Franz von Uchatius

Franz von Uchatius (1811–1881) was an Austrian artillery general and inventor. His inventions included both military applications and pioneer work in cinematography.

He invented a motion picture projector in the early 1850s[1], developing it over the years from 1845[2] from the device then called stroboscope (Simon von Stampfer)[3] and phenakistiscope (Joseph Plateau)[4]. This was the first example of projected animation[5], demonstrated in 1853[6]; it is also described as the combination of the zoetrope with the magic lantern[7]. It was called the kinetoscope[8], a term later used by Thomas Edison (see kinetoscope). He applied it to lecture on ballistics[9].

He worked also on a smokeless powder[10], improved cannons and alloys (his steel bronze was a copper-tin alloy[11]), and a balloon bomb, used in 1849 against Venice[12], sent up from a paddle steamer[13]. Uchatius steel was produced industrially, by mixing granulated iron with iron oxide[14].

Notes

  1. ^ Motion Pictures – The Invention Of Motion Pictures. Science.jrank.org. Retrieved on 18 December 2011.
  2. ^ Film Principles Class Notes. Angelfire.com (10 April 2002). Retrieved on 18 December 2011.
  3. ^ Adventures in CyberSound: Magic Machines: 1826 – 1875. Acmi.net.au. Retrieved on 18 December 2011.
  4. ^ Adventures in CyberSound: von Uchatius, Franz. Acmi.net.au (21 January 1912). Retrieved on 18 December 2011.
  5. ^ Chronology of Animation: Beginning
  6. ^ Chronomedia: 1850–1854. Terramedia.co.uk (25 August 2008). Retrieved on 18 December 2011.
  7. ^ An Historical Timeline of Computer Graphics and Animation. Sophia.javeriana.edu.co. Retrieved on 18 December 2011.
  8. ^ Cartoons – The golden era, The television era. Filmreference.com. Retrieved on 18 December 2011.
  9. ^ William Everdell, The First Moderns (1997), 13–14.
  10. ^ Gunpowder – LoveToKnow 1911. 1911encyclopedia.org (16 March 2007). Retrieved on 18 December 2011.
  11. ^ s:1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Bronze
  12. ^ Important Events in Military Aeronautic History. Aerodacious.com (22 January 2006). Retrieved on 18 December 2011.
  13. ^ WNYC – Books: Survival City: Adventures among the Ruins of Atomic America
  14. ^ The Household Cyclopedia – Metallurgy. Mspong.org. Retrieved on 18 December 2011.

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