Wolfgang von Kempelen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wolfgang von Kempelen
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| Born |
Wolfgang Franciscus de Paula Johannes Elemosinarius von Kempelen
23 January 1734 |
| Died | 26 March 1804 (aged 70) Vienna, Habsburg Empire (now Austria)
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| Nationality | Hungarian |
| Occupation | Inventor |
| Known for | The Turk |
Wolfgang von Kempelen (Hungarian: Kempelen Farkas; born January 23, 1734 – died March 26, 1804) was a clever Hungarian inventor and writer. He is most famous for two amazing creations. One was a chess-playing "robot" called The Turk, which was actually a clever trick! The other was a machine that could "speak" like a human.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Wolfgang von Kempelen was born in a city called Pressburg. This city was part of the Kingdom of Hungary back then. He was the youngest child in his family.
From a young age, Wolfgang loved learning. He studied law and philosophy in Pressburg. He also went to academies in other big cities like Győr, Vienna, and Rome. He was especially interested in mathematics and physics. Wolfgang was also very good with languages. He could speak German, Hungarian, Latin, French, and Italian. Later, he even learned English and Romanian during his travels.
His Career and Family
Wolfgang von Kempelen started his career in 1755. His first job was as a clerk in the Hungarian Court Chamber. He quickly moved up in his career. He became a secretary, then a court councillor, and even a director of salt mining. He helped with many important projects for the government. For example, he helped move a university and oversaw the building of a theatre in Buda.
Wolfgang was married twice. His first wife, Maria Franziska Piani, passed away in 1758. He then married Maria Anna von Gobelius in 1762. They had five children together. Two of their children, Maria Theresia and Karl, lived to be adults.
Amazing Inventions
Wolfgang von Kempelen was a very creative inventor. His most famous inventions were The Turk and his speaking machine.
The Turk: A Chess-Playing "Robot"
In 1769, Wolfgang showed off his most famous invention: The Turk. He presented it to Maria Theresa, who was the ruler of Austria. The Turk looked like a life-sized human figure dressed in Turkish clothes. It sat behind a large wooden box with a chessboard on top.
The amazing thing was that The Turk could play chess against a human! It seemed like a real robot. But it was actually a very clever trick. Inside the large wooden box, a skilled chess player was hidden. This person secretly controlled The Turk's moves using levers.
The Turk traveled all over Europe and the Americas for nearly 84 years. It played and won most of its games. Famous people like Napoleon Bonaparte and Benjamin Franklin even played against The Turk and lost!
The Speaking Machine
Kempelen also built a very special machine that could "speak." It was designed to make sounds like human speech. One of these machines can still be seen today. It is in the Musical Instruments section of the Deutsches Museum in Munich, Germany.
In 1789, after 20 years of research, he wrote a book about his speech machine. It was called Mechanismus Der Menschlichen Sprache Nebst Beschreibung Seiner Sprechenden Maschine. This means "Mechanism of Human Speech, with a Description of His Speaking Machine."
Other Inventions and Talents
Wolfgang von Kempelen was busy with many other projects too. He built steam-engines and water pumps. He also designed a special bridge that could float on water in Pressburg. He even invented a steam turbine for mills and a typewriter for a blind pianist named Maria Theresia von Paradis.
Besides being an inventor, Kempelen was also an artist. He wrote poems and even composed a musical play called Andromeda and Perseus.
Later Years and Legacy
Wolfgang von Kempelen retired in 1798 after working for the Austrian Empire for 43 years. He received a pension for his service. He passed away in 1804 in Vienna.
Wolfgang von Kempelen is remembered for his clever inventions and his many talents. A special award for computer science history, the Wolfgang von Kempelen Computing Science History Prize, is named after him. There is also a high school in Budapest named in his honor.
Images for kids
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A charcoal self-portrait of Kempelen.
See also
In Spanish: Wolfgang von Kempelen para niños
