Distinguished Alumnus of IIT Madras, Dr. Thomas Thundat (1980/MSc/Phy ) , Canada Excellence Research Chair Professor at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, has given this lecture titled as 'Reviving Tesla for an Array of Possibilities .. for Leadership Lecture Series: Alumni Speak! on May 15, 2104 @ 11 am in IC & SR auditorium of IIT Madras
About the talk :
Title: Reviving Tesla for an Array of Possibilities
Abstract:
Over a century ago Nikola Tesla proposed a different mode of electricity transmission where the earth acted as a single wire. We have resurrected this old concept for delivering electrical power to all kinds of devices. One such application is powering miniature sensors and devices. Despite the many advances in the development of miniature sensors based on micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), their use as implantable sensors and left behind sensors with telemetry still remain as challenge. Batteries pose the biggest bottleneck in the development of miniature sensors because of their large sizes and limited lifetime. Using a standing wave concept, we have developed a technique of power delivery through the resonance of a solitary wire with its surrounding stray capacitance. The system may operate with only a single connection to the power supply where the return path is completed through the stray capacitance. The standard two-wire transmission line may be replaced with a single wire. Presently, the method is experimentally demonstrated at the small scale using loads of up to 50 watts with efficiency over 90%. Simple circuit models show close agreement with experimental results. I will discuss potential applications of this method for many applications such as charging electronic devices, powering electric vehicles, in-situ heating of oil sands deposits, remediation of tailing ponds, etc. I will also discuss the possibilities of powering remote villages and transmission of large-scale power over large distances..... Dr. Thomas
