Microelectromechanical based systems

Not all innovations, even very good ones, get adopted. Or if they do, it may take an extraordinarily long time to take hold.

The Dvorak typewriter keyboard is a good example of an improvement that was successfully fought off by incumbent interests. The typewriter companies liked the Qwerty keyboard layout (current keyboards), which was designed to slow down a typist so that the keys would not jam. Subsequent better typewriter designs like Dvorak permitted the innovation of a keyboard layout that made typing faster and less stressful on the hands. But typewriter companies, typing teachers, and typewriter stores fought the change. Today we type on the Qwerty and have carpel tunnel syndrome: Vested interests can set up sufficient barriers to thwart an improvement.