Your Chemical Wake Up
Science fiction fans have asked for it - now you've got it - a fictional wake up pill. (re: Frank Herbert) |
NextEngine 3D Scanner Captures Your World
This device provides excellent three-dimensional CAD files when presented with small objects. (re: Jack Vance) |
Podtech Gesture Research Turns Hand Into Mouse
Gesture recognition is getting cheaper; soon your hand will be a mouse. (re: Steven Spielberg) |
VeinViewer Now In First Hospital
VeinViewer now in use bigtime. (re: Michael Crichton) |
NEOImpactor Software Models Asteroid Strike Consequences
Software package estimates the impact, human and economic, of asteroid impacts. (re: Various) |
Jumping Microrobot 'Flea' Is Solar Powered
Little fleas have littler fleas, it is said. Here comes one now. (re: Raymond Z. Gallun) |
GEN H-4 Looks Like Heinlein's Copter Harness
John Thomas really wanted one of these, and so do I. (re: Robert Heinlein) |
Your Scrap Copper Future
I've seen this science-fictional future before; where's my personal smelter now that I need one? (re: John Brunner) |
Android Weightlifter Now Capable Of Body Slam
Great sensor skills make the difference in this human-sized robot. (re: Karel Capeck) |
IR Chemical Communication Graffiti Tags Wanted By DARPA
ChemComm is a new proposed graffiti tagging technology under development by DARPA. (re: William Gibson) |
How Long To Run From One End Of TV To The Other? 12 Seconds!
How to best measure the size of your TV? Would you believe you'll need your running shoes and a stopwatch? (re: H.G. Wells) |
Digital Lederhosen MP3 Player Bavarian-Style
At last, traditional Bavarian lederhosen are now available with MP3 controller buttons. (re: Murray Leinster) |
Gummi Bots: Biomimetic Soft-Bodied Robots
These flexible creepy-crawlies are on their way like little caterpillars. (re: Rudy Rucker) |
Maya Hotel Floating Pyramid Island In Caribbean Sea
I think I've read about this one before; it would be nice to have a hotel you could move. (re: Larry Niven) |
Space Junkyard in North Hollywood
Space tech can be had cheap for pennies on the dollar at this space-age junkyard. (re: Various) |
Robot Painter 'Action Jackson' Mimics Jackson Pollock
This little robotic mechanism does a great job of creating works like those of Jackson Pollock. (re: Anthony Boucher) |
Smart Sign Watches You Drive By
Advertisers want to get a bit closer to you with these sensor-enhanced digital billboards. (re: J.G. Ballard) |
Your Can-Crushing Bionic Hand Is Ready, Steve Austin
Robotic hand shows exceptional grip strength. (re: Martin Caidin) |
Blimp Swims Through Air Like A Fish
Yet another use for electroactive polymers, helping non-rigid airships swim like fish. (re: Various) |
Tactical Biorefinery Turns Garbage Into Energy
Fascinating invention by Purdue researchers helps an army camp as well as march on its stomach. (re: Steven Spielberg) |
RoCo Robotic Computer Monitor
You spend more time with your computer than with some of your friends; maybe it should know you better. (re: Various) |
Green Comet Lovejoy - Cometeers Coming From Below?
Where's Giles Habibula when you need him? A green comet approaches the solar system. (re: Jack Williamson) |
Firefighter Rescue Robot Eats Humans
This is one rescue robot that could give you a bit of a start. (re: Various) |
MiniC.A.T Urban Air Car
This remarkable car is on the verge of mass production in India; it runs entirely on air. (re: ) |
Cool Robots At Dartmouth (And Greenland)
Not just nifty, these robots are built to handle the most demanding conditions on Earth. (re: Robert Heinlein) |
Science Fiction And The Imagination of Technologists
MIT's Technology Review acknowledges the contributions of science fiction writers. (re: Various) |
Could Robots Use A Little Down Time?
Can robots actually benefit from a dream-like state? Dr. Christoph Adami wonders. (re: Isaac Asimov) |
World's Largest Tablet PC From Sharp
Forget about packing this one under your arm. (re: Ray Bradbury) |
Lorentz-Actuated Orbit Spacecraft May Ride Planetary Magnetic Fields
Interesting proposal by NASA to fund research on the last known propellantless propulsion method. (re: Robert Adams) |
Microsoft Researches The Future On Video
Interesting short video from Microsoft research has science-fictional (and real) precursors. (re: ) |
HUBO FX-1 Robot Chair With Legs
Robotic walking chair, when you need to have someone walk for you. (re: ) |
Urey Life Detector
The ESA's ExoMars will carry this device to Mars to search for life. (re: Frank Herbert) |
HeadThere Giraffe Telepresence Robot
This is a pretty cool-looking example of an inexpensive remote-controlled telepresence device. (re: Niven and Pournelle) |
Remote-Controlled Pigeon Could Enable DSL
Cyborg pigeons fill the skies! Okay, there is one prototype pigeon, but it seems to work. (re: Frank Herbert) |
Everything Is Toy RFID-Enabled Fun
Cool prototype lets you impose music on your environment that makes you part of things, rather than distancing you from your surroundings. (re: Vernor Vinge) |
eBayaday Sells A View On eBay
Slow light concept makes its way into the world of art. (re: Bob Shaw) |
Cybernetic Jellyfish Evolve
Interesting art video and Sterling/Rucker short story come together. (re: Rudy Rucker/Bruce Sterling) |
Beetle-Sized Robot Roams Your Body
Tiny bot can roam your body under the direction of doctors. (re: ) |
PaPeRo Your Blogging Robot Boswell
PaPeRo now takes on the characteristics of James Boswell, famed biographer of Samuel Johnson. (re: James Boswell) |
Car Seat Prototype Knows When You Are Sleepy
This smart car seat will wake you up when you get sleepy behind the wheel - but will it get to market fast enough? (re: Harry Harrison) |
'Expert System' Found Practicing Law Without License
Court of Appeals confirms earlier court ruling that software was practicing law without a license. (re: David Brin) |
Bacteria Save Your Data, Make Multiple Backups
Remarkable feat by researchers makes those so-called thumbdrives look monster-sized by comparison. (re: Barbara Hambly) |
Dexter Dynamically Balancing Humanoid Robot
Dexter is perhaps the first bipedal robot that dynamically balances himself as he takes each step. (re: George Lucas) |
Intellidrug Medication Dispensing Tooth
Interesting idea from overseas on how to help patients take medications regularly. (re: Frank Herbert) |
SuperBot Modular Robot Connects With NASA
SuperBot is a modular robot prototype that will choose its own way to explore and perform tasks in space. (re: Abraham Merritt) |
Banryu Guard Dragon Home Robot
This great-looking quadruped robot walks like a dragon, sniffing the air and taking pictures. (re: Philip K. Dick) |
Segway Robotic Mobility Platform Looks Like A Tumblebug
This nifty little item might be usable by engineers as well as by their robotic applications. (re: Robert Heinlein) |
Computerized Lip-Reading Crime Fighters
Interesting project to teach computers how to lip-read automatically. (re: Arthur C. Clarke) |
Ubiko Robot A Fireman's Friend
This catlike robot is a better friend to firemen than that organic Dalmatian creature they use. (re: Ray Bradbury) |
Paralysis Beam From Peak Beam Systems
It appears that the US Army is interested in developing a paralysis ray. (re: E.C. Tubb) |
Onboard Threat Detection System For Big Brother Airlines
This system seems a bit too intrusive, and probably would not make me feel more secure while flying. (re: George Orwell) |
Varioptic Liquid Lens For Phone Cameras
The oil (and water) lens finally makes it into consumer products that will be available near you. (re: Frank Herbert) |
Space Robot Knows Your Mood
The space is the robot - just the thing for those long meetings. (re: Ray Bradbury) |
Polymer Vision Readius With Merely Foldable Display
I liked the idea of a fully rollable display better. Picky, picky, picky. (re: William Gibson) |
Pay With Your Cellphone
All you really need is your joymaker - I mean, cellphone. (re: Frederik Pohl) |
The Wisdom Door Knows You
Clever use of biometrics to identify those who may pass. (re: Philip K. Dick) |
Gravitonus Ergonomic Workstation
Just ask yourself this: does my gaming system orient me properly to the Earth (or other local) gravitational field? I didn't think so. (re: ) |
RFID 'Powder' - World's Smallest RFID Tag
New tag from Hitachi is incredibly small - truly RFID in powder form. (re: Bruce Sterling) |
Automatic License Plate Recognition Goes Mobile
The police can now check up to 3,000 license plates per hour as they cruise down the road. (re: Robert Heinlein) |
Robot Hand HOWARD Stroke Rehabilitation
Robot helps people to relearn simple manual tasks following strokes. (re: ) |
Robotic Ankle Exoskeleton Helps Users Regain Limb Function
Research provides a device that both supports the ankle, and helps interpret the brain's signals. (re: Fritz Leiber) |
Doomsday Vault Design Now Final
My only question, which no one seems to be asking, is 'Why don't the humans get a vault?' (re: John Varley) |
Robot Suicide Ad Changed By GM
Here's a suggestion on how to present a really depressed robot in a way that everyone likes. (re: Douglas Adams) |
Pyro Dancin' to the Infernoptix Beat
This is so great - now see more details than ever before with this amazing display. (re: ) |
X-Hawk Fancraft Like Blade Runner Flying Car?
Interesting working prototype of a flying car-style VTOL aircraft. (re: Ridley Scott) |
Debris Cloud From Chinese ASAT A Menace To Space Lanes
Arr, best keep a weather eye for Chinese weather satellite debris whilst passing through the debris cloud... (re: Arthur C. Clarke) |
Covert Iris Scanner Close To Minority Report Future
Don't take your privacy for granted, Mr. Anderton. They've got public iris scanning now. (re: Stephen Spielberg) |
Whereabouts Clock Set to 'Unreleased'
What ever happened to the Whereabouts Clock? I should have one by now - all my kids have cell phones. (re: J.K. Rowling) |
Robot Parking In Fact and In Fiction
Okay, George Jetson had a car that folded into a briefcase; but you can take your car to NYC and have the robot garage park it for you in real life. (re: Robert Heinlein) |
WiiBot Kuka Robot Controlled WiiMotely
Two engineers create a non-trivial fencing and tennis-playing robot - part Kuka, part Wii. (re: Frank Herbert) |
Whisson Windmills To Water Australia Like Vaporators?
Inventor from Oz creates windmills that pull water from the air - then you'll really need a droid that speaks the binary language of moisture vaporators. (re: George Lucas) |
Transformer Clothing
J.G. Ballard wrote about clothing that would do this - but it's been implemented using a more mechanistic technology. (re: J.G. Ballard) |
Immortal Computing - Microsoft's 'House Records'
Interesting patent troll by Microsoft reveals an interest in the history of computers and digital information. (re: Frank Herbert) |
Active Denial System Heat Ray Warming Up
Raytheon finally gets this nonlethal crowd-dispersing weapon out in public view. (re: H.G. Wells) |
Sniffer Robot With Infotaxis Algorithms On The Hunt
New algorithms bring Ray Bradbury's hunting mechanical hound closer - do you know who has your olfactory combination on file? (re: Ray Bradbury) |
TechX Urban Warfare Robot Challenge
Street-fighting autonomous robots wanted for new Challenge. (re: James Cameron) |
DAVID Freeware Laser Range Scanning
Excellent software package solves problems that only science fiction authors attempted a generation ago. (re: Jack Vance) |
Chaos Robot - Four Track Offroad Flailing
Unusual design permits this little 'bot to crawl practically anywhere. (re: Various) |
Internet Kiosks Around The World
Everywhere you go, there you are - on the Internet. (re: Various) |
Robot Nurses Seem Unavoidable
Worried about impersonal health care? How about some nice, caring 'intelligent robot swarms?' (re: David H. Keller) |
Gemotion Bas Relief Display
Unique technology provides a soft, 'living' 3D surface vision. (re: Various) |
Drivemocion More Expressive Than KITT
I hope this thing offers more than just the smiley face. (re: Various) |
HyperBike - NASA-Supported Heinlein Lunocycle?
This unique bicycle combines elements of old-fashioned big wheels and racing wheelchairs. NASA's interested, too. (re: Robert Heinlein) |
HCID: Handwear Computer Input Device Combat Glove
Interesting military control glove concept under development. (re: Various) |
Khronos Projector at NextFest 2006
Very cool interface should give you a new thought about the iPhone - flexible screen! (re: Various) |
Gravity Assist Will Help Pluto-Bound Craft
Jupiter will offer NASA a real speed boost in February - who thought of how to do it first? (re: Ray Cummings) |
Slow Light 'Scenedow' Close At Hand
It looks like a prototype 'scenedow' from Light of Other Days has been created at the University of Rochester. (re: Bob Shaw) |
PongSats - Tiny 'Satellites' At Space's Edge
Excellent program allows amateurs to send their experiments aloft. (re: Robert Silverberg) |
Put Your Ads Where Space Begins
These ads are taken to the edge of space, but can't quite be viewed by space tourists. (re: Alan Nelson) |
Motorola AUDEX Jacket With Sleeve Controls
Love those Leinster sleeve controls; the jacket does have a 1940's appeal to it. (re: Murray Leinster) |
Invisible RFID Ink Tattoos For Cattle, People
This new technology solves several vexing problems, and it makes it easy for large unruly herds to be tracked more easily. (re: Niven/Barnes) |
Advertising-Funded Cellphone Content
Free phone service may be coming whether you like it or not. The system depends on it. (re: J.G. Ballard) |
Cellular Phone Robot And iPhone - Joymaker Wannabes
Pohl's amazing joymaker from his 1965 novel still exceeds the vision presented for cellphones - but not by much. (re: Frederik Pohl) |
Digital Billboards Worth Billions
This part of our science-fictional future I can really live without; you'll pay money for unmarked, non-ad-saturated nature. (re: J.G. Ballard) |
Exoskeleton Like Halo Suit
If you can build a suit to fight with bears, you can build a military exoskeleton with some practical experience built in. (re: Various) |
The Pirate Bay Wants Data Haven On Sealand
One way or the other, The Pirate Bay wants a place to do data storage without interference from governments. (re: Bruce Sterling) |
Contour Crafting House Printer Nears Test
It appears that the work of Dr. Behrokh Khoshnevis and his 'house printer' will finally get a real-world test in the next few months. (re: Murray Leinster) |
Roboboa Dancing Robot Snake
Those folks at WowWee have been busy; this article may link to cooler robotic snakes, but none that you can buy off the shelf. (re: Roger Zelazny) |
iPhone Multi-Touch Screen's Big Brother(s)
If you think Steve Jobs is a good salesman, watch Jeff Han. (re: Stephen Spielberg) |
Canadian Coins Are Bugged Money
DoD reports say that contractors have received cash with listening devices - now, where have I read that before? (re: Bruce Sterling) |
Meth Coffee Now The Coffiest
It's an edgy beverage with a special alkaloid dusted right in. (re: Pohl/Kornbluth) |
Fab@Home 'Fabber' Freeform Fabricator
Lipson and Malone bring the printing of three-dimensional objects into the home with this project. (re: Jack Williamson) |
Robopanda Toys Last All Summer Long
This is one robotic bear that comes with its own toys. (re: Harry Harrison) |
Map Of World Happiness - A Global Projection of Subjective Well-Being
For the first time, a global projection of happiness is available; how happy are you? (re: Various) |
Skin Cells Genetically Modified To Fight Infection
This medical advance will help burn patients, who face lethal infection in skin graft procedures. (re: John Varley) |
Parasitic Worms Create 'Zombie' Snails
I thought Toxoplasma gondii was bad, but these poor snails really get a raw deal. (re: Robert Heinlein) |
Use Google To Search The Heavens
Google has once again allied themselves with a spectacular scientific project - have they bitten off more data than they can chew? (re: Neal Stephenson) |
Robotic Cable Inspection System
This unique robot operates under very difficult and constrained conditions; we need one of these for the space elevator program, too. (re: Arthur C. Clarke) |
Roboquad Quadruped Robot From WowWee
This four-legged robot toy from WowWee will chase your cat for you. (re: Various) |
Romi Robot Orwellian Vacuum Cleaner
Diminutive vacuum cleaner - is really a spybot. (re: Robert Heinlein) |
Disco Capsule Endoscope Theme Park Video
Awesome promotional video takes you to places you never imagined, yet lie within you. Really. (re: Various) |
Self-Cleaning Sportswear
Newfangled clothing may never need to be washed - even your old gym socks. (re: Neal Stephenson) |
Desktop Nanofactory Video
Excellent visualization of how it might work; not really news, but worth watching. (re: Philip K. Dick) |
Liquid Lakes On Titan Ready For Robofish
Newly available radar imaging data from Cassini's latest flyby appears to confirm it. (re: Michael Swanwick) |
EveR2-Muse Robot's Many Faces
The latest incarnation of the EveR2-Muse entertainment fembot now includes the latest feminine emotions. (re: Philip K. Dick) |
Transgenic Pigs Glow Green
Diligent Chinese researchers with one eye on the calendar create three little piggies with a green glow. (re: Margaret Atwood) |
Too Many Mars Missions Planned?
Very funny spoof of the increasing traffic on Mars. (re: Various) |
NASA Needs Fake Moondust By The Ton
NASA engineers need moondust to perfect plans for lunar return in the next decade. (re: Various) |
Peter Robbins' Alicia, Tom Swift's Jetmarine
Remarkable homebrew submersible allows builder to live his Tom Swift-inspired fantasy. (re: Victor Appleton) |
Actroid DER2 Late Model Fembot
This robotic receptionist upgrade has many new features. (re: Fritz Leiber) |
Virtual Milgram Experiment
In this unusual twist on an iconic psych experiment of the 1960's, humans show what they are made of. (re: Various) |
Trackable Clothing Now Solar Powered
These jackets could come in handy just for regular people traveling in their cars, based on recent events. (re: Various) |
First Jetpowered Flying Man
Apparently, the first successful jet-pack; it looks pretty good on YouTube. (re: Robert Heinlein) |
Snake-like Robots For Throat Surgery Doc Ock-Style
Snakelike robots down your throat? Fortunately, they will be under the control of skilled physicians. (re: Various) |
Polar Rose Photo Privacy And Surveillance Concerns
Polar Rose finally addresses some of the privacy and surveillance concerns of its critics. (re: Various) |
iEarth From Google, Nasa... Snow Crash?
New application effectively implements application envisaged in Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash. (re: Neal Stephenson) |
Insect Lab Beetle Clockwork Sculpture
Not robots - but an amazingly cool set of sculptures that are a science-fiction fan's dream come true - if you think about insects and clockwork. (re: Raymond Z. Gallun) |
Sweet Wheat - No Sugar Added
New development in plants means no more teaspoons full of sugar for your morning cereal. (re: Various) |
Porta-Person Remote Conferencing Stand-In
Remote-controlled portable person helps teleconferencers be in two places at once. (re: Raymond Z. Gallun) |
Power Sheet Provides Flexible Wireless Electricity
This system could provide great flexibility for recharging all of your zillions of devices, without having to take a zillion separate chargers everywhere. (re: Various) |
Compact Vortex Generator Inspired By Squids
Biomimetics scores another triumph - this time, pulsatile jet propulsion. (re: Various) |
Robotic Hand Has Sensitive Fingertips
Latest version of the Southampton robotic hand is very sensitive indeed. (re: Ray Cummings) |
Baseball Batting Robot May Make Steroids Obsolete
This guy isn't as bulked up as some of today's players, but he's honest about what he uses - compressed air. (re: Various) |
Martians Could Kill Life On Earth, Says Scientist
A prominent UK scientist apparently believes that it is possible that Martian water harbors life - maybe dangerous life. (re: H.G. Wells) |
Grow Your Own Furniture
Christopher Castle has a uniquely green solution to creating furniture the all-natural way. (re: Jack Vance) |
Philips Readius E-Ink Video
This video really demonstrates how cool this device is. (re: William Gibson) |
Innespace Dolphin Boat Breaks The Surface
This is another cool dolphin boat - closer to a product this time. (re: David Brin) |
RoomRender Futuristic Smart Room
The smart room has moved beyond prototype to a product that is now available. (re: Ray Bradbury) |
Bio Ink Jet Printing Muscle And Bone
This unique system is the first step in creating replacements for complex body structures like joints. (re: Various) |
Butterfly Wing Phone Screen
This unusual design has the virtue of being realizable with today's technology. (re: William Gibson) |
Augmented Reality Shopping In Osaka
Using this system, you could see how you looked in different items of apparel without that tedious dressing and undressing. (re: Vernor Vinge) |
Earth Barcoded For Alien Convenience
A seemingly innocent art project meant to get you thinking about our real and virtual worlds is so much more, if you know how to look at it. (re: Jules Verne) |
Hack Your Reality The Virtual Way
Yet another way for us to manipulate ourselves; and for others to manipulate our internal worlds, perhaps. (re: Philip K. Dick) |
Sawfish Underwater Lumberjack Robot
This product dives underwater to recover lumber otherwise wasted in reservoirs and lakes. (re: Various) |
2 Lunar Base Concepts 75 Years Apart
NASA has released some of their thinking about lunar exploration; read what others thought seventy-five years earlier. (re: Ray Cummings) |
Soviet Military Prison Dream Vacation
I really thought I'd seen everything you could do for vacation. Obviously, I lead a sheltered life. (re: Various) |
My Spoon Robot On Full Auto
This is a great addition to the assistive technologies now available commercially. It also poses a danger to Americans. (re: Various) |
Russia Studies Space-Elevator Clusters For Moon
Russia enters the space tether slingshot race - a 'space railway' that will reduce the cost of boosting payloads to the Moon. (re: Various) |
Rity - Sobot Longs To Be Near You
This remarkable experiment demonstrates that a computer program can download itself into objects to serve you. (re: Frederik Pohl) |
Femtosecond Laser Pulse Turns Metals Pitch Black
Remarkable process creates a perfectly black finish without paints or other coatings. (re: E.E. 'Doc Smith) |
