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"...science fiction is sort of like a sociological genome. It's a huge range of possible futures, most of them useless; some vital. You never really know in advance."
- Peter Watts
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| Automated Surface Measurement | ||
| A mechanical method of accurately measuring a surface. |
At this point in the story, Graham is being measured for a suit. A device is used to provide an automated measurement of key points on his body.
| ...the tailor pulled out a number of slotted arms terminating in little discs, pulling them out until the discs were flat against the body of Graham, one at each shoulder blade, one at the elbows, one at the neck and so forth, so that at last there were, perhaps, two score of them upon his body and limbs. At the same time, some other person entered the room by the lift, behind Graham. The tailor set moving a mechanism that initiated a faint-sounding rhythmic movement of parts in the machine, and in another moment he was knocking up the levers and Graham was released. |
| From When the Sleeper Wakes,
by H.G. Wells. Published by Unknown in 1899 Additional resources -
|
This item is a remarkable prediction of modern devices that are used to digitize surfaces for part manufacturing; a part is sculpted and then its surface is digitized for entry into a computer-aided design (CAD) system.
Compare to the feeler-planes from Jack Vance's 1954 novel The Houses of Iszm.
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Tech news articles related to When the Sleeper Wakes
Tech news articles related to works by H.G. Wells
Automated Surface Measurement-related
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- Body Scanner May Improve Online Shopping
- LikeAGlove Smart Garment Knows Your Size
| Fabrican Dress Sprayed Directly Onto Model On Coperni Runway |
| Hip'Safe Airbag For Seniors, From Helite |
| iSphere Plastique Fantastique Face Mask Alternative |
| Inkjet-Printed Wearable Solar Cells |
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'The pokkecon rang again. *The coffee’s for him?* Tsuyoshi said.'
The Jetsons imagined so much future.
'Rod placed the brain inside the panel... the horse raised its head, wiggled its ears, blinked twice, gave a tentative whinny.'
'Pina2bo would have to operate full blast for many years to put as much SO2 into the stratosphere as its namesake had done in a few minutes.'
'Chain of hotels that specialized in non-human service.'
'But then... not every bulldozer operator works on the Moon.'
'Griff found the white and pink map distracting and switched it off using his tongue mouse.'
