Most experts agree that swinging the arms when walking gives added balance and a more efficient gait. The contra lateral arm swing acts as pendulums to counteract leg movement and hip rotation. These counterweights are missing when a parent is carrying groceries and a baby, or police are patrolling on foot with their hands behind their backs.
To compensate this deficiency, the pedestrian pendulums have been developed. Each adjustable pendulum, weighing approx. 5 lbs (2.2 kg) and extending about 10 in (25 cm), swings outside the arms from a lightweight shoulder yoke. As one walks, the body movement causes the pendulums to swing at the sides in a natural rhythm in resonance with the opposing legs. The result is a comfortable and swift stride.
So next time you're about to participate in a hands at the side, Irish dance or need to run with suitcases through an airport terminal, take a second to put on your pedestrian pendulums and be a satisfied, swinging stroller.-- FarmerJohn, Sep 19 2002 Weigh your own head http://www.halfbake...20your_20own_20head...without removing it [thumbwax, Sep 19 2002, last modified Oct 05 2004] I can see where you're coming from, but wouldn't these pendulums tire you rather quickly?-- madradish, Sep 19 2002 bring back huge shoulder pads for these things to nestle in. +1 farmer.-- po, Sep 19 2002 I'm hoping the increased gait efficiency more than makes up for the 10 lb load. I did some tests yesterday evening with rulers swinging also from my waist and knees and tried to weigh my arm.-- FarmerJohn, Sep 19 2002 // and tried to weigh my arm. //
Did you do it on your own, or did someone else give you a hand ?
<Struggles with bizarre imagery of FJ trying to weigh bits of himslef>
After all those "lighting rod" ideas I had you down as a bit of a menace, FJ, but now, I've decided you're 'armless......-- 8th of 7, Sep 19 2002 <pedantry> shouldn't that be pendula?</pedantry>
I was thinking that this may be large platforms on the end of pendula that are attached near the top of tall buildings. People step on and are carried forward to a static platform where two of the pendula meet. A quick way of commuting.-- Zircon, Sep 19 2002 // A quick way of commuting. //
And an equally quick way of plummeting to your death, should you miss a step.
And I think you're right, it's either 'pendula' or 'pendulae' - not sure which.-- 8th of 7, Sep 19 2002 Perhaps you can also provide pendulum legs for those of us with one leg immobiized from standing on a scooter or skateboard...?-- DrCurry, Sep 19 2002 That is genius, my knee would not be in the state its in if such a thing were to come to pass.-- Zircon, Sep 19 2002 Zircon, I imagined something similar to yours - Tarzan-ish things at intersections so you don't have to wait forever for the light.-- lurch, Sep 19 2002 "Bungee crosswalks", anyone ? Idea title, free to good home ...-- 8th of 7, Sep 19 2002 blissmiss: Yes, being adjustable, they would fit all from a baby T-rex to King Kong.
8th of 7: Ha and ha.
Zircon: Dictionary.com does not recognize "pendula" but insists on "pendulums". Your idea sounds a lot like my Swing Low Street Chariot.-- FarmerJohn, Sep 19 2002 I imagine that pendulum is another of those words like status. The plural of status is statuses, not statii as some Latin scholars would have it. Statii is valid, if you're writing in the 17th century. Pendula, I imagine, would be classified in the same style.
And, FJ, did the experiments prove anything?-- PeterSilly, Sep 19 2002 I'd like to see Jackie Chan with some of these pendulums //tried to weigh my arm// Have you tried weighing your own head?-- thumbwax, Sep 19 2002 PeterSilly: They showed that pendulums suspended from the shoulders seem to magically move as posted, but not as well from the hips or knees. One arm weighed 6.6 lbs (3kg). The mouse arm weighed less as was to be expected.
thumbwax: My head weighed only 4 lbs (1.8 kg), but it was a dry summer and the cabbage was somewhat wilted.-- FarmerJohn, Sep 19 2002 You could calcuate the mass of a limb accurately by Archimede's principle.
1. Weigh yourself.
2. Immerse youself completely in a totally full bath ow water. Catch the overflow and measure it.
3.From this, you can calculate an average figure for your density. For best results, ensure all body cavities (lungs, digestive tract, nasal passages) are completely filled with water.
4. refill the bath. Immerse the limb of choice. Catch the overflow.
Using the figure for rho derived in step 3 it is now a simple matter to calculate the mass of any specific limb or part thereof, without the need for detaching it.
5. Empty water from all body cavities and resume normal function.-- 8th of 7, Sep 19 2002 Define: your density.-- thumbwax, Sep 20 2002 Did I actually say that the plural of status in Latin was statii? I dunno what it was. However, thanks for the info, deef. But I do know that the plural of status in 17th century English was statii, and I do know that by the 18th century it had changed to statuses.-- PeterSilly, Sep 20 2002 nor hippopotami - that was just made up by the great and glorious Flanders and Swann.-- PeterSilly, Sep 20 2002 random, halfbakery