So You Want To Be A Mentat
What does it take to develop yourself into a Mentat, the human computers from Frank Herbert's Dune? (re: Frank Herbert) |
First Space Lawyer (2008 and 1941)
Michael Dodge may be the first real American space lawyer, but he still has to take a backseat to Kerry Dale, sky-lawyer. (re: Nat Schachner) |
Pinta The Robot Sailboat
This robotic sailboat reminds me of another kind of automated vehicle, sailing even further. (re: Larry Niven) |
Robot Surgeon - Autonomous Tabletop Robotic Surgery At Duke
Remarkable precision from this autonomous robot; it can perform needle biopsies and other procedures without human guidance. (re: Larry Niven) |
Pilot View FPV 2400 Sees Out Model Plane Window
This is a pretty cool idea; for those who don't have the time or the money to get a pilot's license and plane, here's a way to get up in the air more cheaply. (re: Various) |
Robots May Get Compound Insect Eye Vison
Interesting biomimetic research from the Naval Warfare Center, done in collaboration with the common housefly, Musca domestica. (re: Various) |
CAMRAS Recycles Every Breath You Take
NASA continues developing new space technology for use in the upcoming Orion crew capsule, the Altair lunar lander and lunar rovers. (re: George O. Smith) |
E-paper You Can Write On From Seiko Epson E Ink
Collaboration produces a very nifty e-paper display that you can write notes on if you wish. (re: Isaac Asimov) |
XNAV Steer Your Way By X-Ray Pulsar
A couple of papers suggest that XNAV might provide us with solar system-wide 'GPS' - good thing sf writers were already thinking about space beacons. (re: George O. Smith) |
Zingo Local Anesthesia Like Star Trek Hypospray
Although Star Trek is not the origin of the hypospray idea, take a look at this new applicator. (re: Gene Roddenberry) |
SEMAINE Project For Sensitive Artificial Listener (SAL) Robots
It looks like these real-life computer scientists are trying to follow in the footsteps of the fictional Dr. Chandra - they're trying to create SAL 9000. (re: Arthur C. Clarke) |
Rag Tag Space Fleets Line Up With Magnetism
How can those space fleets stay in formation without constant use of reaction mass? In space, CGI graphics can't make up for reaction mass. (re: Various) |
Pixie Dust Magical Pinkie Regeneration
Amazing story, if true. Even more amazing, if it can work on larger and more complex structures in the body. (re: Various) |
'McSleepy' Automated Anesthesia Machine
This device seems to provide anesthesia quality that is as good or better than an ordinary human anesthesiologist. (re: Various) |
Honda Walking Assist Exoskeleton Video
Honda lets you strap on this partial-exoskeleon and walk a bit easier. At least, that's the theory behind this experimental device. With video. (re: Fritz Leiber) |
Robot Chef Learns By Demonstration
Give a robot an omelet, and you feed it for a day. Teach a robot how to cook omelets, and you feed it for a lifetime. Or something like that. (re: Edgar Rice Burroughs) |
'Kill Switch' Feared By Pentagon
It's a fine time to go looking for chips with embedded backdoors; didn't they see this in the movies and on TV? (re: Various) |
BAE Spider Robot Wrist Watch Monitor
The idea of a wrist band monitor or bracelet-monitor is a good idea now - and a good idea when I first read about it almost thirty years ago. (re: Roger Zelazny) |
Autonomous Docking Laser-Guided Robotic Wheelchair
This is a very useful device and it turns out to be even more difficult on Earth. (re: Various) |
Robo-Squirrel Plus Tree Climbing Robots Equals MechaSquirrel
This is a pretty cool trick; it's been done before, but I have a few ideas on how Rocky the robotic squirrel could be improved. (re: Various) |
Scented Text Messages - Imagine The Possibilities
Oh, it's coming alright. To a cell phone near you. And you will remember with fondness the days when you only had to LISTEN to the person's conversation. (re: Frederik Pohl) |
Space Boomerang Toss Now On Video
Here's a cool video of successful space boomerang tossing, provided by JAXA. (re: Various) |
Self-Reconfigurable Robots Get It Together
This robot comes apart into clusters that can call to each other and reconnect; watch the video and imagine what will be possible in another five years. (re: Various) |
Scientist Web-Spinners Could Just Ask Spiderman
I had no idea that detailed information on how Spiderman actually generates his webs was so easily available. (re: Stan Lee) |
MAST Spider Robots Like Minority Report
Here we have yet another instance in which a government contractor might as well have just used the movie as the spec. (re: Steven Spielberg) |
Ticketime Concept Timepiece Ticket
Neat concept reminds me of the master, Isaac Asimov, who also wanted to improve tickets. (re: Isaac Asimov) |
Training Videogames Bought By Defense Intelligence Agency
This series of games is intended to teach analysis how to succeed in intelligence work. (re: Frank Herbert) |
Computer Online Forensic Evidence Extractor (COFEE)
Of course, the computers of the future might also have lawyer programs to detect the use of this kind of device. (re: Various) |
Disappearing Ink On Self-Blanking Paper
Amazing invention has me completely baffled; or maybe I've just been reading too much Philip K. Dick lately. (re: Various) |
Smart Buoys Say 'Slow Down, Whale Crossing'
Fascinating example of interspecies communication and cooperation. Right here on Earth. (re: Various) |
Vital Jacket Heart (Monitoring) Shirt Via Rudy Rucker
I'm going to keep on collecting example technologies that are almost a Rucker heartshirt, because I know someday those docs are going to get it right. (re: Rudy Rucker) |
Keyboard Pants
I think I understand the jackets - and even lederhosen - with controls for your MP3 player built into them. But keyboard pants? (re: Murray Leinster) |
New Australian Bionic Eye Less Invasive
More options are good; the Austrailian prototype helps patients with some residual sight conserve what they have. (re: ) |
Korean Cloned Drug-Sniffing Dogs
All seven of these 'RePet' dogs have the same name to make things a bit easier for the humans. Too bad they can't do syncording yet. (re: Wibberly) |
Gattaca Put Off A Few Years
The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 is a good thing to have around. (re: Andrew Niccol) |
Strawberry Picking Robot In Japan
Although I like going out and picking strawberries for an idyllic hour, tasting as I go, I don't think I'd want to do it for a living. Robot task? Yes. With video. (re: Philip K. Dick) |
Sports In Space
Life in space will be incomplete with sports to play. But what sports are appropriate to space? (re: Robert Heinlein) |
MIT 'Quickies' RFID Transmit Paper
These nifty post-it notes can communicate to your computer world. (re: Frank Herbert) |
Blaster Battle Robot Laser Shootout Terminator-Style
Tired of those slow-motion robot soccer games? Want to see the first steps toward robot-blaster-induced Armageddon? Click here. (re: James Cameron) |
Where's My Hand Waving Gesture Recognition Interface?
The time is past for mere wishful drooling over movie-style gesture recognition interfaces. I want my hand waving interface. Now. (re: ) |
NTT's Firmo Body Network Touch Communication
NTT gets a jump on everyone by releasing its Firmo human body networking hardware. (re: Various) |
Universal Translator, Babelfish Possible
The idea of a real-life universal translator is usually applied to a human language translator. But what about translating actual alien communication? (re: Larry Niven) |
MAHEM Metal Jets Like Clarke's Stiletto Beam
This idea amazed me the first time I read about it, in Arthur C. Clarke's excellent novel 'Earthlight.' (re: Arthur C. Clarke) |
7 Day Old Baby Meets Telepresence Robot Dad
Very interesting application of medical rounding robots usually used to work with adults who understand what's going on. (re: Various) |
AirStrike Interactive Display: The Summoning
This display technology video has gotten a lot of attention; I'm not convinced. Especially about the 'holographic' part. (re: Edm) |
'Bionic Eye' Argus II Retinal Implant
This operation is not quite routine, but it's spreading around the world. And that's great news. (re: Frank Herbert) |
Bum Bot DIY Vigilante Robot
With a little ingenuity, you can put a robot on patrol. With video. (re: Various) |
REEM-B Robot Autonomous Helper Video
This is one smooth robot; take a look and see if perhaps REEM-B has a place in your home. (re: Robert Heinlein) |
Ghostbuster Approach To Neutralizing WMD
You knew that someday it would come to this; Homeland Security calls upon the Ghostbusters. (re: Harold Ramis) |
Swarming Micro Air Vehicle Networks (SMAVNET)
The US Army is setting up to learn about this idea; I found several good resources that I hope they're using. (re: Roger Zelazny) |
