In this day and age, mankind is exposed to technology more advanced than many could have imagined only five years ago. Take, for example, the HOAP3 humanoid robot. According to Science Daily, the robot "has 28 motorized articulations. It has a large number of sensors including accelerometers, rate gyros, an infra-red range finder, pressure sensors and two cameras." Though this is fascinating, it's also terrifying. Robots are becoming increasingly intelligent and complex - in fact, scientists have created nanorobots the size of viruses and bacteria. Currently there are over 800,000 worldwide.
Scared? In times like these, many humans are wishing they could live in the simple days of the past, the days before nuclear weapons, technological warfare and powerful robot populaces. Nay, even the days before cars. Before electricity, even? Yes.
How about 1200 B.C.? Remember, when the Olmecs settled in Mesoamerica? When the first chariot was constructed? When Ramses III founded the Twentieth Dynasty?
Before you lapse into an irrecoverable nostalgia, let's settle back into the year 2007. Here at Hopkins, we have a medicine to soothe both the horror of robots and the heartache for good ol' B.C.
Introducing junior men's fencer David Ferguson, both a robotics intellectual and master of an art straight from 1200 B.C. With him nearby, humans can sleep soundly without fear of robots or the loss of ancient sporting forms.
His passions for both the archaic and futuristic art forms has made this Hopkins athlete somewhat of a walking anachronism. And though he's fine with dropping his video games and NASA research projects to head off to fencing practice, Ferguson can't help but wish that one day, both his passions for future and past will unite, on Mars, of course.
"I suspect the first thing anyone will do when they live on Mars is fence. I mean, it's the only logical thing to do."
This is the kind of logic that makes Ferguson a threat on the fencing strip. "He's a really smart fencer. He'll never let you hit him more than once with the same move," sophomore teammate Paul Nunley said.
Ferguson makes intelligent marks with his pen as well as his sword. "He's the smartest one in our physics," sophomore classmate Wayland Chen said. During the off-season, Ferguson spent his time training his mind for the future by interning with NASA.
"I went as a part of a robotics academy program. I got to work with fancy robotic arms," he said.
During fencing season, though, Ferguson is focusing more on his own arms. "I wake up at 6 in the morning and go to the weight room with my teammate Tank. We eat raw meat and lift weights for a few hours every morning. Then I go to class then go back to the weight room ... and you can see where this is headed."
Whether it's the nimble mind, weight training or raw meat consumption, whatever Ferguson is doing is bringing him quite the applause in the fencing world. Last year, he placed 13th nationally in the NCAA tournament. This year, he's already gotten off to a strong start in the team's first competition, the Temple Open, in which he placed second. "This weekend was an awesome start for the team," he said.
But, as always, Ferguson wasn't content to dwell on the past. For the fencing team's future, he predicted, "I especially think the team will have an outstanding performance at the Lost at Sea competition and Haag's Championships. I also expect that more than one fencer will make it to NCAA championships this year."
"The team this year is headed to domination city, and David is leading the way," teammate sophomore Ian McCue said.
Whether this city actually exists may be questionable, but the fact that Ferguson is a team leader is undeniable. Every practice, the team stretches to the countdown of his voice.
The countdown? As in ... space shuttles?
"He fences like a Jedi," McCue said.
I'm no Star Wars expert, but I do know that the Jedis wear white suits similar to fencing outfits. I also know that they win in the end and are the good guys. Based on these facts, McCue's statement must hold true.
So don't worry about the future, the past or the Dark Side. Mankind is safe in the strong arms of a skillful fencer, robotic mastermind and space defender all in one - David Ferguson.
