Electrical engineering is a science that has played a major role the lives we live in the 21st century. In today’s technology driven world, electrical engineering is the cornerstone and driver of innovation of the devices we utilize daily to improve our quality of life.

The telegraph’s invention in the 1830′s marked the first time that electric currents were used to transmit messages. Since then, scientists and engineers have come up with innovation after innovation. Voice transmission came in 1876 while wireless broadcast appeared in 1895. Nowadays, technology has enabled people to communicate across longer distances with small portable devices.

• 40% of Americans over 12 years old own an iPad, iPhone or iPod

• 20% of the population has an iPhone and this figure is expected to rise to 42% by 2017

• There are approximately 2 billion 3G subscribers

Alessandro Volta introduced the first working battery in 1799. Superconductivity, on the other hand, was discovered in 1911. Fiber optics saw the light of day in the early 1970s. These discoveries led to improved power systems that we enjoy today.

• Tesla Model S electric cars have an 88% efficiency rating versus 20-25% for traditional cars

• Driverless cars have covered 700,000 km so far during testing thanks to efforts by Google and other pioneers

Mechatronics was first coined in 1969 to refer to a combination of engineering disciplines to create innovation and economical solutions. Among its products are vehicle control systems, 3D printers and prosthesis.

• 3D printers enable the creation of highly detailed models of various designs and have been used extensively in medicine for making skull implants, breathable casts, replacement teeth and more.

• Modern prosthetic limbs allow disabled individuals to regain normal function using advanced technologies.

To learn more about the impact electrical engineering has had on 21st century innovation, checkout the infographic below created by the New Jersey Institute of Technology’s Online Master of Science in Electrical Engineering program.

Source: New Jersey Institute of Technology