Tesla and robotics

Taught by: Emanuel Mihelic (Croatia), Tesla portraits by Croatian students

In 1898 Nikola Tesla presented his remote control boat in Madison Square Garden, New York. That was the first remote control object. We use it every day!

Also, it was the first automat. Tesla named it Tele­automat. In other words, that was the first robot.

Tesla had visions. At the beginning of 20th century he predicted clearly today's modern society : wireless press instead of delivering newspapers home and telecomunication devices will be in our pockets.

In 1925 Tesla said: "We will watch many important events such as president elections, world's sport events, natural catastrophies and wars as we are there personally."

It is really amazing. We think it is the astonishing prediction and fulfillment of everything that is going on around us today.

"World's Wireless System" or "World's System" as Tesla named it, could be realized during Tesla's life with the help of his other inventions. But he didn't have enough money for his experiments. His visions were too progressive and the industrialists couldn't understand them. That's why they didn't want to invest money in Tesla's work. Tesla desperately looked for money for his projects.

He presented the "Death Ray" to the USA army several times, but didn't receive any financial suport. Nobody could predict the huge potential of that invention.

We saw some drawings from that time inspired by Tesla's visions. They show the scene of a future war. All vehicles are on remote controlled by "teleutomatons". The light and rays are all over the sky. The tower on Long Island, that Telsla built in 1901-1902 is in the middle of the scene. It is the base for sending information and electricity.
Can you see? Everything is so similar to wars that people all around the world are watching on TV these years.