Valerie Thomas, a NASA scientist, invented the Illusion Transmitter in 1980. This optical device uses concave mirrors to create 3D optical illusions, capturing an image at one point and projecting it as a three-dimensional illusion at another point. Her invention received a NASA patent and has applications in medical imaging, television, and video technology. Mary Walton invented pollution-reduction devices, Mary Anderson invented windshield wipers, and Carol Wior invented slimming swimwear.