As you probably know, 2011 is the 150th anniversary of Italy’s unification. I thought that it might be interesting to have a look at some of the most important Italian innovations that have been conceived during the last 150 years.

1. La Dinamo

In 1859 professor of physics Antonio Pacinotti of Pisa designed what is considered to be the prototype of the electric dynamo. Pacinotti also realised the dynamo’s potential to function in reverse as an electric motor. Unfortunately he failed to brevettare (patent) his invention and the idea was ‘stolen’ by the Belgian Zénobe Gramme, who for decades was erroneously seen as the ‘padre fondatore dell’elettricità’ (founding father of electricity).

2. Il Telefono

The first studies that lead to the development of the telephone were carried out by the Fiorentino (Florentine) Antonio Meucci between 1850 and 1870. Meucci registered his invention, il telettrofono, in 1871, but due to financial difficulties was unable t o renew the patent. Only in 2002 did the Supreme Court of the United States officially recognised that it was Meucci and not the Scot Alexander Bell, who was the true inventor of the telephone.

3. La Radio

The first person to develop a communication system which functioned by means of onde radio (radio waves) and not wires was Guglielmo Marconi. In 1895 he was able to make a bell ring in a room in his house by means of radio waves transmitted from a separate room. He later repeated the experiment by causing the bell to ring on the other side of a hill, once again without the use of wires. This was the birth of wireless radio transmission.

4. La Lampadina

In 1880 the Piedmontese Alessandro Cruto switched on una lampadina (a light bulb) of his own design. It’s true that Edison had already lit the first light bulb five months earlier but Cruto’s design differed from the Edison’s in that the internal filament was more durable and used positive resistance, meaning that the light increased as it warmed up. Cruto founded a company which was later taken over by Philips.

5. Il Pantelegrafo

The pantelegrafo, invented in 1856 by the abbot Giovanni Caselli, is considered to be the precursor of the Fax machine. Caselli’s invention was able to reproduce a drawing transmitted over a distance by means of a telegraphic connection. The original drawing was made on a metal sheet using a special electrical insulating ink. The drawing was then ‘scansionato’ (scanned) by a pen connected to the telegraphic line and reproduced by a receiving pen in another location which then recreated the original drawing based on the electrical impulses received.