How Asian and Pacific Islander Inventors Changed Your Life

Every time you watch a video on YouTube, flip through the pages of a book, or listen to the twang of a steel guitar, you have Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) innovators to thank. They helped create these and many other inventions we can’t live without today.

Throughout history, people from Asia and the Pacific—as well as Americans with ancestral ties to those regions—have made great strides in science, technology, and the arts, says Kevin Nadal, a psychologist at the City University of New York. Unfortunately, says Nadal, the contributions of Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders often go unnamed. To combat this erasure, he says, it’s important to share the stories of people from these communities.

The term AANHPI includes people from more than 40 countries in Asia and 2,500 islands in the Pacific Ocean—all of which have their own unique cultures. From surfing to video calls, advancements made by AANHPI inventors have changed the world. Read on to learn more about some of the incredible inventions created by people from Asia, Hawaii, and the Pacific Islands.

You probably watch videos on YouTube, flip through the pages of books, and listen to music from steel guitars. When you do, you can thank Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) inventors. They helped create these and many other inventions. Today we can’t seem to live without them.

Kevin Nadal is a psychologist at the City University of New York. He says that people from Asia and the Pacific have made great strides in science, technology, and the arts throughout history. So have Americans with ancestors from those regions. Sadly, the contributions of Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders often go unnamed, says Nadal. They shouldn’t be overlooked. So it’s important to share the stories of people from these communities, he says.

The term AANHPI includes people from more than 40 countries in Asia and 2,500 islands in the Pacific Ocean. All these places have their own unique cultures. And AANHPI inventors have created everything from surfing to video calls. Their ideas have changed the world. Read about some of the incredible inventions by people from Asia, Hawaii, and the Pacific Islands.

Paper is thought to have been invented in China more than 2,000 years ago. Its creation is credited to Cai Lun, an official in the Chinese emperor’s court in 105 A.D. His process involved soaking tree bark and fabric scraps in water for months. The material was then mashed into a pulp, pressed into sheets, and dried. Paper is still made using this method.

Experts think paper was invented in China more than 2,000 years ago. Cai Lun is given credit for creating it. In 105 A.D., he was an official in the Chinese emperor’s court. To make paper, he soaked tree bark and fabric scraps in water for months. Then he mashed the material into a pulp, pressed it into sheets, and dried it. Paper is still made with this method.

Gregorio Ynciong Zara worked as an engineer and physicist in the Philippines, solving communication problems in aviation. In 1955, he invented the first two-way videophone. It was made up of cameras, TV screens, and landline phones. The technology allowed callers to see and hear each other in real time! Zara’s videophone laid the foundation for modern video-conferencing platforms, like FaceTime and Zoom, which we use to see and talk with people around the world.

Gregorio Ynciong Zara was an engineer and physicist in the Philippines. He solved communication problems in aviation. In 1955, he invented the first two-way videophone. It had cameras, TV screens, and landline phones. Callers could see and hear each other in real time! Zara’s videophone laid the foundation for modern video-conferencing platforms, like FaceTime and Zoom. We use them to see and talk with people around the world.

In the late 1960s, Daisuke Inoue was working as a musician in Kobe, Japan. He played the keyboard for people who wanted to sing in restaurants, earning him the nickname “Dr. Sing-along.” Inoue was so popular, he was often overbooked. So in 1971, he built a machine to take his place. The machine played instrumental tracks and had a microphone and coin slot. It was the first modern karaoke machine. (Karaoke means “empty orchestra” in Japanese.) It allowed anyone to sing along to their favorite songs!

In the late 1960s, Daisuke Inoue worked as a musician in Kobe, Japan. When people wanted to sing in restaurants, he played the keyboard for them. He was nicknamed “Dr. Sing-along.” Inoue became very popular. He was often overbooked. So in 1971, he built a machine to take his place. The machine played instrumental tracks and had a microphone and coin slot. It was the first modern karaoke machine. (Karaoke means “empty orchestra” in Japanese.) Anyone could sing along to their favorite songs!

In the 1990s, Ajay Bhatt noticed that his family often struggled to figure out which cords were needed to connect their computer to a printer. So Bhatt, an Indian American engineer, pitched an idea to his co-workers at the tech company Intel: an easy, universal way to connect different devices. In 1995, the team created the Universal Serial Bus, or USB connector. Intel and Bhatt decided not to patent, or obtain exclusive rights to, their invention, as they wanted it to be accessible to everyone. Today nearly all electronics rely on USBs to connect to power sources and other digital devices!

In the 1990s, Ajay Bhatt noticed a problem. His family often struggled to find the right cords to connect their computer to a printer. Bhatt is an Indian American engineer. He came up with an idea for an easy, universal way to connect different devices. Bhatt pitched it to his co-workers at the tech company Intel. In 1995, the team created the Universal Serial Bus, or USB connector. Intel and Bhatt wanted everyone to have access to their invention. So they decided not to patent it, or obtain exclusive rights to it. Today nearly all electronics use USBs to connect to power sources and other digital devices!

In February 2005, Steven Chen, a Taiwanese American software engineer, was at a dinner party with his friends Jawed Karim and Chad Hurley. They realized that, at the time, there was no easy way to share videos online. To solve the problem, the trio created a video-sharing site: YouTube. That April, they uploaded the site’s first video. It was a 19-second clip of Karim at the San Diego Zoo in California. Two decades later, YouTube now hosts an estimated 14 billion videos!

Steven Chen is a Taiwanese American software engineer. In February 2005, he was at a dinner party with his friends Jawed Karim and Chad Hurley. They realized that no easy way existed to share videos online. The three friends decided to solve the problem. So they created a video-sharing site called YouTube. That April, they uploaded the site’s first video. It was a 19-second clip of Karim at the San Diego Zoo in California. Two decades later, YouTube hosts about 14 billion videos!

Hawaiian teenager Joseph Kekuku was a guitar-playing sensation. He invented the Hawaiian steel guitar while in high school in 1889. A musician plays the steel guitar by placing it in their lap and sliding a steel bar down the instrument’s neck while plucking the strings. This produces a unique soft lilting sound. Kekuku’s instrument had a huge influence on Native Hawaiian music. Hawaiian musicians performing in the mainland U.S. introduced the steel guitar to other artists. It’s now a common sound in all kinds of music, including country, blues, and rock ’n’ roll.

Joseph Kekuku was a guitar-playing hit. In 1889, the Hawaiian teenager was in high school. That’s when he invented the Hawaiian steel guitar. A musician places the steel guitar in their lap. They slide a steel bar down the instrument’s neck as they pluck the strings. This produces a unique soft swaying sound. Kekuku’s instrument had a huge influence on Native Hawaiian music. When Hawaiian musicians performed on the U.S. mainland, other artists learned about the steel guitar. It’s now a common sound in all kinds of music. That includes country, blues, and rock ’n’ roll.

When Fazlur Rahman Khan was born in Bangladesh in 1929, his hometown didn’t have any buildings more than three stories tall. In fact, Khan didn’t see a skyscraper in person until he was 21! Still, the young structural engineer would go on to revolutionize architecture by inventing a system that uses bundles of tubes to form the exterior walls of tall towers. This system allowed structures to bear stronger loads, or forces pressing on them, which elevated buildings to heights once thought impossible.

Fazlur Rahman Khan was born in Bangladesh in 1929. Back then, his hometown didn’t have any buildings taller than three stories. Khan didn’t see a skyscraper in person until he was 21! But the young structural engineer invented a system that changed architecture. It uses bundles of tubes to form the outer walls of tall towers. This system allowed structures to bear stronger loads, or forces pressing on them. That raised buildings higher than people had thought possible.

Sumita Mitra, an Indian American chemist, invented a new type of dental filling in 2002. It uses super-tiny nanoparticles to make fillings smoother, stronger, and more natural looking. The product has since been used to restore about 1 billion teeth worldwide! Because of her contributions, the American Chemical Society named Mitra a “Hero of Chemistry” in 2009.

Sumita Mitra is an Indian American chemist. In 2002, she invented a new type of dental filling. It uses super-tiny nanoparticles. They make fillings smoother, stronger, and more natural-looking. Since then, the product has restored about 1 billion teeth worldwide! In 2009, the American Chemical Society named Mitra a “Hero of Chemistry” for her contributions.

When Margaret Wu was young, her mother suggested she study chemical engineering. She ended up loving it, and she traveled from her home in Taiwan to the U.S. to earn her Ph.D. In 1977, Wu began to work for Mobil Chemical Co., a petroleum company. There, she developed a new synthetic, or lab-made, oil to add to car engines. Still in use today, it makes engines last longer and run more efficiently.

Margaret Wu grew up in Taiwan. Her mother suggested she study chemical engineering. Wu loved it, and she traveled to the U.S. to earn her Ph.D. In 1977, Wu began to work for Mobil Chemical Co. At this petroleum company, she developed a new oil for car engines. The oil was synthetic, or lab-made. It’s still used today. It helps engines last longer and run better.

In Hawaii, surfing has long been a key part of the islands’ culture. Hawaiians are descendants of ancient Polynesians, who brought surfing with them when they came to the Hawaiian Islands around 400 A.D. Surfing became a way of life for Hawaiians, connected to religious rituals and the deities of the islands. And it was fun! It was what many people did in their free time, says Isaiah Walker, a history professor at Brigham Young University-Hawaii. In the early 1900s, famed surfer Duke Kahanamoku helped popularize the sport outside Hawaii, bringing surfing to places like Australia, New Zealand, and the rest of the U.S.

For a long time, surfing has been a key part of Hawaiian culture. Hawaiians descended from ancient Polynesians. Around 400 A.D., they came to the Hawaiian Islands and brought surfing with them. Surfing became a way of life for Hawaiians. It was connected to religious rituals and the gods of the islands. And it was fun! Many people surfed in their free time, says Isaiah Walker, a history professor at Brigham Young University-Hawaii. In the early 1900s, Duke Kahanamoku helped popularize the sport outside Hawaii. This famous surfer brought it to places like Australia, New Zealand, and the rest of the U.S.