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
 |
Peter Robbins' Alicia, Tom Swift's Jetmarine
When Peter Robbins was a boy, he read Tom Swift and marveled at the amazing inventions that Tom used in the story. He wanted to have similar adventures with devices like the Jetmarine:
Tom felt a glow of satisfaction. He explained, however, that the jetmarine's transparent nose pane--which had to be left unprotected for the pilot's visibility--offered one vulnerable spot to sonar detection.
(From Tom Swift and the Electronic Hydrolung [1961])
(Tom Swift's jetmarine)
As an adult, he worked to make his dreams into a reality. He built his own submarine, Alicia with a large clear nose - surprisingly like Tom Swift's jetmarine.
(Peter Robbins' Alicia)
"We started off by doing what's called tea bagging—just putting the submarine alongside the docks and going up and down like a tea bag. You do that to open and close all the valves and take a look at your oxygen level and your CO2 level and understand what the system is doing. Then you take the sub out into the open water.It was a beautiful, bright, sunny afternoon, and I was just thrilled hearing the sub's motor. We made our way out to our assigned position. You have to have very specific authorization to dive in almost any port, because ports have big ships coming in and out, and the last thing they want is a submarine coming up underneath a ship or any kind of a collision.
The first time I went down, it was really, really a knockout experience. In this harbor, particularly during the summer, there's a lot of algae, so our visibility was only about 10 to 15 feet. But you felt you could lean over and just pick a scallop right up off the bottom. The curvature of Alicia's clear round hull magnifies the view tremendously. It was just a terrific deal."
Peter Robbins has this advice for fellow dreamers: "You don't live life fully if you don't dream." Read more at Underwater Dream Machine.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 12/28/2006)
Follow this kind of news @Technovelgy.| Email | RSS | Blog It | Stumble | del.icio.us | Digg | Reddit |
Would
you like to contribute a story tip?
It's easy:
Get the URL of the story, and the related sf author, and add
it here.
Comment/Join discussion ( 4 )
Related News Stories - (" Vehicle ")
The 'Last Mile' In China Crowded With Delivery Robots
Yes, it's a delivery robot. On wheels.
Musk Idea Of Cars Talking To Each Other Predicted 70 Years Ago
'My cars talk to one another.' - Isaac Asimov, 1953.
Waymo And Tesla 'Autonomous Cabs' Are Piloted By Remote Drivers
‘Where to, sport?’ the starter at cab relay asked. - Philip K. Dick, 1957.
Maybe It's Too Soon To Require Autonomous Mode
'I hope all those other cars are on automatic,' he said anxiously. - Arthur C. Clarke, 1976.
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 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
Current News
Replace The Smartphone With A Connected Edge Node For AI Inference
'Buy a Little Dingbat... electropen, wrist watch, pocketphone, pocket radio, billfold ... all in one.'
Artificial Skin For Robots Is Coming Right Along
'... an elastic, tinted material that had all the feel and appearance of human flesh and epidermis.'
Robot Guard Dog On Duty
I might also be thinking of K-9 from Doctor Who.
Wearable Artificial Fabric Muscles
'It is remarkable that the long leverages of their machines are in most cases actuated by a sort of sham musculature...'
BrainBridge Concept Transplant Of Human Head Proposed
'Briquet’s head seemed to think that to find and attach a new body to her head was as easy as to fit and sew a new dress.'
Google's Nano Banana Pro Presents Handwritten Math Solutions
'...copy was turned out in a charming and entirely feminine handwriting.'
Edible Meat-Like Fungus Like Barbara Hambly's Slunch?
'It was almost unheard of for slunch to spread that fast...'
Sunday Robotics 'Memo' Bot Has Unique Training Glove
'He then started hand movements of definite pattern...'
Woman Marries Computer, Vonnegut's Dream Comes True
'Men are made of protoplasm... Lasts forever.'
Natural Gait With Prosthetic Connected To Nervous System
'The leg was to function, in a way, as a servo-mechanism operated by Larry’s brain...'
Spidery 'Walk Me' Toyota Autonomous Wheel Chair Like Star Wars
Walk along with the emperor.
Dancing Robots Taught Dance Moves
'A clockwork figure would be the thing for you...'
Proof Of Robothood - Not A Person
'Who are you people? - Show 'em.'
Indonesian Clans Battle
'The observation vehicle was of that peculiar variety used in conveying a large number of people across rough terrain.'
The 'Last Mile' In China Crowded With Delivery Robots
Yes, it's a delivery robot. On wheels.
Tornyol Microdrone Kills Mosquitoes
'The real border was defended by... a swarm of quasi-independent aerostats.'
