The ’80s brought us so much, from hair metal bands to the Sony Walkman and MTV. But many things were invented in the ’80s that most people don’t know came from the decade. We list some famous examples below!
Commercial Mobile Phones
When thinking of the origins of the first mobile phones, many of us probably think of the ’90s when it first became common to see people walking around and talking on the phone. But the Motorola DynaTAC 8000x predated every phone of that decade and was first released in 1983 as the first-ever commercial mobile phone.
If you’ve never heard of it, it wasn’t a common thing that could be bought at your local RadioShack. For one, the phone was massive and cost thousands of dollars, even in 1983. It wouldn’t be until the ’90s that the technology developed where mobile phones became affordable for many people, but they all came after the Motorola DynaTAC 8000x in 1983.
3D Printers
Many people likely believe that 3D printers are a rather new invention as they didn’t become part of mainstream technology until recently, but their origins date back to the ’80s. The brief history of 3D printing begins in 1981 with Dr. Hideo Kodama, who invented a prototype for creating other prototypes, but faster and more easily.
At the time, the invention didn’t create many waves. But the method and technology were gradually adjusted and improved throughout the ’90s until breakthroughs in the aughts made them affordable and accessible for many people.
High-Definition Televisions
We bet you didn’t know that high-definition (HD) televisions were invented in the ’80s. When most of us think of TVs from the ’80s, we certainly don’t imagine high definition! The Japanese Broadcasting Corporation (also known as NHK) started tinkering with TV sets that featured wider screens and better resolution as early as the ’70s.
NHK wouldn’t make breakthroughs until the ’80s, and in 1987, they unveiled the world’s first HDTV to industry leaders worldwide. TV manufacturers were initially apprehensive about the seismic change HDTVs would mean for the industry, so they weren’t fully adopted in the US until the ’90s.
Permanent Artificial Human Heart
Perhaps the most astounding invention in the ’80s came from medical science and the creation of the first permanent artificial human heart. Artificial hearts have been around since the mid-20th century, and there were even some human implants in the ’70s, but they were all temporary.
It wasn’t until the Jarvik-7 that permanent human hearts became possible. Surgeon William DeVries implanted the artificial heart into patient Barney Clark in 1982 and made headlines worldwide. Since then, most focus has been on creating implants that help human hearts survive for longer. There have also been over 1,700 permanent artificial heart implants, so the Jarvik-7’s influence on medical science is immense.
