A Scottish inventor, Baird was the first person to televise an image using mechanical scanning.

His first demonstration of true television took place on 27 January 1926 before an audience of 50 scientists at the Royal Institute in London. By 1927 he had transmitted television over 700 km (435 miles) of telephone lines between London and Glasgow. By 1928 he had succeeded in demonstrating colour television.

Baird continued his research on stereoscopic and large-screen television until his death at Bexhill-on-Sea, Sussex, on 14 June 1946.