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"Science fiction is really sociological studies of the future, things that the writer believes are going to happen by putting two and two together."
- Ray Bradbury
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| Transmog | ||
| A small device easily installed in a robot to alter its skill set. |
Sheridan, the only human in a complement of robots, needs to assess what sort of mix of skills are needed to carry out his mission - trade with aliens!
| "We'll need some roboticists," said Sheridan. "Those boys must be smashed up fairly bad."
"Here they are. You better handle them, sir. You do it better than any one of us." Sheridan took the three transmogs and dropped them in the pocket of his jacket. "I'm sorry there are no more, sir," Hezekiah said. "That is all we have "
 (Transmog robot in 'Installment Plan' by Clifford Simak) [Sheridan] opened the almost invisible plate in the back of Ebenezer's skull and slid it quickly down, reached inside and found the spacehand transmog. With a quick twist, he jerked it out and dropped it in his pocket, then popped in the roboticist transmog, clicked it into place and drove it home. Then he shoved up the brain plate and heard it lock with a tiny click. |
| Technovelgy from Installment Plan,
by Clifford Simak. Published by Galaxy in 1959 Additional resources -
|
This is an interesting take on the idea that specialities are required; once you have humanoid robots, you can download or install the specialized knowledge and skills that they need.
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'...there's a narrow belt where the climate is moderate.'
'He wore spectacles with thick wavy lenses. The spectacles were intended to make him not only half blind, but to give him whanging headaches besides.'
'... with the Master-operator all you have to do is push one! A remarkable achievement!'
'Not like me. A T-1000, advanced prototype. A mimetic poly-alloy. Liquid metal.'
'It was riddled with holes that were the mouths of tunnels.'
'The massive feet working the pedals, arms and hands flashing and glinting...'
