The phénakisticope (better known as phenakistiscope or the later misspelling phenakistoscope) was the first widespread animation device that created a fluent illusion of motion. Dubbed "Fantascope" and "Stroboscopische Scheiben" (Stroboscopic discs) by its inventors, it has been known under very many other names until the French product name Phenakisticope became common (with alternative spelling). The phenakistiscope is regarded as one of the first forms of moving media entertainment that paved the way for the future motion picture and film industry. Like a GIF animation, it can only show a short continuous loop.
