Reviving a historic system: Semaphore’s visual communication finds relevance in Modern Era

financialexpress.com:

By Sayan Chatterjee

In today’s digital age, where communication is primarily conducted through smartphones and computers, the ancient visual communication system known as – Semaphore may seem obsolete. However, semaphore, with its roots dating back to the late 18th century, continues to hold significance and has even found new applications in the modern era.

Semaphore, derived from the Greek words “sema” meaning “sign” and “pherein” meaning “to bear” or “to carry,” refers to a method of visual communication that utilizes visual signals to convey messages. Originally developed by French engineer Claude Chappe, semaphore involved a network of towers with mechanical arms or flags positioned differently to represent letters, numbers, and symbols. These visual signals could be observed and interpreted from a distance, allowing for long-distance communication without needing electronic devices.

In recent times, semaphore has experienced a resurgence as a captivating artifact of the modern era. The traditional flags and mechanical arms have been replaced by handheld LED devices, which can be used to recreate the visual signals of the semaphore system. This adaptation allows for preserving the semaphore’s historical significance while incorporating modern technology.

The semaphore system operated through a series of predetermined signals or codes conveyed through different hand positions over configurations of flags. Signal senders, equipped with two flags, manipulated their positions to represent letters, numbers, and symbols. The recipient of the message would carefully observe the flag positions and decipher the encoded message accordingly.

While wireless communication technologies have largely replaced semaphore, it