UPDATED: Human Birdwings first flight ... or was it?

[Hal Bryan]

I've followed this project for a while, and was pretty interested when I heard about the video. Unfortunately, though, it may not be legit. I have my opinion, but what do you guys think? Real or CGI?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=Q0tKFOcHyrI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=Q0tKFOcHyrI

[Chris In Marshfield]

Boy, I dunno... Seems borderline... Tough call...

[Dana]

If he's running into a wind, he just might get enough airspeed to "hop" for a moment, as one can do when kiting a paraglider in a moderate breeze (and there does seem to be wind noise in the microphone)... but no way is the wing flapping doing anything at all.

[Zack Baughman]

Looks fake to me.

[steveinindy]

Looks fake to me.

My thoughts exactly.

[Floatsflyer]

For me, there's no hoax being perpetrated because they didn't do anything to warrant a "wow factor." There is no flying being done whatsoever. That nano second lift is a hop by the runner in a lame attempt to try and get airborne. The non-skeptical, logical, intuitive part of my brain says that a human being, no matter how well conditioned, with the most technologicaly advanced bird-like wings cannot run fast enough, cannot flap their arms fast enough or long enough to sustain anything resembling flight from a ground take-off. Let's discuss.

[rosiejerryrosie]

It would take a genetically engineered human with hollow bones (like birds) to be light enough to fly with birdlike wings. They have the wings - now they need to concentrate on developing a human with the correct characteristics to pull this off. Oh... and the wings will have to be modified to 'warp' like bird flight feathers.....

[Todd copeland]

Fake

[1684zach]

Very fake looking!

[Jim Hann]

I'm thinking fake also.

[Dana]

It's not fake, it's just... no big deal. Nothing more than anybody could do running with a hang glider or paraglider. I've done it myself with a paraglider.

[designman]

If anyone will take the time to carefully stop these frames at the point of the first sort of "bird hop" you will see the wings are flapping to rise about 10 feet above ground line at the base of the trees! Also notice the shadow cast onto the ground as the flyer lifts off the ground! Albeit this is but a short short series of hops - but don't forget the Wright Bros., had some very short hops as well!

[Sid]

Fake.
Notice how the camera points to the ground just before the so called flight attempt, and then points to the ground again before they show him just after the so called flight attempt.
I believe this is so they don't have to transition from real video to fake and back to real video.

[Hal Bryan]

Here's another video from Jarno the "flying" (?) Dutchman:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYW5G2kbrKk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYW5G2kbrKk

What do you think?

[Dana]

The new video is clearly fake. It's obvious that the wing sails are not loaded, i.e. not producing lift. Furthermore there is no way it could be stable or controllable.

[Floatsflyer]

I previously posted that no hoax was being perpetrated because there was no "wow" factor in the original video. This video is clearly a bird of a different colour with a "wow" factor that is so huge it's beyond comprehension and credibility.

Same conclusion as before: a human being, no matter how well conditioned, with the most technologicaly advanced bird-like wings cannot run fast enough, cannot flap their arms fast enough or long enough to sustain anything resembling flight from a ground take-off. Must applaud the pilot's acting skills though, he is very convincing playing out of breathe and exausted from the ordeal.

[Hal Bryan]

Overall I agree, just one minor point (that admittedly doesn't really change anything) - the "pilot" isn't powering the wings himself. He's (allegedly) using a Bluetooth connection via a modified Wii remote to direct their motion as powered by electric motors. So strength isn't an issue, but that doesn't speak to any of the other problems.

[Floatsflyer]

Overall I agree, just one minor point (that admittedly doesn't really change anything) - the "pilot" isn't powering the wings himself. He's (allegedly) using a Bluetooth connection via a modified Wii remote to direct their motion as powered by electric motors. So strength isn't an issue, but that doesn't speak to any of the other problems.


Hal, you have great powers of observation. I viewed the video again and still don't see any of the Bluetooth stuff. Where exactly is it in the timing?

[Dana]

It doesn't show in the video... the stuff about the Wii and BT was in an earlier description. But either way, there's clearly nothing visible (batteries or motors) large enough to provide any meaningful amount of power.

It's part of the "almost plausible" bits... some guys actually are using Wii parts as the stability and control system of R/C quadcopters. But here, it's ridiculous.

[Hal Bryan]

Hal, you have great powers of observation. I viewed the video again and still don't see any of the Bluetooth stuff. Where exactly is it in the timing?

It's true, my observational powers are spectacular, and I have evolved to the point where I can visually perceive waves of Bluetooth energy... ;)

Or, it's the fact that I've been curious enough about this guy's claims that I've spent a little time at his website, watched earlier videos, etc. Plus, you can see at about the 0:35 - 0:45 mark that there's no apparent physical connection between his arms and the wings.

It's interesting that this video is part 14 of 14... why would videos documenting an ongoing experiment have a planned ending number?

My hunch is that a sponsor will come forward and reveal that this is a viral ad campaign, and that a lot of pretty respectable sites / news sources are going to be pretty embarrassed.

[Zack Baughman]

a lot of pretty respectable sites / news sources are going to be pretty embarrassed.

Gizmodo??? :rollseyes:

[Zack Baughman]

Another update: http://gizmodo.com/5895235/cgi-experts-say-flying-bird-man-is-fake

[Hal Bryan]

Something tells me we should be buying stock in Slingshot Sports... :)

[Ozzie]

Da Vinci and Lawrence Hargrave http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/hargrave-lawrence-6563 http://www.ctie.monash.edu.au/hargrave/hargrave_bio_large_print.html must be having a bit of a laugh at this.

ozzie

[Hal Bryan]

Well, he's finally come clean:

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/03/birdman-admits-hoax/