The Frenchman Louis Daguerre invented the daguerreotype, an early photographic process that used a iodine-sensitized silvered plate and Mercury vapor to produce photographs. Daguerre made this discovery by accident in 1835, and this photographic process was introduced to the public in 1839.
Louis Daguerre introduced daguerreotypes in 1839.
Nicephore Niepce is credited with inventing the photographic process, but not until 1825 after a few years of trying. The 18th century as you asked, is too early.
Daguerreotype
William Henry Fox Talbot (11 February 1800 - 17 September 1877) was the inventor of the negative / positive photographic process, the precursor to most photographic processes of the 19th and 20th centuries.
A daguerreotype is a photograph made by an early photographic process. The photo was produced on a silver plate sensitized to iodine and developed in mercury vapor.
W. Boutall has written: 'Recent advances in connection with methods of photographic reproduction' '[Early photo-engraving processes]' 'Technical education in process work ...'
Braille is named after its inventor, Louis Braille. Louis Braille was French and developed the system in the early 19th century as a way for visually impaired people to read and write.
copper plate coated with silver iodide
Ben Franklin.
Leonardo da Vinci - early 1480's
Thomas Edison
That is early is " c'est tôt " in French.