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
"The answer to the problem of information overload on the Net is reputations… engineer a system called a reputation server."
- Neal Stephenson
 |
| Metal BIrds | ||
| Surveillance robots that carried weapons, in addition to using their metal bodies. |
These are the heavily weaponized version of the robot tracking devices from the same novel.
 (...cubes of glittering steel) On the platform the metal projectile had been joined by another; now a third landed, coming to rest beside the other two. Three cubes of glittering steel, holding tightly to the marble with clawlike grippers. "Attention!" the voice repeated. It came from the first projectile, an artificial voice - the sound of steel and wiring and plastic parts. These were instruments of death. And now they were out in the open. A fourth landed with the others. Metal squares, sitting together in a row like vicious mechanical crows. Murderous birds - hammer-headed destroyers... The four projectiles peered around the room, looking and listening intently.
|
| Technovelgy from Vulcan's Hammer,
by Philip K. Dick. Published by Ace Books in 1956 Additional resources -
|
The flying hammer-headed robots could attack in groups:
"I can't understand how Vulcan 3 came to have such things," Daily said...
"It made them," Barris said. "They're adaptations of mobile repair instruments... It must have perceived the possibilities in the situation a long time ago, and started turning them out..."
A hammer dived for the window... "These are no random attacks; those damn metal birds are co-ordinated...
It's mechanical flying objects controlled by a machine buried deep beneath the earth.
These devices were also equipped with pencil lasers.
Compare to the tracer birds from Changeling (1980), by Roger Zelazny and to the robot bird from Invader on My Back, by Philip E. High, published by Ace Books in 1968.
...he watched a mob of Healers struggling with a flock of hammers. Again and again the hammers dipped, striking and retreating...
Comment/Join this discussion ( 0 ) | RSS/XML | Blog This |
Additional
resources:
More Ideas
and Technology from Vulcan's Hammer
More Ideas
and Technology by Philip K. Dick
Tech news articles related to Vulcan's Hammer
Tech news articles related to works by Philip K. Dick
| Man Builds 200 Foot Basement Firing Range |
| Russians Create Robot Tank Platoons |
| Unmanned Boats Attack At Sea |
| Iron Drone Raider Counter-UAV Operations |
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
'The observation vehicle was of that peculiar variety used in conveying a large number of people across rough terrain.'
'The real border was defended by... a swarm of quasi-independent aerostats.'
'I ... set my automatic astronomical instruments to searching for a habitable planet.'
'...haven't you a section of the factory where only robot labor is employed?'
'... oblongs were all over the floor and surfaces.'
