Unmanned Hotels Project By Itochu/Orico
The impersonal hotel gets even more so; the Hotel Hendrix from Altered Carbon comes closer. (re: Richard Morgan) |
World's First Artificial Human Liver Grown In Lab
The creation of 'mini-livers' from stem cells may be in time to avoid the dangers of too much demand in the organ transplant field. (re: Larry Niven) |
N.S.E.C.T. Robotic Attack Insect From Tyco
This so-called toy is a terrifying realization of the deadly insect robots in Crichton's Runaway; Gene Simmons, beware! (re: Michael Crichton) |
Shadow Robot Hand With Air Muscles
The Shadow Hand provides a very humanlike feel, due to the unique muscles that power hand motions; seen at NextFest 2006. (re: Various) |
Biological Cybernetics Lab Dextrous Robot Hand
Very quick to respond, the only difference is the 'clacking' sound it made when it gestured; seen at NextFest 2006. (re: Various) |
Robotic Hands Get A Grip
Blue collar droids get their wish this Christmas - better hands! (re: Various) |
Bionic Dolphins And Whale Waldoes
Amazing prototype submersible is not your father's water toy; this baby's got a Corvette engine. (re: David Brin) |
Big Brother Would Like A Word With You
In a dubious zero-tolerance policy toward unwanted behavior, Britain lets Big Brother do the talking. (re: George Orwell) |
SunTracker One Brings The Sun Inside
Very cool device to bring a significant amount of light inside your house or building regardless of the sun's direction. (re: Ray Bradbury) |
PaPeRo Robot Childcare In Japan
Phil Dick's robot nanny could beat up this childcare robot - but PaPeRo actually exists and is working with children today. (re: Philip K. Dick) |
Two Human Species In 100,000 Years? Stick With Wells
Will the human species bifurcate into Haves and Have-Nots? Eloi and Morlocks? (re: H.G. Wells) |
Undergrad Proposes Asteroids As Radiation Shields
Excellent idea from a 19 year-old undergrad - and Arthur C. Clarke - could get astronauts to Mars more safely. (re: Arthur C. Clarke) |
Bio-Shirts From Korea Monitor Athletes
Very lightweight shirt to help elite athletes (and amateurs) train and avoid overstraining themselves - maybe you'll wear one when you get older. (re: Rudy Rucker) |
NASA TeTWalker Shape-Shifting Robot Update
This robot is like no other, but it may be able to walk across irregular terrain like no ordinary robot. (re: Various) |
Laser Gunship Prototype By 2007
The military is working hard to bring this weapon system online, hopefully in time for Cyberdyne Systems to use it. (re: James Cameron) |
Books of Hope Talk to Everyone
These talking books from Africa are a first. (re: Harlan Ellison) |
Flying Aircraft Carrier Crash Site Surveyed
These incredible airships were built in the 1930's and were used as flying aircraft carriers - the inspiration for the flying platforms in movies like Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow. (re: Ed Earl Repp) |
Liquid Armor Video Shows Bullets Bounce Off
This material looks more and more like the kind of thing that sf writers like Larry Niven wrote about. (re: Larry Niven) |
Shiva The Riding Mechanical Lion
This retro mechanical lion has at least one feature that DARPA's BigDog robot doesn't have... (re: Various) |
WeaponWatch Detects, Locates Enemy Fire IR Signature
This remarkable system can detect enemy fire, locate it, and even tell you the weapon in use almost instantly. (re: Various) |
Electronic Typewriter Rouses Shub-Internet
Unknowing artist may bring the wrath of the Beast of 1024 Processors down upon us all. (re: Various) |
Second Life Now Has Reporters, Taxes
My enthusiasm for an escape to onlife life is waning... (re: Neal Stephenson) |
Robot Waiters From China And Canada (And Star Wars)
These robotic waiters are ready to take your orders. (re: George Lucas) |
AIC-CI Cookingrobot Chinese Robotic Chef
Chinese fast foods now prepared by robots - maybe in your home before the end of the decade. (re: Anthony Boucher) |
Bytes Restaurant With Touchscreen Ordering
This modern approach to making food faster meets with customer approval; waiter/waitress bargaining units not so sure. (re: Edgar Rice Burroughs) |
Toshiba Interactive 3D Display Video At SEATAC 2006
Very nice video on Toshiba's slick 3D display, which now seems to offer additional interactive features. (re: George Lucas) |
First Motor Powered By Living Bacteria
Amazing new motor powered by hard-working bacteria. (re: Various) |
RealSnailMail With RFID-Chipped Snails
You just thought you've been using snail mail - this is email, with real snails. (re: Frank Herbert) |
SkyCeiling Big Indoor Sky
This remarkable product from The Sky Factory is worthy of Hogwarts - and Stanislaw Lem. (re: Stanislaw Lem) |
RuBot II Robot Solves Rubik's Cube With Gusto
Now here's a robot who knows how to make good use of its leisure moments. (re: Various) |
Airblade From Dyson Airblast From Heinlein
Dyson's latest product offers 400 kph winds of drying power - more than Heinlein's 1940's airblast. (re: Robert Heinlein) |
South Korean Intelligent Surveillance and Guard Robot
This autonomous robotic sentry gun has a choice of lethal and non-lethal rounds, and comes with voice recognition as standard equipment. (re: Michael Crichton) |
Launch Ring Magnetic Launch System By LaunchPoint
Although just in the planning stages, this could give us a twist on an old Heinlein suggestion for reaching space. (re: Robert Heinlein) |
Aqua Sciences Water From Atmospheric Moisture
Remarkable (and secret!) technology to lower the price of water to troops in Iraq, and help people in need. (re: Frank Herbert) |
DARPA Urban Challenge For Autonomous Vehicles
Cars that can really drive themselves in traffic? DARPA sets the Urban Challenge. (re: Robert Heinlein) |
Polar Rose Face-Recognition Search Engine
Someday, the images on the web will be as searchable as the text. (re: Various) |
Space Yogurt Now Available On Earth
Awesome orbital survival-of-the-fittest foodstuffs now available in Japan. (re: Various) |
HLPR Chair Mobility Robotics
This industrial-strength robot will help caregivers and wheelchair-bound individuals alike. (re: Katsuhiro Otomo) |
Second Life - Your Virtual World Is Ready Now
CNet moves to the virtual world of Second Life. (re: Neal Stephenson) |
Color Frequency Video Turntable At NextFest 2006
This is a very cool item; fun to look at, fun to use and great to listen to. (re: Various) |
PEBBLES Robot - Teleconferencing For Kids At NextFest 2006
The innovative PEBBLES robot received a da Vinci award for adaptive and assistive technology this week. (re: Niven and Pournelle) |
Robonaut Centaur At NextFest 2006
The remarkable Robonaut telepresence robot is now available in a new form. (re: Robert Heinlein) |
Autonomous UAV Surveillance Swarm
Fascinating realization of work by Neal Stephenson and Roger Zelazny. (re: Neal Stephenson) |
Slime-Ridin' Snail-Bot Colonoscopy Robot
Sometimes, science meets fiction - and then grosses it out. (re: Various) |
Remember Ring From Goldsmith's
Unique ring uses a micro thermopile to help you remember important dates - yeah, like that one. (re: Robert Heinlein) |
Pileus Umbrella Flickr Photo Browser
Cool art project that uses an umbrella to take, share and display photos. (re: David Brin) |
Snake-Arm Robots From OCRobotics Reach Out
Nifty snake-arm joy-stick controlled robot can find its way into a variety of tight spaces. (re: Various) |
Stereo Omnidirectional System Intelligent Wheelchair
No blind spots and 360 degree vision - this wheelchair sees it all. (re: Robert Silverberg) |
Boeing Thermal Protection System For Orion
Boeing will develop an ablative heat shield for the Orion space craft. (re: E.E. 'Doc' Smith) |
Robot Skin Soft Like Yours
Artificial robot skin now smooth and soft, just like you've always dreamed robot skin would feel. (re: Various) |
Planetary Annihilation Chances 'Totally Miniscule'
Black holes generated beneath the Earth's surface? I sense no danger here... (re: David Brin) |
SwisTrack Swarm Analysis Of Robots And Roaches
Swarms need to be studied - this tool can be used on insects or robots. (re: Various) |
Terranaut - Fish Explore Land With Robotic Vehicle
Ah, nothing like going for your first drive. Especially when you're a fish. On land. (re: Vernor Vinge) |
Russian Power Boots Can Use Biofuels
These Power Boots are dangerously cool, in fact and in fiction. (re: Charles Stross) |
Toyota Robot Leg Has Bird-Like Vertical Leap
Robotic leg achieves early NBA verticals, but its pretty good for a robot. (re: Martin Caidin) |
Long Range Stunners - Again
Another long range stun weapon - actually, Jules Verne had this one first. (re: Jules Verne) |
BluScreen Minority Report Ads
Minority Report-style ads are back again; we may not be able to avoid this one. (re: Steven Spielberg) |
Saddam's Supergun And Verne's Columbiad
It appears that Impey Barbicane of the Baltimore Gun Club and Saddam Hussein had more in common that I would have thought possible. (re: Jules Verne) |
ULTra PRT (Personal Rapid Transit) Planned For London
The ULTra is back in the news, this time at Heathrow airport. (re: James Blish) |
Silicon-Based Lifeforms: Hortas In The Deeps
A prominent iconoclastic scientist argues that silicon-based life may exist. (re: Gene L. Coon) |
Lethal Frisbee UAV Robots
Modular Disc-Wing (Frisbee) Urban Cruise Munitions are on their way, thanks to the USAF. (re: Various) |
Pipeline Explorer Untethered Robotic Snake
Amazing robotic pipeline inspection device is a real snakebot. (re: Various) |
Icuity iWear iPod Video Glasses
Remarkable realization of the videoshades from the cyberpunk sf era. (re: Bruce Sterling) |
Virtual Arms Dealers Arrested
Virtual gun-running now a problem in China. (re: Various) |
Nokia Silence Booth - Shh!
If only someone would install these everywhere... (re: Robert Heinlein) |
Miuro Autonomous Music Robot
Rather than outfitting your house with speakers in every room, why not have a stereo that follows you around? (re: Herbert Goldstone) |
Roentgenizdat: X-Ray Bones Jazz Recordings
Amazing find from the old Soviet union - nothing held jazz fans back in those days. (re: Various) |
Trashcan Surveillance - Halt! Who Throws There?
No science fiction writer ever thought of putting spy chips in garbage cans - it takes bureaucrats to do that. (re: ) |
Lo-Tek Book Reading (In Bed) Stand
How to read a heavy book in bed hands-free. The anwer comes from Japan. (re: Robert Heinlein) |
Scrollbars and Selections Make User Interface Art Scene
Here's an artist who takes graphic user interface items and imposes them on the real world in the name of art. (re: Various) |
Tachikoma Robot Jumping Spider Tank
They're cute! They're jumping spider killer robot tanks. (re: Various) |
VeriMed Implanted RFID Dogtags Studied By Military, VeriChip
Not a pleasant story, but this science-fictional possibility is being studied by the US military. (re: Jack Vance) |
Robotic Carps Swims Realistically In London
Video of autonomous fishbot carp reveals fishlike robotic success. (re: Michael Swanwick) |
TM9 Turf Mat Grass Roof (And Living Room Carpet?)
I think Vonnegut's (and Heinlein's) grass carpets are now just about ready - in easy-to-use carpet tile form. (re: Kurt Vonnegut) |
Pong Dress
The Pong Dress implements the classic video game in a fashion plate setting. (re: Philip K. Dick) |
ARMAR Humanoid Robot For The Kitchen
Okay, Roomba and Scooba are doing the floors. Now, what about the dishes? That is up to ARMAR, the kitchen bot. (re: William Gibson) |
WT-6 Waseda Talking Robot Head From Neuromancer
Japanese roboticists are working hard on the talking head from Neurmancer - the one that talks without synth chips. (re: William Gibson) |
Cyberviolence A Growing Web Trend In South Korea
Rumors and attacks on individuals by groups of Internet users is now a serious problem in South Korea. (re: John Brunner) |
Information-Free Zones Future Vacation Spot
Interesting artistic concept - would you pay to keep from drowning in information and connectivity (at least on vacation)? (re: John Brunner) |
Virtual Piano Keyboard
Much easier to carry up and down stairs to your new apartment. (re: Frederik Pohl) |
Rinspeed 'Splash' English Channel Crossing
Amphibious cars are almost speedy enough for sci-fi. (re: Robert Heinlein) |
Ballbot Balancing Upright Robot
Cool robot balances on one uniball unipod spherical - well, you get the idea. (re: George Lucas) |
Levitating Bed Vonnegut's Future Now
Kurt Vonnegut called this one about 45 years ago. (re: Kurt Vonnegut) |
Donation After Cardiac Death (Wait, I needed that!)
Larry Niven thought about it in 1967 - doctors are trying to increase the donor pool in more creative ways. (re: Larry Niven) |
FRS - Forehead Retina System
Remarkable system helps visually impaired people distinguish the objects in front of them. (re: Various) |
Liquid Armor With Shear Thickening Fluid
Science fiction writers were first on the scene again in conceptualizing armor that flows with the body but hardens upon impact. (re: Neal Stephenson) |
Huggable Robotic Bear Companion From MIT
The lovable robot bear from Spielberg's A.I. is getting much closer, thanks to efforts of researchers at MIT. (re: Brian Aldiss) |
Soap Optical Mouse And eXistenZ Metaflesh Game Pod
Wash your hands of that carpal-tunnel-syndrome-creating mouse of yours and make yourself a wireless pointing device. (re: David Cronenberg) |
Diebold AccuVote-TS Security Flaw
Diebold is at it again, this time threatening free and verifiable elections in the US. (re: William Gibson) |
Vecna BEAR Robot For Battlefield Extraction And Retrieval
Interesting new robot design could be useful for battlefield medical care and other military uses. (re: Katsuhiro Otomo) |
Freeze-Dried Blood For Israeli Soldiers
In a remarkable development, it may soon be possible for soldiers to carry their own blood for emergency transfusion. (re: ) |
Knock-Based Commands Like Heinlein's
Heinlein called this one; Linux programmers now using knock-codes on accelerometer-equipped laptops. (re: Robert Heinlein) |
Four-Rooms-In-One House
Three different rooms use the very same door - sounds science-fictional to me. (re: ) |
Headband Telepathy And Robinson's Mindkiller
Mind to mind transfer will take at least twenty years, but we're getting there, according to scientists. (re: Spider Robinson) |
Chinese Military Takes Page From NASA Apollo Program
NASA actually used this same technique in the 1960's to practice for the Apollo missions. (re: ) |
V-Rambo Wristwatch Video Receiver
This device allows soldiers to see on the other side of buildings, or over the next hill, using real-time video. (re: Ray Cummings) |
Buddy On Demand Inflatable Friend To Women Drivers
Inflatable dolls can make a real difference to lonely women driving at night, according to Reuters. (re: ) |
AMOEBA Tank Forms Letters Today, Aliens From 'Abyss' Tomorrow
Create letters with standing waves; will it be possible to create effects like the water aliens in Abyss sometime soon? (re: ) |
Mitsubishi Aurora Vision LED Screen And H.G. Wells
Enormous public high definition screen predicted by H.G. Wells seventy years ago. (re: H.G. Wells) |
Hyanide Motorcycle Snowmobile Eyecandy
Part tank, part motorcycle - the Hyanide design prototype looks promising. (re: ) |
Russians Enjoy 'Total Recall'-Style Fake Vacations
Philip K. Dick fans will enjoy the story of this Russian tour agency that takes a page from We Can Remember It For You Wholesale. (re: Philip K. Dick) |
MIT Light-Detecting Fibers Create Niven's Webeye
Amazing fiber web detects light; science fiction gadgets galore may soon exist. (re: Larry Niven) |
R7 Ridable Robot
Neal Stephenson, among others, saw this one coming. (re: Neal Stephenson) |
Magic Mirror Available Now
Snow White never had her house wired for automation - this guy really knows all. (re: ) |
Robotic Fire Hose Anna Konda
Imagine a nine-foot long robotic snake full of water slithering to the rescue in a fire - that's Anna Konda. (re: Connie Willis) |
CustomFlix News Clips On Custom-Made DVD
Custom media choices arrive even earlier than Jules Verne predicted. (re: Jules Verne) |
Cryogenic Suspension For Humans In Two Years
Heinlein's cold rest gets closer and closer - human trials soon. (re: Robert Heinlein) |
Prayer Antenna Religious Technology Artifact
Religious technology takes a step forward with the development of the prayer antenna. (re: Roger Zelazny) |
Bigelow Genesis I Inflatable First Look
Larry Niven's inflatable space module really works. (re: Larry Niven) |
50 MPH Rollerblade Ride
There is a safer way to hitch rides from cars - in Snow Crash. (re: Neal Stephenson) |
Robotany Bonzai Robot
Bizarre ambient robot sculpture using shape memory alloy wire. (re: ) |
Long Life Family Study (Heinlein's 'Howard Families') Now Recruiting
Robert Heinlein got his program started in the mid-1800's; the NIA is starting late, but maybe they'll still get there. (re: Robert Heinlein) |
Blank-o-Matic Wake Up
If your spouse (or your mom) is not available to tear the blanket away from you in the morning, this might just do. (re: Various) |
d3o Design Competition To Invent The Future
Design your own materials for the future using d3o intelligent molecules, and win cash prizes. (re: L. Niven) |
Mr. T Pities The Fool Who Won't Turn Left
Mr. T pities the fool who won't turn left; and he don't take no back talk, sucka! (re: Various) |
ROBHAZ-DT3 Rescue Robot In Iraq
This variation on an awardwinning robot design will be used to support Korean troops in Iraq. (re: Various) |
Animal Controlled Computer Game Plays Pac-Man Vs. Crickets
Humans versus crickets in a Pac-Man style fight to the finish. Who will win? (re: Orson Scott Card) |
Tsunami Warning System Working In Asia
Humans depended mostly on aliens for help in Clarke's 1953 novel Childhood's End. Other alternatives are now available around the world. (re: Arthur C. Clarke) |
Explay Nano Projector Pocket Display
Remarkable display projector is smaller than even science fiction authors imagined. (re: Jack Vance) |
Vernor Vinge Smart Contact Lens On Wired
Vernor Vinge got there first - but Wired drew it up real nice for us. (re: Vernor Vinge) |
LSTAT-lite Life Support For Trauma and Transport-lite Demoed
DARPA's LSTAT-lite was demonstrated earlier this month in a real-life format. (re: Larry Niven) |
No Runts In BigDog Robot Litter
Watch out - those DARPA robots are running in packs now. (re: Ray Bradbury) |
Sea-Eye Underwater Broadband Wireless Network
Undersea broadband wireless may get better soon. (re: Various) |
Password-Protected Bullets Wait In Their Chambers
Jeez, another password to remember. But the system has options to let you avoid 'what the heck is that password?' hell. (re: Various) |
Multi-Hop RFID Tags Track Monkeys
Maurading monkeys vandalizing mountain farms? Who can you call? (re: Various) |
K-NFB Portable Text To Speech
Inventor Ray Kurzweil has portable text to speech ready - how long ago did sf writers think about this idea? (re: David H. Keller) |
Heinlein Prize Awarded To Diamandis
The first award has been made of the Heinlein Prize, a $500,000 grant for commercial space exploration. (re: Robert Heinlein) |
Wrist Phone Sighted
One day, we'll have Dick Tracy's wrist radio. This isn't quite it, but it's got a cool look and a nice display. (re: Various) |
Brain Chips With Uniform Self-Organized Neurons
No more puddles of neurons; brain chips are now properly organized. (re: Peter Watts) |
L.A. Surveillance Drones Grounded By FAA
Los Angeles county sheriffs should have been reading Technovelgy - they could have avoided this problem. (re: Various) |
Fungus Devours CDs
You thought you had enough to worry about - now there's a fungus that consumes CDs, metal and all. (re: Various) |
Scientific Proof For Superhero Tights
Superheroes wore skintight suits for a great reason, say French researchers. (re: Various) |
Obsessive Computer Hoodies, Headbands, Headscarves
You thought you were obsessed with computer/pda/phone usage? Now, this is obsessive. (re: Various) |
Audio Bone-Conduction Headphones
Tired of headphones banging on your eardrums? Bang directly on your nerves through your skull instead. (re: Hugo Gernsback) |
The Future Of Cell Phones
The cell phones of the future - probably still drop calls, but they will look extremely cool doing it. (re: Frederik Pohl) |
Computers Get 3D View Of World
Remarkable advance makes possible what seemed impractical or undoable just 25 years ago. (re: Various) |
Diet Monitors Based On Chewing Sounds
Soon, it may be possible to do away with those cumbersome daily food logs or other diet monitoring aids. (re: Various) |
Namib Desert Beetle-based Dune Dew Collectors
They're not chromoplastic, but this new material could be used in Frank Herbert's dew collectors from Dune. (re: Frank Herbert) |
SkySeer UAV Drone Soars Over L.A.
Police surveillance by means of unmanned aerial vehicles starts to spread across the country. Helpful tool or police state enabler? You be the judge. (re: Larry Niven) |
Hyperactive Bob Fast Food Management Robot
Terrifying short story comes to life; everyone who works for someone else should read this story. (re: Marshall Brain) |
Smart Pills: 'Steroids' For Brainiacs?
Will SAT scores, like baseball statistics, need to have asterisks to indicate the use of performance-enhancing brain stimulants? (re: Various) |
Robots Get More Sensitive Sensors
Nanoparticles help robots become more sensitive; thin films provide a sense of touch as good as yours. (re: Various) |
Invisible Maze Conceptual Holodek
You need to squint a little to see this invisible maze - but it really is sort of like a holodek (alpha release, that is). (re: Various) |
Gattaca-Style DNA Databank For 3 Million Americans
More concerns surface as police gather DNA evidence from people who have only been arrested, not charged or even convicted. (re: Andrew Niccol) |
Big Brother TV Or Distributed Citizen Action?
Big Brother or entertaining reality TV taken to a whole new level - you be the judge. (re: William Gibson) |
Astronauts Test Star Wars Remote On Space Station
Star Wars directly inspired this NASA advanced project; the first testing was successful. (re: George Lucas) |
Micro Reactor Systems Creates Frank Herbert's Polawindows
Frank Herbert wrote about polawindows in 1972; after just thirty short years, you can buy them. (re: Frank Herbert) |
VeriChip Chairman Proposes RFID Chips For Immigrants
Looks like VeriChip is looking to expand its market; what works for cattle should work for guest workers, apparently. (re: Jack Vance) |
Her Majesty's 'Web Robot' Catches Tax Dodgers
Gadzooks! Loyal subjects concealing e-commerce income from Her Majesty caught by intelligent search agent. (re: Frederik Pohl) |
Infernoptix Digital Pyrotechnic Matrix Display
Doomsday display or not, one look at this display and you'll forget all about that fancy-pants plasma screen. (re: Various) |
