Leonardo da Vinci designed an anemometer, a device for measuring wind speed.
Leonardo’s anemometer concept used a light plate that could move in response to wind. A graduated scale allowed the observer to estimate the strength of the airflow from the plate’s position. The device was intended to support his studies of flight and atmospheric motion.
The instrument belongs to Leonardo’s investigations of air, weather, and flying machines. Measuring wind was especially useful for understanding how birds fly and for judging whether human-made wings might generate lift.
An anemometer should not be confused with a wind vane. A wind vane shows wind direction, while an anemometer measures wind speed. Modern anemometers often use cups, propellers, or electronic sensors, but Leonardo’s proposal relied on a moving plate and a scale.