Devices that drove the evolution of the scale

Abstract

We know that the use of the balance dates back to 2500 B.C. in Egypt, but it was the Roman civilization that gave it a great technological boost turning it into the weighing instrument that has survived to the present day. Over the centuries, other inventors such as Leonardo da Vinci added elements that contributed to its perfection. In the 18th century Gilles de Roberval invented a new form of balance that significantly increased the accuracy of the instrument. In the 19th century, the French manufacturer Joseph Beranger combined the inventions of his predecessors and produced a new prototype with a pointer indicator which is still in use today. However, the major breakthrough was the hydrostatic indicator, which made it possible to achieve a more precise measurement. Nowadays, the incorporation of computerised systems and the new electrical bioimpedance scales have increased its level of accuracy. In this article we are going to evaluate the mark left by these mechanical elements on the precision of the devices and their impact at each historical moment.