An overview of the development of gears

Abstract

Power transmission has been a challenge during human history. Men used gears to accomplish this task already at the emergence of our civilisation. Gears were simple wooden aids at first, but the evidences of complex mechanical devices of antiquity exist. Water and animal powered devices were used during the middle ages, whereas the renaissance and subsequent development of science discovered steam engines. The combustion engine, the turbines, and electricity imposed new impact to the mechanical transmissions which developed up to contemporary highly efficient devices embedded into aircrafts, vehicles, machine tools, etc. The question is if there is still possible to improve gears, which are substantial part of these transmissions, in any way.