Shelford Bidwell Biography – Inventor of Telephotography
Last Update: August 9th, 2021
Shelford Bidwell (6 March1848– 18 December1909) was known as anEnglishphysicistandinventor. His most famous work was in the field of “telephotography,” one of a few inventions that have evolved into today’sfacsimile machine.
Table of Contents
Life
Born inThetford, Norfolk, the oldest son of abrewer, he graduated fromCambridge. He was called to the bar fromLincoln’s Inn in1873.
After practicing as abarrister for a number of years, he became interested inelectronics.
Research and Invention
Bidwell’s research was primarily in the areas of tele-photography – the ability to transmit an image over infrastructures such astelegraph andtelephone lines.
In early experiments,Bidwell as able to duplicate the “photophone” created byAlexander Graham Bell.
Using sound to vibrate a mirror, the vibrations were captured by aseleniumphotocell that was connected to a telephone, converting the light into an electrical signal.
In the area offacsimile,Bidwell‘s best-known experiment involved a selenium photocell placed inside of a rotating cylinder.
A small hole was placed on the cylinder that permitted the photocell to be able to scan an image that was placed on a brightly illuminated glass slide. A receiving cylinder was covered with paper impregnated with potassium iodide.
The invention worked by sending an electrical signal from the photosignal to a platinum wire that darkened the paper with current was applied to it.
In many senses, it was a similar result toAlexander Bain andFrederick Bakewell‘s inventions, however, occurred with a completely different process. As well, it suffered from the same challenge of properly synchronizing the sending and receiving terminals.
The results were introduced byBidwell in an article called “Tele-Photography” in the February 1881 edition of Nature.
Today his telephotography device is displayed in theLondon Science Museum.
In the June1908 edition ofNature,Bidwell commented on recent developments in “telegraphic photography” by others in the scientific community. As well, he was one of the first to calculate the transmission “bandwidth” required to send images electronically, theorizing on different circuits or wires at a time far before the invention of modern day networks and computer systems.
Further Resources on Shelford Bidwell:
- “Who’s Who” book includingShelford Bidwell
More on the History of Fax:
- The History of Fax - From Alexander Bain's 1843 invention to today's internet based fax systems (and everything in between)
- Alexander Bain - Developed an ExperimentalFax Machine between 1843 and 1846
- Arthur Korn - DevelopedFax Machine for Transmitting Photographs
- Edouard Belin - Inventor of the Bélinographe
- Frederick Bakewell - Improved Bain'sFacsimile Machine
- Giovanni Caselli - Inventor of the Pantelegraph. Sent images 800km across telegraph wires 9 years before Alexander Graham Bell's Telephone Patent
- Herbert E. Ives - Sent first colorfax
- Richard H. Ranger - Invented first TransatlanticRadio Fax
- Rudolf Hell - Invented the Hellschreiber
- Shelford Bidwell - Research in the field of "Telephotography"
- Pantelegraph - An early fax invention used to transmit images over telegraph lines
- Fultograph - An early fax invention used to transmit images over radio waves"
- Telautograph - An early fax invention used to transmit signatures over long distances
- 3D Fax - A 1990s technique used to send computer code over a fax machine. Each page could hold about 50kb of information
- Radiofax - Still used today, a method for transmitting images over long distances through radio. Also known as HF Fax or Weatherfax
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