He has been credited with having developed the modern hand grenade and land mine just prior to World War I.

Apart from new types of explosives, trench mortars, airplane bombs and land mines he also created several inventions for civil use.

[3][4] Just prior to World War I, Aasen developed an anti-personnel mine which was meant as a weapon of deterrence.

Most notably, he was made an honorary colonel in the French Army, and a Knight in France's Legion of Honour in 1915.

[4] Later, Aasen's personal fortune was greatly reduced as a result of bad financial speculations, and because he had never patented the rights to several of his inventions.