Siemens today announced that it has been awarded an Emmy for Technical/Engineering Achievement from The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) for an invention that led to the creation of modern-day television. The company was recognized in an awards presentation at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas at the Consumer Electronics Show.
In the late 1800s, Siemens founder Werner von Siemens and his brother William created what they called an artificial eye. The eye started out as a hollow sphere with an ordinary glass lens. But as light went through it, interacting with the electric conductivity of selenium, it became a one-pixel electronic camera. This discovery drove forward invention of television, yet, for more than a century, the artificial eye was left out of historical accounts. One writer described it as the “the single greatest invention that no one has ever heard of.”
“Werner von Siemens was one of the great 19th century inventors, but the full scope and importance of his achievements is sometimes overlooked,” said Laszlo Gaspar, Siemens’ Vice President, Global Sales, Media and Entertainment. “He developed the first transatlantic cable, sparking a new era of global communication. His dynamo machine was instrumental in the development of electrification. And now, thanks to the Academy, more people will know that a man born 200 years ago arrived at the first pixel among the thousands that make up high-definition broadcasts today.
“From our beginnings in 1948, the Technology & Engineering Emmy Awards always recognized the talented and innovative leaders and companies that have made our industry possible, “said Bob Mauro, President, NATAS. “As we all enjoy the new world of television on our laptops, tablets and smartphones, we take time to honor those that have the vision of seeing the seemingly impossible and making it a reality.”
Siemens continues to be part of television’s evolution. The Smart Video Engine is Siemens Convergence Creators’ online video platform that enables broadcasters to address the next generation of audiences by extending their reach via Over the Top Television and Television Everywhere platforms. Among other customers on a worldwide basis, the popular German kids TV channel SUPER RTL relies on the technology of Siemens Convergence Creators for their highly successful kids video entertainment service, delivering high quality content to a growing mobile audience.
Since being founded in 1847, Siemens has been at the forefront of technological innovation and change across industries including manufacturing, engineering, transportation, energy management, mobility, power generation, building technologies, and entertainment. Over time Werner von Siemens’ founding vision also led to the first electric passenger elevator, the first electric streetcar, and many more inventions that touch our everyday lives. Today, Siemens continues to change the way the world produces and consumes energy, how we live and work, and train and prepare the next-generation of the American workforce.
