Luther Simjian
Bringing photography and automated services together
Luther George Simjian, also known as Karapet Simjian, was an Armenian American inventor born in Aintab in 1905. He began his working life in the United States in photography. Employment at Yale’s medical school strengthened his interests in optics and medical imaging.
He developed photographic and electromechanical devices as well as optical training equipment for aviators. One of his best-known projects was the Bankograph, an automated deposit machine. It recorded deposited money or documents photographically and supplied a receipt linked to the transaction.
The machine was an early example of banking self-service: its principal function was accepting deposits rather than dispensing cash. Simjian continued inventing into his final years and died in 1997. His legacy centres on bringing imaging, mechanical design and automatic operations together in practical services.