Science Fiction
Dictionary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Latest By
Category:
Armor
Artificial
Intelligence
Biology
Clothing
Communication
Computers
Culture
Data Storage
Displays
Engineering
Entertainment
Food
Input Devices
Lifestyle
Living Space
Manufacturing
Material
Media
Medical
Miscellaneous
Robotics
Security
Space Tech
Spacecraft
Surveillance
Transportation
Travel
Vehicle
Virtual
Person
Warfare
Weapon
Work
"We follow the scientists around and look over their shoulders."
- Larry Niven
 |
| Atomic-Powered Lifting Suits | ||
| Special exoskeletons that would allow an ordinary human being to walk in doubled gravity. |
How can space explorers walk around easily when the surface gravity of a celestial body is twice that of the Earth?
| "We have those new suits rigged with atomic-powered lifting gadgets, so that'll protect us from the weight, if what our instruments say about that world's true..."
"I'll go check up on those suits and make some adjustments. I hadn't thought they'd have to handle any double-gravity worlds."
 (From 'The Brain Pirates' by John Campbell) "... may I suggest that you make sure you don't get those drive-units in the suits backward? I'd hate to have them sit on me as well as a doubled gravity." Presently he was deeply engrossed in the delicate task of readjusting the tiny atomic-power drive units he had fixed in the space suits... Slowly he turned up the lift-control at his belt. A slow creaking of straps and an unhappy wriggling on [his] part attested to the increasing power of the atomic drive mounted on his suit... "I can't even stand up without the aid of this thing. Let's go." |
| From The Brain Pirates,
by John W. Campbell. Published by Thrilling Wonder Stories in 1938 Additional resources -
|
Note that this precedes Heinlein's powered suit by about twenty years. However, it is really not a fully-powered exoskeleton. It appears to be primarily intended for walking, climbing, standing - lower-body muscle amplification.
Upper-body power is specifically not available:
He'd intended to hold them out horizontally in front of him, but the effort, under that gravity, was distinctly uncomfortable.
Penton faced the strange inhabitants and slowly raised both hands above his head in a gesture of friendship.
The Atomic-Powered Lifting Suit is remarkably similar to the Berkeley Lower Extremity Exoskeleton (BLEEX), yet another DARPA project.
Comment/Join this discussion ( 0 ) | RSS/XML | Blog This |
Additional
resources:
More Ideas
and Technology from The Brain Pirates
More Ideas
and Technology by John W. Campbell
Tech news articles related to The Brain Pirates
Tech news articles related to works by John W. Campbell
Atomic-Powered Lifting Suits-related
news articles:
- BLEEX: Robotic Exoskeleton Making Strides
- ReWalk Medical Powered Exoskeleton
- HAL Exoskeleton To Assist At Fukushima
- H-MEX Helpful Exoskeleton From Hyundai
| Modern App Provides Video Technology From Bradbury's 'Fahrenheit 451' |
| Win $250K By Reading Ancient Scrolls Carbonized By Vesuvius |
| LIAM F1 UWT Clever Rooftop Windmill |
| Liberty Lifter X-Plane From DARPA |
Want to Contribute an
Item?
It's easy:
Get the name of the item, a
quote, the book's name and the author's name, and Add
it here.
| <Previous | Next> |
|
|
|
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Science Fiction Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
|
Science Fiction
Timeline
1600-1899
1900-1939
1940's 1950's
1960's 1970's
1980's 1990's
2000's 2010's
With each successive print, our model needed to incorporate more structural ingredients to minimize print failures.
'... Wendis stared thoughtfully at the brilliant lines on the spectroscope screen.'
'A special spot-wavex scrambler also caused his televised image, in the area immediately about his lips, to mouth the vowels and consonants beautifully.'
'... it was as if the upper part had been removed, like a cut deck of cards.'
Sumomo will get those office workers into good shape!
'... who let their handbag computers carry all the conversation.'
'Thus it came about that the search for a planetiferous sun near a white dwarf star was not unduly prolonged...'
'He led me down the Hall of Portraits to the ego-likeness of the Duke Leto Atreides.'
