por The inventions of Leonardo da Vinci continue to influence the world to this day. The helicopter, the parachute, the anemometer, the tank or the crossbow are some of the many that continue to be used.
Leonardo da Vinci is one of the most prolific inventors in history; he engineered inventions and innovations in a wide variety of fields. He stood out for his curiosity and his ability to innovate and be creative in different areas of knowledge.
Whether designing weapons of war, flying machines, water systems, or work tools, da Vinci, the inventor (just like the artist) was never afraid to look beyond traditional thinking.
List of Leonardo da Vinci’s inventions
1- Helicopter (Propeller)
Although the first real helicopter was not built until the 1940s, Leonardo da Vinci’s sketches from the late 15th century are believed to have been the predecessor of the modern flying machine.
Like many of da Vinci’s ideas, he never built it, but his notes and drawings mapped out exactly how the device would work.
2- Anemometer
Historians stipulate that it was Leonardo da Vinci’s fascination with flight that inspired him to innovate the anemometer, an instrument for measuring wind speed.
His hope was that, in time, the device could be used to give people a view of the direction of the wind before attempting to fly.
While da Vinci did not actually invent the device, he did make variations on the existing design, originated by Leon Battista in 1450, (da Vinci’s design was probably made between 1483 and 1486), so that it would be easier to measure the force of the wind. .
Along with his sketches of the anemometer, da Vinci made the following notes: «To measure the distance traveled per hour by the force of the wind, a watch is required here to show the time.»
3- Flying machine
Of Leonardo da Vinci’s many areas of study, perhaps this Renaissance man’s favorite area was aviation. Da Vinci seemed genuinely excited by the possibility of people soaring through the skies like birds.
One of da Vinci’s most famous inventions, the flying machine (also known as the «ornithopter») ideally showcases his powers of observation and imagination, as well as his enthusiasm for the potential for flight.
The design of this invention is clearly inspired by the flight of winged animals, which da Vinci hoped to replicate. In fact, in his notes, he mentions bats, kites, and birds as sources of inspiration.
Perhaps the bat’s inspiration shines above most, as the device’s two wings possess spikes commonly associated with the winged creature. Leonardo Da Vinci’s flying machine had a wingspan in excess of 33 feet and the frame was to be made of pine covered in raw silk to create a lightweight yet robust membrane.
4- Parachute
Although credit for inventing the first practical parachute is generally given to Sebastien Lenormand in 1783, Leonardo da Vinci actually conceived the idea of the parachute hundreds of years earlier.
Da Vinci sketched the invention with this description: “If a man has a tent made of flax, the openings of which have all been plugged, and it will be twelve braccias (about 23 feet) wide and twelve inches deep, he will be able to throw himself from any great height without suffering any damage.”
Perhaps the most distinct aspect of da Vinci’s parachute design was that the canopy was triangular rather than rounded, leading many to wonder if it would actually have enough air resistance to float. And since da Vinci’s parachute was to be made of linen covering a wooden frame, the device’s weight was also seen as an issue.
5- War machine or 33-cannon mortar
The problem with the cannons of the time was that they took a long time to load. Da Vinci’s solution to this problem was to build multi-barreled mortars that could be loaded and fired simultaneously.
The guns were divided into three rows of 11 guns each, all attached to a single turntable. Attached to the sides of the platform were large wheels.
The idea was that while one set of cannons was firing, another set would cool down and the third set could be charged. This system allowed soldiers to fire repeatedly without interruption.
6- Armored vehicle
The armored vehicles invented by Leonardo da Vinci were capable of moving in any direction and were equipped with a large number of weapons.
Da Vinci’s most famous war machine, the armored car, was designed to intimidate and disperse an opposing army. This vehicle had a series of light cannons arranged on a circular platform with wheels that allowed a range of 360 degrees.
The platform was covered in a large protective cover (much like a turtle shell), reinforced with metal plates, which had to be tilted to better divert enemy fire. It had an observation tower at the top to coordinate the firing of the guns and the direction of the vehicle.
7- Giant crossbow
One thing that Leonardo da Vinci may have understood better than any of his contemporaries was the psychological effects of weapons of war. Da Vinci knew that the fear that weapons could inflict on enemies was just as important (if not more so) than the damage they could actually inflict.
This was the main idea behind many of da Vinci’s war inventions like his giant crossbow. Designed for pure intimidation, the crossbow would measure 42 braccia (or 27 yards). The device would have six wheels (three on each side) for mobility, and the bow itself would be made of fine wood for flexibility.
The invention of the giant crossbow is a great example of the way da Vinci’s illustrations really brought his ideas to life. Through his illustrations, an idea, however unlikely, becomes realistic and plausible.
8- Triple barrel mortar
As a military engineer, one of Leonardo da Vinci’s key beliefs was that mobility was crucial to victory on the battlefield. This idea is seen in many of his war inventions.
During da Vinci’s time, cannons were generally used at home in stationary positions rather than on the battlefield. Da Vinci designed his Triple Barrel Mortar to solve both of these problems, a fast and light weapon that could do a lot of damage on the battlefield.
Unlike a cannon, the da Vinci cannon allowed soldiers to load three shots at a time. The lighter weight and large wheels allowed the gun carriage to be mobilized to different areas during battle.
9- Clock
To avoid any initial confusion, Leonardo da Vinci did not invent the watch. What he did was design a more accurate watch. While clocks showing hours and minutes had become increasingly accurate by da Vinci’s time (15th century), they didn’t make a big leap until the addition of the pendulum some 200 years later. But, da Vinci actually designed a more accurate watch.
Leonardo’s watch had two separate mechanisms: one for the minutes and one for the hours. Each was composed of elaborately connected weights, gear, and harnesses. The watch also has a dial to keep track of the phases of the moon.
10- The Colossus
Perhaps more interesting than the ambition and innovation behind Leonardo da Vinci’s invention of the colossus, is the genius story of his attempts to bring it to life. In 1482, the Duke of Milan commissioned da Vinci to build the world’s largest horse statue. Leonardo da Vinci, never afraid of a challenge, so he designed a 24-foot bronze statue and then went to work creating a clay model.
The next step was to cover the model in bronze, which was not an easy task. Due to the size of the statue, 80 tons of bronze were required, which had to be applied in a uniform thickness or the statue would be unstable.
To do this, da Vinci used his experience in barrel design to invent a new mold-making technique. He also had to invent an innovative furnace to reach the temperature necessary to heat such a large quantity of bronze.
11- The ideal city
Perhaps no idea speaks to the epic ambition and scope of Leonardo da Vinci’s inventions better than his ideal city. This invention focuses not only on a single area but combines da Vinci’s talents as an artist, architect, engineer, and inventor to create an entire city. The perfect idea for da Vinci’s city arose after the plague devastated Milan, killing almost a third of the population.
Leonardo wanted to design a city that was more united, with greater communications, services, and sanitation to prevent the future spread of such diseases. His ideal city integrated a series of connected canals, to be used for commercial purposes and as a sewage system.
The city would have lower and upper areas, the lower part would be channels for merchants and travelers and the upper part would be roads for «knights». The roads were designed to be wide, most likely in response to the narrow streets of Milan, where people were jammed, contributing to the spread of the plague. Unfortunately, his ideal city never materialized.
12- Robotic arm or robotic knight
With his innovative engineering mind, Leonardo da Vinci had many ideas that employed the use of pulleys, weights, and gears. Indeed, these three components were crucial to many of his automated inventions – including his versions of the clock, air conditioning, and hydraulic saw.
Da Vinci also incorporated these mechanisms into his automotive invention, which many people consider the first robot. But da Vinci used the pieces to create another robot as well, his robotic knight. Although a complete 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.
Designed for a contest in Milan (which the Duke had put Leonardo in charge of overseeing), the Robotic Knight consisted of a knight’s suit filled with gears and wheels that were connected to an elaborate system of pulleys and cables.
Through these mechanisms, da Vinci’s robotic knight was capable of independent movement: sitting up, standing up, moving its head, and raising the visor. Using several different da Vinci drawings, roboticist Mark Rosheim built a prototype of the robotic knight in 2002, which was capable of walking.
Rosheim watched as Leonardo had designed the robotic knight to be easily built, without a single unnecessary part. Rosheim also used da Vinci’s designs as inspiration for the robots he developed for NASA.