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

Latest By
Category:


Armor
Artificial Intelligence
Biology
Clothing
Communication
Computers
Culture
Data Storage
Displays
Engineering
Entertainment
Food
Input Devices
Lifestyle
Living Space
Manufacturing
Material
Media
Medical
Miscellaneous
Robotics
Security
Space Tech
Spacecraft
Surveillance
Transportation
Travel
Vehicle
Virtual Person
Warfare
Weapon
Work

"No one has ever produced a statement of fact that was technically true. The most accurate statements of science we have today are accurate to only 15 decimal places."
- Bart Kosko

Robot Fish (Metal Fish)  
  Fake flounders for sport fishermen on Martian canals.  

Earliest use of the idea of a "robot fish", as far as I know.

Deveet’s line tightened. He pulled in a streamlined, flapping object from which the light glistened wetly.

“Good catch,” complimented Jonner. “That’s worth a full credit.”

Deveet unhooked his catch and laid it on the bank beside him. It was a metal fish: live fish were unknown on Mars. They paid for the privilege of fishing for a certain time and any fish caught were “sold” back to the management at a fixed price, depending on size, to be put back into the lake.

“You’re pretty good at it,” said Jonner. “That’s your third tonight.”

“It’s all in the speed at which you reel in your line,” explained Deveet. “The fish move at pre-set speeds. They’re made to turn and catch a hook that moves across their path at a slightly slower speed than they’re swimming. The management changes the speeds once a week to keep the fishermen from getting too expert.”

Technovelgy from Atom Drive, by Charles Fontenay.
Published by If in 1956
Additional resources -

Compare to the robofish from Slow Life by Michael Swanwick.

At Kokomo Joe’s a 1989 story by Brooke Stauffer, contains the actual phrase:

The waves was twinklin’ in the sunshine and there was flyin’ fish around the bow thick as crickets. Once one of ’em jumped too high and landed on deck. I went to throw it back but then I seen it was busted open an’ there was wires and things sticking out of the hole. A robot fish, who’d of thought it? But there was real ones too!

Comment/Join this discussion ( 0 ) | RSS/XML | Blog This |

Additional resources:
  More Ideas and Technology from Atom Drive
  More Ideas and Technology by Charles Fontenay
  Tech news articles related to Atom Drive
  Tech news articles related to works by Charles Fontenay

Robot Fish (Metal Fish)-related news articles:
  - Ultra-Realistic Robotic Arowana Robo-Fish

Articles related to Robotics
Epirus High-Power Microwave Defeats Drones
It's A Giant Robot! You Reporters Have Been Warned!
Tactile Skin Supplier Map
Robot Bees 3D Printed By Festo

Want to Contribute an Item? It's easy:
Get the name of the item, a quote, the book's name and the author's name, and Add it here.

<Previous
Next>

Google
  Web TechNovelgy.com   

 

 

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 Science Fiction 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

Science Fiction in the News

'If Anyone Is Watching Earth...'
'Our study of your race has convinced us that you are not fitted to leave your planet in the present state of your civilization.'

Epirus High-Power Microwave Defeats Drones
'...the spreading beam of the deranging ray struck them, and Then one toppled and fell. Then another.'

Cloud Of Space Rubbish From China's Long March Rocket
'Within seconds the material was spread out over fifty yards, in a matter of hours it might occupy several cubic miles of space...'

Biomimetic Tendons From Rochu Robotics
'... the curious parallelism to animal motions.'

Living Human Neuron Biological Compute Rack
'The men are dead, but their acquired wisdom lives on and I am the beneficiary.'

Martha Stewart Approves Ojai 'Living Room On Wheels'
'Young people found the driverless car admirable for petting.'

ESA's Draco To Study Heat Of Reentry
'...a synthetic which air-friction would erode.'

Buy A Galaxy? Maybe Start Smaller
'The sky is the limit' just got higher.

The United States Space Academy Is Official
'Is our orbit to Space Academy clear?'

Is There A Global Problem With Who Is Having Children?
'After twenty generations of shillyshallying...'

More SF in the News

More Beyond Technovelgy

Home | Glossary | Science Fiction Timeline | Category | New | Contact Us | FAQ | Advertise |
Technovelgy.com - where science meets fiction™

Copyright© Technovelgy LLC; all rights reserved.