When Kenneth Lipartito argues that “narratives shape the future of new technologies,” he is referring to support that must be there if a piece of technology is to come to its full potential. There is no telling where progress in innovation will take an idea. What may start as a telephone may turn into a computer, able to contact anyone in the world. But what people often forget is that this idea had to be nurtured to reach fruition. Technology grows with attention, being tampered with until a product worthy of calling complete is formed. Some technology on the other hand has an uproar of support until it is eventually forgotten. Without a supportive and involved narrative, people tend to forget about ideas that had previously had the momentum to be great. Being overshadowed by products that captured larger audiences, the jetpack is a technology that demonstrates this idea. At the 1964 World’s Fair, the jetpack was seen a staple of what the future would hold. A man flying through the air was something only previously seen in comic books. It was as imaginary to most people as…show more content… Students at Arizona State have been working on a jetpack that doesn't propel you vertically, but horizontally. This drastically increases the speed at which the user can run and saves them energy as well. While this device is heavy and doesn't allow the runner to carry much else, they say that they are already finalizing a new pack that is smaller and lighter. This type of technology could be crucial in ground attacks in both rural and urban areas. Soldiers who might be too injured to retreat or make it to an extraction point would be aided by a lighter body and an easier run to safety. This speed could also come in handy when dealing with stealth in nighttime operations as well, allowing soldiers to move more swiftly and go undetected even in large groups [Source
