Tesla's vision of wireless energy

Having successfully completed his work on the AC motor, Tesla switched his focus to the field of wireless communication and energy transmission.

At this time, messages could only be transmitted through wires - that is, using telegraphy.

But by the end of the 19th century he had built the foundation for modern-day telecommunications.

Unlike his fellow scientists, whose experiments with radio signals were mainly academic and produced little practical benefit, Tesla’s experiments had tangible results.

For the first time in history, messages could be sent through the air.

Ofcourse, Tesla had to fend off repeated attempts by peers who tried to take credit for his discoveries.

It was only years later, in 1943, that Tesla secured patents for radio transmission from the US Supreme Court.

At the 1892 Madison Square Garden Electric appliances Exhibition, Tesla showed to the public another revolutionary application of his work on wireless signal transmission: vehicles that could be remote-controlled.

Visitors were shoked and amazed as Tesla wirelessly maneuvered a boat he called the Teleautomaton.

At the push of several buttons, Tesla could transmit stearing commands through air.

Having never seen such a performance before, spectators thought they were witnessing some kind of a magic trick.

Naturally, Tesla's next goal was to enable long-distance signal transmission. He made great progress with the oscillating transformer now known as the Tesla coil.

It was a machine capable of producing electric power at a higher voltage and frequency than ever before.

In 1890, Tesla secured this patent.

Tesla's prototype of oscillating transformer, based on his own project and drawings.

It was then, with the help of electric discharge from the lightning, that he made a discovery of stationary waves – currents that flow through the surface of the Earth.

Tesla understood that wireless transmission could be achieved by inducing electrical oscillations with his transformer and by using the Earth as a natural conductor.

He only needed to understand the law by which these currents work.

In 1900 Tesla started his new goal pursuit.

New grandiose idea was on the rise.
Tesla envisioned a World Wireless System – the first global system in the history of mankind.

He quickly became aware of the enormous fossil fuel consumption and started emphasizing the importance of the alternative energy sources.

Tesla proposed the use of geothermal energy, hydropower and wind power.

But it wasn't until the late 1950s the formal theories about the unsustainability of fossil fuels emerged.

Aware of Tesla's talents and commercial potential of the wireless project, JP Morgan decided to become his patron. He made a large investment in Tesla's idea.

JP Morgan is known for being the first person to have electric lighting installed at home.

In 1901 construction of Tesla's new laboratory at Wardenclyffe on Long Island began.

Tesla's Long Island laboratory included a 60-meter-tall tower, known as the Wardenclyffe Tower.

This imposing antenna was specially designed and constructed for the wireless transmission of energy.

The crash

In the middle of construction works, disturbing news hit – American market crashed.

For Tesla this meant abolishment of his project. Majority of the financiers took a step back, due to a risky moment for any investment.
J.P. Morgan stopped his involvement in the World Wireless System project.

Tesla was devastated. His efforts were in vain.

The world only began to recognize his breakthroughs in wireless technology many decades later.

The Wardenclyffe tower didn't last long either.
It was blown up in 1917 in misterious circumstance.

The question remains to this day - what would wireless communication look like today, had Tesla had the chance to complete his World Wireless System?