The Mechanical Mice by Maurice G. Hugi:
Science Fiction Inventions, Technology and Ideas

"The inventor had spent twelve years perfecting the machine — a thing of marvelous complexity. Trouble was — he didn't know what it was he'd invented!"


('The Mechanical Mice' by Maurice Huigi [Eric Frank Russell])

Fantastic short story about a terrifying device constructed from a design stolen from the future. Apparently, the story was first written by Hugi, then rewritten by Eric Frank Russell. This remarkable story anticipates important elements of Bradbury's stories, as well as the mindlessly malevolent autonomous machines of Philip K. Dick's early stories like Autofac. Unfortunately, it can only be found in various out-of-print collections - or here.

Select an invention:

Golden Shuttles (Mechanical Mice) - tiny robots
Very small robots with an appetite for watch parts.

Psychophone
A device that allows the user to tune their mind to a future reality - a time-traveling device.

Robot Mother - self-reproducing automaton
A self-replicating robot, which creates a series of helper bots that adapt to conditions as needed.

 

Technovelgy.com is devoted to the creative inventions of science fiction authors and movie makers. Look for the Science Fiction Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary of Science Fiction Inventions, the Timeline of Science Fiction Inventions, or see what's New.
Find
new authors and technologies - Shop for yourself, your library and your lab.

 

 

 

 

Science Fiction
in the News

Golf Ball Test Robot Wears Them Out
re: Frederik Pohl
(12/19/2025)

Boring Company Vegas Loop Like Asimov Said
re: Isaac Asimov
(12/17/2025)

Rigid Metallic Clothing From Science Fiction To You
re: Edmond Hamilton
(12/15/2025)

Is The Seattle Ultrasonics C-200 A Heinlein Vibroblade?
re: Robert Heinlein
(12/13/2025)

Roborock Saros Z70 Is A Robot Vacuum With An Arm
re: Robert Heinlein
(12/11/2025)

A Beautiful Visualization Of Compact Food
re: Edward Page Mitchell
(12/9/2025)

Bone-Building Drug Evenity Approved
re: Edmond Hamilton
(12/7/2025)

Secret Kill Switch Found In Yutong Buses
re: Keith Laumer
(12/5/2025)

Inmotion Electric Unicycle In Combat
re: Robert Heinlein
(12/3/2025)

Grok Scores Best In Psychological Tests
re: Isaac Asimov
(12/1/2025)

PaXini Supersensitive Robot Fingers
re: Ray Cummings
(11/29/2025)

Congress Considers Automatic Emergency Braking, One Hundred Years Too Late
re: Bernard Brown
(11/27/2025)

The Desert Ship Sailed In Imagination
re: Ray Bradbury
(11/25/2025)

The Zapata Air Scooter Would Be Great In A Science Fiction Story
re: Robert Heinlein
(11/23/2025)

More SF in the News

Home | Glossary | Invention Timeline | Category | New | Contact Us | FAQ | Advertise |
Technovelgy.com - where science meets fiction™

Copyright© Technovelgy LLC; all rights reserved.