Biography of Nikola Tesla - Research Paper Example

Tesla completed his education at Technical University at Graz, University of Prague. He breathed his last in New York. Though born in Croatia, he came to United States in the year 1884 and was working along with Thomas Edison. The two had worked together on many projects and both parted ways shortly thereafter. Tesla did not confine his research to a particular area alone and was actively involved in the areas of robotics, wireless transmission of energy, radar and many others (Seifer, 1998).

The researches made by Tesla led the ground for many inventions and discoveries at a later point of time by other inventors. He was known to have highest patents up to about 700 of them in the twentieth century. The efforts and results of Tesla’s research paved way for greater technological advancements. He was fondly called as the Father of AC Current, The Man Who Invented the 20th Century and also Father of the Radio. All these names are provided as he laid the foundation for greatest advancement in various sphere in the 20th century (O'Neill, 2007).

Tesla completed his electrical and mechanical engineering course from the Polytechnic Institute in Graz, Austria. He inherited his inventive thoughts from his mother who used to create absolutely innovative ways to help at farm and home. The idea of rotating magnetic hit Tesla when he was working at the Central Telephone Exchange in Budapest in the year 1882. At the age of 24 years, Tesla decided to move to New York where there was proper back up for his research. With his move to New York came the opportunity to work with Thomas Edison by way of recommendation.

Tesla and Thomas worked together in the electrical and magnetic fields related areas. There rose a professional rivalry between Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla over the concept of alternating current. Edison was of the opinion that current can flow through one direction, the direct way. Tesla challenged this contention and brought forth the idea that current can move in the alternative direction as well. Tesla declared that electric energy comes in a cycle and could easily change the course of direction.

He further held that the current created through alternative current method could generate more voltage current than the direct ones. This idea did not go down well with Edison who felt that his ideas are far away from what Thomas had at hand. Edison did not recognize Tesla’s idea about alternating current and did not award him with the bonus that he deserved. Eventually, Tesla quit working with Edison and moved apart. Soon after his departure with Thomas Edison, Tesla joined hands with George Westinghouse, one of the well known American industrialist and inventor of that time.

George Westinghouse was a rival of Thomas Edison so he roped in Tesla into his group and encouraged his research on the alternating current AC. Tesla worked with George in order to develop the alternating current in the year 1888. George Westinghouse invested and bought 40 patents of Tesla for the polyphase alternating current system for using over motors, transformers and that of generators. Electricity was considered to be dangerous at that time due to several mishaps and shocks that happened while researching.

Edison fuelled the fear for electric current by creating mishaps and creating the belief that alternative current is dangerous and only direct current serves the purpose of providing a safe current for home and