High tech gadgets used to trigger medieval weapon

reuters ^ | Mar 1, 2011 | Harriet McLeod

[JoeProBono]

Workers at a Google data center combined 12 century know how and space age technology to trigger a medieval weapon that was used to hurl rocks, balls of fire and dead animals over castle walls.

They used an Android cellphone, a computer the size of a credit card and a Blue Tooth receiver to trigger the wooden weapon, known as a trebuchet, during the first "Storm the Citadel Trebuchet Competition" in Charleston over the weekend.

The trebuchet was used during medieval times to break down fortifications. "They also threw dead people," said Dennis Fallon, dean of engineering at The Citadel, a military college with about 2,100 male and female cadets. "What we have done in military history is not always something to be proud of." More powerful than the ballistas and catapults of ancient empires, the trebuchet used a long swing arm, triggered by the pull of gravity on a counterweight placed at the other end, to slingshot its payload into the air.

[Professional Engineer]

Bigfootboy and I are camping. I was taking a late latrine break.

[alfa6]

I was taking a late latrine break

Ah yes I know that all to well :-)

Regards

alfa6 ;>}