Ultrasound Technology
Ultrasound harnesses the physics of soundwaves to perform medical imaging. Study of bats in the 1800s led to the understanding that they use sound to help locate their prey! Scientists remained interested in the possibilities of humans harnessing this power, and great progress was made during World War II to use sonar to locate vessels in water.
As early as the 1940s doctors were applying this technology in the medical field, and during the 1970s advances in computer technology and miniaturization made ultrasound practical for diagnostic imaging.
The technology continues to improve and ultrasound systems are constantly getting better at producing images of internal structures, all using harmless sound waves!