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Leonardo's Lost Robots reinterprets Leonardo da Vinci's mechanical design work, revealing a new level of sophistication not recognized by art historians or engineers. By identifying his major technological projects, the book reinterprets Leonardo's legacy of notes, showing that apparently unconnected fragments from dispersed manuscripts actually comprise cohesive designs for functioning automata. Using the rough sketches scattered throughout almost all of Leonardo's notebooks, the author has reconstructed Leonardo's programmable cart, which was the platform for other automata: a Robot Lion, a Robot Knight, and a hydraulically powered automaton for striking a bell. Through a readable, lively narrative, Mark Rosheim explains how he reconstructed da Vinci's designs. In a foreword the world-renowned Leonardo scholar Carlo Pedretti interprets the significance of these reconstructions for our understanding of Leonardo's oeuvre.
List of contents
Beginnings.- Leonardo's Programmable Automaton and Lion.- Leonardo's Knight.- Leonardo's Bell Ringer.- Epilogue Leonardo's Legacy and Impact on Modern Technology.
About the author
Mark Rosheim attended the University of Minnesota, studying mechanical engineering. He has developed robotic technologies for NASA, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Energy, and is the founder and president of Ross-Hime Designs, Inc., a Minneapolis, Minnesota-based mechanical design company. He holds over 20 patents in robot technology, and has published and lectured extensively around the world on the topic of robot technology and history.
Summary
This lively book reinterprets Leonardo da Vinci’s mechanical design work, revealing a sophistication that has gone unrecognized by art historians or engineers. The book recovers Leonardo's notes, showing that apparently unconnected fragments scattered in manuscripts are actually cohesive designs for functioning automata. Using rough sketches found throughout almost all of Leonardo's notebooks, Mark Rosheim has reconstructed Leonardo’s programmable cart, which was the platform for other automata: a Robot Lion, a Robot Knight, and a hydraulic-powered automaton for striking a bell. A foreword by the world-renowned Leonardo scholar Carlo Pedretti interprets the significance of these reconstructions in modern appreciation of Leonardo’s genius.
Additional text
From the reviews:
"In ‘Leonardo’s Lost Robots’, Rosheim is on the trail of another intriguing da Vinci mystery: Did the renowned Renaissance painter, inventor, engineer and architect design some of the world’s earliest robots? … This book should appeal to readers interested in engineering history, robotics and mechanical engineering, and it should serve as a helpful resource in teaching early engineering. ‘Leonardo’s Lost Robots’ offers a fascinating glimpse into the world of Renaissance technology and the genius of Leonardo da Vinci." (Robin Tatu, ASEE PRISM, Vol. 16 (1), September, 2006)
"Leonardo da Vinci was fascinated by automata and sketches of robotic mechanisms are spread through his notebooks. Rosheim, in this beautifully illustrated volume, explores their feasibility and traces da Vinci’s legacy among modern robot makers." (Financial Times UK, December, 2006)
Report
From the reviews:
"In 'Leonardo's Lost Robots', Rosheim is on the trail of another intriguing da Vinci mystery: Did the renowned Renaissance painter, inventor, engineer and architect design some of the world's earliest robots? ... This book should appeal to readers interested in engineering history, robotics and mechanical engineering, and it should serve as a helpful resource in teaching early engineering. 'Leonardo's Lost Robots' offers a fascinating glimpse into the world of Renaissance technology and the genius of Leonardo da Vinci." (Robin Tatu, ASEE PRISM, Vol. 16 (1), September, 2006)
"Leonardo da Vinci was fascinated by automata and sketches of robotic mechanisms are spread through his notebooks. Rosheim, in this beautifully illustrated volume, explores their feasibility and traces da Vinci's legacy among modern robot makers." (Financial Times UK, December, 2006)
