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The Houses of Iszm by Jack Vance:
Science Fiction Inventions, Technology and Ideas
Splendid novel by Vance is both a mystery story and an introduction to an unforgettable world. Iszm, a planet in the Xi Aurigae system, offers amazing houses that consist of living trees with attached pods for living space.

('The Houses of Iszm' by Jack Vance)
The Iszic guard constantly against the possibility that an offworlder would steal a female plant - one that could provide millions of tree-seeds, breaking their monopoly. Very accessible example of Jack Vance, one of sf's great stylists, in perfect form. Select
an invention:
Boat-Tree A tree, the pods of which can be grown as boats.
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Pod-Chair A living chair, grown by the Iszc to perform its function.
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Radiant - just like RFID A chip that is injected into the shoulder, providing positioning and information about the subject.
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Radiant Shield A device that would effectively prevent an implanted radiant from being detected or read.
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Sentry Trees A set of trees that will allow only those with the safe signal to pass.
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Shatter-Gun A hand-held device that literally scrambles the brains of the victim.
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