Smoke alarm voted top innovation

The smoke alarm has beaten mobile phones, microwave ovens and laser eye surgery as the best innovation of the past 20 years, according to a survey published today.

The smoke alarm has beaten mobile phones, microwave ovens and laser eye surgery as the best innovation of the past 20 years, according to a survey published in Britain today.

The potentially life-saving detectors were also considered more important than must-have gadgets such as digital cameras and everyday objects such as cash machine cards.