After a botched water tank trick, Angier’s and Borden became bitter enemies. The two began one-upping each other with their magic tricks. The story ultimately surrounding the trick, “The Transported Man”, initially introduced by Borden, in which the performer appears in two wardrobes on opposite ends of the stage. Angier implemented his own version by using a body double at first, and later improved it by using the teleporting machine which he comissioned Nikola Tesla to invent. It was later revealed that Borden’s trick was much simpler, using his twin brother.

spoiler

Um actually … The machine is not a teleporting machine. It is cloning machine, and the trick amounts to Angier killing (either himself or his clone) after appearing on the other side.