Continuing with some of the fascinating inventions Leonardo came up with.
*Worth Mentioning. In Leonardo’s notebooks there were numerous detailed sketches of scissors and even though evidence suggest that ancient Egyptians used scissors and that Da Vinci did not invent them, his sketches were likely used to improve the design of scissors.
The parachute
Da Vinci invented the parachute almost 500 years ago. His design based on using linen cloth that sealed on top of a wooden pyramid structure about 7 meters long. In his notebooks Da Vinci describes the parachute as an apparatus that would allow any man to throw himself down from a great height and not suffer any injury.
Like many of his monumental discoveries, Leonardo’s parachute was never tested. However, the cool part is the in 2000, daredevil Adrian Nichols actually built a parachute based on Leonardo’s designs. Despite great skepticism from most people, the parachute worked smoothly and Nichols even complemented its smooth ride. (link)
The Robotic Knight
Da Vinci used pulleys, gears and weights in a similar fashion to his Self-Propelled cart. The Robotic was able to move with the help of an elaborate pulley system, which made the knight able to sit, stand and walk.
Though a full drawing of da Vinci’s robotic knight has never been recovered, fragments detailing different aspects of the knight have been found scattered throughout his notebooks. Using several different da Vinci drawings as blueprints, roboticist Mark Rosheim built a prototype of the robotic knight in 2002, which was able to walk and wave.(link)
The Revolving Bridge
This was a bridge designed to be easily packed up and used for crossing bodies of water during the war.
Like many of his monumental discoveries, Leonardo’s parachute was never tested. However, the cool part is the in 2000, daredevil Adrian Nichols actually built a parachute based on Leonardo’s designs. Despite great skepticism from most people, the parachute worked smoothly and Nichols even complemented its smooth ride. (link)
The Robotic Knight
Though a full drawing of da Vinci’s robotic knight has never been recovered, fragments detailing different aspects of the knight have been found scattered throughout his notebooks. Using several different da Vinci drawings as blueprints, roboticist Mark Rosheim built a prototype of the robotic knight in 2002, which was able to walk and wave.(link)
The Revolving Bridge
The bridge consisted of ropes and pulley systems for quickly setting and deploying the device. The brilliant mind of Da Vinci also incorporated a balancing weight.
Conclusion
Leonardo Da Vinci was a master artist, an exceptional engineer and a person who lived way before his time. His ideas helped shape the world as we know it and he left us with a legacy that will never be forgotten. From the Mona Lisa too the mysteries of his thinking. Leonardo Da Vinci will never be forgotten.Hope you enjoyed this first installment in my mini-series about history and the shaping of it. Stay tuned for more.
Read up on Part 1 , Part 1 continued and ofcourse Part 2