The Velvet Glove by Harry Harrison:
Science Fiction Inventions, Technology and Ideas

"New York was a bad town for robots this year. In fact, all over the country it was bad for robots..."

"SF writer and editor Harry Harrison explores a not too distant future where robots - particularly specialist robots who don't know their place - have quite a rough time of it. True, the Robot Equality Act had been passed - but so what?"

Wonderful short story details the adventures of Jon Venex, a robot with a special past and unique capabilities. An out-of-work robot has to take whatever work he can get; in this case, Jon takes a job that he should have left alone.

Select an invention:

Blue Collar Robot (Self-Repairing)
An autonomous robot required to find its own work.

Regen-Buds
Small collection of cells that can regrow into human limbs.

Undercover Detective Robot - who am I?
Specialized robot masquerades as different robot types to spy on criminals.

Underwater Robot
An autonomous mechanical for use underwater.

Vehicle Sleep Sensor
Better stay awake, the machines know if you're sleeping.

 

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Science Fiction
in the News

Russians Create Robot Tank Platoons
re: Philip Nowlan w/D. Calkins
(8/15/2025)

3D-Printed Exoskeleton Learns From Your Hand
re: Fritz Leiber
(8/13/2025)

Smartwatch Powered By Slime Mold
re: Philip K. Dick
(7/11/2025)

Unmanned Boats Attack At Sea
re: Ray Naylor
(7/9/2025)

Carpentopod Walking Table
re: Terry Pratchett
(7/7/2025)

Iron Drone Raider Counter-UAV Operations
re: Robert Sheckley
(7/5/2025)

SpaceX Rocket Shuttle Point-To-Point On Earth
re: Robert Heinlein
(7/3/2025)

Quaise Uses Beams Of Energy To Dig Geothermal Wells
re: Frank Stockton
(7/1/2025)

Robots Repair And Modify Themselves
re: Harry Harrison
(6/29/2025)

Waymo And Tesla 'Autonomous Cabs' Are Piloted By Remote Drivers
re: Philip K Dick
(6/27/2025)

Robot Janitors Get To Work
re: Philip K. Dick
(6/25/2025)

Robots Learn To Install Charged Batteries Into Themselves
re: Not known.
(6/23/2025)

Robot Rabbits Entice Pythons
re: JW Groves
(6/21/2025)

LLM 'Cognitive Core' Now Evolving
re: Philip K. Dick
(6/19/2025)

More SF in the News

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