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
"Money to me is freedom, and freedom is essential. Money allows me to say that I will now devote my life to being me, rather than putting on my shoes and tie, and going to an office every day."
- Robert Silverberg
 |
| Polycarbon Exo | ||
| Exoskeleton made of a strong, lightweight material. |
In this case, "exo" is short for exoskeleton, a powered suit that provides added strength. Since this is a William Gibson work, I'm betting that this is no clumsy robotic "Transformers" style device; it is probably a great-looking suit. Note also that carbon fibers are long and strong; but then, so is chitin, the main structural ingredient in arthropod exoskeletons.
| She could hear their voices, from where she sat in living room, their laughter. One of the assistants was a girl in a blue polycarbon exo that allowed her to carry the Hermes wardrobe cases as though they were weightless blocks of foam, the humming skeleton suit padding softly down the stairs on its blunt dinosaur feet. Blue skeleton, leather coffins. Now Porphyre stood in the doorway. "Missy ready?" He wore a long, loose coat cut from tissue thin black leather; rhinestone spurs glittering above the heels of black patent boots. |
| Technovelgy from Mona Lisa Overdrive,
by William Gibson. Published by Bantam in 1988 Additional resources -
|
The notion of an exoskeleton is derived from biology; many of the world's creatures have no backbone, but use a hard outer shell. It is an elegant solution, since it combines protection with the same structural purpose of bones.
The idea of an exoskeleton has been used before in science fiction; for example, the soldiers in Robert Heinlein's Starship Troopers achieve parity with the insect race they fight by using military exoskeletons (see powered suit).
Why do we assume that an exoskeleton will make you stronger? It is true that some arthropods can carry up to 50 times their body weight. Also, having muscles inside an external skeleton is more efficient. However, most of the advantage comes from the fact that they are small; their muscle weight is low compared to muscle surface area.
Comment/Join this discussion ( 2 ) | RSS/XML | Blog This |
Additional
resources:
More Ideas
and Technology from Mona Lisa Overdrive
More Ideas
and Technology by William Gibson
Tech news articles related to Mona Lisa Overdrive
Tech news articles related to works by William Gibson
| Barista Robot Perfects Latte Swirl With Multi-DOF Wriggle |
| Safe Street Rebel Autonomous Vehicle Luddites And Schachner's 1931 Robot-Deranger |
| ARX-5 Doing Robot Arm Dancing |
| Inbiodroid Prometheus 2.0 Telepresence Avatar Robot |
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
'It's done with a flip of the third joint of the tentacle on the down beat.'
'If you surf over a bump... If you surf over a pothole...'
'Then the spreading beam of the deranging ray struck them, and they stood an instant transfixed...'
'Noiselessly, on rubber-tired wheels, they journeyed...'
'...copy two of the original document no longer can be superimposed on copy one.'
My prize robot, tall, dashing would speak and act for me...
'A palm lock must be keyed to one individual's hand shape and palm lines.'
'I have transferred the ego of a dog to a synthetic dog brain in the skull case of a robot dog.'
