Which machine translates text or graphics documents into electronic signals for transmission?

The machine that translates text or graphic documents into electronic signals for transmission is the facsimile, commonly referred to as a fax machine. This device scans a physical document and converts it into a digital format by breaking the content down into binary code (electronic signals). Once transformed, these signals can be transmitted over telephone lines to another fax machine, which then decodes the signals back into a physical document that can be printed.

A scanner, while it also converts documents into electronic formats, is primarily used for creating digital copies for storage or editing on a computer rather than for direct transmission. A modem, on the other hand, is designed to modulate and demodulate signals for internet connectivity rather than to handle the specific task of transmitting documents like a fax machine does. Lastly, a printer is used to produce hard copies of electronic documents and does not perform transmission tasks. Thus, the facsimile is uniquely suited to the function of document transmission.