Science Fiction in the News Articles
related to the works of

Michael Crichton

Michael Crichton (b. 1942 - d. 2008) has sold at least 150 million books in thirty-six languages; thirteen have been made into films. His better-known books include The Andromeda Strain, Congo and Jurassic Park. His film Westworld (1973) was the first to employ computer-generated special effects. His stories have won a variety of awards, including an Edgar Allen Poe award from the Mystery Writers of America for A Case of Need; he has also had a dinosaur named after him - Crichtonsaurus bohlini.

Science fiction in the News articles describe real-world events that relate to the ideas and inventions in sf novels and movies. Select a news article:

AnBot Security Robot WILL Tase You, Bro
   Michael Crichton right again.
Amazonian Fungus Eats Polyurethane
   I guess I'd still like to know what the fungus breaks plastic down into.
Robotic Sentry Gun From USMechatronics
   Two brothers build an autonomous robotic sentry gun as a summer project.
RISE Robot: Six-Legged BIODYNOTICS Runaway
   RISE robots from DARPA come uncomfortably close to the killer-spider-robots from a 1986 movie.
Cylogic Smart Avenger Runaway Project
   Just don't let Gene Simmons of KISS get one of these planned smart missiles - you saw what he did with smart bullets in Runaway.
SPOT-NOSED Nanobiosensors For Doctors
   The electronic nose doesn't quite know, but soon will, based on this research.
South Korean Intelligent Surveillance and Guard Robot
   This autonomous robotic sentry gun has a choice of lethal and non-lethal rounds, and comes with voice recognition as standard equipment.
N.S.E.C.T. Robotic Attack Insect From Tyco
   This so-called toy is a terrifying realization of the deadly insect robots in Crichton's Runaway; Gene Simmons, beware!
SPIKE Fire-And-Forget Missile World's Smallest
   If this tiny missile gets any smaller, you're going to have to see reruns of Crichton's Runaway to find out more.
HortiBot - Autonomous Weed 'n Feed AgBot
   This robot has handy, yet deadly, attachments to fight our weed enemies.
Micro Air Vehicle In Use In Iraq
   This waste-basket-sized vehicle lets you see what's happening just ahead - maybe even on Hoth.
Meteorite Brings Illness To Peruvian Village
   A strange incident in Peru this past weekend has readers thinking about The Andromeda Strain.
Peruvian Meteor Sickness Diagnosed
   After some investigation, scientists have solved the mystery of the Peruvian meteorite sickness.
Robotic Flying Saucer Drones
   This company also has big plans for this little unmanned aerial vehicle.
Honeywell Micro Air Vehicle Tested By Miami Police
   Tested extensively in Iraq, the Honeywell MAV is on its way to your neighborhood as part of police surveillance.
Aeryon Scout UAV Like In Crichton's Runaway
   Didn't I see this same device in the 1985 Michael Crichton movie Runaway?
Extinct Tasmanian Tiger DNA Recovered
   DNA from an extinct species has been successfully recovered, granting some hope that one day it may be possible to recover extinct animal species.
Wall-Climbing Robots Use Compliant Electroadhesion
   These robots have a unique way of sticking to just about any surface.
Bacteria Eats Plastic; What Could Go Wrong?
   Clever teen has a great idea - maybe somewhere in nature, the plastic bag problem has already been solved.
Mouse Cloned From 16-year Frozen Tissue
   Remarkable feat by Japanese researchers shows that even damaged frozen tissue can yield viable DNA for cloning.
NEC Thermal Scans For Flu
   NEC is taking no chances at their corporate headquarters - the flu patrol is looking for you!
Robotic Breast Exam And Biopsy
   The tabletop robot doctor research you read about (here) last summer continues to advance.
Mii Avatar Wanted Poster For Non-Virtual Manhunt
   This story could go in either of two ways - not surprisingly, I like them both. With a surprise reference to Michael Crichton's Runaway.
Robot Land: Robot Theme Park In Korea
   Is Robot Land the vacation of the future? You may get your wish by 2013.
A-Pod Robot Hexapod Video
   Is there an uncanny valley for insectile robots? If so, this one is wiggling right on through it.
PharmaSat Nano-Satellite Orbiting 'Lab'
   Interesting experiment exapnds the role of very small, autonomous experimental 'labs'.
Surveillance By Flying Saucer
   UPDATED with new sf reference and video. Very well-behaved saucer-shaped surveillance drone certainly looks more cool than other hovering drones.
SIL06 Robot Land Mine Detector
   This hexapod robot uses an alternating tripod-style gait and a sensor head to locate dangerous land mines.
Toyota Delivery Robot Home Helper
   This one-armed prototype could be pretty handy around the house, especially if you're laid up.
Dancing DIY Hexapod Robot Video
   Take a look at this learning robot and enjoy the soundtrack on the video, which sets a new standard for robotic presentation.
Quadrotor UAV Makes First Arrest In UK
   Looks like a UAV has assisted in its first arrest in the UK.
DreamROBO Climbing Robots
   Climbing the walls like dedicated salarymen.
DoDAMM Autonomous Robot Sentry Gun
   This gun targets and fires automatically.
StunRay Paralyzes With Light
   This weapon has been around in different forms in sf for quite a while.
KMR-M6 Hexapod Robot
   Take a look at the video to see how quick this six-legged robot really is.
Bioelectronic Nose To Have Biomimetic Chemical Sensors
   How many uses can you think of for a bioelectronic nose?
Flex, The First Portable VeinViewer
   Michael Crichton actually thought of this idea forty years ago.
Switchblade Surveillance Missile
   'You've heard of a bullet that has your name on it.'
Hatch A Dinosaur From Birds Using Genetic 'Memory'
   Sounds odd, but there is some good science here.
Self-Guided Bullet Accurate Over One Mile
   'The back half is all solid propellant. Valves for directional control ... look, it's all electronic.'
LaWS Laser Can Take Out Rogue Drones
   Looks like a weapon for the Runaway squad!
Laser-Guided Smart Bullet Prototype
   'Look, it's all electronic...'
RoboDoc Friendly Robot Pulse-Taker
   A child-friendly Photoplethysmograph.
Lettuce-Bot Weed-Killing Robot Funded
   A new alternative to labor-intensive farming techniques.
The Plastic Eaters - Amazon Fungus Lives On Plastic
   'the smell of the rotting plastic began to hang permanently in the air...'- Davis/Pedlar, 1971
Nanotech Electronic Nose Sniffs Explosives Like Dogs
   'It's picking up diphenyl compounds and tetrahydrocarbons...'- Michael Crichton, 1985.
Robot Fabrication In Architecture RobArch 2012
   Robots will build the future -starting with the buildings.
Robots Race Ahead - On Cockroach Legs
   Robots will one day keep their balance as well (or better) than you and I.
EXACTO Smart Bullet From DARPA
   Nicely visualized in what 1984 movie?
Ground Control Space Beer
   Ninkasi Brewing Co. has its own space program. I'm impressed.
Asteroid Cleaner Robot To Sweep Up Dust Around The Solar System
   'JPL was designing a satellite to enter the fringes of space and collect organisms and dust for study...' - Michael Crichton, 1969.
Promobot, The Runaway Russian Robot!
   'Got yourself a runaway, Jack?' - Michael Crichton, 1985.
NASA Culturing ISS Walls For Microbes
   'Collect organisms and dust for study...' - Michael Crichton, 1969.
Oh Great, Fence-Climbing Robots
   How long till they add the acid-tipped stingers?
3D Printed Car Can Launch POV Drone
   Just the thing for the Runaway squad - and you and me.
Hadrian X Construction Robot From Fastbrick Robotics
   Hope Hadrian is never a runaway!
Autonomous Oz Weeding Robot
   "Got yourself a runaway pest controller.' - Michael Crichton, 1985.
Veebot Robotic Blood Drawing ala Andromeda Strain
   'The device was able to insert intravenous needles, finding veins easily.' - Michael Crichton, 1969.
The In Situ Fabricator Construction Robot
   In Situ Fabricator looks too careful to be a runaway!
TITAN-III Spider Robot Is WAY Too Quick (Video)
   'My little friends can find you wherever you go!' - Michael Crichton, 1984.
'We're Not Creating A Terminator' Say Russians About Gun-Wielding Robot Fedor
   Nobody is thinking about the Terminator. Westworld, maybe.
Tiny Tertill Autonomous Weeding Robot
   'And it's only programmed to look for things smaller than an inch." - Michael Crichton, 1985.
Worms Eat Plastic Now
   'Slowly and inexorably, the rate of dissolution increased...' - Davis/Pedlar, 1971.
DIY Robot Shoots You In The Face
   '...there were automatic guns that fired ligamine darts.' - Michael Crichton, 1969.
Autonomous Concrete Floor Finishing Robot
   Keep those construction site robots coming.
Drywall Robot Looking For Sheetrock
   Sheetrockers have sure changed since my day. Speaking as someone who as done this, I welcome robots.
Mushroom Eats Plastic, Saves Planet
   Fungus Amongus, SaveUs!
Stratuscent Electronic Nose
   'It's picking up diphenyl compounds and tetra hydrocarbons.' - Michael Crichton, 1985.
Another Soil Bacterium Eats Plastic
   '...the plastic was dissolved before his eyes.' - Michael Crichton, 1969.
E-Nose NOS.E Knows Whiskey With One Sniff
   'It's picking up diphenyl compounds and tetrahydrocarbons...' - Michael Crichton, 1985.
Scent-Identifying Robot Uses Machine Learning
   'It's picking up diphenyl compounds and tetrahydrocarbons...' - Michael Crichton, 1985.
TM-62 Loitering Ground Landmine
   Runaway movie comes to life!
Bullet Steers Itself! The Advanced Low-Cost Munitions Ordnance ALaMO
   'You've heard of a bullet that has your name on it.' - Michael Crichton, 1985.
Torobo Humanoid Robot Hammers A Nail
   7-axis dual arms, 3-axis waist (pitch, pitch, yaw), 3-axis neck (yaw, pitch, roll), and 4-axis undercarriage!

 

 

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