Science Fiction Dictionary: Ideas, Terms and Technology
( 3924 Inventions Available)

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Device Name Book/Story Author Date
Calculator Pad
Used to make psychohistoric calculations
Foundation Asimov  1951
Caleban Contact
A form of telepathy based on the use of unimaginably enormous amounts of energy.
The Dosadi Experiment Herbert  1977
Caliban Beachball
Dwelling place for unusual lifeform who make jumpdoors possible.
Whipping Star Herbert  1969
Call Notification Unit
A small portable device that let you know that you had a phone call at your home.
Eye of Cat Zelazny  1982
Caller Contact List
A list of callers kept on the phone instrument.
The Age of The Pussyfoot Pohl  1966
Calster
A handheld device that printed legal currency on the spot.
Return from the Stars Lem  1961
Camden Speedster
A super sports utility vehicle (SUV); it drives on the highway, the water and jumps into the air for short periods.
Methuselah's Children Heinlein  1941
Camera Tunnel
A device that captures images of shredded documents from all sides for reassembly.
Rainbows End Vinge  2006
Can City
A cylindrical space habitat.
Hyperion Simmons  1989
CAN-D
Illegal narcotic chewed to alter the state of colonists.
The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch Dick  1965
Cannibal Grass
Genetically engineered grass that acts as a defense layer for a home.
Sparrowhawk Easton  1990
Canola Oil
Vegetable oil refined for use as fuel
Virtual Light Gibson  1993
Capillotomer
An automatic shaving machine
Beyond This Horizon Heinlein  1942
Car Dashboard Drone Controller
A screen and controls for using a remote drone.
Runaway Crichton  1985
Car Sound Tape
Otherwise silent vehicle uses a recorded engine sound.
The Cat Who Walks Through Walls Heinlein  1985
Cardioplate
A device that could take seconds or minutes off your life, one beat at a time (or all at once).
'Repent Harlequin' Said the Ticktockman Ellison  1965
Carniculture Plants
Industrial plants that grow meat protein.
Four-Day Planet Piper  1961
Carniculture Vat
Technology to grow meat sans animal.
Space Viking Piper  1962
Carryall
A flying wing (aircraft); used to pick up a sandcrawler (harvester factory)
Dune Herbert  1965
Carson Circuit
A means of distinguishing betweem millions of different information sources - the secret of the Internet.
A Logic Named Joe Leinster  1946
Cartograph
A device that shows you a record of your travels - a GPS readout.
The Cometeers Williamson  1936
Cataclysmite
A high explosive.
Little Fuzzy Piper  1962
Catchpocket
A small container in a stillsuit that stored reclaimed water.
Dune Herbert  1965
Caterwheel
A uniquely styled ground vehicle with fat, splayed out tires.
Sand Doom Leinster  1955
Causality-violation Device (or Weapon)
Any of a variety of technologies intended to exploit time travel as a weapon.
Singularity Sky Stross  2003
Cavorite
An antigravity metal; when it cools, whatever it covers will be impervious to gravitational forces.
The First Men in the Moon Wells  1901
CCD Eyes
Electronic eyes using charged-coupled devices provide a wide variety of functions.
Stone Lives Di Filippo  1985
Celestial Armamentarium
A small crystal planetarium, in which the stars and planets surrounding Aerlith are seen.
The Dragon Masters Vance  1962
Cellphone Credit Card
Cellphone that can act as a credit card.
The Age of The Pussyfoot Pohl  1966
Cellphone Tranquilizing Spray
A mild sedative administered automatically by your cellphone.
The Age of The Pussyfoot Pohl  1966
Cellphone Voice Mail
Callers speak into their instrument, and the content of the call is stored by the network for the user to replay at will.
The Age of The Pussyfoot Pohl  1966
Centipede
Perfect craft for crawling through slushy, frozen lakes - on Titan.
Killing Titan Bear  2015
Centipede-Machine
Multi-legged transport.
Monsters of Mars Hamilton  1931
Central City (Lunar Habitat)
An early example of a non-military lunar habitat.
Earthlight Clarke  1955
Central Computer
A computer capable of running an entire city.
The City and the Stars Clarke  1956
Central Guide-Beam
A kind of signal that demonstrates the best possible path to a destination in space and even provides motive power.
Shell Game Dick  1954
Centrifugal Bumble-Puppy
Futuristic children's game.
Brave New World Huxley  1932
Centrifugal Force Creates 'Artificial Gravity'
Using centrifugal force in a rotating cylinder as a substitute for gravity.
The Prince of Space Williamson  1931
Centrifuge Room
A small room on a planetoid that is spun to create artificial gravity.
The Ophiuchi Hotline Varley  1977
Cephalic Pattern Door
A door that only opens for specific people.
The Zap Gun Dick  1965
Cephalic Sniffer
Device can locate an individual using brain patterns.
Clans of the Alphane Moon Dick  1964
Cephalochromoscope (Cephscope)
A brain-scan device with a screen to display neural patterns.
A Scanner Darkly Dick  1977
Cephaloscope
A device used to detect lying.
The Houses of Iszm Vance  1954
Cephalotropic Dart
A slim, short-range device that homes in on the brain wave pattern of the target.
Lies, Inc. Dick  1964
Cerebral Microprocessors
Added boost for maxxed out minds.
Millenium Varley  1983
Chain Gun
Device fires lengths of steel chain.
All Tomorrow's Parties Gibson  1999
Chairdog
A chair that is alive and partly sentient; it shapes itself to the person sitting in it.
The Tactful Saboteur Herbert  1964
Chalf (Quick-Scribe Powder)
A special powder that forms itself into words and symbols.
The Tactful Saboteur Herbert  1964
Chalf-Memory Stick
Device that organizes special dust in the shape of words and symbols.
The Tactful Saboteur Herbert  1964
Chameleon Battle-Dress
Camouflage that allows its wearer to visually blend into the environment.
Dorsai! Dickson  1960
Chameleon Cloth
Clothing that changes color and pattern to match its surroundings.
Dying of the Light Martin  1977
Chardion Field
Electronic 'envelope' that retained atmosphere on tiny worldlets.
Star of Dreams Williamson  1941
Charging Arm
A specialized device allowing a robot to charge itself.
Masters of Chance Morrison  1941
Chart Cabinet
Used in astrogation, this device can see the positions of stars and planets over a thousand year period.
One Against The Legion Williamson  1939
Charted Planetoid Mines
Charting the planetoids and minor bodies for mining purposes.
The Day We Celebrate Bond  1941
Checker-City
A city planned as a checker-board of alternating vegetation and buildings.
The Star-Roamers Hamilton  1933
Cheekplate Container
Special compartment of an exoskeleton; provides easy access to medical supplies related to survive heavy gravity environments.
A Specter is Haunting Texas Leiber  1968
Chemelectric Afferent Nerve-Analogues
An engineered sensory skin.
This Immortal Zelazny  1966
Chemical Brain
A purely chemical artificial intelligence.
The Chemical Brain Flagg  1929
Chemical Orders
Use of chemical triggers for behavior and behavior modification.
Hellstrom's Hive Herbert  1972
Chemical Production of Food
Creation of food in the laboratory rather than in the field.
Mizora: A Prophecy Lane  1881
Chemotactic Artificial Jellyfish
Artificial device modeled on jellyfish capable of seeking specific components of liquid.
Big Jelly Rucker (w/B. Sterling)  1994
Chest Disc
A voice activated wireless transmitter.
Armageddon: 2419 A.D. Nowlan  1928
Chest-Lens
Part of an automatic photograph-and-send system.
War Veteran Dick  1955
Chevaline
An open robotic vehicle for one person, shaped like a horse.
The Diamond Age Stephenson  1995
Chicken Little
Very early reference to meat grown in a vat for food.
The Space Merchants Pohl (w/CM Kornbluth)  1952
ChickieNobs
Chicken meat sliced from a transgenic organism.
Oryx and Crake Atwood  2003
Childcare Robot
A robot constructed to take care of a small child.
Robbie (Strange Playfellow) Asimov  1940
Chin Plates
A means of control within a space suit helmet; switching between options with the chin.
Have Space Suit - Will Travel Heinlein  1958
Chin Window
An aperture that allows an astronaut to see his own feet (greater field of view).
Have Space Suit - Will Travel Heinlein  1958
Chiphead
A person whose organic brain has been effectively superseded by a firmware (integrated circuit or more advanced technology) device.
Nanotime Kosko  1987
Chirpsithra Supercomputer
An alien race thoughtfully provides mankind with blueprints for the most intelligent computer ever made.
Niven's Laws Niven  1984
Chlorella Plantation
A skyscraper designed for food production.
The Space Merchants Pohl (w/CM Kornbluth)  1952
Chlorophane
Similar to chlorophyll but synthetic and far more efficient.
The Planet Strappers Gallun  1961
Cholinesterase-Destroying Gas
Horrific anti-personnel poison.
Lies, Inc. Dick  1964
Chowlock
A small opening in a space helmet for food insertion.
The Starfox Anderson  1965
Christmas Bush Motile Robot
Repair robot with extra-sensitive hands.
Rocheworld Forward  1985
Chromoplastic Dew Collector
A small, egg-shaped device that uses a special surface to collect morning dew on the desert planet of Arrakis.
Dune Herbert  1965
Chronoscope
A device used to see into specific internals of time.
Elimination Campbell  1936
Chronoscopy
Using a device to view different points in time.
The Dead Past Asimov  1956
Chronovitameter
Device that can determine a person's date of birth - and the date on which he or she will die.
Lifeline Heinlein  1939
Chunker
A device that fires small cubes of rubber; a non-lethal form of riot control.
Virtual Light Gibson  1993
CIC Virtual Earth
A software application that presents detailed information about the Earth.
Snow Crash Stephenson  1992
Cider Press
Device used to make acceleration above 1 gravity more tolerable for groundhogs.
Double Star Heinlein  1956
Cinematophote (Blue Optic Plate)
The first reference to a tablet-sized, handheld screen.
The Machine Stops Forster  1909
Circuit Inhibiting Destructiveness
Ensuring that robots take on the responsibility of pleasing their masters, and obeying their orders.
To Please The Master St. Clair  1958
Circumlunar
A large space habitat orbiting the moon.
Schismatrix Sterling  1985
Citizen Journalism
The notion that ordinary people can make use of technological tools like cellphone cameras and the Internet to provide information.
Earth Brin  1990
City Fathers
A set of computer systems which run every mechanical system in a city.
Cities in Flight Blish  1957
City of Glass
An entire city made of unique structural glass and ceramic.
The Godmakers Herbert  1972
City of Space
A very early reference to an enormous cylindrical space station.
The Prince of Space Williamson  1931
City Ship
A generation ship, a spacecraft that carries a people to another star.
Star of Wonder May  1953
Civic Notification Distorter
A device that subtly damages databases full of government information.
The Zap Gun Dick  1965
Claim Beacon
A electronic device that proclaims that a planet has been claimed by a given party.
Retief, the Long-Awaited Master Laumer  1969
Clave
Short for enclave (see also burbclave - autonomous suburban enclave)
The Diamond Age Stephenson  1995
Claws (Attack Robot)
Autonomous guard robots that attack living tissue.
Second Variety Dick  1953
Cleaning Machine Warren
A room or space set aside for machinery when not in use.
Mona Lisa Overdrive Gibson  1988
Clearsac
A simple device that filters water perfectly for reuse.
The Water Knife Bacigalupi  2015
Click-Band
Worn on the wrist, it helps you locate your transport.
The Meddler Dick  1954
Cloaking Device
A force field that renders an object invisible to human eyes as well as other sensor devices.
Balance of Terror Schneider  1966
Clockwork Man
A man from the future with an embedded mechanism to manipulate time.
The Clockwork Man Odle  1923
Clone
The aggregate of individual organisms descended by asexual reproduction from a single sexually produced individual.
The Clone Thomas  1959
Clothing Size Scanner
A device that scanned a living person to determine clothing sizes.
Sagramanda Foster  2006
Cloud Sculpting
Using gliders and chemical showers to shape clouds artistically.
The Cloud Sculptors of Coral D Ballard  1967
Coal Mole
Robotic device for asteroid mining chews through the interior, preparing raw materials for use
The Web Between the Worlds Sheffield  1979
Coder
Specialized humans who excel at engineering tasks.
Storm Thief Wooding  2006
Coffee Cube
Concentrated coffee that boils itself!
The Marching Morons Kornbluth  1951
Coffiest
It's coffee that you can't live without.
The Space Merchants Pohl (w/CM Kornbluth)  1952
Coffin Rack Capsule Hotel
A hotel with very (very!) small rooms.
The Science Fiction Yearbook (ed. Jerry Pournelle) Gibson  1984
Cogitator (The Chair of Reflection)
A device which improves the rationality of the thinking processes.
The Consolidator Defoe  1705
Cold Ray
A device that pulled warmth from anything it was aimed at.
The Atomic Conquerors Hamilton  1927
Cold-Beam
Puts a cloud of extreme cold around the target.
War Veteran Dick  1955
Coldlight
A means of producing illumination that does not produce heat.
Sunward Flight Zagat  1943
Cold-Pac Bin
A special coffin-sized chamber used to maintain half-life.
Ubik Dick  1969
Cold-Pack
Technology for indefinite cold storage of human beings.
Dr. Futurity Dick  1960
Cold-Rest
Lowering body temperature and metabolic levels, as in hibernation; also called reduced temperature somnolence.
Methuselah's Children Heinlein  1941
Cold-Sleep
A form of induced suspended animation, in which a person enters a state like hibernation.
Between Planets Heinlein  1951
Cold-Sleep
A state of hibernation, created by lowered temperature and metabolism.
Methuselah's Children Heinlein  1941
Coley Group
A musical form that involves dancing in a field of weak microwaves.
The Shockwave Rider Brunner  1975
Collapsar Jump
Travel between collapsed stars in no time at all.
The Forever War Haldeman  1974
Colony World
A planet settled by a single group.
The Impossible World Binder  1939
Color Generator
A variable spectrum light source
The Killing Machine Vance  1964
Columbiad
An enormous cannon, sufficient in size to send a projectile to the Moon.
From the Earth to the Moon Verne  1867
Combat Wasp
Drone craft able to carry and direct a variety of submunitions.
The Reality Dysfunction Hamilton  1996
Comeye
A portable video camera, used by the mobile functionary to keep in touch with office.
Heretics of Dune Herbert  1984
Comlink
Short for communications link; a small portable communicator.
Star Wars Lucas  1976
Command Bracelet
A wrist-borne device with a variety of capabilities.
Sagramanda Foster  2006
Command Microphone
A cloak that served as a microphone and public address system.
Diplomat At Arms Laumer  1982
Commercial Fly
An autonomous, fly-sized manufactured creature that presents commercial advertisements.
The Simulacra Dick  1964
Communicate with Extraterrestrials
Early plan to communicate with life on planets removed from the earth.
From the Earth to the Moon Verne  1867
Communication Disk
A wearable device that told the time as updated from a central source.
Exiles of the Moon Schachner (w. AL Zagat)  1931
Communications Implant
A surgically implanted device enabling the user to communicate with computer networks.
Oath of Fealty Pournelle (w/L. Niven)  1981
Communicator
A small device that works to communicate over large distances.
Skylark of Valeron Smith  1934
Communinet
A public data network.i
Dune Herbert  1965
Commute Disk
Flying autonomous commuter vehicle.
The Chromium Fence Dick  1955
Commute Ship
Spacecraft used for traversing daily grind between Earth and the planet you work on.
Sales Pitch Dick  1954
Commuter Cooling Unit
A portable air conditioner for commuters.
The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch Dick  1965
Compact Food Pastilles (Food Pill)
One small tablet is a month's worth of food.
The Senator's Daughter Mitchell  1879
Companion Implant
Electronic device placed within the body; it has a wide variety of uses.
Hominids (Neanderthal Parallax) Sawyer  2003
Compassion Circuit
A special robotic component that allows the robot to weigh harm and benefit in carrying out commands.
Compassion Circuit Wyndham  1954
Composite Expert System
Intelligent teaching software - a computer interface with a heart.
Twenty Evocations Sterling  1984
Composite Living
Forming a meld with other life forms.
The Day the Aliens Came Sheckley  1995
Compulsive Subsonics
An advertising agency works with every part of the audience's brain.
The Space Merchants Pohl (w/CM Kornbluth)  1952
Computational Textile
Wearable computer sensors.
Pushing Ice Reynolds  2005
Computer Generated DigItal Music
A computer composes music with a few simple inputs from the user.
The Moon Goddess and the Son Kingsbury  1979
Computer Humorist
A computer acquires the ability to tell original jokes.
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress Heinlein  1966
Computer Translator
A computer translator; software that provides automatic translation when jacked into a data port.
Idoru Gibson  1996
Computer Virus
A software program that copies itself to other computers.
The Scarred Man Benford  1970
Computer Vision (Artificial Eye)
A device which, attached to a suitable computer, will allow the device to see.
The Metal Giants Hamilton  1926
Computer Worm (Tapeworm)
The first description of a set of computer codes that moves from one computer to another on a network as a coherent entity.
The Shockwave Rider Brunner  1975
Computer-Controlled House
A residence that is an autonomous robotic system.
The Martian Chronicles Bradbury  1950
Computer-Created Dub
Music created by an artificially intelligent computer for a specific audience.
Neuromancer Gibson  1984
Computers Improve Computers
The idea that it will be possible for computers to design more advanced computers.
The Feeling of Power Asimov  1958
Computronium
Intelligent matter; nanocomputing processors masquerading as ordinary material.
Accelerando Stross  2005
Comsole (Home Communications Console)
A home computer, connected to data services.
Imperial Earth Clarke  1976
Concentrated Cosmic Radiation
Passing through a region of intense radiation alters lifeforms.
The Face of the Deep Hamilton  1942
Concentrated Light
Beam of powerfully concentrated light pressure.
The Shining One Schachner  1937
Concentro
Concentrated synthetic food rations.
Armageddon: 2419 A.D. Nowlan  1928
Concrete Boxes
Self storage for your body - living space designed for people who spend most of their time ignoring their surroundings anyway.
Earth Made of Glass Barnes  1998
Conductive Film
A spray-on conductor capable of carrying a signal.
The Face Vance  1979
Cone of Battle
An offensive formation of space ships providing the ultimate in firepower.
Triplanetary Smith  1934
Cone of Silence
Distortion field that limits the carrying power of voice or other vibration; it accomplishes noise reduction with an image-vibration 180 degrees out of phase.
Cease Fire Herbert  1958
Confinement Asteroid
A place where asteroid miner's babies stay to experience some needed gravity.
At the Bottom of a Hole Niven  1966
Conscious Farm Machines
Farm machinery that worked on their own.
The Hidden Colony von Hanstein  1935
Conscious Retarded Animation
A kind of hibernation, but leaves the user fully conscious, but aging at an incredibly slow rate.
A Race Through Time Wandrei  1933
Consolidator
A craft for embarking on voyages through space.
The Consolidator Defoe  1705
Construct
An artificial being, a pastiche of living and robotic pieces.
Retief, the Long-Awaited Master Laumer  1969
Construct (Digital)
A stored version of a person's particular skills and personal approaches to problems.
Neuromancer Gibson  1984
Construct (Pseudo-Relationship)
An artificial intelligence person, serving as a companion for a human person not capable of forming real relationships.
The Mountain in the Sea Naylor  2022
Construction Robot
Autonomous robots work on construction sites.
Runaway Crichton  1985
Consumption Robots
Humanoid robots placed in the position of consuming material goods to relieve human beings of the burden.
The Midas Plague Pohl  1954
Contact Venom
A poison that is absorbed through the skin.
Twenty Evocations Sterling  1984
Contragravity Suit
A suit with antigravity.
Uller Uprising Piper  1952
Contraterrene Matter (Antimatter)
Contraterrene (CT) Matter (sometimes abbreviated "Seetee").
Collision Orbit Williamson  1942
Control Disk
The Slave Ship From Space Holmes  1931
Control Harness
Connects to the brain and nervous system of a host organism for control purposes.
A Game of Unchance Dick  1964
Control Helmet
Direct control of a robot from the brain.
Dawn of the Demigods Gallun  1954
Control Helmet
A device which causes an entire race of people to think and feel the same as the wearer.
Easy Money Hamilton  1938
Control Natural
A person who is allowed to have an unmodified genetic makeup.
Beyond This Horizon Heinlein  1942
Control Screen
An alien display device.
Childhood's End Clarke  1953
Control-Face
A small liquid crystal display (LCD) unit linked to a larger network; gives a window onto your larger network world.
Idoru Gibson  1996
Controllable Drone Army
Darknet sorcerer uses gestures to control a network of drone servants.
Daemon Suarez  2006
Controlway
An automated highway system that takes full operational control of vehicles traveling upon it.
Methuselah's Children Heinlein  1941
Conversion Gun
The ray converts the heat in an object to light.
Hell Ship of Space Kummer, Jr.  1940
Conveyor Ribbon
A moving sidewalk.
Exiles of the Moon Schachner (w. AL Zagat)  1931
Cookie-Cutters
Very small (corpuscle-sized) devices that can enter the blood stream and destroy an enemy from within.
The Diamond Age Stephenson  1995
Cop Block
A device that allows law enforcement officers to shut down the engine of a suspect's car or truck.
Quantico Bear  2007
Copseyes
A small floating "eye-in-the-sky" surveillance drone used by police in an extensive park.
Cloak of Anarchy Niven  1972
CopSpace
A virtual location for police lifelogs, official communications, paperwork, informational databases and evidence of all kinds.
Halting State Stross  2007
Copter Harness
A single person flying machine.
The Star Beast Heinlein  1954
CORA - Coronary Alarm
An implanted (or worn) ECG monitor that warns the user of coronary events.
The Fountains of Paradise Clarke  1978
Coronium Ore
A radiolite substance to revolutionize industry.
Roamer of the Stars Wilson  1938
Corporol
Preserves and maintains the body.
A Race Through Time Wandrei  1933
Corpsicle
Cryogenically frozen person who could (hopefully) be revived later.
The Age of The Pussyfoot Pohl  1966
Corrosite Gas
A highly corrosive gas.
The Machine That Thought Callahan  1939
Cortical Stack
Implanted hardware device that contains a backup copy of your mental self.
Altered Carbon Morgan  2003
Cosmic Storm
A vast tempest in space!
After World's End Williamson  1939
Cosmic Teletype
A device that utilizes the fourth dimensional continuum to achieve communication at great distances.
Cosmic Teletype Jacobi  1938
Cosmo-Craft
A spacecraft for traveling through time and space.
A Race Through Time Wandrei  1933
Cosmoline (Warm Sleep)
Special gel that offers healing and hibernation for space travelers.
War Dogs Bear  2014
Cosmoquake
Gravity waves ripple across the solar system.
Things Pass By Leinster  1945
Court Robo-Clerk
A robotic law clerk.
The Tactful Saboteur Herbert  1964
Courtarena
A combination of a court of law, and an arena of combat, in which every participant could be called out and executed under legal circumstances.
The Tactful Saboteur Herbert  1964
Crackers
Bouncing, explosive mines.
The Time Mercenaries High  1968
Crash Balloons
Inflatable bags that would both cushion and hold a flycycle driver in the event of a crash.
Ringworld Niven  1970
Crash Web
A simple mechanical linkage to activate a crash field.
Crashlander Niven  1994
Crechepod
A small, enclosed medical device providing full life support as well as advanced regrowth technologies.
The Godmakers Herbert  1972
Credibility Rating
How believable are your blog posts? your emails? your tweets?
Earth Brin  1990
Credit
A basic unit of currency.
The Mightiest Machine Campbell  1934
Credit Card
A simple card that is used in place of money
Looking Backward Bellamy  1888
Credit Wake
The electronic trail of our transactions across the Net.
Hyperion Simmons  1989
Creditor Jet-Balloon
A small, hovering device that hounds debtors.
Lies, Inc. Dick  1964
Crimestop
The faculty of stopping short, as though by instict, at the threshold of any dangerous thought.
1984 (Nineteen Eighty-Four) Orwell  1948
Crop Algae
Growing algae in tanks as a source of basic food stock.
Cities in Flight Blish  1957
Crosswell Tape Worm
Device that allows you to eat without gaining weight.
Super-Toys Last All Summer Long Aldiss  1969
Crowdcutter
A device worn to part crowds.
Infomocracy Older  2016
Cryocapsule
A spaceship capsule that contains astronauts in special coffins, in suspended animation.
The Computer Connection Bester  1974
Cryonaut
An astronaut placed in cryonic sleep.
The Computer Connection Bester  1974
Cryosleep
Use of extreme cold to cause suspended animation.
Flight of Exiles Bova  1972
Crysknife
A knife blade ground from the tooth of a giant sandworm of Dune.
Dune Herbert  1965
Crystal Corn
Tiny data storage crystals.
Return from the Stars Lem  1961
Crystal Cylinder Ship
A transparent space ship in the shape of a cylinder.
The Three Suns of Ev Sloat  1933
CTC Computer (Closed-Timeline-Curve Time-Travel)
A device that used time travel to perform computations.
Exultant Baxter  2004
Cube Being
A living being comprised of linked cubes.
The Infinite Enemy Williamson  1938
Cubic City
A city contained in a single, immense building.
The Cubic City Tucker, D.D.  1929
Cubics
Small, square animals that can combine to create a larger entity.
The Face of the Deep Hamilton  1942
Culture Tank
Germs that eat garbage and produce oil.
Needle Clement  1950
Curtain (Force Barrier)
An easily set-up protective force barrier.
Venus Mines, Incorporated Schachner (w. AL Zagat)  1931
Cushion Fence
Gentle force field
The Computer Connection Bester  1974
Cutoff Switch
A means of instantaneously switching off an artificial intelligence.
2010: Odyssey Two Clarke  1982
Cutteray
A laser used in a range of tools - including mining equipment.
Dune Herbert  1965
Cybercab
An autonomous taxi.
Vacuum Flowers Swanwick  1987
Cyberethics
Philosophy detailing how computers work within human communities.
Alpha Centauri Meier  1999
Cybernetic Water Witch
A job that involves a lot of surfing for patterns in information.
Idoru Gibson  1996
Cyberspace
A computer technology that allowed people to see a computer network as an internal experience.
Burning Chrome Gibson  1982
Cyborg
A cybernetic organism - man in union with machine
Cyborg Caidin  1972
Cyborg Collar
A device worn around the neck that controls the person for the duration of a working day.
A Specter is Haunting Texas Leiber  1968
Cyborg Dolphin (Jones)
A heavily modified war surplus dolphin.
Johnny Mnemonic Gibson  1981
Cyborg Pilot
A combination of a human being (at least the thinking part) and a machine.
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress Heinlein  1966
Cybrid
An organic body used by an artificial intelligence.
Hyperion Simmons  1989
Cyclotronic Ore-Hurler
Using the magnetic properties of an asteroid to send ore hurling across space!
Exit From Asteroid 60 James  1940
Cylinder Space Suit
A mostly rigid, cylindrical space suit.
Islands in the Sky Clarke  1952

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Science Fiction
in the News

Finally, Robot Conductors On Autonomous Buses
re: Robert Silverberg
(10/1/2024)

RoboShiko! Sumo Exercises Still Good For Robots
re: Roger Zelazny
(9/29/2024)

Giant Robotic Hands At Gundam Next Future Science
re: Robert Heinlein
(9/27/2024)

JWST Finds Bucking Centaur 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1
re: Jack Williamson
(9/25/2024)

BeamBike Solar Power Canopy For Electric Bikes
re: David Brin
(9/23/2024)

California Fireman Arrested For Starting Fires
re: Ray Bradbury
(9/21/2024)

Robots Need A Better Sense Of Touch
re: AE van Vogt
(9/19/2024)

MouthPad Supports Head And Tongue Tracking
re: Alfred Bester
(9/17/2024)

REALLY Remote Control Excavators
re: Pournelle and Niven
(9/15/2024)

Disney Helping Robots Dance
re: Fritz Lang
(9/13/2024)

Kolors Virtual-Try-On Predicted, And TRIED, By Harry Harrison
re: Harry Harrison
(9/11/2024)

Detecting Drones In Ukraine With Candy (Sukork)
re: Frank Quattrocchi
(9/9/2024)

Nevada Will Use AI To Decide Worker Benefits
re: Marshall Brain
(9/7/2024)

Tether Cryptocurrency Flow Rate US$190Bn Per Day
re: Bruce Sterling
(9/5/2024)

First Trips To Mars Announced By Elon Musk
re: Percy Greg
(9/3/2024)

WaPOCHI Micro-Mobility Robot Follows Like A Pet With Your Bags
re: John Brunner
(9/1/2024)

Ultra-Realistic Robotic Arowana Robo-Fish
re: Charles Fonenay
(8/29/2024)

GITAI R1 Lunar Rover Like NASA Robonaut Centaur
re: Robert Heinlein
(8/27/2024)

Meshworm Soft Robot, With Peristaltic Crawling, Is Getting Better
re: Harry Harrison
(8/25/2024)

Mushroom 'Robot' Is Just A Start
re: Vernor Vinge
(8/23/2024)

Tesla Electric 'Giga Train' Operational In Germany
re: John Jacob Astor IV
(8/21/2024)

DOTPad Braille Device Offers Live Access
re: Various
(8/19/2024)

Biohybrid Robot Combines Living Muscle With Artificial Materials
re: Jack Vance
(8/17/2024)

Biohybrid Robots Made Of Living And Synthetic Materials
re: Arthur C. Clarke
(8/15/2024)

 

 

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