helped him develop the telephone) the site contains a long essay on the historic invention of the telephone, with notes and references to offline works. The author has annotated the flow charts (in plain language) to help the reader understand what Bell was doing in each of his experiments. In addition, Bell's patent applications from the 1870s are reproduced on the site.

An online version of Vannever Bush's article "As We May Think" in The Atlantic Monthly, July 1945. The article, all text with a few links added, discusses the recent past and future of science and technology at the end of World War II. It is written for a general audience. Aghast at the horror of what science wrought in the war, Bush looks to a more peaceful and productive day when advanced technologies will offer a better life for all human beings. He envisions a machine akin to the modern fax machine as well as other beneficial consumer and industrial technologies.

This site examines the history of vehicles (mostly automobiles) powered by electricity rather than by an internal combustion engine. Providing an overview of the technology and its development, this site includes several recent articles on electric vehicles as well as important historical pieces. Most significantly, the site encourages current and former owners and drivers of electric vehicles to contribute their recollections to a lasting archive. That growing archive contains stories from the early days of electric-powered vehicles from engineers, early adopters and others involved with their production and use. The site is useful for understanding the goals, attitudes, successes and failures of current and former electric vehicle advocates.

This comprehensive site focuses on the history of the 1965 blackout in the Northeastern United States and the 1977 blackout in New York City. These two landmark events in the history of technology and the cultural history of America are recounted in a number of ways: through interviews, excerpts from various media, a timeline of events, recent historical writing, and, most compellingly, a growing database of first-hand recollections entered by visitors to the site. These recollections cover both the behind-the-scenes experiences of those who worked for the utility companies and the people who lived through the events. The site is therefore an excellent example of how to create an oral history archive on the Web, as well as a good source for understanding the tremendous social, cultural and technological impact the blackouts had on the people who lived through them.

This site, produced by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, looks at the history of cans and bottles used for soft drinks and other beverages. In particular, it looks at the rise of the plastic container, and includes a biography of DuPont inventor, Nathaniel Wyeth, who first developed a usable polymer bottle. A timeline covers the history of beverage containers and innovations in the field from the late nineteenth century to the present, noting major milestones. The POP site also looks to expand this history, recording the memories and views of those who have worked in beverage container research and development. Discussions cover a variety of topics, including reasons why beer bottlers have remained resistant to plastic containers.

This site is dedicated to exhibiting the treasures of the Ford Museum and Greenfield Village that include a replica of Thomas Edison's Menlo Park complex. The site is rich in details and images relating to the history of invention in America. Online exhibits include Buckminster Fuller's "Dymaxion House," the 1811 Dickson Steam Engine, the Showroom of Automotive History, biographies of famous inventors, and the first Kodak Camera. These exhibits provide a useful introduction to various inventions. The site also provides information about the archives and collections contained in the research center, most of the materials have not yet been digitized. Collections include: the Ford Motor Company archives, the Edison collection and Edison Institute archives, and the archives of the Boston and Sandwich Glass Company, Stickley Brothers, the D.S. Morgan Company, and the Gebelein Silver Company. Teachers and researchers will find the site useful.

Site, which has not been updated since 2002, contains some images of historical computing devices and lectures from Dr. Tim Bergin's History of Computing class at American University. A related bibliography is also made available.

The collection is divided into seven general themes: Civil War, Slavery and Abolition, Religion, Education, Self-Help and Self-Improvement, Travel and Westward Expansion, and Poetry. Each section opens with a 200-word descriptive essay, and each book featured on the site is accompanied by notes on the author, full title of the work, date and place of publication, and the publisher. The site is keyword searchable and can be browsed by subject, author, and title. The site is ideal for exploring late-19th-century literature and popular culture.

This project, produced by the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History, looks to expand the recent history of electric lighting and energy issues relating to lighting. An example of "participatory history," there is an attempt to record online the stories and memories of the people who have produced or dealt with electric lighting. This group includes: electricians, engineers, electrical researchers, inventors, utility workers, city planners, architects, retailers, consumers, and anyone else who has taken part in the buying, selling, installing, and designing electric lighting. Extensive input forms are available for each of these groups to add to the electronic archive the Smithsonian is building. The site also includes historical essays on commercial, industrial and residential lighting, particularly focusing on the last 30 years. An extensive bibliography, including articles and books from both professional societies and the popular press, adds to the background material on the site.