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"In 1977, it took about eight months for a slightly faster more refined mechanism to put punk in the window of Holt Renfrew. It's gotten faster ever since."
- William Gibson
 |
| Poison Snooper | ||
| A device that checked food and drink for poisons. |
In the world of Dune, most wealthy people (and especially noble-born) needed to be careful about poisons in their food and drink.
| The Duke said: "Paul, I'm doing a hateful thing, but I must." He stood beside the portable poison snooper that had been brought into the conference room for their breakfast. The thing's sensor arms hung limply over the table, reminding Paul of some weird insect newly dead. The Duke's attention was directed out the windows at the landing field and its roiling of dust against the morning sky. |
| Technovelgy from Dune,
by Frank Herbert. Published by Putnam in 1965 Additional resources -
|
Poison snoopers were available in different forms, including portables:
"Hawat already has our own poison snooper over the dining table," he said. "There's a portable in your room..."
Large ceiling-mounted versions oversaw activity on formal tables:
The classic central chandelier remained unlighted, and its chain twisted upward into shadows where the mechanism of the poison-snooper had been concealed. Pausing in the doorway to inspect the arrangements, the Duke thought about the poison-snooper and what it signified in his society. All of a pattern, he thought. You can plumb us by our language--the precise and delicate delineations for ways to administer treacherous death. Will someone try chaumurky tonight--poison in the drink? Or will it be chaumas--poison in the food?
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Additional
resources:
More Ideas
and Technology from Dune
More Ideas
and Technology by Frank Herbert
Tech news articles related to Dune
Tech news articles related to works by Frank Herbert
Poison Snooper-related
news articles:
- Water Purity Detection In Real Time
- Date Rape Prevention Lip Gloss Kit
- iTube Platform Lets You Test Your Food
- pd.id Personal Drink ID Device Like Dune 'Poison Snooper'
- Baidu Kuaisou Dune Poison Snooper Chopsticks
- Nima Portable Gluten Tester
- Cheap Paper-Based Sensors Let You Snoop For Pesticides
| Holland Factory 3D Printing 500 Tons Of Steak Per Month |
| Robochef Robotic Food Prep |
| Drone Deliveries Instead Of Waiters In Restaurants? |
| SliceIt! Why Not Teach Robots To Use Knives? |
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I'm hoping that this procedure becomes a normal part of medical practice!
'... nothing was perfected until M. Pantalon announced the completion of his automatic valet.'
'...its streets were of remarkable width, with few or no buildings so high as mosques, churches, State-offices, or palaces in Tellurian cities.'
'...it was all composed of tiny, identical cubes, carefully laid to form a tilelike surface.'
'He carried on his person a triggering mechanism sensitive to his heartbeat.'
'...Anything was possible in my imaginary environment.'
'Somewhere in space, a chrome and blue automobile raced the green light of Earth.'
'That explains how it was so easy for me to remain motionless in midair...'
