When magic and science collide

It was author Arthur C. Clarke that wrote "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." That I can call my friend John Darko in Australia from a device in my pocket, travel across country in a matter of hours, watch live coverage of events in space, cure diseases with pills, and listen to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in my home at a touch of a button, must seem like magic to people even a hundred years ago. We remove magic with knowledge. Step outside your door and wonder at life itself, then peer under a microscope to begin understanding how the illusion presented by complex interactive systems work. A flower's bloom changes from miracle to obvious with its process explained. How many times have we introduced a new technology into our systems, moved our speakers around, changed cables, and been amazed at the magic these changes bring? This discovery process is part of what keeps me going: the hunt for better, breakthroughs that transform, fundamental changes that bring me to the next mountain top so I can see further into what lies ahead. Which brings me to an idea I want to share with you. It is nothing but an idea, a wishful view into what could be possible. It is something I have touched on before but it bears repeating. I would like to add active panels to my walls - panels that remove the walls themselves, at a touch of a button, adjustable by the turn of a knob. Tomorrow I'll share how this might work.