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In an era marked by groundbreaking technological advancements, the convergence of blockchain technology and the drone industry has ushered in a new era of innovation. In this story, we'll delve into the transformative potential of blockchain in drone payments and how the integration of web3 infrastructure sets the stage for a seamless and efficient ecosystem. We will also explore the role of blockchain in enabling micropayments and real-world applications of this dynamic fusion, offering a glimpse into possibilities for the future of drone payments. So, as we explore drone payments and blockchain's pivotal role, keep in mind the ever-evolving landscape of the drone industry and the promise of blockchain technology to address these needs. It's a story of transformation, efficiency, and the unlimited potential of human ingenuity meeting technological innovation. The author acknowledges a vested interest in the organization(s) highlighted in this story. However, the views expressed within are delivered impartially and without bias. Disclosure: Integration of Web3 Infrastructure Web3, in essence, represents the next phase in the development of the internet. It is a decentralized, peer-to-peer network that strives to move beyond the limitations of the current web (Web2). Web2 comprises intermediary platforms and services that control and monetize user data and interactions. Web3, on the other hand, aims to give users more control over their data and enable direct interactions without relying on intermediaries. In the context of drone payments, the adoption of web3 infrastructure is significant for several reasons. Firstly, it aligns with the decentralized nature of blockchain technology, creating a seamless marriage between the underlying payment system and the overarching framework for drone operations. This alignment fosters a more efficient and autonomous ecosystem where drone operators, infrastructure providers, and landowners can engage in secure, direct transactions without intermediaries. By incorporating web3 infrastructure, the drone industry sets the stage for a more agile and responsive payment ecosystem. It caters to the current requirements of drone operations and anticipates and accommodates future developments. This forward-thinking strategy ensures that drone payments are efficient for today's needs but adaptable to tomorrow's transformative technologies. How Blockchain Enables Micropayments Let's examine how blockchain technology is changing the game regarding enabling micropayments within the drone industry. It's a pretty exciting development, and here's why: Blockchain is at the heart of this transformation, making micropayments economically viable in a way that traditional payment systems often struggle with. Micropayments, those tiny transactions involving fractions of a cent, are essential for many drone operations. Whether it's paying for data transfers, microservices, or compensating for the use of drone infrastructure, these small payments add up. The issue is that traditional payment systems tend to slap on disproportionately high per-transaction fees. In some cases, these fees can surpass the actual value of the micropayment, making many of these transactions financially impractical. For example, which is too high for transactions that may only cost a few cents. PayPal's micropayment merchant fee is 5% of the transaction and $0.05, with Stripe charging $0.30 Enter blockchain technology. Its innovative structure removes this hurdle by enabling almost fee-less micropayments. Since blockchain networks operate in a decentralized manner, there are no middlemen like banks or payment processors, significantly reducing transaction costs. This makes micropayments possible and a cost-effective choice for all players in the drone industry, be it operators, infrastructure providers, or landowners. Not only does blockchain make micropayments economically feasible, but it also does away with the high per-transaction fees that plague traditional payment systems. These fees aren't just a financial burden but also create logistical headaches, adding complexity to everyday operations. Moreover, blockchain networks usually have a clear and flexible fee structure, allowing users to set transaction fees. This effectively eliminates those high per-transaction fees that have been a roadblock for micropayments in the drone industry. This elimination of high fees is a game-changer, making financial operations within the drone ecosystem much smoother. It simplifies revenue-sharing arrangements, compensation for services, and the monetization of drone ground stations. In essence, blockchain technology is paving the way for a more efficient, cost-effective, and hassle-free system of micropayments, which is essential for the growth and sustainability of the drone industry. Real World Applications Applying blockchain technology in drone payments is not a theoretical concept; it has already found real-world implementations that demonstrate its practical benefits. In a recent partnership, to create the world's first drone delivery corridor in Berlin, controlled by Web3 technology. Vantage Towers AG, Staex, and Electric Visionary Aircrafts are collaborating This collaboration aims to make drone deliveries in metropolitan areas more reliable and safe for consumers. When it comes to infrastructure, this will be provided by Vantage Towers alongside vertiports for future drone operations, while Staex will ensure secure communication between humans and drones. EVA will bring expertise in drone infrastructure development. One of the collaborators, Staex's RISE project aims to leverage technology for problem-solving and to create new opportunities for all stakeholders. The protocol uses customized payment infrastructure designed to cater to the specific requirements of drone infrastructure providers, landowners, and drone operators. It also utilizes blockchain technology, specifically the Lisk blockchain, to enable micropayments, contrasting traditional systems burdened with high transaction fees. For example, according to a study by Deloitte, blockchain can reduce transaction costs by up to 40%. Micropayments can be settled in real-time or near real-time, allowing immediate compensation for services rendered. This can be especially important in a dynamic environment like drone deliveries, where responsiveness and quick settlements are critical for operational efficiency. Vantage Towers will set up drone ports near their radio towers through this partnership, facilitating convenient take-off, landing, and recharging options. The proximity to radio towers may lead to more reliable drone connections, potentially enhancing the efficiency and safety of goods transportation in urban areas via drones. The Future of Drone Payments Speculating on the future of drone payments, it becomes increasingly clear that blockchain technology can potentially play a transformative role in shaping the payment landscape within the drone industry. Blockchain's role could not merely be one of facilitation but possibly a catalyst for innovation and expansion. In the future, we can anticipate a landscape where drone operators, infrastructure providers, and landowners are seamlessly connected in a decentralized network, enabling swift, trustless transactions. Blockchain's role as an enabler of micropayments, ensuring that even the smallest financial transactions are economically viable, can empower various aspects of the drone ecosystem. Whether it's data transfer fees, compensation for drone services, or monetization of ground stations, blockchain technology will allow for the efficient exchange of value. This, in turn, could unlock new revenue streams, fostering sustainable partnerships and business models within the drone industry. Moreover, integrating web3 infrastructure into drone payments can open new frontiers for innovation. The ability to securely transact and communicate in a decentralized environment, paired with the Internet of Things (IoT) capabilities, offers boundless opportunities. With their growing autonomy, drones will seamlessly engage in financial transactions, enhancing their role as versatile tools across industries. Potential innovations and advancements in drone payments are vast and promising. The introduction of smart contracts, self-executing programs with the terms of the contract directly built into code, will automate and streamline payment processes. These contracts automatically trigger payments when predefined conditions are met, making complex revenue-sharing models and compensation structures more straightforward and efficient. Furthermore, blockchain's scalability, a challenge addressed in recent years, will allow for processing many transactions even during peak drone activity. This will ensure that payments are executed promptly and without delays, a crucial aspect for real-time services like drone deliveries, inspections, or data collection. In Closing As we glimpse the horizon of drone payments, it is evident that the fusion of blockchain technology and the drone industry is poised to revolutionize the way transactions occur in this dynamic landscape. The integration of web3 infrastructure presents a foundation for secure and direct exchanges, while blockchain's ability to enable cost-effective micropayments eliminates the financial obstacles that have long hindered progress.

Innovation Takes Flight: The Promise of Blockchain in Drone Payments

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During its life cycle, any mobile application or web platform goes through several design changes as a part of general rebranding campaigns. The first several iterations before the initial launch of the product are never seen by users. The final appearance of the UX and UI is decided by the product team, which relies on competitors’ market research and some internal user tests. When it comes to entirely redesigning an already existing app or platform that has been on the market for several years, the stakeholders must have a legitimate reason for doing so. Transformation of the product from one thing to another, changes in mission and/or vision, and the desire to differentiate yourself from competitors in the market are all potential reasons. In the case of the product I work for, the decision to redesign was triggered by all three of those factors at once. So the team had to pack many things in a new product design. This experience proved to me, once more, the importance of perceiving redesign as a responsibility and an opportunity. Redesign as a Responsibility The redesign of Promova was not just a planned upgrade of the existing language-learning app. In fact, with the updated naming and design, we had to present a completely new product to our loyal and potential users. Doing something different from the competitors and breaking the mold in the language learning market is a huge responsibility. That is why we hired a design bureau to create our identity starter pack. The new design approach was tested only in static, so no one fully realized how it would be perceived in the interface when our students started using it. As you know, users spend 99% of their time outside of your product, so the interface should be built on generally accepted patterns, and it's better to avoid experimenting with it. But our path was different. It's also worth mentioning that people don't like change. This hypothesis is proved every time Instagram releases an update. Users express a lot of hate about updates and write that they will not use the app. However, over time, they adapt and accept the changes. In the first UX and UI development stage, we tried to follow the exact things the design bureau suggested. But the more we scaled up the idea and added screens, the more we realized that the design was still complicated. The screens were overloaded with colors. Cognitively, this made it difficult to perceive the content and created a sense of confusion. Interface design should be a kind of guide in learning and should ideally help the user, rather than interfere with their learning. That's why we had to make several iterations to simplify the design. As a result, we removed the blue cards and gradients in the answer options and abandoned the idea of fitting all the brand colors into one screen. We set a goal to reduce and improve the hierarchy. cognitive load Always try to test your solutions by scaling up your ideas and adding screens. What works on three screens may not work on thirty. It's better for you to catch that early to fix the problem and save your precious time. Start testing your new design as early as possible. It's better to use all methodologies: corridor tests, hi-fi prototypes, and moderated usability testing of ready-made pieces of functionality. Be sure to get everything together before you have everything together. It was decided to start implementing the new design on the web because it has a shorter and faster development cycle. This decision allowed us to make mistakes and test different design options at a lower cost. So if your product has both mobile app and web versions, I recommend putting the new design into practice on the web first as well as creating all the components at once. This will help you make changes more quickly. What eventually helped us to bring order in design was the indentation between blocks. One of the main features of our branding is that the blocks fit snugly together, building a solid composition. But in the interface, we divided these compressed blocks into groups according to their function. So, for example, in cards with quizzes, the question blocks are well separated from the blocks with answer options. I strongly recommend maintaining the integrity of the design. When designing separate pieces of functionality, there is a great temptation to add local features or additional gradients. But all of that will eventually negatively affect the integrity of your product. Redesign as an Opportunity The redesign should be seen not only as a responsibility but also as an opportunity. Why? Simply because you get a chance to work out the shortcomings of the previous design, test bold solutions, and develop an optimal design system. For instance, we at Promova decided to improve the lesson feed in the new design. Since our primary identity tool is the form, we wanted it to be a sort of tip that will help recognize the lesson type. Previously, all bite-sized lessons looked the same, with only a tiny icon signaling their type (vocabulary, grammar, speaking). In every interview, we saw that people did not know about this. Considering that, we coded each type of lesson with its unique form in the redesign. Usability tests have shown that the second time people use the platform, they can understand which block corresponds to which type of lesson. The redesign was also an opportunity to work out the hierarchy and accents. The previous design was very modest, so all the UI was about the same size. After consulting with the content team, we enlarged all the illustrations inside the lessons and used typography to shift the emphasis to key things for learning, such as the number of mistakes made in a lesson or the list of words learned that day. Another challenge was to preserve our huge heritage of original illustrations. There are several thousand of them, so we had to integrate them into the new design. Keeping in mind that redesign is an opportunity, we spent relatively little time with the illustrators removing the colored backings from the covers, "pulling" the illustrations out of the masks, and cropping them into rounded shapes. As a result, we got clean and beautiful covers placed directly on the color block. We also managed to implement a single animation principle throughout the product. It was born out of experiments with the icon — we wanted to communicate the personalization of learning tools to the user through "springy" transformations of the blocks. We incorporated this principle into all the animations, and the animated icon eventually became a loader. The redesign was also an opportunity to implement the principle of a seamless transition between platforms. The interfaces on the web and app versions are almost identical so that users can switch between learning environments without stress. This was achieved thanks to well-established communication with our developers. So talk to your engineering team a lot during a redesign: it will help you learn about technical limitations and "sell" the design to them so that they can implement it with more inspiration. Finally, I would like to discuss the onboarding redesign, as it is the quintessence of all the above-mentioned techniques. We tried to make onboarding as playful, entertaining, and communicative as possible. As a result, we created a sort of game in which everyone collects their own unique set of icons by answering questions. Then we add some magic, and voila: your personalized course is ready. This is a perfect reminder not to forget that design should evoke emotions. Think through the user's emotional peaks, and decide at what stages you will praise them, at what stages you will support them, etc. Results In general, the redesign of Promova allowed us to be bold and try something we had been putting off for a long time. We did something different from our competitors. It was a risky decision regarding how the product would look. But as we can see now, users have no problems using the app or web version. More than 170,000 people used the newly redesigned platform in just the first few days. What metrics did the redesign improve? 1. The average number of per user increased by . open lessons a factor of 2 2. Conversion to . completion of the 5th lesson increased by 30% 3. We received an increase of almost in the . 20 relative points completion of onboarding 4. The average user increased by . session duration 30% Also published here.

How a Redesign Can Improve Key Product Metrics

The warlord of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book here . IN DURANCE IN DURANCE The public houses of Barsoom, I have found, vary but little. There is no privacy for other than married couples. Men without their wives are escorted to a large chamber, the floor of which is usually of white marble or heavy glass, kept scrupulously clean. Here are many small, raised platforms for the guest’s sleeping silks and furs, and if he have none of his own clean, fresh ones are furnished at a nominal charge. Once a man’s belongings have been deposited upon one of these platforms he is a guest of the house, and that platform his own until he leaves. No one will disturb or molest his belongings, as there are no thieves upon Mars. As assassination is the one thing to be feared, the proprietors of the hostelries furnish armed guards, who pace back and forth through the sleeping-rooms day and night. The number of guards and gorgeousness of their trappings quite usually denote the status of the hotel. No meals are served in these houses, but generally a public eating place adjoins them. Baths are connected with the sleeping chambers, and each guest is required to bathe daily or depart from the hotel. Usually on a second or third floor there is a large sleeping-room for single women guests, but its appointments do not vary materially from the chamber occupied by men. The guards who watch the women remain in the corridor outside the sleeping chamber, while female slaves pace back and forth among the sleepers within, ready to notify the warriors should their presence be required. I was surprised to note that all the guards with the hotel at which we stopped were red men, and on inquiring of one of them I learned that they were slaves purchased by the proprietors of the hotels from the government. The man whose post was past my sleeping platform had been commander of the navy of a great Martian nation; but fate had carried his flagship across the ice-barrier within the radius of power of the magnetic shaft, and now for many tedious years he had been a slave of the yellow men. He told me that princes, jeds, and even jeddaks of the outer world, were among the menials who served the yellow race; but when I asked him if he had heard of the fate of Mors Kajak or Tardos Mors he shook his head, saying that he never had heard of their being prisoners here, though he was very familiar with the reputations and fame they bore in the outer world. Neither had he heard any rumor of the coming of the Father of Therns and the black dator of the First Born, but he hastened to explain that he knew little of what took place within the palace. I could see that he wondered not a little that a yellow man should be so inquisitive about certain red prisoners from beyond the ice-barrier, and that I should be so ignorant of customs and conditions among my own race. In fact, I had forgotten my disguise upon discovering a red man pacing before my sleeping platform; but his growing expression of surprise warned me in time, for I had no mind to reveal my identity to any unless some good could come of it, and I did not see how this poor fellow could serve me yet, though I had it in my mind that later I might be the means of serving him and all the other thousands of prisoners who do the bidding of their stern masters in Kadabra. Thuvan Dihn and I discussed our plans as we sat together among our sleeping silks and furs that night in the midst of the hundreds of yellow men who occupied the apartment with us. We spoke in low whispers, but, as that is only what courtesy demands in a public sleeping place, we roused no suspicion. At last, determining that all must be but idle speculation until after we had had a chance to explore the city and attempt to put into execution the plan Talu had suggested, we bade each other good night and turned to sleep. After breakfasting the following morning we set out to see Kadabra, and as, through the generosity of the prince of Marentina, we were well supplied with the funds current in Okar we purchased a handsome ground flier. Having learned to drive them while in Marentina, we spent a delightful and profitable day exploring the city, and late in the afternoon at the hour Talu told us we would find government officials in their offices, we stopped before a magnificent building on the plaza opposite the royal grounds and the palace. Here we walked boldly in past the armed guard at the door, to be met by a red slave within who asked our wishes. “Tell Sorav, your master, that two warriors from Illall wish to take service in the palace guard,” I said. Sorav, Talu had told us, was the commander of the forces of the palace, and as men from the further cities of Okar—and especially Illall—were less likely to be tainted with the germ of intrigue which had for years infected the household of Salensus Oll, he was sure that we would be welcomed and few questions asked us. He had primed us with such general information as he thought would be necessary for us to pass muster before Sorav, after which we would have to undergo a further examination before Salensus Oll that he might determine our physical fitness and our ability as warriors. The little experience we had had with the strange hooked sword of the yellow man and his cuplike shield made it seem rather unlikely that either of us could pass this final test, but there was the chance that we might be quartered in the palace of Salensus Oll for several days after being accepted by Sorav before the Jeddak of Jeddaks would find time to put us to the final test. After a wait of several minutes in an ante-chamber we were summoned into the private office of Sorav, where we were courteously greeted by this ferocious-appearing, black-bearded officer. He asked us our names and stations in our own city, and having received replies that were evidently satisfactory to him, he put certain questions to us that Talu had foreseen and prepared us for. The interview could not have lasted over ten minutes when Sorav summoned an aid whom he instructed to record us properly, and then escort us to the quarters in the palace which are set aside for aspirants to membership in the palace guard. The aid took us to his own office first, where he measured and weighed and photographed us simultaneously with a machine ingeniously devised for that purpose, five copies being instantly reproduced in five different offices of the government, two of which are located in other cities miles distant. Then he led us through the palace grounds to the main guardroom of the palace, there turning us over to the officer in charge. This individual again questioned us briefly, and finally despatched a soldier to guide us to our quarters. These we found located upon the second floor of the palace in a semi-detached tower at the rear of the edifice. When we asked our guide why we were quartered so far from the guardroom he replied that the custom of the older members of the guard of picking quarrels with aspirants to try their metal had resulted in so many deaths that it was found difficult to maintain the guard at its full strength while this custom prevailed. Salensus Oll had, therefore, set apart these quarters for aspirants, and here they were securely locked against the danger of attack by members of the guard. This unwelcome information put a sudden check to all our well-laid plans, for it meant that we should virtually be prisoners in the palace of Salensus Oll until the time that he should see fit to give us the final examination for efficiency. As it was this interval upon which we had banked to accomplish so much in our search for Dejah Thoris and Thuvia of Ptarth, our chagrin was unbounded when we heard the great lock click behind our guide as he had quitted us after ushering us into the chambers we were to occupy. With a wry face I turned to Thuvan Dihn. My companion but shook his head disconsolately and walked to one of the windows upon the far side of the apartment. Scarcely had he gazed beyond them than he called to me in a tone of suppressed excitement and surprise. In an instant I was by his side. “Look!” said Thuvan Dihn, pointing toward the courtyard below. As my eyes followed the direction indicated I saw two women pacing back and forth in an enclosed garden. At the same moment I recognized them—they were Dejah Thoris and Thuvia of Ptarth! There were they whom I had trailed from one pole to another, the length of a world. Only ten feet of space and a few metal bars separated me from them. With a cry I attracted their attention, and as Dejah Thoris looked up full into my eyes I made the sign of love that the men of Barsoom make to their women. To my astonishment and horror her head went high, and as a look of utter contempt touched her finely chiseled features she turned her back full upon me. My body is covered with the scars of a thousand conflicts, but never in all my long life have I suffered such anguish from a wound, for this time the steel of a woman’s look had entered my heart. With a groan I turned away and buried my face in my arms. I heard Thuvan Dihn call aloud to Thuvia, but an instant later his exclamation of surprise betokened that he, too, had been repulsed by his own daughter. “They will not even listen,” he cried to me. “They have put their hands over their ears and walked to the farther end of the garden. Ever heard you of such mad work, John Carter? The two must be bewitched.” Presently I mustered the courage to return to the window, for even though she spurned me I loved her, and could not keep my eyes from feasting upon her divine face and figure, but when she saw me looking she again turned away. I was at my wit’s end to account for her strange actions, and that Thuvia, too, had turned against her father seemed incredible. Could it be that my incomparable princess still clung to the hideous faith from which I had rescued her world? Could it be that she looked upon me with loathing and contempt because I had returned from the Valley Dor, or because I had desecrated the temples and persons of the Holy Therns? To naught else could I ascribe her strange deportment, yet it seemed far from possible that such could be the case, for the love of Dejah Thoris for John Carter had been a great and wondrous love—far above racial distinctions, creed, or religion. As I gazed ruefully at the back of her haughty, royal head a gate at the opposite end of the garden opened and a man entered. As he did so he turned and slipped something into the hand of the yellow guardsman beyond the gate, nor was the distance too great that I might not see that money had passed between them. Instantly I knew that this newcomer had bribed his way within the garden. Then he turned in the direction of the two women, and I saw that he was none other than Thurid, the black dator of the First Born. He approached quite close to them before he spoke, and as they turned at the sound of his voice I saw Dejah Thoris shrink from him. There was a nasty leer upon his face as he stepped close to her and spoke again. I could not hear his words, but her answer came clearly. “The granddaughter of Tardos Mors can always die,” she said, “but she could never live at the price you name.” Then I saw the black scoundrel go upon his knees beside her, fairly groveling in the dirt, pleading with her. Only part of what he said came to me, for though he was evidently laboring under the stress of passion and excitement, it was equally apparent that he did not dare raise his voice for fear of detection. “I would save you from Matai Shang,” I heard him say. “You know the fate that awaits you at his hands. Would you not choose me rather than the other?” “I would choose neither,” replied Dejah Thoris, “even were I free to choose, as you know well I am not.” “You ARE free!” he cried. “John Carter, Prince of Helium, is dead.” “I know better than that; but even were he dead, and I must needs choose another mate, it should be a plant man or a great white ape in preference to either Matai Shang or you, black calot,” she answered with a sneer of contempt. Of a sudden the vicious beast lost all control of himself, as with a vile oath he leaped at the slender woman, gripping her tender throat in his brute clutch. Thuvia screamed and sprang to aid her fellow-prisoner, and at the same instant I, too, went mad, and tearing at the bars that spanned my window I ripped them from their sockets as they had been but copper wire. Hurling myself through the aperture I reached the garden, but a hundred feet from where the black was choking the life from my Dejah Thoris, and with a single great bound I was upon him. I spoke no word as I tore his defiling fingers from that beautiful throat, nor did I utter a sound as I hurled him twenty feet from me. Foaming with rage, Thurid regained his feet and charged me like a mad bull. “Yellow man,” he shrieked, “you knew not upon whom you had laid your vile hands, but ere I am done with you, you will know well what it means to offend the person of a First Born.” Then he was upon me, reaching for my throat, and precisely as I had done that day in the courtyard of the Temple of Issus I did here in the garden of the palace of Salensus Oll. I ducked beneath his outstretched arms, and as he lunged past me I planted a terrific right upon the side of his jaw. Just as he had done upon that other occasion he did now. Like a top he spun round, his knees gave beneath him, and he crumpled to the ground at my feet. Then I heard a voice behind me. It was the deep voice of authority that marks the ruler of men, and when I turned to face the resplendent figure of a giant yellow man I did not need to ask to know that it was Salensus Oll. At his right stood Matai Shang, and behind them a score of guardsmen. “Who are you,” he cried, “and what means this intrusion within the precincts of the women’s garden? I do not recall your face. How came you here?” But for his last words I should have forgotten my disguise entirely and told him outright that I was John Carter, Prince of Helium; but his question recalled me to myself. I pointed to the dislodged bars of the window above. “I am an aspirant to membership in the palace guard,” I said, “and from yonder window in the tower where I was confined awaiting the final test for fitness I saw this brute attack the—this woman. I could not stand idly by, O Jeddak, and see this thing done within the very palace grounds, and yet feel that I was fit to serve and guard your royal person.” I had evidently made an impression upon the ruler of Okar by my fair words, and when he had turned to Dejah Thoris and Thuvia of Ptarth, and both had corroborated my statements it began to look pretty dark for Thurid. I saw the ugly gleam in Matai Shang’s evil eyes as Dejah Thoris narrated all that had passed between Thurid and herself, and when she came to that part which dealt with my interference with the dator of the First Born her gratitude was quite apparent, though I could see by her eyes that something puzzled her strangely. I did not wonder at her attitude toward me while others were present; but that she should have denied me while she and Thuvia were the only occupants of the garden still cut me sorely. As the examination proceeded I cast a glance at Thurid and startled him looking wide-eyed and wonderingly at me, and then of a sudden he laughed full in my face. A moment later Salensus Oll turned toward the black. “What have you to say in explanation of these charges?” he asked in a deep and terrible voice. “Dare you aspire to one whom the Father of Therns has chosen—one who might even be a fit mate for the Jeddak of Jeddaks himself?” And then the black-bearded tyrant turned and cast a sudden greedy look upon Dejah Thoris, as though with the words a new thought and a new desire had sprung up within his mind and breast. Thurid had been about to reply and, with a malicious grin upon his face, was pointing an accusing finger at me, when Salensus Oll’s words and the expression of his face cut him short. A cunning look crept into his eyes, and I knew from the expression of his face that his next words were not the ones he had intended to speak. “O Mightiest of Jeddaks,” he said, “the man and the women do not speak the truth. The fellow had come into the garden to assist them to escape. I was beyond and overheard their conversation, and when I entered, the woman screamed and the man sprang upon me and would have killed me. “What know you of this man? He is a stranger to you, and I dare say that you will find him an enemy and a spy. Let him be put on trial, Salensus Oll, rather than your friend and guest, Thurid, Dator of the First Born.” Salensus Oll looked puzzled. He turned again and looked upon Dejah Thoris, and then Thurid stepped quite close to him and whispered something in his ear—what, I know not. Presently the yellow ruler turned to one of his officers. “See that this man be securely confined until we have time to go deeper into this affair,” he commanded, “and as bars alone seem inadequate to restrain him, let chains be added.” Then he turned and left the garden, taking Dejah Thoris with him—his hand upon her shoulder. Thurid and Matai Shang went also, and as they reached the gateway the black turned and laughed again aloud in my face. What could be the meaning of his sudden change toward me? Could he suspect my true identity? It must be that, and the thing that had betrayed me was the trick and blow that had laid him low for the second time. As the guards dragged me away my heart was very sad and bitter indeed, for now to the two relentless enemies that had hounded her for so long another and a more powerful one had been added, for I would have been but a fool had I not recognized the sudden love for Dejah Thoris that had just been born in the terrible breast of Salensus Oll, Jeddak of Jeddaks, ruler of Okar. About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Edgar Rice Burroughs (1993). The warlord of Mars. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved October 2022 https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/68/pg68-images.html This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org , located at https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html.

IN DURANCE

UNDER THE MOUNTAINS

The Sleeper Awakes by H. G. Wells, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book here . THE HALL OF THE ATLAS THE HALL OF THE ATLAS From the moment when the tailor had bowed his farewell to the moment when Graham found himself in the lift, was altogether barely five minutes. As yet the haze of his vast interval of sleep hung about him, as yet the initial strangeness of his being alive at all in this remote age touched everything with wonder, with a sense of the irrational, with something of the quality of a realistic dream. He was still detached, an astonished spectator, still but half involved in life. What he had seen, and especially the last crowded tumult, framed in the setting of the balcony, had a spectacular turn, like a thing witnessed from the box of a theatre. “I don’t understand,” he said. “What was the trouble? My mind is in a whirl. Why were they shouting? What is the danger?” “We have our troubles,” said Howard. His eyes avoided Graham’s enquiry. “This is a time of unrest. And, in fact, your appearance, your waking just now, has a sort of connexion—” He spoke jerkily, like a man not quite sure of his breathing. He stopped abruptly. “I don’t understand,” said Graham. “It will be clearer later,” said Howard. He glanced uneasily upward, as though he found the progress of the lift slow. “I shall understand better, no doubt, when I have seen my way about a little,” said Graham puzzled. “It will be—it is bound to be perplexing. At present it is all so strange. Anything seems possible. Anything. In the details even. Your counting, I understand, is different.” The lift stopped, and they stepped out into a narrow but very long passage between high walls, along which ran an extraordinary number of tubes and big cables. “What a huge place this is!” said Graham. “Is it all one building? What place is it?” “This is one of the city ways for various public services. Light and so forth.” “Was it a social trouble—that—in the great roadway place? How are you governed? Have you still a police?” “Several,” said Howard. “Several?” “About fourteen.” “I don’t understand.” “Very probably not. Our social order will probably seem very complex to you. To tell you the truth, I don’t understand it myself very clearly. Nobody does. You will, perhaps—bye and bye. We have to go to the Council.” Graham’s attention was divided between the urgent necessity of his inquiries and the people in the passages and halls they were traversing. For a moment his mind would be concentrated upon Howard and the halting answers he made, and then he would lose the thread in response to some vivid unexpected impression. Along the passages, in the halls, half the people seemed to be men in the red uniform. The pale blue canvas that had been so abundant in the aisle of moving ways did not appear. Invariably these men looked at him, and saluted him and Howard as they passed. He had a clear vision of entering a long corridor, and there were a number of girls sitting on low seats, as though in a class. He saw no teacher, but only a novel apparatus from which he fancied a voice proceeded. The girls regarded him and his conductor, he thought, with curiosity and astonishment. But he was hurried on before he could form a clear idea of the gathering. He judged they knew Howard and not himself, and that they wondered who he was. This Howard, it seemed, was a person of importance. But then he was also merely Graham’s guardian. That was odd. There came a passage in twilight, and into this passage a footway hung so that he could see the feet and ankles of people going to and fro thereon, but no more of them. Then vague impressions of galleries and of casual astonished passers-by turning round to stare after the two of them with their red-clad guard. The stimulus of the restoratives he had taken was only temporary. He was speedily fatigued by this excessive haste. He asked Howard to slacken his speed. Presently he was in a lift that had a window upon the great street space, but this was glazed and did not open, and they were too high for him to see the moving platforms below. But he saw people going to and fro along cables and along strange, frail-looking bridges. Thence they passed across the street and at a vast height above it. They crossed by means of a narrow bridge closed in with glass, so clear that it made him giddy even to remember it. The floor of it also was of glass. From his memory of the cliffs between New Quay and Boscastle, so remote in time, and so recent in his experience, it seemed to him that they must be near four hundred feet above the moving ways. He stopped, looked down between his legs upon the swarming blue and red multitudes, minute and foreshortened, struggling and gesticulating still towards the little balcony far below, a little toy balcony, it seemed, where he had so recently been standing. A thin haze and the glare of the mighty globes of light obscured everything. A man seated in a little openwork cradle shot by from some point still higher than the little narrow bridge, rushing down a cable as swiftly almost as if he were falling. Graham stopped involuntarily to watch this strange passenger vanish below, and then his eyes went back to the tumultuous struggle. Along one of the faster ways rushed a thick crowd of red spots. This broke up into individuals as it approached the balcony, and went pouring down the slower ways towards the dense struggling crowd on the central area. These men in red appeared to be armed with sticks or truncheons; they seemed to be striking and thrusting. A great shouting, cries of wrath, screaming, burst out and came up to Graham, faint and thin. “Go on,” cried Howard, laying hands on him. Another man rushed down a cable. Graham suddenly glanced up to see whence he came, and beheld through the glassy roof and the network of cables and girders, dim rhythmically passing forms like the vanes of windmills, and between them glimpses of a remote and pallid sky. Then Howard had thrust him forward across the bridge, and he was in a little narrow passage decorated with geometrical patterns. “I want to see more of that,” cried Graham, resisting. “No, no,” cried Howard, still gripping his arm. “This way. You must go this way.” And the men in red following them seemed ready to enforce his orders. Some negroes in a curious wasp-like uniform of black and yellow appeared down the passage, and one hastened to throw up a sliding shutter that had seemed a door to Graham, and led the way through it. Graham found himself in a gallery overhanging the end of a great chamber. The attendant in black and yellow crossed this, thrust up a second shutter and stood waiting. This place had the appearance of an ante-room. He saw a number of people in the central space, and at the opposite end a large and imposing doorway at the top of a flight of steps, heavily curtained but giving a glimpse of some still larger hall beyond. He perceived white men in red and other negroes in black and yellow standing stiffly about those portals. As they crossed the gallery he heard a whisper from below, “The Sleeper,” and was aware of a turning of heads, a hum of observation. They entered another little passage in the wall of this ante-chamber, and then he found himself on an iron-railed gallery of metal that passed round the side of the great hall he had already seen through the curtains. He entered the place at the corner, so that he received the fullest impression of its huge proportions. The black in the wasp uniform stood aside like a well-trained servant, and closed the valve behind him. Compared with any of the places Graham had seen thus far, this second hall appeared to be decorated with extreme richness. On a pedestal at the remoter end, and more brilliantly lit than any other object, was a gigantic white figure of Atlas, strong and strenuous, the globe upon his bowed shoulders. It was the first thing to strike his attention, it was so vast, so patiently and painfully real, so white and simple. Save for this figure and for a dais in the centre, the wide floor of the place was a shining vacancy. The dais was remote in the greatness of the area; it would have looked a mere slab of metal had it not been for the group of seven men who stood about a table on it, and gave an inkling of its proportions. They were all dressed in white robes, they seemed to have arisen that moment from their seats, and they were regarding Graham steadfastly. At the end of the table he perceived the glitter of some mechanical appliances. Howard led him along the end gallery until they were opposite this mighty labouring figure. Then he stopped. The two men in red who had followed them into the gallery came and stood on either hand of Graham. “You must remain here,” murmured Howard, “for a few moments,” and, without waiting for a reply, hurried away along the gallery. “But, why—?” began Graham. He moved as if to follow Howard, and found his path obstructed by one of the men in red. “You have to wait here, Sire,” said the man in red. “Why?” “Orders, Sire.” “Whose orders?” “Our orders, Sire.” Graham looked his exasperation. “What place is this?” he said presently. “Who are those men?” “They are the lords of the Council, Sire.” “What Council?” “The Council.” “Oh!” said Graham, and after an equally ineffectual attempt at the other man, went to the railing and stared at the distant men in white, who stood watching him and whispering together. The Council? He perceived there were now eight, though how the newcomer had arrived he had not observed. They made no gestures of greeting; they stood regarding him as in the nineteenth century a group of men might have stood in the street regarding a distant balloon that had suddenly floated into view. What council could it be that gathered there, that little body of men beneath the significant white Atlas, secluded from every eavesdropper in this impressive spaciousness? And why should he be brought to them, and be looked at strangely and spoken of inaudibly? Howard appeared beneath, walking quickly across the polished floor towards them. As he drew near he bowed and performed certain peculiar movements, apparently of a ceremonious nature. Then he ascended the steps of the dais, and stood by the apparatus at the end of the table. Graham watched that visible inaudible conversation. Occasionally, one of the white-robed men would glance towards him. He strained his ears in vain. The gesticulation of two of the speakers became animated. He glanced from them to the passive faces of his attendants.... When he looked again Howard was extending his hands and moving his head like a man who protests. He was interrupted, it seemed, by one of the white-robed men rapping the table. The conversation lasted an interminable time to Graham’s sense. His eyes rose to the still giant at whose feet the Council sat. Thence they wandered to the walls of the hall. It was decorated in long painted panels of a quasi-Japanese type, many of them very beautiful. These panels were grouped in a great and elaborate framing of dark metal, which passed into the metallic caryatidae of the galleries, and the great structural lines of the interior. The facile grace of these panels enhanced the mighty white effort that laboured in the centre of the scheme. Graham’s eyes came back to the Council, and Howard was descending the steps. As he drew nearer his features could be distinguished, and Graham saw that he was flushed and blowing out his cheeks. His countenance was still disturbed when presently he reappeared along the gallery. “This way,” he said concisely, and they went on in silence to a little door that opened at their approach. The two men in red stopped on either side of this door. Howard and Graham passed in, and Graham, glancing back, saw the white-robed Council still standing in a close group and looking at him. Then the door closed behind him with a heavy thud, and for the first time since his awakening he was in silence. The floor, even, was noiseless to his feet. Howard opened another door, and they were in the first of two contiguous chambers furnished in white and green. “What Council was that?” began Graham. “What were they discussing? What have they to do with me?” Howard closed the door carefully, heaved a huge sigh, and said something in an undertone. He walked slantingways across the room and turned, blowing out his cheeks again. “Ugh!” he grunted, a man relieved. Graham stood regarding him. “You must understand,” began Howard abruptly, avoiding Graham’s eyes, “that our social order is very complex. A half explanation, a bare unqualified statement would give you false impressions. As a matter of fact—it is a case of compound interest partly—your small fortune, and the fortune of your cousin Warming which was left to you—and certain other beginnings—have become very considerable. And in other ways that will be hard for you to understand, you have become a person of significance—of very considerable significance—involved in the world’s affairs.” He stopped. “Yes?” said Graham. “We have grave social troubles.” “Yes?” “Things have come to such a pass that, in fact, it is advisable to seclude you here.” “Keep me prisoner!” exclaimed Graham. “Well—to ask you to keep in seclusion.” Graham turned on him. “This is strange!” he said. “No harm will be done you.” “No harm!” “But you must be kept here—” “While I learn my position, I presume.” “Precisely.” “Very well then. Begin. Why harm?” “Not now.” “Why not?” “It is too long a story, Sire.” “All the more reason I should begin at once. You say I am a person of importance. What was that shouting I heard? Why is a great multitude shouting and excited because my trance is over, and who are the men in white in that huge council chamber?” “All in good time, Sire,” said Howard. “But not crudely, not crudely. This is one of those flimsy times when no man has a settled mind. Your awakening—no one expected your awakening. The Council is consulting.” “What council?” “The Council you saw.” Graham made a petulant movement. “This is not right,” he said. “I should be told what is happening.” “You must wait. Really you must wait.” Graham sat down abruptly. “I suppose since I have waited so long to resume life,” he said, “that I must wait a little longer.” “That is better,” said Howard. “Yes, that is much better. And I must leave you alone. For a space. While I attend the discussion in the Council.... I am sorry.” He went towards the noiseless door, hesitated and vanished. Graham walked to the door, tried it, found it securely fastened in some way he never came to understand, turned about, paced the room restlessly, made the circuit of the room, and sat down. He remained sitting for some time with folded arms and knitted brow, biting his finger nails and trying to piece together the kaleidoscopic impressions of this first hour of awakened life; the vast mechanical spaces, the endless series of chambers and passages, the great struggle that roared and splashed through these strange ways, the little group of remote unsympathetic men beneath the colossal Atlas, Howard’s mysterious behaviour. There was an inkling of some vast inheritance already in his mind—a vast inheritance perhaps misapplied—of some unprecedented importance and opportunity. What had he to do? And this room’s secluded silence was eloquent of imprisonment! It came into Graham’s mind with irresistible conviction that this series of magnificent impressions was a dream. He tried to shut his eyes and succeeded, but that time-honoured device led to no awakening. Presently he began to touch and examine all the unfamiliar appointments of the two small rooms in which he found himself. In a long oval panel of mirror he saw himself and stopped astonished. He was clad in a graceful costume of purple and bluish white, with a little greyshot beard trimmed to a point, and his hair, its blackness streaked now with bands of grey, arranged over his forehead in an unfamiliar but pleasing manner. He seemed a man of five-and-forty perhaps. For a moment he did not perceive this was himself. A flash of laughter came with the recognition. “To call on old Warming like this!” he exclaimed, “and make him take me out to lunch!” Then he thought of meeting first one and then another of the few familiar acquaintances of his early manhood, and in the midst of his amusement realised that every soul with whom he might jest had died many score of years ago. The thought smote him abruptly and keenly; he stopped short, the expression of his face changed to a white consternation. The tumultuous memory of the moving platforms and the huge fagade of that wonderful street reasserted itself. The shouting multitudes came back clear and vivid, and those remote, inaudible, unfriendly councillors in white. He felt himself a little figure, very small and ineffectual, pitifully conspicuous. And all about him, the world was—strange. About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. H. G. Wells (2004). The Sleeper Awakes. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved October 2022, from https://www.gutenberg.org/files/12163/12163-h/12163-h.htm This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org , located at https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html .

THE HALL OF THE ATLAS

A Few Utopian Impressions

This story is a part of Hacker Noon's series of interviews. The series is intended for tech professionals contributing the most insightful Hacker Noon stories to share more about their writing habits, ideas, and professional background (and maybe a hobby or two). If you too would like to start contributing to Hacker Noon, . Meet the Writer you can do so here So let’s start! Tell us a bit about yourself. For example, name, profession, and personal interests. My name is Monica Hernandez. I’m a content lead, writer, and creator specializing in quantum information science and technology, robotics, and space. I currently work at a national science research laboratory in the United States, focusing on two major centers advancing cutting-edge research and development in quantum computing. I inform the broader public about the latest scientific breakthroughs and technical milestones by writing feature articles and news releases. Physics and engineering-focused news portals have widely distributed some of my write-ups. Through my business, I also produce multimedia and long-format content for U.S. and international businesses in deep tech, such as autonomous spacecraft and robotics.​ I’ve grown up with entrepreneurs, artists, performers, scientists, and engineers. Hence, it’s an organic progression for me to integrate different disciplines and interests when writing and pursuing diverse endeavors. For example, the photograph in the header is my sci-fi twist on the Saturn V rocket engines at the NASA Kennedy Space Center. Interesting! What was your latest Hackernoon Top story about? A propellantless experimental mission to reach Jupiter in 30 days: “ ” Latin America Seeks Its Riches In Space by Reaching Jupiter in 30 Days. Do you usually write on similar topics? If not, what do you usually write about? For Hacker Noon, I’m particularly interested in writing the types of articles and thoughtful analyses about the space industry that don’t make it to the mainstream. I also expand into quantum R&D, robotics, and space technologies in my blog . I write in Spanish as well. I’m . MONI-07B fully bilingual Great! What is your usual writing routine like (if you have one?) Writing and creating become like a muscle. It gets easier to activate these skill sets the more you use them, so carving out frequent focus times is the best strategy to make it a habit. Essentially, you sit down and write or create without distractions for a defined period — even if you don’t feel like it. Something important to point out is that I rarely write everything in a single sitting. I let some ideas simmer and percolate so I’m never “off.” Sometimes I mull over and write the article over several days because I get inspired when doing something else or speaking with a colleague or an acquaintance. I also ask for the help of supportive editors and proofreaders who understand and respect my voice and style but are great at watching out for the reader’s experience. I believe editors are highly-underrated in writing, but I always run my content by an editor specializing in the field before releasing it to the broader public. As a result, I’ve received critical feedback on adding examples or making the changes that make the difference in a solid, well-written piece. I enable dark mode in my word processors—(yes, you can do this on Google docs, Apple pages, etc.). Then, I start typing the sections, titles, subtitles, and anything to quickly go past the blank page. I find this tactic improves flow and morale as you’re getting started. Starting and finishing are always the hardest to get past! I’m always reading, anything and everything in between. I never underestimate the beauty of the craft anywhere! Of course, I gravitate towards specific genres more than others, but I'm always reading books, comics, newspapers, leaflets, brochures, ads, graffiti, food labels, technical reports, scientific papers, etc. For example, I recently started reading about the Mayan hieroglyphic scripts for an idea I had for an article. So I’ve gone ahead and seen some of the images from the surviving codices (Mayan books), which date to 1000-1200 A.D that were not burned down. It's fascinating to see how they documented their sophisticated knowledge of astronomical charts. Being a writer in tech can be a challenge. It’s not often our main role, but an addition to another one. What is the biggest challenge you have when it comes to writing? I can’t entirely agree with the premise that being a writer in tech can be a challenge. The Internet redefined the traditional barriers to entry. Anyone can learn how to write and do it well while simultaneously building an audience on multiple blogging, newsletter, and social media platforms. I also don’t see a clear separation in today’s world between tech and non-tech. Every fabric of modern society uses technologies. In fact, the services we commonly use and sometimes take for granted as we go about  our days depend on space tech. Even the most traditional industries, for example, farming, ranching, and agriculture, are infused with the need for GPS, remote sensing, weather forecasting, and smartphones. I read some original reporting about at Flamingo (a Florida lifestyle magazine). I was fascinated by how the writer emphasized that smartphones are used out in the open grasslands to weigh, track, market, and sell cattle in online auctions. cowboys and cattle ranchers in Florida So the critical takeaway is that you can find your niche if you know what to look for. Everyone has a unique angle and perspective. You can write about the same topic from a completely different angle. This is why I started writing at Hacker Noon when researching . Readers were pleasantly surprised to see a different take on two seemingly contrasting topics. blockchain applications for space debris What I believe is a challenge is being able to be consistent writing clearly and engagingly while respecting your subject matter and your audiences. Everything —no matter how complex or sophisticated — can be broken down into its fundamentals. What is the next thing you hope to achieve in your career? Writing becomes a process of continuous education and intellectual inquiry, so I allow myself to go down the rabbit hole exploring different topics and ideas. This exploration [or procrastination, however you’d like to call it] enables me to make connections others might have missed. For example, I’ve recently produced and conceptualized . Bringing variety to the mix in my career is what I always hope to achieve. I want to mention that all subscribers to my blog, , get an inside track every month of all my new content and the creative endeavors and different projects being planned before anyone else. my first video game inspired by robotics and space debris MONI-07B Wow, that’s admirable. Now, something more casual: What is your guilty pleasure of choice? I frequently laugh by reading field-specific memes and comics. First, there’s the technical and scientific context you come to understand as you spend more time writing about these fields. And then there’s also the cultural context that comes into play. It keeps me on my toes not to take things too seriously. Even the most brilliant minds in science and engineering are doing funny memes and cracking jokes. Do you have a non-tech-related hobby? If yes, what is it? I enjoy hiking, gardening, training, and exercising outdoors with minimal electronics. Being close to nature connects me with my upbringing. I was born and raised in Costa Rica, so I was always surrounded by lush greenery and biodiversity, especially gardens. I used to play and read a lot outside! In addition, I often went to natural parks and biosphere (biological) reserves for school field trips. , Costa Rica has 4-6% of the world’s known species in its small territory. As an adult, I prefer to live nearby conservation areas and bodies of water where I can spend time exploring nature. By some estimates It’s important to clarify that I don’t necessarily believe there is a clear separation between tech and non-tech in modern life. On the contrary, science and technologies are increasingly embedded in every part of our existence. So for example, satellite telemetry and biometric data collection have been present in Costa Rica’s conservation areas throughout the years to conduct scientific research and experimentation, monitor wildlife, and protect the sites. And then, of course, you’ll find one of the most active space launch complexes, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, located in the Merrit Island National Wildlife Refuge, an important natural corridor for bird migration. What can the Hacker Noon community expect to read from you next? I've got some ideas about niches in emerging space ecosystems i.e., India and Latin America. Thanks for taking time to join our “Meet the writer” series. It was a pleasure. Do you have any closing words? I believe anyone can write, so feeling fear or even writer's block due to encountering something new and complex is OK. I also don't believe writing becomes fundamentally easier as the basics don't change. You must continue to hone the discipline, commit and deliver. However, I find the experience becomes more nuanced. You learn to discern subtleties in the material to become a better thinker, listener, and communicator. This search for depth in writing translates to other areas in one's life. Hacker Noon, by the way, is an excellent platform for writers and audiences as they continue innovating and offering improved features for an enjoyable experience.

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