Q3 Unit 3: Inventions of Leonardo da Vinci
- Sathita Mai
- Jan 26, 2016
- 3 min read
Leonardo Da Vinci was regarded as one of the greatest artists in history, but he was also famed in other fields as well, being known by various names, such as the ‘Universal Genius’, ‘Renaissance Man’, and ‘the Father of Palaeontology, Ichnology, Architecture’.
The Flying Machine
How does it look like?
The two wings of the flying machine have pointed ends, much alike the wings of a bat
The length of the wingspan is longer than 33 feet
The frame was designed to be light yet sturdy by being made of pine covered in raw silk
How would it work:
The pilot would lie face down in the centre of the invention on a board.
[Taken from Flying Machine] To power the wings, the pilot would pedal a crank connected to a rod-and-pulley system. The machine also had a hand crank for increased energy output, and a head piece for steering. As the busy pilot spins cranks with his hands and feet, the wings of the machine flap.
The Diving Suit
While living in Venice, Leonardo Da Vinci was probably the first person in the 15th century to have devised a diving suit.
How does it work:
IDEA 1: Divers would be able to see underwater by wearing facemasks equipped with glass goggles, and also carry breathing hoses connected to a floating bell full of air.
IDEA 2: Instead of breathing hoses, the divers would have breathed from wine bladders filled with air.
For both ideas, the men would carry a bottle to urinate in so that they could stay underwater indefinitely.
The Robotic Knight
This invention was the first humanoid robot in the 15th century.
Inspiration: The human anatomy fascinated Da Vinci, and he has spent much of his time dissecting corpses in order to figure out how the human body worked. Thus, he had knowledge of how muscles are able to propel the bones.
The Robotic Knight was able to walk, sit down, move its jaws, move its head, lift its visor and move its mouth.
How did it work:
It was based on a knight suit that was fitted with gears, wheels, pulleys and cables in the inside.
The upper and lower parts were controlled by two different systems – four-factor system and a tri-factor system.
My Reflection:
Based on my research about Leonardo Da Vinci, I am surprised by his gifted talent. Not only is he a great artist, Leonardo is also an architect, and is even knowledgeable about the human body. I believe that it is because of this perseverance that made him into such a great man. If he was not interested in the human body, he would not have invested the efforts to study the human body from corspes. His efforts had paid off, as not only he gains knowledge about the body, but it also helped him in sketching artworks associated with the human body. In my opinion, Leonardo is really a genius, because he was able to invent so many ideas that seemed impossible with the technology and study in his time.
Works Cited
Flying Machine. 2008. Web. 26 January 2016. <http://www.da-vinci-inventions.com/flying-machine.aspx>.
Lampton, Christopher. Top 10 Leonardo da Vinci Inventions. 21 June 2013. Web. 26 January 2016. <http://www.geniusstuff.com/blog/list/10-leonardo-da-vinci-inventions/>.
Leonardo da Vinci: The Complete Works. 2016. Web. 26 January 2016. <http://www.leonardoda-vinci.org/>.
What is Leonardo's Robotic Knight invention? 2003. Web. 26 January 2016. <http://www.innovateus.net/innopedia/what-leonardos-robotic-knight-invention>.
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