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Waterbed (Hydraulic Bed)
A bed that uses water instead of springs and stuffing. (Read the full article)
| "There are also bits about this in the novel "Beyond This Horizon" (1942 IIRC.) In one of his collections RAH mentions the whole waterbed thing, saying the idea came upon him while fighting tuberculosis in the early to mid 30s (during or just after his time in the US Navy)" (bill 4/17/2004 10:46:38 AM ) |
| "RAH wrote this in Expanded Universe -
"I designed the waterbed during years as a bed patient in the middle thirties; a pump to control water level, side supports to permit one to float rather than simply lying on a not very soft water filled mattress. Thermostatic control of temperature, safety interfaces to avoid all possibility of electric shock, waterproof box to make a leak no more important than a leaky hot water bottle rather than a domestic disaster, calculation of floor loads (important!), internal rubber mattress and lighting, reading, and eating arrangements - an attempt to design the perfect hospital bed by one who had spent too damn much time in hospital beds."" (ee 4/17/2004 10:58:07 AM ) |
| "Actually, Mr. Heinlein had a waterbed-type device in an earlier story. I don't recall the title, but it's about a pilot who accidentally volunteers to fly serum to Pluto...at double or triple-gee. Water-filled acceleration couches are definitely mentioned.
Actually, even Mr. Heinlein forgot about this...I mentioned it at breakfast with him one morning, and he paused, and said, "You're right! I'd forgotten that one!"" (Doc Obi-wan 12/10/2004 2:13:42 PM ) |
| "this site needs more pitures of the things that they talk about, bc students like me need pictures for projects and such." ( 5/22/2005 5:47:46 PM ) |
| "It's also mentioned in Space Cadet (1948, I believe. Don't have the book handy to quote it exactly, but it's right after the new cadets move up to the training ship. Something along the line of "Matt normally slept in a hydraulic bed at home, but he had used a mattress bed while camping," so his bunk aboard the ship wasn't too uncomfortable." (James 8/5/2005 2:33:05 PM ) |
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