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Telepresence, Victorian style

Telepresence seems like a very modern idea. But it turns out that back in 1884 an inventor called Alexander Stanhope St George came up with the a concept called the Telectroscope, an optical device that miraculously allows people to see from London to New York via a tunnel that runs deep beneath the Atlantic Ocean.

St George tried to dig his tunnel and failed, but his papers were found in the attic by his grandson, the artist Paul St George, who claims to have completed the work. The Telectroscope opened this week, and folk can now sign up to communicate with friends or loved ones on the other side of the ocean. But they should remember to take a cellphone or a pen and message board — the link only transmits video. The Telectroscope will remain open until June 15th.

I like the romantic notion that the device works using a transatlantic tunnel, as St George maintains but, rather predictably, it is actually the product of two high-definition cameras connected through a fibre-optic link. Shame.

Posted by Pauline Rigby on May 23, 2008 5:29 PM | Permalink