Leonardo da Vinci designed an anemometer to measure wind force.
His version used a plate that moved in response to the wind. A graduated scale could indicate how far the plate was displaced, allowing an observer to estimate the strength of the airflow. The design was especially relevant to Leonardo’s studies of flight, because wind direction and force affect birds, sails, and proposed flying machines.
An anemometer measures wind speed or wind force, while a wind vane shows wind direction. Modern anemometers commonly use rotating cups, propellers, or ultrasonic sensors, so Leonardo’s plate-based design looks different from many instruments used today.
Leonardo’s work did not produce the electronic weather instruments familiar in modern meteorology. Its importance lies in applying a measurable mechanical response to a natural force, turning observations of wind into quantitative information.