According to the article "Invisibility
cloaking in perfect demonstration" of the BBC news website, the
writer talks about the new successful invention of a structure that
makes item or the scene behind it become invisible by using a
diamond-shaped cloak with microwave emitters which are perfectly
lined up so thAT the light can cross around the cloak completely
without causing reflection. The writer praise that it is the first
time since the idea of making invisibility cloak emerged in 2006 that
the cloak can perfectly invisible, although it works only for one
direction viewing.
This article make me smile and
reconsider about the inspiration of scientists who created inventions
around me. They might start from an attempt to create an item base on
imagination from a children literature like this one. I will be very
grateful if in the future the invisibility cloak mentioned in Harry
Potter novel do exist and I have a chance to wear it. In my opinion,
it is very amazing moment when you see what you imagined in the past
turns into reality in front of your eyes. If you have ever watch the
movie "2001: A Space Odyssey" directed by Stanley Kubrick
during the time it was produced;1968, you might have experienced this
miracle feeling before. During the time this movie is showing in the
cinema, there was no mobile phone and human could not find a way to
land on the moon but the movie introduce the audience to the future
world where human can travel into the space, and can communicate with
people who live far away via the artificial moving images. Look at
what we have now, we flagged on the moon and we have facetime.
Like Einstein said, imagination is more
important than knowledge, I think it is really amazing that our world
is like a ship which moving forward by the power of human's knowledge
while our imagination act as a compass.
__________
Reference
You've inspired me. I'm going to rewatch Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey right now. I'll be looking out for how well his predictions for technology meet, exceed or fall below the subsequent reality.
ReplyDeleteIt always amazes me when watching some old sci-fi films I loved as a kid how they completely missed some technology that is today normal - like the Internet, and flat screen TVs. Perhaps those things were just so alien a few decades ago that they were actually inconceivable?
I wonder we will think is normal in ten years that hasn't even been imagined today?
I doubt that my younger nieces and nephews even know what cassette tapes were! And they were so hip and high-tech when I was in high school! (And my nieces and nephews are mostly out of high school now).
I guess I could have used Hal in question 8. on the choices for academic writing 2, but as Air notes, Kubrick's classic came out in 1968, so I wasn't sure that it would be as familiar, or as readily available, as Proyas's I, Robot. Besides, Sonny looks and sounds so much nicer than Hal, so much more human. But is Sonny more human than Hal?
ReplyDeleteI'm topping up my memory of 2001: A Space Odyssey now, having sort of watched I, Robot again a couple of days ago to check the citation where I quote Lanning.
Oops - it's in question 9. that I quote Lanning.
DeleteThis is a strong support that inventions and technologies normally begin with human's imagination. It can be right or wrong, but it's less important than we have a chance to think.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your idea that the greater world depends heavily on imagination which goes beyond any impossibilities. Without the imagination, we can't live our lives conveniently.
ReplyDeleteFor the field that I learn, I always use imagination. Sometime it has to created the new idea for innovation. Some building the owner want long span, in the reality, it's couldn't happen. So I have to use my little imagination to create the new thing for serving building owner.
ReplyDeleteI think your career is a clear example of one who can make imagination comes true. I have a few friends who studied industrial design. When I saw their projects start from a sketch, a week later it turned into a prototype model, and finally it was a real practical item,that's very amazing.
DeleteAir, I really agree with your idea about imagination. I personally respect the persons who are able to invent something incredibly creative, and one of them is Mr. Steve Jobs. I have never imagined about something really convenient like the iPhone before. Its wonderful functions amaze me so much. I think this is an obvious example of the power of imagination that leads the significant change toward our society.
ReplyDeleteWhen imagination is related with creativity, power would be more. When I heard the moon spaceship is a product of imagination, I imagined the future where we live in the space. I'm sorry about we are still live in the earth, even though we have iPhone. My imagination might have been too early. Before iPhone, I surprised at a mobile phone, before that, surprised at an internet and computers. Now, I surprised at the size of old computers and mobile phones. I may be a so adaptable or forgetful person. Anyway, I'm expecting the future in which I will be surprising at products of imagination.
ReplyDeleteI really like your blog. When you grow up, sometimes you forget the imagination but focus on real too much. I think that sometimes imagination is useful to solve your problem and make you free from your stress responsibility surrounding you. Now I'm still watching and reading cartoon which is recalled me to my childhood that I lived wth less stress than now.
ReplyDelete