Adam Savage Experiences Anatomically Correct Wings!

Summary by Krater

Adam Savage visits maker Laura Mathews in her workshop to examine and try on two sets of intricate, fully articulated mechanical bird wings based on the anatomy of the magpie.

From the video

Answers: How are articulated mechanical bird wings made?

• Mechanical wings construction
• Bird wing anatomy and mechanics
• Pencil polypropylene feather material
• Bamboo and báltic birch materials
• Harness and lever linkage design

What it concludes

• Polypropylene is an indestructible and easy-to-sew feather material that requires no glue and does not melt in San Francisco temperatures.
• Using a router and a wooden template is a fast and efficient way to cut aluminum and wooden parts for robot frames.
• Adding a hinge and extra length to the wing extension mechanism provides greater leverage and allows the wings to open further backwards.