Wednesday 22 June 2011

WHO WAS JOHN THOMAS ROMNEY ROBINSON?

There are plenty of people who are not familiar with the term "Anemometer" but if you ask them about "Wind Meters" it is not difficult for them to know what you are talking about. Of course the scientific and engineering community have to know what an Anemometer is but there are still people who might be interested to know a little bit more. This is why it is probably a good idea to write about this wind instrument and the different types of Anemometers

A good place to start would be with  "cup anemometers " which are very common and popular with meteorological experts who do scientific studies on the weather. The following video presentation is a modern day tribute to the Inventor. If you are interested to know what he looked like you might enjoy the tribute and the music which was designed to bring honor to this great man of science.



The Doctor's first models were using 4 cups but now it is more common to use 3. It is amazing that so much time has passed since it was first invented and it's popularity still remains. There are engineers who simply love this type of instrument and will select it when given the choice. Manufacturers all over the world offer different designs depending on the application and necessary precision requirements and some even make the cups out of stainless steel.




Sometimes you will see that making a simple version of this wind instrument is something that teachers will do for their students. If you are interested in making your own home made 3 or 4 cup anemometer for a practical demonstration and a lot of fun ,then the following video gives some excellent instructions.


   


All you will need are some paper cups, scissors, some lengths of cardboard, plastic sealant or plasticine, some pins, a stapling device and something to colour the final product. If you do this then it is highly likely that the children who involve themselves in this activity will never forget you and the word "Anemometer" Remembering a long name like John Thomas Romney Robinson might be a bit more difficult and I guess he would not mind if we simply refer to him as "Dr. Robinson- the inventor of the cup anemometer.

Grown ups also want to get involved in building their own anemometer but this is for more serious reasons. Of course you can always buy one and save a lot of time and energy but some people enjoy being involved in building their own weather stations. It is most likely that a lot of these people are also trying to harness wind power to save on costs by producing their own electricity. The following video gives a good example of what people can do to have some fun and hopefully save some cash. It is amazing what you can do with a bicycle wheel and a bit of ingenuity.



                            


Believe it or not, wind is actually related to the sun's energy. Yes ! The uneven heat on the earth's surface, the fact that the surfaces are uneven and earth rotation all combine to make wind. Wind can be affected by the terrain water, plants and trees too!  If you are interested in making your own wind turbine there are wind and water power programs offered by several governmental institutions.







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