The dream of flight fired the imagÂiÂnaÂtion of Leonard da VinÂci in the earÂly sixÂteenth cenÂtuÂry. In designÂing his famous flyÂing machines, the painter, sculpÂtor, archiÂtect, mathÂeÂmatiÂcian, engiÂneer, invenÂtor, anatomist — ah heck, let’s just call him a RenaisÂsance man — closeÂly studÂied the mechanÂics of birds in flight, notÂing the eleÂgant ways in which they turn and glide. CenÂturies latÂer the Wright BrothÂers got us off the ground, but nevÂer with equal grace. It has takÂen a long time, but finalÂly engiÂneers at the GerÂman comÂpaÂny, FesÂto, have found a way to mechanÂiÂcalÂly reproÂduce the beauÂty of birds in flight. They call their robot the SmartÂBird, and they showed it off last year at TED.
I want one! SmallÂer though so I can fly inside my house. ProbÂaÂbly wouldÂn’t cost more that a few hunÂdred thouÂsand dolÂlars either at this point.
those TED conÂferÂences are amazÂing
One bitÂter comÂplaint, amongst all this marÂvelÂlous aniÂmatÂed footage: NO SHUTTLE. No wonÂderÂful, amazÂing, enthralling ShutÂtle. I weep for the loss of it, in this video, as well.