Interesting optical device – Thaumatrope

The historic optical device I want to introduce is Thaumatrope. It is a toy that was popular in Victorian times. I liked to play it when I was small. Thaumatrope is a card with a picture on each side and is attached to two pieces of string. When the strings are twirled quickly, the two pictures will appear to combine into a single image due to persistence of vision. It is a simple optical toy. Everyone can make a simple one themselves. I remember that this toy was introduced by my friend when I was 10. It is a powerful device that can last for hundreds of years.

The invention of the thaumatrope is usually credited to either John Ayrton Paris or Peter Mark Roget. Paris has used one to demonstrate persistence of vision to the Royal College of Physicians in London in 1824. The name of thaumatrope means “turning marvel” or “wonder turner”. It is the first of optical toys. It is a toy exposes the secret of our eyes. The persistence of vision is a flaw of eye, but it becomes the basic source to cinema. Maybe we have to thank God about her imperfect creation. I think it arose people’s curiosity on optical device, so that the history of cinema can be developed.