The development of fiber optic technologies can be attributed to many scientists and inventors from all around the globe, spanning centuries. Each figure contributed his or her own ideas and applications, which has given us the advanced systems we use today for telecommunication systems, television transmissions, and data networks.

The basis for fiber optic communication can be originally traced back to a French inventor named Claude Chappe. In 1792, Claude Chappe developed the original semaphore system, which consisted of a series of towers, topped with semaphores that could convey messages from one tower to another. These semaphores refer to an optical telegraph system which incorporates the use of pivoting shutters to convey information through a series of 196 symbols.

The next development that can be traced to the development of these systems is the discovery of total internal reflection, a key modern feature. In 1854, British physicist John Tyndall discovered it was possible to guide light through a jet of water flowing from a reservoir. In 1890, inventors realized that the same principle could be applied to bent quartz rods, with the same effect. Practical applications of this process were then used in dentistry.

In the 1920's, scientists were attempting to transmit information and images through this medium. In 1930, Munich medical student Heinrich Lamm was successful in transmitting images through early forms of optical fibers.

Dutch scientist Van Heel successfully created the first cladding to be used with these bundles in 1954. Fiber cladding was a crucial innovation in this field. Modern fiber optic systems would not be able to function without cladding.

Modern optical fibers generally consist of three layers. In the center is the core. The core is where the light can be transmitted down the length of the cord. Surrounding this core is the cladding. The cladding serves a dual purpose, both protecting the total reflection surface from external contamination, while simultaneously retaining the light signal and greatly reducing cross talk between the cords. This cladding is then covered with a jacket, or sleeve, which serves as further protection.

Finally, in 1970, Drs. Robert Maurer, Donald Keck, and Peter Schultz of Corning Incorporated successfully developed a strand capable of efficiently transmitting quality signals, with little signal loss. This was the beginning of modern fiber optic systems.

In 1977, General Telephone and Electronics deployed the world's first live traffic fiber optic system. The system was deployed in a downtown Chicago area, spanning a distance of 1.5 miles and was used for telecommunication. Today, the fiber optic industry continues to grow exponentially in terms of both technology and application, and will continue to grow far into the future as better technologies are developed.