Opto-Mechanical Recording and Scanning Devices

Opto-mechanical recording and scanning devices for both facsimile and television were conceived in the late 1800's and brought to fruition in the 1920's. The period from 1920 to 1960 was one of evolutionary system design. Television evolved to an all electronic system, while facsimile systems have continued to exploit opto-mechanical technology. The development of the laser, the computer, semiconductors, and the introduction of low cost worldwide, wideband communication systems has driven the development of a new generation of opto-mechanical scanning systems. This paper provides a historical overview, describes operational requirements and technical features of several new systems from Chemco Technologies, Inc.