To begin my research I have created a mood board to identify consistent visual themes of my topic.
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| Human flight mood board - Various sources |
From looking at my mood board I see several consistent visual themes. Attempts at human flight range from emulating nature to glide with 'wing suits', to developing and using jet-packs to physically lift the user off of the ground.
The shapes and sizes of flying device have a huge range of variation, and colour takes a lesser precedence to form (as without the form, there is no flight).
When gathering the images for my mood board, a consistent recurring theme is the sport of base jumping, and the people who have taken that one step further by trying to develop a means to actually fly rather than simply glide (or - in the words of Buzz Lightyear 'Fall with syle' - Buzz will feature later in the blog!)
With this observation in mind, I will start my research with base jumping.
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When gathering the images for my mood board, a consistent recurring theme is the sport of base jumping, and the people who have taken that one step further by trying to develop a means to actually fly rather than simply glide (or - in the words of Buzz Lightyear 'Fall with syle' - Buzz will feature later in the blog!)
With this observation in mind, I will start my research with base jumping.
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The first thing I am greeted with on the official Base Jumping community site BASEjumper.com is:
BASE Jumping
BASE jumping is a highly dangerous sport that can easily injure and kill participants. Think long and hard before making a BASE jump. We do not recommend BASE jumping to anybody. You, and you alone, are responsible for your safety.
Always seek proper training and mentoring before attempting any sort of BASE jumping. Wherever you jump; take only pictures, leave only footprints.
(Basejumper.com 2011)
(Basejumper.com 2011)
...which gives me some idea of the dangers involved with the sport, relevant because the idea of humans trying to fly at all is fraught with danger (falling from great height towards solid ground isn't good for your health). These kind of adrenaline-seeking sports are popular with certain crowds of people, and are known as extreme sports.
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| New base jumping video is like Superheros flying in slow motion - Trinidad, E |
Extreme sports such as base jumping and skydiving are growing in popularity after the media coverage provided by television shows such as Modern Marvels and The men who jump of buildings.
Despite heavily emphasising the illegality of alot of the base jumping activities, and the amount of danger involved, people are still drawn the the thrill factor of the sport and similar activities, especially with the growing media coverage.
Despite heavily emphasising the illegality of alot of the base jumping activities, and the amount of danger involved, people are still drawn the the thrill factor of the sport and similar activities, especially with the growing media coverage.
Rather than looking at just base jumping, however, I'd like to focus on how people have developed it's basic idea and tried to translate it into more genuine flight.
The next step up that I can identify are wing suits, full body suits that give people a way of gliding remarkably similar to a flying squirrel. Currently these suits are being used in the world of base jumping and skydiving for competitions all over the world
While looking into wingsuits I also stumbled across this:
The next step up that I can identify are wing suits, full body suits that give people a way of gliding remarkably similar to a flying squirrel. Currently these suits are being used in the world of base jumping and skydiving for competitions all over the world
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| A wing suit in action - Squidoo.com 2011 |
While looking into wingsuits I also stumbled across this:
APACHE FLIES UP! OLIVER GAINS ALTITUDE IN HIS WINGSUIT
Oliver Furrer managed to climb briefly in his Apache during the Gransee event, although much talked about this is the FIRST time a "climb" has been recorded in a controlled environment.(Tonywingsuits.com 2011)
If this is possible with a non-powered suit, perhaps with some development it would be possible to fly using a suit with no means of propulsion! - an innovation of the future?
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In the world of comic books, flying humans and humanoids feature all the time, whether by means of a jet pack or suit, or as a natural (or unnatural) ability. Some good examples of the characters that are popular and relevant today are Storm from the X-Men, Iron Man (particularly relevant as he is a very much in the spotlight, as well as using equipment that could in theory become real), and Nathan Patrelli from the TV series Heroes.
Storm's method of flight, although very unlikely is not entirely out of question, with scientists working on new technology to control the weather. according to this article:
Although a long shot from the personal manipulation of your own air thermals to fly with, it is a start, and who knows where this technology could lead us?
Nathan Patrelli and his ability is very much flights of fancy, as he is born with the ability to naturally fly.
Iron Man, however, is very much a plausible creation. Maybe not in the next five years, but at some point in the future. Perhaps this adds to the charm of the character, and adds to the popularity of the recent movies of the Iron Man franchise. My next direction is to look at manufactured methods of human flight.
Continuing on the theme of powered flight, there are a number of innovations in the markets of entertainment and leisure, and experimental innovations underway.
Researching into this, I have found information concerning Jet Packstoys.
Steamboy, Space Marine, LittleBig Planet and Buzz Lightyear of Star Command.
In reality, jet packs have had little practical use on earth as gravity and the suitability of the human body for flight are very limiting factors, and as such the most effective jet packs have been used in space by astronauts for out-of-craft operation.
There are companies, however, that are challenging themselves to make viable Jetpacks for commercial, military or even social use. This upcoming technology is currently at the point where use and operation is very limited, though this can only improve!
In the world of comic books, flying humans and humanoids feature all the time, whether by means of a jet pack or suit, or as a natural (or unnatural) ability. Some good examples of the characters that are popular and relevant today are Storm from the X-Men, Iron Man (particularly relevant as he is a very much in the spotlight, as well as using equipment that could in theory become real), and Nathan Patrelli from the TV series Heroes.
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| Storm in flight - (Marvel 2010) |
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| Iron man in flight - (The invincible iron man volume 5, 2010) |
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| Nathan in flight - ( Heroeswiki.com 2010) |
- Technology created 50 rainstorms in Abu Dhabi's Al Ain region last year
For centuries people living in the Middle East have dreamed of turning the sandy desert into land fit for growing crops with fresh water on tap.
Now that holy grail is a step closer after scientists employed by the ruler of Abu Dhabi claim to have generated a series of downpours.
Fifty rainstorms were created last year in the state's eastern Al Ain region using technology designed to control the weather.
(Dailymail, 2011) | ||
| weather ioniser diagram - (Daily Mail 2011) |
Although a long shot from the personal manipulation of your own air thermals to fly with, it is a start, and who knows where this technology could lead us?
Nathan Patrelli and his ability is very much flights of fancy, as he is born with the ability to naturally fly.
Iron Man, however, is very much a plausible creation. Maybe not in the next five years, but at some point in the future. Perhaps this adds to the charm of the character, and adds to the popularity of the recent movies of the Iron Man franchise. My next direction is to look at manufactured methods of human flight.
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Continuing on the theme of powered flight, there are a number of innovations in the markets of entertainment and leisure, and experimental innovations underway.
Researching into this, I have found information concerning Jet Packstoys.
Steamboy, Space Marine, LittleBig Planet and Buzz Lightyear of Star Command.
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| A Jetpack on the cover of the Steamboy soundtrack - (Domocast.tv 2005) |
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| The Jetpack power-up from Littlebigplanet 2 - (Littlebigplanet 2011) |
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| Buzz Lighyear using a Jetpack - (Pixar, 2000) |
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| Astronaut Bruce McCandless, free floating in orbit with a nitrogen jetpack- (NASA, 1984) |
There are companies, however, that are challenging themselves to make viable Jetpacks for commercial, military or even social use. This upcoming technology is currently at the point where use and operation is very limited, though this can only improve!
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| A banner from the site proclaiming it's jetpack's success! - (Jetpack international 2011) |
The above jetpack is the most current and realistic example of human flight I have been able to find. It will be interesting to see what ideas I can develop from them after some research into the origins of the topic!
On a side note, I also happened upon a little known Indy band called The Human Flight Committee, although unrelated to the actual topic I thought it was interesting to see my topic crop up in the music industry, even if only by name!
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| promotional poster featuring the band - (The Human Flight Committee, 2008) |
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