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"In 1970 I found little difficulty staying 30 years ahead of the man in the street, and now I find it difficult to stay 18 months ahead of the man on the street."
- Vernor Vinge
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| Golden Lights | ||
| Another unusual use of the suspensor field; lights are suspended in it. |
Another aspect of the Baron Harkonnen's multimedia center and conference room (no windows for better security) was an area artfully lighted using just the bulbs themselves suspended in air.
| Light glowed in the room from golden balls hanging in mobile suspensor fields. |
| Technovelgy from Dune,
by Frank Herbert. Published by Putnam in 1965 Additional resources -
|
Another interesting detail is the idea that the suspensor fields are mobile, that is, adjustable. The lights could be moved, not just turned or brightened and dimmed.
Inevitably, some elements of any science fiction writer's work reflect the time in which they were written. This technovelgy item reminds me very strongly of track lighting, which was introduced in the early 1960's.
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'BY PUSHING AGAINST THE LITTLE MARTIAN MOON WITH OUR ROCKET SHIP, WE HAD LESSENED THE CENTRIFUGAL SPEED THAT HELD IT BALANCED IN THE SKY.'
'... he had tightened the chest to gain maximum pumping action from the motion of breathing.'
'...a prayer wheel swung into view and began spinning at a furious pace.'
'And are all the people willing to be governed by a machine?'
