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

"I realized there was a heavy-duty change coming in biology, and I could write a really compelling novel about catastrophic evolution, punctuated equilibrium."
- Greg Bear

Electric Tractor  
  A farm cultivator that runs entirely on electricity.  

I don't know of an earlier reference for an electric tractor.

As Tom gazed across the thirty acres of gardens on the roof of the huge building, his mind went back over events. A small electric tractor was working at the far side, and a slight hum could be heard from where he sat. He would have to send it to the shop for repairs. That hum didn’t sound healthy.
Technovelgy from World of Purple Light, by Warner Van Lorne.
Published by Astounding Science Fiction in 1936
Additional resources -

The earliest electric-powered tractor that I can find was created in the 1940's in the Soviet Union, and they seemed to be quite popular.

The earliest use appears to have been a kind of electric plough, created in 1894:

Probably the first attempt to use electricity to power field equipment was in 1894, when the Zimmermann company in Germany demonstrated its self-propelled electric ploughs.

There were two versions, one with a 10hp motor turning two furrows and a four-furrow version that used a 16hp motor.

The 16hp plough received its electricity through an overhead cable from a mains supply, but the 10hp version was linked to a steam-powered generator on the headland.

The electric motor on both ploughs powered spur gears that pulled the plough by meshing with the links in a chain stretched across the field and anchored at both ends.

After crossing the field, the plough plus the chain and the anchor points had to be moved the correct distance, ready for the return journey, and another frequent task was moving the supports that carried the power supply cable above the soil surface and out of contact with the plough bodies.

(Via Farmer's Weekly)

Compare to the automatic cultivators from Piracy Preferred (1930) by John W. Campbell, the conscious farm machines from The Hidden Colony (1935) by Otfrid von Hanstein, the robot farmer from The Turning Wheel (1954) by Philip K. Dick, the field minder from Who Can Replace A Man (1963) by Brian Aldiss, the Robomule from Bill the Galactic Hero (1965) by Harry Harrison, the self-guided tractor from At the Bottom of a Hole (1966) by Larry Niven and the agricultural robot pest controller from Runaway (1985) by Michael Crichton.

Comment/Join this discussion ( 0 ) | RSS/XML | Blog This |

Additional resources:
  More Ideas and Technology from World of Purple Light
  More Ideas and Technology by Warner Van Lorne
  Tech news articles related to World of Purple Light
  Tech news articles related to works by Warner Van Lorne

Electric Tractor-related news articles:
  - MK-V Smart Tractor - Fully Electric, Farmer Optional

Articles related to Agriculture
MK-V Smart Tractor - Fully Electric, Farmer Optional
Vertical Farm In Singapore's Output Is 1.5 Tons Per Day
Mashambas Skyscraper Farm Design Wins
Self-Driving Tractors From China Plan Ahead

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>

Google
  Web TechNovelgy.com   

 

 

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

Science Fiction in the News

LLM 'Cognitive Core' Now Evolving
'Their only check on the growth and development of Vulcan 3 lay in two clues: the amount of rock thrown up to the surface... and the amount of the raw materials and tools and parts which the computer requested.'

Has Elon Musk Given Up On Mars?
'There ain't no such thing as a free lunch.'

Bacteria Turns Plastic Into Pain Relief? That Gives Me An Idea.
'I guess there's nobody round this table who doesn't have a Crosswell [tapeworm] working for him in the small intestine.'

When Your Child's Best Friend Is An AI
'Figments of his mind in one sense, of course, for he had shaped them...'

China's Drone Mothership Can Carry 100 Drones
'So the parent drone carries a spotter that it launches...'

Drones Recharge In Mid-Air Like Jets Refuel!
'...nurse drones that would cruise around dumping large amounts of power into randomly selected pods.'

Australian Authors Reject AI Training Of Llama
'It's done with a flip of the third joint of the tentacle on the down beat.'

Is China Mining Helium-3 On The Moon's Farside?
'...for months Grantline bores had dug into the cliff.'

Maybe It's Too Soon To Require Autonomous Mode
'I hope all those other cars are on automatic,' he said anxiously.

Is Agentic AI The Wrong Kind Of Smartness?
'It’s smart enough to go wrong in very complicated ways, but not smart enough to help us find out what’s wrong.'

More SF in the News

More Beyond Technovelgy

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

Copyright© Technovelgy LLC; all rights reserved.