jfohn L. Baird 27 



During early experiments in television Baird found that 

 it was essential for his sitters to endure a blinding glare of 

 light if a recognizable image was to be transmitted. He 

 fought to overcome this obvious defect, and later experi- 

 ments made it possible to televise objects in ordinary 

 daylight. Experimenting further he found that if use 

 was made of the invisible infra-red rays a person sitting 

 before the transmitter could be seen in total darkness. 

 This apparent miracle was achieved through the fact that 

 although the infra-red rays are invisible to the human eye, 

 the sensitive electric eye of the televisor can readily detect 

 them and pick up any image on which they are directed. 



Demonstrations of noctovision were given during the 

 British Association meeting at Leeds in September 1927, 

 persons sitting in a dark room in Leeds being clearly seen 

 on the televisor screen in London. More recently the 

 headlights of a motor-car, covered with sheets of ebonite 

 which withheld all except the invisible infra-red rays, were 

 picked up by the noctovisor at night from a distance of 

 three miles, and while the motor-car was quite invisible 

 to the naked eye its progress could be clearly watched on 

 the screen of the noctovisor. 



When perfected this further invention will be of great 

 assistance to shipping during fog, for with a noctovisor on 

 the bridge the navigator will be able to pick up the lights 

 of approaching ships or the rays of a lighthouse when 

 through enshrouding fog these are blotted out for every 

 eye save the wonder eye of the Baird apparatus. 



Rich as are the records of modern science in men who 

 have triumphed over great obstacles, it is doubtful if any 

 other research-worker of our generation has known a 

 more astounding turn in fortune's wheel than that which 

 brought fame to Baird. His success may be expected 

 shortly not only to give to the world television in the 

 home and all that that miracle means, but also to rob 

 the demon fog of much of its terrors on the high seas. 



