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
 |
Timeline
of Science Fiction Ideas, Technology and Inventions
(sorted by Publication Date)
Most of these items are linked to information about similar real-life inventions and inventors; click on an invention to learn more about it.
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| Date | Device Name (Novel Author) |
| 1980 | Oort Cloud Processor (from Beyond the Blue Event Horizon by Frederik Pohl) An alien ship that processes Oort cloud into food. |
| 1980 | Artificial Butterfly (from Changeling by Roger Zelazny) A mechanical, robotic butterfly. |
| 1980 | Optic Prosthesis (from Changeling by Roger Zelazny) A replacement for a damaged eye. |
| 1980 | Boosterspice (from Ringworld Engineers by Larry Niven) A substance that extends human life almost indefinitely. |
| 1980 | Solar-Powered UAV (from Changeling by Roger Zelazny) An unmanned aerial vehicle that is entirely solar-powered. |
| 1980 | Jumble-Box (from Changeling by Roger Zelazny) A device that jumbles sensory input. |
| 1980 | Absolute Black (from Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams) A material so absolutely black that it absorbed all incident light. |
| 1980 | Fuligin (from The Shadow of the Torturer by Gene Wolfe) A material the color of which is blacker than black. |
| 1980 | Watercouch (from Beyond the Blue Event Horizon by Frederik Pohl) A couch filled with water, rather than springs and cushions. |
| 1980 | Deep-Radar (from Ringworld Engineers by Larry Niven) Device to image within large objects, even within mountains. |
| 1980 | Autonomously Recharging UAV (from Changeling by Roger Zelazny) Unmanned aerial vehicles that recharge themselves automatically. |
| 1980 | Wunderland Treatymaker (from Ringworld Engineers by Larry Niven) A weapon based on a power mining technique - a bit more advanced than a shovel. |
| 1980 | Tracer-Bird (from Changeling by Roger Zelazny) A prototype surveillance drone; a mechanical bird. |
| 1980 | Wristband Viewer (from Changeling by Roger Zelazny) A device for viewing aerial surveillance images that fits on your wrist. |
| 1981 | Gravity Whip (from Dream Park by Larry Niven (w/S. Barnes)) A roller coaster designe to provide riders with a 'zero G' experience. |
| 1981 | Big Noodle (from The Divine Invasion by Philip K. Dick) A vast artificial intelligence system used to process all of Earth's information. |
| 1981 | Data Space (from True Names by Vernor Vinge) Computer storage and processor time rented by the user. |
| 1981 | Virtual World Kiss (from True Names by Vernor Vinge) Kissing mediated by a computer system. |
| 1981 | Virtual world metaphor (from True Names by Vernor Vinge) use of fanciful imagery to represent real-world data systems in a virtual world. |
| 1981 | Tapeworm Tranquilizer (from Revolution from Rosinante by Alexis Arnaldus Gilliland) Robotic suppository dispenses tranquilizer. |
| 1981 | Personality Simulator (Virtual Person) (from True Names by Vernor Vinge) A computer program that presents the appearance of being a person. |
| 1981 | Monitored In-Home Security Camera (from Oath of Fealty by Jerry Pournelle (w/L. Niven)) Security cameras mounted inside your home that are monitored by a person outside your house, and not a member of your family. |
| 1981 | Underground MagLev Train (from Dream Park by Larry Niven (w/S. Barnes)) Magnetic levitation train that travels through a tunnel; a vacuum reduces drag. |
| 1981 | Telepresence Bulldozer (from Oath of Fealty by Jerry Pournelle (w/L. Niven)) A bulldozer on the Moon that is operated remotely by a driver on Earth. |
| 1981 | Dream Park (from Dream Park by Larry Niven (w/S. Barnes)) A vacation theme park in which the visitors participated fully in the different environments. |
| 1981 | Portal (from True Names by Vernor Vinge) Sensory experience of a data network. |
| 1981 | International Fantasy Gaming Society (IFGS) (from Dream Park by Larry Niven (w/S. Barnes)) A group dedicated to playing live action role-playing games. |
| 1981 | Robot Probes (Arr-twos) (from Oath of Fealty by Larry Niven (w/J. Pournelle)) Remote controlled robots that wander through a facility, bringing pictures and information to a central location. |
| 1981 | Iceberg Water Tub (from Oath of Fealty by Jerry Pournelle (w/L. Niven)) An enormous bag or tub that encloses an iceberg used to supply fresh water. |
| 1981 | Cyborg Dolphin (Jones) (from Johnny Mnemonic by William Gibson) A heavily modified war surplus dolphin. |
| 1981 | Sleeve Watch (from Dream Park by Larry Niven (w/S. Barnes)) Temporary watch imprinted on the sleeve of a chosen garment. |
| 1981 | Sensory Skinsuit (from Dream Park by Larry Niven (w/S. Barnes)) A form-fitting garment with sensory connections. |
| 1981 | Dictatel (from God Emperor of Dune by Frank Herbert) A thought-based dictating machine. |
| 1981 | Black square (from God Emperor of Dune by Frank Herbert) A device for secret communication. |
| 1981 | Todos Santos Independency (from Oath of Fealty by Jerry Pournelle (w/L. Niven)) A city enclosed in a single building. |
| 1981 | Ridulian Crystal Sheets (from God Emperor of Dune by Frank Herbert) Exceptionally strong, surpassingly thin material. |
| 1981 | Mattress Sleep Sensor (from Dream Park by Larry Niven (w/S. Barnes)) Sleep problems? Make sure you get your body out of bed each day. |
| 1981 | Mechanical Mole (from Oath of Fealty by Jerry Pournelle (w/L. Niven)) A self-contained device for digging large tunnels. |
| 1981 | Briefcase Console (from Oath of Fealty by Jerry Pournelle (w/L. Niven)) A notebook computer |
| 1981 | Communications Implant (from Oath of Fealty by Jerry Pournelle (w/L. Niven)) A surgically implanted device enabling the user to communicate with computer networks. |
| 1982 | Command Microphone (from Diplomat At Arms by Keith Laumer) A cloak that served as a microphone and public address system. |
| 1982 | Matrix (from Burning Chrome by William Gibson) A shared virtual reality space; users project their consciousness into a representation of networked data. |
| 1982 | Micro Label (from Blade Runner by Ridley Scott) A serial number or logo so small it can only be seen under extreme magnification. |
| 1982 | Mindwipe (from Mindkiller by Spider Robinson) A process that selectively and effectively erases human memory. |
| 1982 | Full-Motion Building Advertising Facade (from Blade Runner by Ridley Scott) An advertising display that covers an entire skyscraper; it provides full-motion video to onlookers. |
| 1982 | Advertising Airship (from Blade Runner by Ridley Scott) A dirigible capable of reproducing full-color video ads on its sides. |
| 1982 | Designer Eyes (from Blade Runner by Ridley Scott) Genetic designers create better-than-perfect eyes for replicants. |
| 1982 | SAL 9000 (from 2010: Odyssey Two by Arthur C. Clarke) Successor to the HAL 9000. |
| 1982 | Voight-Kampff Test (from Blade Runner by Ridley Scott) A test intended to distinguish human beings from replicants. |
| 1982 | Cutoff Switch (from 2010: Odyssey Two by Arthur C. Clarke) A means of instantaneously switching off an artificial intelligence. |
| 1982 | Shipstone (from Friday by Robert Heinlein) A lot of power in a small, manufactured package. |
| 1982 | Esper Photo Analysis (from Blade Runner by Ridley Scott) A device that can find remarkable levels of detail from a photograph. |
| 1982 | Automated Travel Bureau (from Friday by Robert Heinlein) A computer program that allows individuals to book their travel arrangements themselves, with a credit card. |
| 1982 | Public Eye (from Friday by Robert Heinlein) A floating, free-roaming surveillance camera. |
| 1982 | Beanstalk (from Friday by Robert Heinlein) Clever name for the space elevator. |
| 1982 | Flying Car (from Blade Runner by Ridley Scott) Flying police car has VTOL. |
| 1982 | Heritable Memories Bloodline (from The Time of the Dark by Barbara Hambly) Using magical means to tie specific memories to the bloodlines of selected families. |
| 1982 | UHF Shower (from Eye of Cat by Roger Zelazny) And ultra high frequency shower, which do used energy instead of water to wash off. |
| 1982 | Call Notification Unit (from Eye of Cat by Roger Zelazny) A small portable device that let you know that you had a phone call at your home. |
| 1982 | Genetically Tailored Trees (from Eye of Cat by Roger Zelazny) Trees that had been genetically altered to produce and concentrate usable oil. |
| 1982 | Cyberspace (from Burning Chrome by William Gibson) A computer technology that allowed people to see a computer network as an internal experience. |
| 1982 | Hunter Program (from Mindkiller by Spider Robinson) Searching for occupied dwellings by monitoring electric power usage. |
| 1982 | Virtual Reality (Virtual Matrix) (from The Judas Mandala by Damien Broderick) An early use of a term very similar to the idea of cyberspace. |
| 1982 | Trip-Box (from Eye of Cat by Roger Zelazny) A teleportation device. |
| 1983 | No Human Programmers (from Millenium by John Varley) The idea that computers are too complicated and too important to be programmed by human beings. |
| 1983 | Smartcab (from Cyberpunk! by Bruce Bethke) An automated taxicab, fully self-driving, that can be summoned from a portable device. |
| 1983 | AM-280 Needle Rifle (from A Matter For Men by David Gerrold) Device shoots a stream of steel needles. |
| 1983 | Sherman (from Millenium by John Varley) A sex robot. |
| 1983 | Skull Alarm (from Millenium by John Varley) Implanted wakeup call. |
| 1983 | Tether Space Station (from Tank Farm Dynamo by David Brin) A station in two parts, separated by a one hundred mile tether. |
| 1983 | Speedcap (from Millenium by John Varley) Short for speed capsule (?); sometimes, going ballistic is the fastest way to get there. |
| 1983 | Spark Plug (Systematician) (from Dream Thief by Stephen Lawhead) A person who draws information from diverse areas of knowledge. |
| 1983 | Microterm (from Cyberpunk! by Bruce Bethke) A very small computer system. |
| 1983 | Gnome (from Millenium by John Varley) A person who requires so much life support, they are built into the chair. |
| 1983 | Post Office (from Millenium by John Varley) A vault used to store time capsules left by travelers to the past; not your usual delivery service. |
| 1983 | Time Capsule (from Millenium by John Varley) A hollow block of metal, impervious to the elements, used by time travelers to send messages to the future. |
| 1983 | Skinsuit (from Millenium by John Varley) Wearable artificial, full-body skin. |
| 1983 | Revitalizer Console. (from Millenium by John Varley) A kind of automated medical marvel; it optimizes your body chemistry for better health, tops off your fluids, etc. |
| 1983 | Luggage (from The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett) A trunk made from sapient pearwood. |
| 1983 | Wimp Vault (from Millenium by John Varley) Lots of spare bodies. |
| 1983 | Wimp (from Millenium by John Varley) A special-purpose body; grown without personality, but physically intact. |
| 1983 | Timepress (from Millenium by John Varley) A device that makes time go more quickly in a limited area. |
| 1983 | Scooter (from Against Infinity by Gregory Benford) Biotechnology working to bring you a better solar system - a creepy crawly created to do terraforming work on Jupiter's moon. |
| 1983 | Nullboxing Bubble (from Streetlethal by Steven Barnes) The 'ring' used for a sport played out in free fall; essentially kickboxing in space. |
| 1983 | Cerebral Microprocessors (from Millenium by John Varley) Added boost for maxxed out minds. |
| 1983 | Big Computer (from Millenium by John Varley) Just like it says; this computer knows it all. |
| 1983 | People-Sorter (from Millenium by John Varley) A device able to sort human beings with incredible speed. |
| 1983 | Twonky (from Millenium by John Varley) A futuristic artifact left by time travelers in the past which, if discovered, could cause a paradox. |
| 1984 | Vat Grown Meat (from Neuromancer by William Gibson) Meat tissue for consumption, grown apart from an animal. |
| 1984 | Ixian Probe (from Heretics of Dune by Frank Herbert) A device that looks at brain tissue so carefully that memories can be seen. |
| 1984 | Tug (from Neuromancer by William Gibson) A small space vehicle, used to provide a push or pull to objects floating in space without propulsion systems. |
| 1984 | Toothbud Transplant (from Neuromancer by William Gibson) Implanted teeth that mimic the dentition of other species. |
| 1984 | ICE (intrusion countermeasures electronics) (from Neuromancer by William Gibson) Electronic protection for computer databases. |
| 1984 | Robot Crab (from Neuromancer by William Gibson) An automated gardener. |
| 1984 | Temporary Quarters (from Neuromancer by William Gibson) Device used to separate a large interior space in an off-planet satellite into various living spaces. |
| 1984 | JAL Shuttle (from Neuromancer by William Gibson) Shuttle capable of attaining low earth orbit. |
| 1984 | Ghost Trap (from Ghostbusters by Harold Ramis) Device for capture and temporary storage of ectoplasmic entities. |
| 1984 | Comeye (from Heretics of Dune by Frank Herbert) A portable video camera, used by the mobile functionary to keep in touch with office. |
| 1984 | Datacase (from Heretics of Dune by Frank Herbert) A portable suitcase, containing useful electronics for the mobile business-person. |
| 1984 | House Records (from Heretics of Dune by Frank Herbert) The vast archival information management system of the Bene Gesserit sisterhood, covering millennia. |
| 1984 | Implanted Microprocessor Monitor (from Neuromancer by William Gibson) Chips that are implanted in people to ensure compliance with company rules. |
| 1984 | Mirrorshades - Surgically Inset Glasses (from Neuromancer by William Gibson) Glasses that were implanted in the face of the wearer. |
| 1984 | Agony Box (from Heretics of Dune by Frank Herbert) A device for causing non-lethal, non-injuring pain by nerve induction. |
| 1984 | Nullentropy Bin (from Heretics of Dune by Frank Herbert) A compartment in which entropy was halted. |
| 1984 | No-Globe (from Heretics of Dune by Frank Herbert) A large spherical living space that is concealed by special Ixian technology, making it impossible to detect by any known probe. |
| 1984 | Life-shield Blanket (from Heretics of Dune by Frank Herbert) A device that is capable of shielding the person using it against ordinary forms of detecting living beings. |
| 1984 | Intellectual Cell (from Blood Music by Greg Bear) A smart lymphocyte; a cell with enhanced capacity for memory, understanding and communication. |
| 1984 | Neural Cut Out Chip (from Neuromancer by William Gibson) An electronic device which, when implanted in the brain of the subject, allows software to take over that person's body.. |
| 1984 | Shere (from Heretics of Dune by Frank Herbert) Destroys cells so that memory cannot be deduced from the cells of the person even in death. |
| 1984 | No-Ship (from Heretics of Dune by Frank Herbert) A ship that uses an Ixian field to be effectively invisible. |
| 1984 | Razorgirl (from Neuromancer by William Gibson) Surgically implanted blades under the fingernails. |
| 1984 | Computer-Created Dub (from Neuromancer by William Gibson) Music created by an artificially intelligent computer for a specific audience. |
| 1984 | Construct (Digital) (from Neuromancer by William Gibson) A stored version of a person's particular skills and personal approaches to problems. |
| 1984 | Biologics (from Blood Music by Greg Bear) A computer that is made of organic (biological) components, rather than inorganic materials like silicon. |
| 1984 | Medically Applicable Biochip (from Blood Music by Greg Bear) A computer formed of organic components that is used for a medical purpose. |
| 1984 | Mimetic Polycarbon Suit (from Neuromancer by William Gibson) Clothing made from a fiber that could change colors based on either recorded images or real-time picture input. |
| 1984 | Freeside Orbital Resort (from Neuromancer by William Gibson) A resort that orbits the Earth. |
| 1984 | Kuang Grade Mark Eleven Penetration Program (from Neuromancer by William Gibson) Chinese virus software for breaking the ICE. |
| 1984 | Pulse-Timer (from Heretics of Dune by Frank Herbert) A watch that uses your visual cortex for a read-out device. |
| 1984 | Wintermute (from Neuromancer by William Gibson) An artificially intelligent computer system. |
| 1984 | Gynoid (from Divine Endurance by Gwyneth Jones) A female android. |
| 1984 | Panther Modern (from Neuromancer by William Gibson) Cyberterrorists for hire. |
| 1984 | Repair Drone (from Neuromancer by William Gibson) Autonomous robots repair damage or sabotage. |
| 1984 | Meat Puppet (from Neuromancer by William Gibson) A person with a neural cut out chip; the chip allows computer software to completely control their actions. |
| 1984 | Privacy Screen (from Neuromancer by William Gibson) A device that shields occupants from all possible forms of electronic intrusion and surveillance. |
| 1984 | Joeboy (Muscle Grafts) (from Neuromancer by William Gibson) Additional muscle tissue added through surgery. |
| 1984 | Sparkers (from Niven's Laws by Larry Niven) A device used to deliver small amounts of electric current to chirpsithra, who use it for the same reason humans use alcohol. |
| 1984 | Talking Head (from Neuromancer by William Gibson) A mechanical head (with an analog voice) used as the output terminal for a computer. |
| 1984 | Microsoft (from Neuromancer by William Gibson) A small piece of firmware inserted into the brain that provides data on a particular subject, or special features, for the user. |
| 1984 | Selected Melanin Boosting (from Neuromancer by William Gibson) The only way to get a designer tan. |
| 1984 | Image-Amps (from Neuromancer by William Gibson) Boost the signal from the eyes to see in the dark. |
| 1984 | Electromagnetic Shotgun (from Neuromancer by William Gibson) A device to shut down an artificial intelligence if it becomes dangerous. |
| 1984 | Chirpsithra Supercomputer (from Niven's Laws by Larry Niven) An alien race thoughtfully provides mankind with blueprints for the most intelligent computer ever made. |
| 1984 | Nikon Eyes (from Neuromancer by William Gibson) Artificially cultivated eyes that can be transplanted to replace (or repair) your original pair. |
| 1984 | Display-Induced Epileptic Seizure (from Press Enter by John Varley) A computer program that flashes a computer display to induce an epileptic seizure in the user. |
| 1984 | Biological Circuit Fabrication (from The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe by Author Unknown) Creating an electronic circuit using biologically-based means. |
| 1984 | Planck Juice (from Master of Space and Time by Rudy Rucker) A continuous pre-quark force-medium with no distinguishing characteristics (it's mostly gluons) |
| 1984 | Coffin Rack Capsule Hotel (from The Science Fiction Yearbook (ed. Jerry Pournelle) by William Gibson) A hotel with very (very!) small rooms. |
| 1984 | Flexitime (from Master of Space and Time by Rudy Rucker) A work system that actually tells you when you've put in your time. |
| 1984 | Dermadisk (from Neuromancer by William Gibson) A means of quickly administering drugs directly through the skin. |
| 1984 | Interactive Suicide Note (from Press Enter by John Varley) A last message for the people you are leaving behind - that encourages their participation. |
| 1984 | Generate New Phone Number (from Press Enter by John Varley) A software program that creates a new phone number for each call. |
| 1984 | SimStim (from Neuromancer by William Gibson) Stimulation of the brain and nervous system of one person using a recording (or live broadcast) of another person's experience. |
| 1984 | Proton Pack (from Ghostbusters by Harold Ramis) The business end of a mobile particle accelerator. |
| 1984 | Edgar (from Electric Dreams by Rusty Lemorande) Computer that falls in love with a human woman. |
| 1984 | Contact Venom (from Twenty Evocations by Bruce Sterling) A poison that is absorbed through the skin. |
| 1984 | Low-Gravity Velodrome (from Neuromancer by William Gibson) A bicycle track in an orbital resort. |
| 1984 | Optic Television (from Twenty Evocations by Bruce Sterling) An eye that "sees" more than just its surroundings. |
| 1984 | Composite Expert System (from Twenty Evocations by Bruce Sterling) Intelligent teaching software - a computer interface with a heart. |
| 1984 | House Records Archivist (from Heretics of Dune by Frank Herbert) A specialist who correlated information within the House Records of the Bene Gesserit. |
| 1984 | Lado-Acheson System (from Neuromancer by William Gibson) A device for "pumping in" sunlight into an enclosed space habitat. |
| 1985 | Millipede Train (from Eon by Greg Bear) A train that is able to move without tracks or other supports. |
| 1985 | Mechanist Drogue (from Schismatrix by Bruce Sterling) |
| 1985 | Circumlunar (from Schismatrix by Bruce Sterling) A large space habitat orbiting the moon. |
| 1985 | Sours (from Schismatrix by Bruce Sterling) The odor created in enclosed space environments due to the need for bacilli for healthy soil. |
| 1985 | Video-Manicuring Program (from Schismatrix by Bruce Sterling) Manipulates live video images in real time. |
| 1985 | Flash Suit (from Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card) Special suit for practice battles. |
| 1985 | Microwave Beamer (from Limits by Larry Niven) A hand-held fast cooking device. |
| 1985 | Resting Pits (from Limits by Larry Niven) |
| 1985 | Beta Beam Satellite (from Limits by Larry Niven) |
| 1985 | Big Push (from Limits by Larry Niven) A linear accelerator built on a long track; a mass driver. |
| 1985 | Bat Wings (from Limits by Larry Niven) The dream of human-powered winged flight becomes a reality - in low gravity, of course. |
| 1985 | Deceleration Paste (from Schismatrix by Bruce Sterling) Antidote for deceleration trauma. |
| 1985 | Spetsdöd (from The Man Who Never Missed by Steve Perry) A unique gun that is part of the shooter. |
| 1985 | Freezone (from Freezone by John Shirley) A vast floating island in international waters. |
| 1985 | Wire Act (from Freezone by John Shirley) A person with special hardware modifications that allow him or her to create music by bodily movement. |
| 1985 | Earmite (from Freezone by John Shirley) A small speaker that you can put in your ear. |
| 1985 | Sleep Tube (from Solstice by James Patrick Kelly) A short, cylindrical living space. |
| 1985 | Tube Rack (from Solstice by James Patrick Kelly) A hotel consisting of a set of stacked tube-like living spaces. |
| 1985 | Mnemotropin (from Stone Lives by Paul Di Filippo) A drug to improve the creation of long-term memories. |
| 1985 | Subdermal Microchannels (from Stone Lives by Paul Di Filippo) A means of personal adornment; think of day glow tattoos. |
| 1985 | CCD Eyes (from Stone Lives by Paul Di Filippo) Electronic eyes using charged-coupled devices provide a wide variety of functions. |
| 1985 | Reactive Walls (from Freezone by John Shirley) Wall surfaces designed for use in clubs; they reacted to the music played in the room. |
| 1985 | Self-Propelled Road Mine (from Runaway by Michael Crichton) A small, lightweight mine able to travel at highway speeds; guides itself to a marked target. |
| 1985 | Security Guard Robot (Sentry Robot) (from Runaway by Michael Crichton) A robot that takes the place of a security guard in an office environment. |
| 1985 | Flying Crowbars (from Footfall by Larry Niven (w/J. Pournelle)) Kinetic energy weapons deployed from space. |
| 1985 | Orbital Retirement Hotel (from Contact by Carl Sagan) A retirement home placed in low earth orbit. |
| 1985 | Car Sound Tape (from The Cat Who Walks Through Walls by Robert Heinlein) Otherwise silent vehicle uses a recorded engine sound. |
| 1985 | Free Play (The Mind Game) (from Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card) A computer simulation that presents an enjoyable game for young people that is also used for psychological evaluation. |
| 1985 | Desk (Personal Computer) (from Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card) A computer for students. |
| 1985 | Visor (from Freezone by John Shirley) A snap-down video screen for your eyes only. |
| 1985 | Fieldstim (from Freezone by John Shirley) A device that used stimulation of a large skin area to impart images to the user. |
| 1985 | Skyball (from A Day For Damnation by David Gerrold) Remote-controlled UAV. |
| 1985 | Military Spider (from A Day For Damnation by David Gerrold) An eight legged telepresence robot. |
| 1985 | Imp Personal Robot (from Rocheworld by Robert Forward) A small 'subtree' robot that is designed for the personal use of astronauts. |
| 1985 | Plug-Ups (from Passage at Arms by Glen Cook) Tiny plastic balls that seal leaks on spacecraft. |
| 1985 | Adnix (from Contact by Carl Sagan) A device that muted the television to lessen the impact of commercials. |
| 1985 | Car Dashboard Drone Controller (from Runaway by Michael Crichton) A screen and controls for using a remote drone. |
| 1985 | Construction Robot (from Runaway by Michael Crichton) Autonomous robots work on construction sites. |
| 1985 | Threat Team (of sf writers) (from Footfall by Larry Niven (w/J. Pournelle)) Gathering together a group of science fiction writers to try to predict what will happen, or to understand an unknown threat. |
| 1985 | Interstellar Laser Propulsion System (from Rocheworld by Robert Forward) A means of traveling to the stars, using a Sol-based laser system and light sail-equipped ship. |
| 1985 | Home Robot (from Runaway by Michael Crichton) A robotic device designed to serve families in their homes. |
| 1985 | Christmas Bush Motile Robot (from Rocheworld by Robert Forward) Repair robot with extra-sensitive hands. |
| 1985 | Police Sketch Artist Software (from Runaway by Michael Crichton) A tablet-style computer with sketch pad software to help identify suspects. |
| 1985 | Digger Worm (from With Friends Like These by Connie Willis) A robot shaped like a fat snake, or worm; used for mining. |
| 1985 | Survival Bubble (Beach Ball) (from Footfall by Larry Niven (w/J. Pournelle)) Simplest possible space survival pod. |
| 1985 | Battleroom (from Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card) A large, null-gravity space used for battle tactics training. |
| 1985 | Michael (Orion Ship) (from Footfall by Larry Niven (w/J. Pournelle)) A spacecraft using nuclear bombs for propulsion. |
| 1985 | Smart Bullet (from Runaway by Michael Crichton) Really a tiny missile capable of identifying and following a person. |
| 1985 | Agricultural Robot Pest Controller (from Runaway by Michael Crichton) An agricultural robot specifically designed to perform pest control activities. |
| 1985 | Sniffer Robot (from Runaway by Michael Crichton) A small robot that gathers odors from a crime scene for analysis. |
| 1985 | Spider Robot (from Runaway by Michael Crichton) Scuttling insect robots. |
| 1985 | Sentient Room (from Schismatrix by Bruce Sterling) A room constructed entirely of flesh, dominated by the personality of a geisha. |
| 1985 | Drone Floater Camera (from Runaway by Michael Crichton) A one-foot square aerostat capable of hovering with a camera to transmit images back to a base station. |
| 1986 | Blaupunkt Holostage (from Snake-Eyes by Tom Maddox) A three-dimensional tabletop display. |
| 1986 | Polycarbon Phone Screen (from Count Zero by William Gibson) A telephone that provides videophone capability using a very thin screen that is folded away when not in use. |
| 1986 | Uterine Replicator (from Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold) A device that simulates the functions of the human uterus. |
| 1986 | Biosoft (from Count Zero by William Gibson) A biography that includes actual life experience from the subject; a biographical download. |
| 1986 | Robot Gun (from Aliens by Alan Dean Foster) An automated gun; typically used for sentry duty. |
| 1986 | Effective Human Implant Technology (EHIT) (from Snake-Eyes by Tom Maddox) Computer interface implanted directly into the human brain. |
| 1986 | Orbital Terminus (from Count Zero by William Gibson) An airport in space; a terminal for low earth orbit flights. |
| 1986 | Shiftsuit (from Matadora by Steve Perry) A form of adaptive camouflage gear. |
| 1986 | Ghostwheel (from Blood of Amber by Roger Zelazny) A sentient computer partially built with magic. |
| 1986 | Memory Biochip (from Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold) An implanted device that permits the user to 'play back' selected memories. |
| 1986 | Slamhound (from Count Zero by William Gibson) An automated assassination device with a keen sense of smell. |
| 1986 | Dustplug (from Count Zero by William Gibson) A cover specially made to protect one's microsoft socket; a tongue retainer for your brain. |
| 1987 | Holodeck (from Encounter at Farpoint by David Gerrold) A computer-simulated environment. |
| 1987 | Hushicopter (from Fantastic Voyage II: Destination Brain by Isaac Asimov) A nearly-silent helicopter. |
| 1987 | Robot Cells (Crystal-Shaped Modules) (from Isaac Asimov's Odyssey : Robot City: Book1 by Michael P. Kube-McDowell) Minute dodecahedral units that could combine into different shapes to become full robots. |
| 1987 | Moddy (from When Gravity Fails by George Alec Effinger) A plug-in personality module; a firmware device that gives the user the personality desired - ROM to your brain's RAM. |
| 1987 | Robotic Butterfly (from I, Robot: The Movie by Harlan Ellison) A tiny, electromechanical flying robot. |
| 1987 | Skydozer (from A Little Further Up The Fox... by George M. Ewing) Small spacecraft used to remove orbital debris. |
| 1987 | Predator Wrist Display (from Predator by John McTiernan) A wrist bracelet with a variety of useful functions. |
| 1987 | Superacid (from Nanotime by Bart Kosko) Smart acids that could be created to ignore particular compounds and dissolve others. |
| 1987 | Hostage Gas (from The Uplift War by David Brin) A gas sprayed over a population; to survive, those who breathe it must report to centers for the antidote. |
| 1987 | Webcast (from Armageddon Blues by D.K. Moran) A broadcast accomplished over a data network. |
| 1987 | Electric Monk (from Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams) Robotic device provides belief services. |
| 1987 | Transport Walkers (from A Little Further Up The Fox... by George M. Ewing) Multilegged transport vehicles big enough to carry one person. |
| 1987 | Boomer Park (from Nanotime by Bart Kosko) Where the baby boomers all went to retire and die. |
| 1987 | Birthing egg (from Nanotime by Bart Kosko) A chamber for in vitro fertilization (IVF), combining the DNA of two people to produce a child, without all the usual bother. |
| 1987 | Smart Lanes (from Nanotime by Bart Kosko) Roadways that monitored, directed and controlled traffic. |
| 1987 | Chiphead (from Nanotime by Bart Kosko) A person whose organic brain has been effectively superseded by a firmware (integrated circuit or more advanced technology) device. |
| 1987 | Ice Dart (from Nanotime by Bart Kosko) A variation on an old locked door mystery idea. |
| 1987 | Raisin (from Nanotime by Bart Kosko) A small device like a hearing aid that fits inside the external part of the ear; combines an intelligent agent and wireless access to the network. |
| 1988 | Jackleg (from Islands in the Net by Bruce Sterling) Moving data around to avoid detection or capture. |
| 1988 | Inert Resin (from Islands in the Net by Bruce Sterling) A special coating that eliminates maintenance on marine structures. |
| 1988 | Video-Glasses (from Islands in the Net by Bruce Sterling) Special light-gathering elements allowed the end user to see omni-directionally. |
| 1988 | Steel Drugs (from Islands in the Net by Bruce Sterling) A name for recreational chemicals that were entirely synthetic. |
| 1988 | Data Haven (from Islands in the Net by Bruce Sterling) A place where data that cannot legally be kept can be stashed for later use; an offshore web host. |
| 1988 | Scop (from Islands in the Net by Bruce Sterling) Protein grown in bacteria-filled vats. |
| 1988 | Gravitic Lift (from Prelude to Foundation by Isaac Asimov) An elevator with no visible means of support. |
| 1988 | Automated Space Factories (from Mona Lisa Overdrive by William Gibson) Manufacturing based in space. |
| 1988 | Didge-Ital (from Islands in the Net by Bruce Sterling) |
| 1988 | Head-Molding Skincaps (from Prelude to Foundation by Isaac Asimov) Get a smooth pate without shaving. |
| 1988 | Book-Film (from Prelude to Foundation by Isaac Asimov) A storage medium for books. |
| 1988 | Air-Taxi (from Prelude to Foundation by Isaac Asimov) A flying taxicab with autonomous features. |
| 1988 | Jet-Down (from Prelude to Foundation by Isaac Asimov) A spacecraft able to explore planetary surfaces. |
| 1988 | Microfarm (from Prelude to Foundation by Isaac Asimov) Food creation without soil. |
| 1988 | Dainties (from Prelude to Foundation by Isaac Asimov) Flavor spheres artificially grown. |
| 1988 | High Tech Trash Can (from Islands in the Net by Bruce Sterling) The future of waste management. |
| 1988 | Maas-Neotek Biochip (from Mona Lisa Overdrive by William Gibson) An integrated circuit chip (or equivalent) that provides hardware and firmware for creating a virtual entity. |
| 1988 | Hovercraft (from Mona Lisa Overdrive by William Gibson) A vehicle that moves about on a cushion of air. |
| 1988 | Brainlock (from Mona Lisa Overdrive by William Gibson) A technique to focus the attention of prisoners on a limited task, precluding the possibility of escape. |
| 1988 | Suit Designer (from Mona Lisa Overdrive by William Gibson) |
| 1988 | Polycarbon Exo (from Mona Lisa Overdrive by William Gibson) Exoskeleton made of a strong, lightweight material. |
| 1988 | Korsakov's (from Mona Lisa Overdrive by William Gibson) A type of mind control imposed on prisoners to make them more manageable during their prison time. |
| 1988 | Projection Rig (from Mona Lisa Overdrive by William Gibson) A portable holographic projector. |
| 1988 | SIN (Single Identification Number) (from Mona Lisa Overdrive by William Gibson) |
| 1988 | Sculpted Teeth (from Mona Lisa Overdrive by William Gibson) Go beyond teeth whitening to shaped teeth - for a more modern smile. |
| 1988 | Boppers (from Wetware by Rudy Rucker) Self-reproducing robots; they did not obey Asimov's laws for robots (or any other man-made rules). |
| 1988 | Lunar Concrete (from Mona Lisa Overdrive by William Gibson) A building material using lunar dust or similar surface material as a main ingredient. |
| 1988 | Videoshades (from Islands in the Net by Bruce Sterling) Sunglasses that let you watch what you want. |
| 1988 | Dornier (from Mona Lisa Overdrive by William Gibson) A small surveillance drone capable of hovering in midair. |
| 1988 | High Orbit Archipelago (from Mona Lisa Overdrive by William Gibson) The habitable spaces in high earth orbit. |
| 1988 | Trode-Net (from Mona Lisa Overdrive by William Gibson) |
| 1988 | House Voice (from Mona Lisa Overdrive by William Gibson) A house-based system that mediates technologies (like phone) with a verbal interface directed to the inhabitants of the house. |
| 1988 | Cleaning Machine Warren (from Mona Lisa Overdrive by William Gibson) A room or space set aside for machinery when not in use. |
| 1988 | Powered Print-Book (from Prelude to Foundation by Isaac Asimov) Part computer, part book. |
| 1988 | Print-Book (from Prelude to Foundation by Isaac Asimov) You’ve seen them. |
| 1988 | Recorded Personalities (from Mona Lisa Overdrive by William Gibson) Computer firmware that saves a person's characteristics and reactions. |
| 1988 | Digital Running Shoes (from Islands in the Net by Bruce Sterling) Shoes with a digital readout showing performance. |
| 1988 | Flickercladding (from Wetware by Rudy Rucker) A covering that allowed robots to absorb incident light or emit light, as needed. |
| 1988 | Week Trees (from Wetware by Rudy Rucker) Specially engineered bonsai that could grow in a week, instead of decades. |
| 1988 | Heartshirt (from Wetware by Rudy Rucker) A shirt that was able to detect heart sounds and display associated colors. |
| 1988 | People-Mover (from Wetware by Rudy Rucker) A fixed mode of transporting people outside; and, they get to sit down. |
| 1988 | Vizzyprint (from Wetware by Rudy Rucker) A printer attached to a video phone. |
| 1988 | Twist-Box (from Wetware by Rudy Rucker) A device that scrambles your sensory input, providing you with a different kind of experience. |
| 1988 | Watchphone (from Islands in the Net by Bruce Sterling) A combination cell phone and wrist watch. |
| 1988 | Bank Chip (from Mona Lisa Overdrive by William Gibson) A "smart" credit card. |
| 1989 | Datumplane (from Hyperion by Dan Simmons) The workspace of console cowboys - the matrix. |
| 1989 | Flat Photo (from Hyperion by Dan Simmons) A two-dimensional pictorial representation of a three-dimensional real space. A picture. |
| 1989 | Rotated Solid Space Habitat (from Iron by Poul Anderson) A solid version of a artifact rotated to achieve artificial gravity. |
| 1989 | Farcaster (from Hyperion by Dan Simmons) A portal for traveling between distant stars; inexpensive, instantaneous travel to remote worlds. |
| 1989 | Treeship (from Hyperion by Dan Simmons) A single, enormous tree grown as a spacecraft. |
| 1989 | Datasphere (from Hyperion by Dan Simmons) The entirety of computers and their information linked together, typically on a planet, in concept. |
| 1989 | Hawking Mat (from Hyperion by Dan Simmons) About two meters long and one meter wide, made of shielded monofilaments, with a bright textile design - okay, it's a flying carpet. |
| 1989 | Cybrid (from Hyperion by Dan Simmons) An organic body used by an artificial intelligence. |
| 1989 | Worldweb All Thing (from Hyperion by Dan Simmons) Network connects billions of people in real time. |
| 1989 | Can City (from Hyperion by Dan Simmons) A cylindrical space habitat. |
| 1989 | Credit Wake (from Hyperion by Dan Simmons) The electronic trail of our transactions across the Net. |
| 1989 | Fatline (from Hyperion by Dan Simmons) A communications technology that provides immediate communication between star systems; faster-than-light communication. |
| 1989 | Internet Addiction (from Hyperion by Dan Simmons) A state in which human beings experience addiction to computer access and data streams. |
| 1989 | Universal Card (from Hyperion by Dan Simmons) A device that mimics every credit card and identification card you possess. |
| 1989 | Schrön Loop (from Hyperion by Dan Simmons) Small data storage device; a USB chip that stores terabytes. |
| 1989 | Lifezone (from Tides of Light by Gregory Benford) An enclosed biosphere; a pod-like greenhouse attached to a space-going vessel. |
| 1989 | Kamikaze Andy (from Tekwar by William Shatner) An android that is designed as an assassination weapon. |
| 1989 | Voxbox (from Tekwar by William Shatner) An intelligent home agent. |
| 1989 | Orbiting Penal Colony (from Tekwar by William Shatner) A prison placed in orbit (better than Alcatraz). |
| 1989 | TechnoCore (from Hyperion by Dan Simmons) A group of artificial intelligences with vast resources and the entirety of human dataspheres to access. |
| 1989 | Micromind (from Tides of Light by Gregory Benford) A computer helper. |
| 1989 | Wrist Command (from Tides of Light by Gregory Benford) A wearable communications device; the logical endpoint of mobile computing. |
| 1989 | Free-fall Couch (from Hyperion by Dan Simmons) Furniture that achieves the comfort of free-fall, the weightless condition normally achieved only in space. |
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Win $250K By Reading Ancient Scrolls Carbonized By Vesuvius
re: James P. Hogan
(3/7/2023)
Toy-Like Robot Well-Being Coaches Are The Best
re: Manga Clamp
(3/5/2023)
AI-Trained Snack App Avatar Goes On Dates For You
re: Stanislaw Lem
(3/3/2023)
M-Dwarf Stars May Not Have Habitable Planets
re: EE 'Doc' Smith
(3/1/2023)
Too Soon To Doom Lunar Farside Observatories
re: Raymond Z. Gallun
(2/27/2023)
Amitabh Bachchan Wins Personality Protection
re: Frank Herbert
(2/25/2023)
LIAM F1 UWT Clever Rooftop Windmill
re: John Jacob Astor IV
(2/23/2023)
Scent-Identifying Robot Uses Machine Learning
re: Michael Crichton
(2/21/2023)
Volvo's Autonomous Truck
re: Miles J. Breuer
(2/19/2023)
Skiing On The Moon - Skiing on Asteroids?
re: Robert Heinlein
(2/17/2023)
Liberty Lifter X-Plane From DARPA
re: Ed Earl Repp
(2/15/2023)
Robot Performs 3D Bioprinting Inside The Body
re: Philip K. Dick
(2/13/2023)
Bubloons May Be The Start Of Something Much Bigger
re: Alan Nelson
(2/11/2023)
Sleeping Pods In Tokyo Railway Stations
re: Larry Niven
(2/9/2023)
Wist Labs Makes Minority Report Family Videos Come True
re: Steven Spielberg
(2/7/2023)
Robot Imagines Itself (Not The First Time This Has Happened)
re: Roger P. Graham
(2/5/2023)
Intelligent Trash Sorting By Robots Predicted Long Ago
re: Harry Harrison
(2/3/2023)
SpaceX Fairing Catch Suggestion
re: Ed Earl Repp
(2/2/2023)
MIT Robot Eel Made Up Of Voxel Segments
re: Susan Bettlestone
(1/29/2023)
Synthetic Voices Demanded Of New Actors
re: Thorton Ayre
(1/27/2023)
'Courier Commons' By Tomorrow Lab, From Karl Schroeder (and Bruce Sterling?)
re: Bruce Sterling
(1/25/2023)
Terrifying Robotic Apple Harvester
re: Otfrid von Hanstein
(1/23/2023)
Jetson-Style Clockwork Robot Nail Salon Coming To Target Near You
re: Jetsons
(1/21/2023)
Mechanical Horse Sculpture Gallops In Place
re: Christopher Stasheff
(1/19/2023)
'Make Sunsets' Tweaks Climate By Atmospheric Alteration
re: Neal Stephenson
(1/17/2023)
Eviation Alice Electric Plane First Flight
re: Charles Cloukey
(1/15/2023)
Hotels Turn To Robots As Human Workers Regroup
re: Harry Harrison
(1/13/2023)
Changesite Mineral To Be Mined On Moon By China
re: Pournelle and Niven
(1/11/2023)
Tongue-Controlled Tong Wearable Mouth Computer
re: Greg Bear
(1/9/2023)
Is It Better To Be Short?
re: Frank Herbert
(1/7/2023)
Taikonaut Tai Chi Foot Loops
re: Murray Leinster
(1/5/2023)
Space Billboards Would Ruin Our View Of The Cosmos
re: Jack Williamson
(1/3/2023)
(See More Science Fiction in the News)
