The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) has been honoured with an Emmy Award for Technology and Engineering by The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) for its contribution towards the development of the first television camera.

The IET, which was founded as the Society of Telegraph Engineers, provided a forum for electrical engineer Willoughby Smith’s findings about the photoconductivity of selenium – which led to William Siemens’ demonstration of the ‘artificial eye’ in 1876. This was arguably the first television camera, which made use of the photoelectric properties of selenium.

Tim Hamer, Director of Knowledge at the IET said: “The discovery and invention of the first television camera has been pivotal to the history of the television industry and transformational in terms of human communication. We are therefore delighted to have been recognised by NATAS for contributing towards this innovative discovery.”

The Technology and Engineering Emmy Awards, which launched in 1948, honours development and innovation in broadcast technology and recognises companies, organisations and individuals for breakthroughs in technology that have a significant effect on television engineering.

The IET has been recognised for the “Concept of Opto-Electric Transduction” alongside Siemens and Telcon (now Alcatel-Lucent Submarine Networks). The award will be presented at the NATAS 68th Annual Technology and Engineering Emmy Awards in January 2017.