Device Name |
Book/Story |
Author |
Date |
T.I.E. Fighter (Tie Fighter) A highly maneuverable fighter spacecraft using an ion drive propulsion system. |
Star Wars |
Lucas |
1976 |
Tabletop Display A display monitor built into a flat, horizontal table surface. |
An Adventure in Time |
Flagg |
1930 |
Tacspace An augmented representation of space battles. |
The Algebraist |
Banks |
2004 |
Tagalong A backpack with legs; a robot that will carry things for you and match your movements. |
In the Bowl |
Varley |
1976 |
Tag-Along Balloon A bladder-like device that both finds and temporarily fixes leaks in moon tunnels or space station habitats. |
Gentlemen, Be Seated |
Heinlein |
1948 |
Talisman Device that causes beings nearby to experience truth and peace; works only in the hands of rare adepts. |
Way Station |
Simak |
1963 |
Talking Bomb A psychological warfare weapon that talks to the enemy. |
Starship Troopers |
Heinlein |
1959 |
Talking Head A mechanical head (with an analog voice) used as the output terminal for a computer. |
Neuromancer |
Gibson |
1984 |
Talking Pamphlet An instructional pamphlet that instructs you through ordinary speech. |
Ellison Wonderland |
Ellison |
1974 |
Talking Robot An impractical robot, for display only. |
Robbie (Strange Playfellow) |
Asimov |
1940 |
Talking Speedometer A gauge that tells you its value verbally |
Biddiver |
Sturgeon |
1941 |
Talking Tape Adhesive-backed network connection, global positioning, voice synthesis and speakers. |
Distraction |
Sterling |
1998 |
Tand A metal sculpture, made in contemplation, which has great meaning for the initiates. |
The Dragon Masters |
Vance |
1962 |
Tanglefoot Field A force field that would not harm but merely entangle and stop anyone (or anything) caught in it. |
The Star Beast |
Heinlein |
1954 |
Tangler Strong webbing in a tiny capsule, it expands to a net, capturing a suspect. |
Logan's Run |
Nolan (w/G.C. Johnson) |
1967 |
Tanks Device that provides mass storage of information. |
A Logic Named Joe |
Leinster |
1946 |
Tannin-Secretion Pills Artificially darkens skin, for skin protection. |
Crashlander |
Niven |
1994 |
TANSTAAFL There ain't no such thing as a free lunch. |
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress |
Heinlein |
1966 |
Taper A device that records details about a visit to a distant planet. |
Time is the Simplest Thing |
Simak |
1961 |
Tapeworm Tranquilizer Robotic suppository dispenses tranquilizer. |
Revolution from Rosinante |
Gilliland |
1981 |
Taprisiot A kind of symbiote, which attuned itself to the user, allowing an expansion of consciousness - telepathic communication anywhere in the galaxy in real time. |
The Dosadi Experiment |
Herbert |
1977 |
Taprisiot Monitor Bead A small bead to be swallowed that allowed the thoughts of a person to be transmitted and recorded during a specified interval. |
The Dosadi Experiment |
Herbert |
1977 |
Tasp A device that induces a current in the pleasure center of the brain, at a distance. |
Ringworld |
Niven |
1970 |
Tattletale A device is attached to a criminal suspect, ensuring that his whereabouts are always known. |
The Game Players of Titan |
Dick |
1963 |
TBR (Talk Between Robots) Circuit A special means of communications used by robots to speak with each other. |
The Midas Plague |
Pohl |
1954 |
Teaching Chair No-frills teaching machine. |
Rammer |
Niven |
1991 |
Teaching Machine A helmet placed on the head focuses illimitable knowledge into even the head of an earth man. |
The Return of the Murians |
Schachner |
1936 |
Teakettle A standard rocket (uses hydrogen as a booster to leave the atmosphere). |
Double Star |
Heinlein |
1956 |
TechnoCore A group of artificial intelligences with vast resources and the entirety of human dataspheres to access. |
Hyperion |
Simmons |
1989 |
Tectogenetic Deliberate manipulation of genes to produce unique species. |
Crisis in Utopia |
Knight |
1940 |
Teddy A very intelligent and highly mobile robotic teddy bear. |
Super-Toys Last All Summer Long |
Aldiss |
1969 |
Teddy Bear Robot A special toy bear given to every child in the world. |
I Always Do What Teddy Says |
Harrison |
1965 |
Teep Rod A device that gathers the thoughts of an individual. |
Galactic Pot-Healer |
Dick |
1969 |
Telaudiogram An interplanetary communication method. |
The World With A Thousand Moons |
Hamilton |
1942 |
Telautograph First fictional reference to a fax machine. |
Ralph 124c 41 + |
Gernsback |
1911 |
Tele-Audiovized Meeting Teleconferencing done right. |
Exiles of the Moon |
Schachner (w. AL Zagat) |
1931 |
Telebook A book made available in text on a television screen. |
The Fun They Had |
Asimov |
1951 |
Telechart An interactive metal plate upon which were displayed celestial objects for interstellar navigation. |
Crashing Suns |
Hamilton |
1928 |
Telechronometer A watch that synchronizes itself to a remote source. |
Blowups Happen |
Heinlein |
1940 |
Telectroscope A much better telescope than yours. |
Islands of Space |
Campbell |
1931 |
Teledar Three-dimensional television. |
The Jester |
Tenn |
1951 |
Telelubricator Makes any surface or substance perfectly frictionless. |
The Exhalted |
de Camp |
1940 |
Telemedicine Apparatus First reference to a device that allows physicians to examine or aid patients at a distance. |
The Machine Stops |
Forster |
1909 |
Tele-Motor-Coasters Powered skates for personal transportation. |
Ralph 124c 41 + |
Gernsback |
1911 |
Teleoperated Beetle Car A remotely-operated robotic vehicle that permitted telepresence. |
Cities in Flight |
Blish |
1957 |
Teleoperated Lab Robot A robot is used to conduct experiments in an environment too extreme for humans. |
Cities in Flight |
Blish |
1957 |
Teleoperated Robot Surrogate A robot that is entirely controlled remotely by a person who sees with the point of view of the robot. |
The Robot and the Lady |
Wellman |
1938 |
Telepadion Instructor A device that places an entire sensory experience directly into the brain. |
An Adventure on Eros |
Haggard |
1931 |
Telepath Transmitter A device for long distance communication that makes use of telepathy. |
Agent of Vega |
Schmitz |
1949 |
Telepathic Transmitter (Telep-transmitter) A device using living alien tissue to transmit your thoughts. |
We Can Remember It For You Wholesale |
Dick |
1966 |
Telephone Funnel A kind of two-way public loudspeaker. |
The Messiah of the Cylinder |
Rousseau |
1917 |
Telephonic Music Room Places where a person could go, at any time, to share in musical performances happening at some distance away. |
Looking Backward |
Bellamy |
1888 |
Telephonoscope A device that effectively transmits pictures and sound over long distances. |
Le Vingtième Siècle (The Twentieth Century) |
Robida |
1882 |
Telephot A device that combined the functions of telephone and television; a phone with a screen. |
Ralph 124c 41 + |
Gernsback |
1911 |
Telephotography Sending pictures over a distance, displaying them on a vast screen. |
The Cosmic Cloud |
Burgel |
1931 |
Tele-Photophonic Attachment A device that permits a telephone funnel to see as well as hear. |
The Messiah of the Cylinder |
Rousseau |
1917 |
Telepomp (Matter Transmission) A device that transmitted matter from one place to another. |
The Man Without a Body |
Mitchell |
1877 |
Telepresence Bulldozer A bulldozer on the Moon that is operated remotely by a driver on Earth. |
Oath of Fealty |
Pournelle (w/L. Niven) |
1981 |
Teleprinter A device that printed out a copy of today's newspaper. |
Four-Day Planet |
Piper |
1961 |
Teleradio Control (Hand Flash) A device that can call a vehicle to a driver; it drives itself in a near-autonomous fashion to the caller. |
Exiles of the Moon |
Schachner (w. AL Zagat) |
1931 |
Teleray Destruction over great distances. |
Cosmic Teletype |
Jacobi |
1938 |
Telescreen Very early use of the idea of using technology to monitor human activity at a distance. |
1984 (Nineteen Eighty-Four) |
Orwell |
1948 |
Tele-Screen A display screen for live events. |
After Armageddon |
Flagg |
1932 |
Telescribe Creates a written record of distress signals and other reports. |
A Question of Salvage |
Jameson |
1939 |
Telesolidograph Projects three-dimensional images at great distances. |
Gather, Darkness! |
Leiber |
1943 |
Telespectroscope Device for searching for habitable (Earth-like) planets. |
Cosmic Quest |
Hamilton |
1936 |
Telestereo A disk, upon which the projected image of the distant sender appears. |
Crashing Suns |
Hamilton |
1928 |
Teleview A device for seeing at a distance. |
The Phantom Teleview |
Olsen |
1929 |
Television Sheet A large, flat screen television set. |
The Threat of the Robot |
Keller |
1929 |
Televisiophone A device that combines picture with sound for personal communication. |
Islands of Space |
Campbell |
1931 |
Televisor A viewing screen. |
The Phantom Teleview |
Olsen |
1929 |
Telucid A holographic projector. |
If The Sun Died |
Starzl |
1931 |
Temporal Paradox The paradoxical idea that making changes in the past results in changes in the present. |
The Toy |
Berry |
1954 |
Temporary Quarters Device used to separate a large interior space in an off-planet satellite into various living spaces. |
Neuromancer |
Gibson |
1984 |
Tensile Memory Polarized Matter The same piece of material can take pre-determined shapes. |
Babel-17 |
Delany |
1966 |
Tentacle Machines Enormous robots, cylindrical of body, tentacular of arms, autonomous of brain, sinister of intent. |
The Metal Giants |
Hamilton |
1926 |
Terminator Zone The area between solar illumination and shade. |
Exiles of the Moon |
Schachner (w. AL Zagat) |
1931 |
Terrafoam Dorm Building Maximum people in minimum space. |
Manna |
Brain |
2002 |
Terraforming The process of modifying a planetary surface to resemble those of an ideal earth; affects the entire biosphere. |
Collision Orbit |
Williamson |
1942 |
Terrene Pertaining to the Earth. |
An Adventure in Futurity |
Smith |
1931 |
Tesseract House A house built in the shape of a four-dimensional figure. |
-And He Built A Crooked House |
Heinlein |
1940 |
Test Box A remote-controlled device for capturing small objects from open space. |
The Devil's Pocket |
Hardart |
1940 |
Tether Space Station A station in two parts, separated by a one hundred mile tether. |
Tank Farm Dynamo |
Brin |
1983 |
Tetrahedron Interference Projector Projects a field of force around the Solar System, bending the light of stars to make them seem more distant. |
The Great Illusion |
Garth |
1938 |
The Book of the Machine The only book needed for life in the vast Machine. |
The Machine Stops |
Forster |
1909 |
The Cosmic Express A means of transmitting matter wirelessly. |
The Cosmic Express |
Williamson |
1930 |
The Dip A device that randomly dredges up things from the past... or the future. |
The Meddler |
Dick |
1954 |
The Hub A large space resort consisting of inhabitable bubbles in a metal framework. |
Worlds of Origin |
Vance |
1958 |
The Krang An enormous musical instrument (or weapon). |
The Tar-Aiym Krang |
Foster |
1972 |
The Machine A single vast contrivance that supplied all the needs of the world's millions of solitary inhabitants. |
The Machine Stops |
Forster |
1909 |
The Machine (M) An autonomous robot able to alter its appearance and functionality at will. |
The Unreconstructed M |
Dick |
1957 |
The Machines A few of these can run a planetary economy. |
The Evitable Conflict |
Asimov |
1950 |
The Shed Enormous building needed to assemble giant space craft or space stations. |
Space Tug |
Leinster |
1953 |
The Sleep Use of a special technique to lessen the supplies required for long space voyages. |
Tani of Ekkis |
Reeves |
1930 |
The Terror An amazing vehicle capable of attaining tremendous speeds - in many different ways. |
Master of the World |
Verne |
1904 |
The Twonky A robotic device from the future, constructed to look like a 1940's radio cabinet. |
The Twonky |
Padgett |
1942 |
The Veldt A nursery that comes alive for the viewer. |
The Illustrated Man |
Bradbury |
1951 |
Theater Seat Indicators Vacant seats are clearly shown. |
Flamingo: A Drama of A.D. 1950 |
Heller |
1930 |
Thermalarm Relays Detects objects by their heat radiation, so space craft can maneuver around them. |
Collision Orbit |
Williamson |
1942 |
Thermalite A transparent material that allows almost no heat to escape. |
Planet of Eternal Night |
Campbell |
1939 |
Thermatite Pure energy fuel mined on asteroids. |
Jurisdiction |
Schachner |
1941 |
Thermide A chemical which, added to water, boiled and sterilized it instantly.
|
Parasite Planet |
Weinbaum |
1935 |
Thermlectrium An alloy that turns heat directly into electricity. |
Blindness |
Campbell |
1935 |
Thermodyne Heat Ray Device focuses, and projects, a heat beam. |
A Brand New World |
Cummings |
1942 |
Thigh Grips Special chair feature for space ships undergoing accelerations. |
The Power Planet |
Leinster |
1931 |
Thionite A deadly drug. |
Galactic Patrol |
Smith |
1937 |
Third Eye An output device that uses the skin of the user. |
Daemon |
Suarez |
2006 |
Thorsen Memory Tube Computer component that allows a machine to learn through experience. |
The Door Into Summer |
Heinlein |
1956 |
Thought Coil (Machine Intelligence) Specially designed hardware that imparts intelligence to machines. |
The Revolt of the Machines |
Schachner (w. AL Zagat) |
1931 |
Thought Pattern Divination Attempting to construct the thoughts of a person by imitating their actions. |
The Houses of Iszm |
Vance |
1954 |
Thought Screen A material screen that is worn by the user, upon which are projected the mental images of the user. |
The Emperor of the Stars |
Schachner (w. AL Zagat) |
1931 |
Thought-receptor Vote-counting Machine That's one way to do a plebiscite. |
If The Sun Died |
Starzl |
1931 |
Thought-Record Helmet A wearable history book. |
Menace From Vega |
Randall |
1958 |
Thought-Screen A device that prevents other people from taking over control of your thoughts and mind. |
Gray Lensman |
Smith |
1942 |
Threat Team (of sf writers) Gathering together a group of science fiction writers to try to predict what will happen, or to understand an unknown threat. |
Footfall |
Niven (w/J. Pournelle) |
1985 |
Three Generation Work (Century Piece) An artwork created by three consecutive generations of artists, in exactly one century. |
The Sub-Standard Sardines |
Vance |
1949 |
Three Laws of Robotics (Rules of Robotics) The original formulation of Asimov's laws of robotics. |
Runaround |
Asimov |
1942 |
Thumper A short stake with a spring-driven clapper at one end; used to call sandworms. |
Dune |
Herbert |
1965 |
Tickler Clears smog and saves the residue for later use. |
Eurema's Dam |
Lafferty |
1972 |
Tiered Internet The idea that some forms of Internet network traffic should be given priority over others. |
The Shockwave Rider |
Brunner |
1975 |
Tiersian Therapy A therapeutic discipline in which the patient chooses a character from a book and then attempts to be that character. |
Red Orc's Revenge |
Farmer |
1991 |
Tight-Beam A method of communication that uses a very narrowly-focused stream of energy. |
Skylark Three |
Smith |
1930 |
Tik-Talker A method of scrambling spoken speech for encoded transmission. |
The Sign of the Tiger |
Nourse (w/Meyer) |
1958 |
Tik-Tok A mechanical man. |
Ozma of Oz |
Baum |
1907 |
Time Capsule A hollow block of metal, impervious to the elements, used by time travelers to send messages to the future. |
Millenium |
Varley |
1983 |
Time Dingbat Nickname for a time machine; used for a kind of WPA-like program for the past. |
The Computer Connection |
Bester |
1974 |
Time Dredge A device that scoops up material from the past, and returns it to the present. |
Time Dredge |
Arthur |
1942 |
Time Line The sequence of events leading up to, and past, this moment. |
Time Wants A Skeleton |
Rocklynne |
1941 |
Time Line Time seen linearly, as a distinguishable series of events. |
Liners of Time |
Fearn |
1935 |
Time Loop A series of events repeats, the stream crosses over itself. |
The Time Entity |
Binder |
1936 |
Time Machine A device allowing the rider to move freely in the temporal dimension, just as we ordinarily do in the two physical dimensions normal to gravity. |
The Time Machine |
Wells |
1895 |
Time Quake Too much energy applied to a time-fault may have started this. |
Breakfast at Twilight |
Dick |
1954 |
Time Scoop Retrieved objects from other points in time. |
Paycheck |
Dick |
1953 |
Time Stream The total sequence of events considered as a kind of flow. |
Time Stream |
Taine |
1931 |
Time Tunnel A gateway into the past. |
Rule 18 |
Simak |
1938 |
Timebroker A person who traded in the commodity of other people's time. |
Shuteye for the Timebroker |
Di Filippo |
2006 |
Timeout The part of a Skyrene's life that is spent in Warm Sleep travel between Earth and the destination planet. |
War Dogs |
Bear |
2014 |
Timepress A device that makes time go more quickly in a limited area. |
Millenium |
Varley |
1983 |
Timeslip When humans keep time on Mars, they must work with the extra forty minutes in each day. |
Red Mars |
Robinson |
1992 |
Time-Space Television A device for seeing into the past. |
Water-Bound World |
Vincent |
1932 |
Time-Telespectroscope. See other time-travelers. |
The Exile of Time |
Cummings |
1931 |
Time-Warping Construct A device that appears to cause alternate worlds or paraworld. |
Lies, Inc. |
Dick |
1964 |
Tin Cabby (Flying Robotic Taxi) An autonomously controlled flying taxi cab. |
Cities in Flight |
Blish |
1957 |
Tiny Atomic-Power Drive Unit A very small power generator that is atomic powered. |
The Brain Pirates |
Campbell |
1938 |
Tiny Nuclear Generator A complete nuclear-based generator of power no bigger than a walnut. |
Foundation and Empire |
Asimov |
1952 |
Tleilaxu Eyes (Metal Eyes) Tleilaxu eye surgery replaces natural eyeballs damaged or destroyed. |
Dune Messiah |
Herbert |
1969 |
TMA-1 The Tycho Monolith. |
2001: A Space Odyssey |
Clarke |
1968 |
Toaster A handheld beam weapon. |
Accidental Flight |
Wallace |
1952 |
Todos Santos Independency A city enclosed in a single building. |
Oath of Fealty |
Pournelle (w/L. Niven) |
1981 |
Toll Door An apartment door that operates on a cash-only basis. |
Ubik |
Dick |
1969 |
Toner Dead bits of nanomachines. |
The Diamond Age |
Stephenson |
1995 |
Tongue Mouse A pointing device using input from the tongue. |
Quantico |
Bear |
2007 |
Tongueprint Verification A device that verifies the unique print of the tongue against a a database for identification purposes. |
Fleet of Worlds |
Niven (w/E.M. Lerner) |
2007 |
Toothbud Transplant Implanted teeth that mimic the dentition of other species. |
Neuromancer |
Gibson |
1984 |
Toposcope A special helmet used in a form of sleep teaching. |
Cities in Flight |
Blish |
1957 |
Torch The orifice from which issued the reaction mass of an atomic powered space craft. |
Farmer in the Sky |
Heinlein |
1950 |
Torchship A spaceship capable of high acceleration. |
Sky Lift |
Heinlein |
1953 |
Torpoon Clever portmanteau of "torpedo" and "harpoon", an underwater whaling craft. |
Seed of the Arctic Ice |
Winter |
1932 |
Total Environmental and Mental Simulator An AI that could create and discard whole branches of science in pursuing the answer to a problem. |
Crown of Infinity |
Faucette |
1968 |
Touch Tablet Another name for a wireless Tablet PC. |
Darwin's Children |
Bear |
2003 |
Tourist Rocket A cheap, unpleasant way to do space travel. |
The Space Merchants |
Pohl (w/CM Kornbluth) |
1952 |
Towel A simple scrap of cloth with surprisingly many uses. |
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy |
Adams |
1979 |
Tower of Glass An enormous glass tower built to communicate outside the solar system. |
Tower of Glass |
Silverberg |
1970 |
Town In One Building This is the basic idea behind an arcology, or other single structure that is intended to provide living space and mall. |
When the Sleeper Wakes |
Wells |
1899 |
Toy Testing Dummy A child-sized device used to test suspect toys. |
War Game |
Dick |
1959 |
Trace Web A small, handheld device that contacts (and even instantiates) the larger network. |
Souvenir |
Dick |
1954 |
Tracer-Bird A prototype surveillance drone; a mechanical bird. |
Changeling |
Zelazny |
1980 |
Tracing Glasses Locate criminals by using glasses to pick up signals from special transmitters. |
Case Closed (Detective Conan) |
Aoyama |
1994 |
Tracked Vehicle A heavily armored vehicle, typical of those in use, with a remarkable agility. |
The Dosadi Experiment |
Herbert |
1977 |
Tracking Bracelet A security device armed with explosives. |
Shadowspeer |
Clayton |
1990 |
Tractatruck Combination tractor and truck used for hauling and exploration. |
The Moon is Hell |
Campbell |
1950 |
Traction City Cities re-engineered as enormous, lumbering machines. |
Mortal Engines |
Reeve |
2003 |
Traction City Gut The area of a Traction City used for taking apart and consuming captured prey cities. |
Mortal Engines |
Reeve |
2003 |
Tractor Beam A force field used to pull objects. |
Spacehounds of IPC |
Smith |
1931 |
Tractor Boots Space suit footgear that has atom-driven caterpillar treads. |
Magician of Dream Valley |
Gallun |
1938 |
Traffic Control Camera An automated camera system that photographs license plates as cars move past on a road system. |
Methuselah's Children |
Heinlein |
1941 |
Traffic Lane Discharger A device that electrically shocked vehicles whose drivers attempted to evade traffic control devices. |
Sagramanda |
Foster |
2006 |
Tramline The line along which hyperspace (instantaneous travel) travel is possible. |
The Mote in God's Eye |
Niven (w/J. Pournelle) |
1974 |
Tranquilizing Gum Chewing gum with a tranquilizing agent. |
Ubik |
Dick |
1969 |
Transcriber A automated transcriptionist - a machine which perfectly translates human speech into words on paper. |
Second Foundation |
Asimov |
1953 |
Transdermal Drug Capsule A drug capsule that delivers medication by being placed on the skin. |
Vulcan's Hammer |
Dick |
1960 |
Transdress A transparent dress upon which thousands of patterns may be projected. |
The California Voodoo Game |
Niven (w/S. Barnes) |
1992 |
Transfer Cable Move between two ships in space. |
Dead Star Station |
Williamson |
1933 |
Transfer Refuge A portable environment chamber, able to support unique and different lifeforms. |
Hotel Cosmos |
Gallun |
1938 |
Transkin A hooded protective suit worn on Venus. |
Parasite Planet |
Weinbaum |
1935 |
Translation Program A computer program that translates speech from one language to another, in real time, to aid in conversation. |
Deep Eddy |
Sterling |
1993 |
Translatophone A device that performs mechanical translation of one language into another. |
My Translatophone |
Stockton |
1901 |
Translator Discs Wearable devices that wirelessly connected to a speech translation computer. |
Ringworld |
Niven |
1970 |
Transmat A teleportation device. |
Tower of Glass |
Silverberg |
1970 |
Transmit Camera A camera that both takes pictures and uploads it directly to a news station. |
Four-Day Planet |
Piper |
1961 |
Transmit-Paper Paper form with a built-in capability to transmit the information written with a stylus to a remote computer network. |
The Godmakers |
Herbert |
1972 |
Transmitter Eyes Closed circuit cameras that provided sight and sound to remote viewers of the Courtarena who wish to remain anonymous. |
The Dosadi Experiment |
Herbert |
1977 |
Transo Teleportation of objects and personnel, used as the basis for "Trading Post" stores across the planet. |
Time is the Simplest Thing |
Simak |
1961 |
Trans-Oceanic Rocket Also, a rocket-plane. |
The Worlds of If |
Weinbaum |
1935 |
Trans-Oceanic Rocket Ship Rocket-propelled airplanes making short work of long trips on Earth. |
Berlin to New York in One Hour |
Valier |
1930 |
Transparent Aluminum Invisible light steel. |
The Space Hermit |
Newton |
1929 |
Transparent Car Roof You can see through the roof of the car. |
Sinister Barrier |
Russell |
1939 |
Transparent Dome Helmet A spacesuit helmet that can be seen through. |
The Man from the Atom |
Wertenbaker |
1926 |
Transparent Flat Panel Display A fifty-inch flat panel display that is (or can be) transparent. |
The Shape of Things To Come |
Wells |
1936 |
Transparent Overalls Perfect for prisoners, because nothing can be concealed. |
The Stainless Steel Rat's Revenge |
Harrison |
1970 |
Transparent Platisplasm Cage A replacement framework for a body joint - in this case, the shoulder. |
Babel-17 |
Delany |
1966 |
Transparent Spherical Ship A huge sphere of quartz housing a platform for space use. |
The Emperor of the Stars |
Schachner (w. AL Zagat) |
1931 |
Transparent, Frictionless Coating An absolutely frictionless, impenetrable coating. |
Way Station |
Simak |
1963 |
Transport Walkers Multilegged transport vehicles big enough to carry one person. |
A Little Further Up The Fox... |
Ewing |
1987 |
Trans-Space Transmission A curious method of communication between worlds. |
The Moon Moth |
Vance |
1976 |
Trantor A city that covers the entire surface of the planet. |
Foundation |
Asimov |
1951 |
Travel-Rug A rug that conveyed you around your house. |
Roll Out The Rolov! |
Anvil |
1953 |
Treatment of Extramundane Aborigines Laws for aliens on their own planet. |
Symbiotica |
Russell |
1943 |
Tree-Grown Wood The natural product, obtained by cutting down a living tree. |
Gravy Planet |
Pohl (w/CM Kornbluth) |
1952 |
Treeship A single, enormous tree grown as a spacecraft. |
Hyperion |
Simmons |
1989 |
Tri-D A remarkable pesticide. |
The Morning of the Day They Did It |
White |
1950 |
Trimagniscope A device that produced a usable cross-sectional image of any part of an object. |
Inherit the Stars |
Hogan |
1977 |
Trion Library An early visualization of the Internet. |
The Magellanic Cloud |
Lem |
1955 |
Trip to Mars A voyage across space to the planet Mars. |
Across the Zodiac |
Greg |
1880 |
Trip-Box A teleportation device. |
Eye of Cat |
Zelazny |
1982 |
Triple Airlock Special device to protect against extremely corrosive atmospheres. |
Uller Uprising |
Piper |
1952 |
Tripod An enormous metallic robot. |
The War of the Worlds |
Wells |
1898 |
Tri-Type Record A printed card that stores information about a person, including a perfect three-dimensional representation. |
The Houses of Iszm |
Vance |
1954 |
Trode-Net |
Mona Lisa Overdrive |
Gibson |
1988 |
Trolling Tether Cable Simple fishing technique applied to moving cargo off-planet. |
Atom Drive |
Fontenay |
1956 |
True-Vu Lenses (Goggles) Lenses that are worn as goggles, allowing the user to both see and record what is being viewed. |
Earth |
Brin |
1990 |
Truffle Skins Genetically unique skins are the common currency; their special genetic makeup makes forgery impossible. |
The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch |
Dick |
1965 |
Tru-Mem Systems Organic process of recalling personal events. |
We Can Remember It For You Wholesale |
Dick |
1966 |
Trumpaphone A loud, brassy instrument. |
The Voyage That Lasted 600 Years |
Wilcox |
1940 |
Trumps Magical Tarot cards that permitted both communication and transportation. |
Nine Princes in Amber |
Zelazny |
1970 |
Truth Meter A lie detector. |
The Star Beast |
Heinlein |
1954 |
Tube Rack A hotel consisting of a set of stacked tube-like living spaces. |
Solstice |
Kelly |
1985 |
Tubecar A pneumatic tube that carries people. |
The Faceless Men |
Zagat |
1948 |
Tubular Field of Force Can pull an object through space. |
The Cometeers |
Williamson |
1936 |
Tubular Space-Gangway A means of traversing the short distance between two ships in space. |
The Star-Roamers |
Hamilton |
1933 |
Tug A small space vehicle, used to provide a push or pull to objects floating in space without propulsion systems. |
Neuromancer |
Gibson |
1984 |
Tumblebug A monocycle; a motorcycle that balances on a single wheel. |
The Roads Must Roll |
Heinlein |
1940 |
Tuned-Laser Decontamination Process to destroy foreign biomolecules within the body. |
Hybrids (Neanderthal Parallax) |
Sawyer |
2003 |
Tune-Maker Automated music production. |
The World Jones Made |
Dick |
1956 |
Turnover The point in a torchship's trajectory when it must flip over and point its fiery tail toward its destination to decelerate. |
Off the Beam |
Smith |
1944 |
TW-55 Spy Conscious control of facial characteristics. |
Babel-17 |
Delany |
1966 |
Twing Used in the hold of spaceships to keep articles all together, and to prevent them from floating around in free fall, or falling during periods of acceleration. |
Protector |
Niven |
1973 |
Twist-Box A device that scrambles your sensory input, providing you with a different kind of experience. |
Wetware |
Rucker |
1988 |
Twonky A futuristic artifact left by time travelers in the past which, if discovered, could cause a paradox. |
Millenium |
Varley |
1983 |
Two-Wheeled Car A small passenger vehicle with two centerline wheels. |
The Roads Must Roll |
Heinlein |
1940 |
Two-Wheeled Ground Car A gyro-stabilized vehicle like an enclosed motorcycle. |
First Lensman |
Smith |
1950 |