Nik l T lNik l T lNikola TeslaNikola TeslaFrom the Mind of a Genius to TodayFrom the Mind of a Genius to Today’s ’s yyElectrical Cars and SupercomputersElectrical Cars and Supercomputers

Vladimir JelenkoviVladimir JelenkoviććDirector of the Nikola Tesla MuseumDirector of the Nikola Tesla Museum

BelgradeBelgrade • Serbia• Serbia

ENGINEERS AUSTRALIAENGINEERS AUSTRALIAENGINEERS AUSTRALIAENGINEERS AUSTRALIAPerth • 5 July 2011Perth • 5 July 2011

Who is Nikola Tesla?Who is Nikola Tesla?

Nikola Tesla (1856Nikola Tesla (1856--Nikola Tesla (1856Nikola Tesla (18561943) 1943) is Serbianis Serbian--American American scientistscientist, , i t di t d l tl tinventor, and inventor, and electro electro and mechanical and mechanical engineer whoengineer whoengineer who engineer who provided mankind provided mankind with a large number with a large number

f i ifi tf i ifi tof significant of significant discoveries and discoveries and inventionsinventionsinventionsinventions

Man Ahead of His TimeMan Ahead of His TimeMan Ahead of His TimeMan Ahead of His Time

Tesla is most famous for conceiving the rotating Tesla is most famous for conceiving the rotating magnetic field principle (1882) and then using it tomagnetic field principle (1882) and then using it tomagnetic field principle (1882) and then using it to magnetic field principle (1882) and then using it to invent the induction motor together with the invent the induction motor together with the accompanying alternating current longaccompanying alternating current long--distance distance electrical transmission system (1888). electrical transmission system (1888). y ( )y ( )His patents and theoretical work still form the basis His patents and theoretical work still form the basis for modern alternating current electric power (AC) for modern alternating current electric power (AC) systems including the polyphase power distributionsystems including the polyphase power distributionsystems including the polyphase power distribution systems including the polyphase power distribution system.system.

Man Ahead of His TimeMan Ahead of His TimeTesla was so far ahead of his time Tesla was so far ahead of his time that many of his ideas are only that many of his ideas are only appearing today. appearing today. His legacy can be seen in His legacy can be seen in everything from the invention of the everything from the invention of the induction motor, longinduction motor, long--distance distance electrical power distribution, Teslaelectrical power distribution, Teslaelectrical power distribution, Tesla electrical power distribution, Tesla coil and highcoil and high--frequency electricity frequency electricity that led to the creation of neon and that led to the creation of neon and fluorescent lighting, basics of radio fluorescent lighting, basics of radio technology, remote control,technology, remote control,technology, remote control, technology, remote control, wireless communication, lasers, the wireless communication, lasers, the facsimile machine and hundreds of facsimile machine and hundreds of other devices that are now an other devices that are now an essential part of our everyday lives. essential part of our everyday lives. esse t a pa t o ou e e yday esesse t a pa t o ou e e yday esHis inventions His inventions through the through the ingenuity of their solutions, ingenuity of their solutions, universality of application, and universality of application, and breakthroughs in many fields ofbreakthroughs in many fields ofbreakthroughs in many fields of breakthroughs in many fields of technology and science, have technology and science, have changed the world around us. changed the world around us.

Nikola Tesla at the World Fair Nikola Tesla at the World Fair in Chicago in 1893in Chicago in 1893in Chicago in 1893in Chicago in 1893

The Chicago World Exhibition, marking the 400th anniversary of the The Chicago World Exhibition, marking the 400th anniversary of the Christopher Columbus’s discovery of America, for which reason it Christopher Columbus’s discovery of America, for which reason it

A new city was built for the Chicago World's Fair, announced as “The

was called “was called “Columbus’s exhibitionColumbus’s exhibition”, opened on May 1, 1893”, opened on May 1, 1893

World s Fair, announced as The World of Tomorrow”, with a complex of buildings and parks. A specially constructed machine hall contained 12 of Tesla's two-phase generators,12 of Tesla s two phase generators, 1,000 horsepower each, working at a frequency of 60 Hz. The generators produced electricity for the operation of devices and for electricoperation of devices and for electric lighting at the fair.

This was the opportunity to spectacularly apply Tesla’s polyphase This was the opportunity to spectacularly apply Tesla’s polyphase t i ti ht i ti h W ti h El t i d M f t iW ti h El t i d M f t isystem in practice, when system in practice, when Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing

CompanyCompany was contracted to provide electric power necessary for was contracted to provide electric power necessary for machines and electrical lighting of the World Exhibition, using machines and electrical lighting of the World Exhibition, using Tesla’s system.Tesla’s system.

Tesla's Tesla's Egg of Columbus Egg of Columbus at theat the World Fair in ChicagoWorld Fair in Chicagoat theat the World Fair in ChicagoWorld Fair in Chicago

Tesla demonstrated a Tesla demonstrated a b f l ti fb f l ti fnumber of solutions for number of solutions for

polyphase motor polyphase motor construction. One of the construction. One of the solutions was a motor withsolutions was a motor withsolutions was a motor with solutions was a motor with an eggan egg--shaped rotor, better shaped rotor, better known as “Tesla’s Egg of known as “Tesla’s Egg of Columbus”. It was used toColumbus”. It was used toColumbus . It was used to Columbus . It was used to demonstrate and explain demonstrate and explain the operating principles of the operating principles of the rotating magnetic field the rotating magnetic field

d f th i d ti td f th i d ti tand of the induction motor. and of the induction motor. “Tesla's Egg of Columbus” “Tesla's Egg of Columbus” performed the famous feat performed the famous feat of Columbus with a copperof Columbus with a copperof Columbus with a copper of Columbus with a copper egg in a rotating magnetic egg in a rotating magnetic field.field.

Joint venture between Joint venture between Nikola Tesla Nikola Tesla and George Westinghouseand George Westinghouseand George Westinghouseand George Westinghouse

For six months, 25 million For six months, 25 million visitors could appreciate thevisitors could appreciate thevisitors could appreciate the visitors could appreciate the latest scientific achievements latest scientific achievements of that time. This was a of that time. This was a triumph of a joint venture triumph of a joint venture p jp jbetween Nikola Tesla and the between Nikola Tesla and the businessman George businessman George Westinghouse, as well as an Westinghouse, as well as an ffi ti f th b fit fffi ti f th b fit faffirmation of the benefits of affirmation of the benefits of

using polyphase alternating using polyphase alternating current. current. This event meant the end ofThis event meant the end ofThis event meant the end of This event meant the end of the “War of Currents” the “War of Currents” between Tomas Edison’s DC between Tomas Edison’s DC and Nikola Tesla AC conceptand Nikola Tesla AC conceptand Nikola Tesla AC concept, and Nikola Tesla AC concept, which marked the nineteenth which marked the nineteenth century.century.

First polyphase hydroelectric First polyphase hydroelectric power plant in the worldpower plant in the worldpower plant in the worldpower plant in the world

Chicago World Exhibition contributed Chicago World Exhibition contributed to the selection of Tesla’s polyphaseto the selection of Tesla’s polyphaseto the selection of Tesla s polyphase to the selection of Tesla s polyphase system for the first commercial system for the first commercial polyphase AC hydroelectric power polyphase AC hydroelectric power plant in the world at the Niagara Fallsplant in the world at the Niagara Fallsplant in the world at the Niagara Falls, plant in the world at the Niagara Falls, which was put into operation in 1896.which was put into operation in 1896.

First polyphase hydroelectric First polyphase hydroelectric po er plant in the orldpo er plant in the orldpower plant in the worldpower plant in the world

"The evolution of electric power from the discovery of Faraday"The evolution of electric power from the discovery of Faraday in 1831 to the initial great installation of the Tesla polyphase system in 1896 is undoubtedly the most tremendous event in all engineering history"engineering history -Dr. Charles F. Scott, Professor of Electrical Engineering at Yale University and former President of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers

Tesla Coil / Tesla Coil / Tesla TransformerTesla TransformerA Tesla coil is a type of resonant transformer circuit A Tesla coil is a type of resonant transformer circuit invented by Nikola Tesla around 1891. It is used to invented by Nikola Tesla around 1891. It is used to

Tesla used these coils to conductTesla used these coils to conduct

produce high voltage and high frequency alternating produce high voltage and high frequency alternating current electricitycurrent electricityTesla used these coils to conduct Tesla used these coils to conduct innovative experiments in:innovative experiments in:electrical lightingelectrical lightingphosphorescence xphosphorescence x--ray generationray generationp pp p y gy ghigh frequency alternating current high frequency alternating current phenomenaphenomenaelectrotherapyelectrotherapyt i i f l t i l ith tt i i f l t i l ith ttransmission of electrical energy without transmission of electrical energy without wireswiresTesla coil circuits were used commercially in Tesla coil circuits were used commercially in sparkgap radio transmitters for wireless sparkgap radio transmitters for wireless p g pp g ptelegraphy until the 1920s, and in telegraphy until the 1920s, and in electrotherapy and pseudomedical devices electrotherapy and pseudomedical devices such as violet ray. such as violet ray.

Tesla Coil in popular cultureTesla Coil in popular cultureToday Tesla coils are often used by hobbyists and at Today Tesla coils are often used by hobbyists and at venues such as science museums to produce long venues such as science museums to produce long sparks. Their main use is entertainment and educationalsparks. Their main use is entertainment and educationalsparks. Their main use is entertainment and educational sparks. Their main use is entertainment and educational displays.displays.

Tesla Coil in popular cultureTesla Coil in popular culturep pp p

Tesla coils are built by Tesla coils are built by many highmany high--voltage voltage y gy g ggenthusiasts, research enthusiasts, research institutions, science institutions, science museums andmuseums andmuseums and museums and independent independent experimenters like experimenters like Bunbury’s Dr Peter Bunbury’s Dr Peter Terren allias “Dr Terren allias “Dr Electric”Electric”Electric Electric

Tesla Coil in filmsTesla Coil in films

Tesla coils are popular Tesla coils are popular devices in films and devices in films and computer games, and computer games, and were used to produce were used to produce lightning effects in lightning effects in some famous movies some famous movies like: like: Terminator 2, Star Terminator 2, Star Trek, Highlander, The XTrek, Highlander, The X--FilesFiles and many othersand many others

The newest one is The newest one is The The Sorcerer's ApprenticeSorcerer's Apprentice, , pppp ,,fantasy adventure film fantasy adventure film produced in 2010 by produced in 2010 by Walt Disney productionWalt Disney production

Remote control Remote control of a moving vehicleof a moving vehicleof a moving vehicleof a moving vehicle

In 1898 on the firstIn 1898 on the firstIn 1898, on the first In 1898, on the first Exhibition of electrical Exhibition of electrical devices at the Madison devices at the Madison S G d i NS G d i NSquare Garden in New Square Garden in New York, Tesla was first to York, Tesla was first to present to the public the present to the public the p pp pimplementation of radio implementation of radio waves for transmission waves for transmission of commands byof commands byof commands, by of commands, by remotely controlling a remotely controlling a small vessel using radio small vessel using radio waveswaves

Tesla's remoteTesla's remote--controlled boatcontrolled boat

The vehicle was remotelyThe vehicle was remotelyThe vehicle was remotely The vehicle was remotely controlled by Tesla using controlled by Tesla using several resonating several resonating frequenciesfrequenciesfrequenciesfrequencies..The remoteThe remote--controlled controlled boatboat also contained thealso contained theboatboat also contained the also contained the first AC logic gatefirst AC logic gate..

This was the first pioneering step towards This was the first pioneering step towards the world of wireless technologies the world of wireless technologies gg

that we inhabit todaythat we inhabit today