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
"The primary attraction [of writing sf] is the sheer pleasure of creating something from whole cloth."
- Dan Simmons
 |
| Readout Skin | ||
| Normal-appearing skin that can be used as an output device for text or graphics. |
If they can make artificial skin, why can't it do more than just keep my internals internal?
| Call me old-fashioned. I'm the only reporter I know who still uses his handwriter except to take notes…I snapped the fingers of my left hand… Three rows of four colored dots appeared on the heel of my left hand. By pressing the dots in different combinations with my fingertips I was able to write the story in shorthand, and watch the loops and lines scrawl themselves on a strip of readout skin on my wrist, just where a suicide would slash himself. |
| Technovelgy from Steel Beach,
by John Varley. Published by Ace Putnam in 1992 Additional resources -
|
Compare to the thought screen from The Emperor of the Stars (1931) by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat) and the signal skin from Iain Banks' 2004 novel The Algebraist.
Now, let's take this idea a step further. If you had readout skin all over your body, you could change your tattoos whenever you want. If you had readout skin covering your upper body, you could output appropriate graphics that looked like you were wearing a suit (haven't I seen a t-shirt like that?)
Artificial skin? Here's how Integra works:
The inner layer of INTEGRA® Dermal Regeneration Template is composed of pure collagen (protein) fibers from cows and glycosaminoglycan (a natural component of human skin) made from shark cartilage. When placed on a wound where burned or scarred skin has been removed, INTEGRA Template provides the needed framework for the blood vessels and dermal skin cells to re-grow into a new skin layer. The silicone outer layer temporarily closes the wound to ward off infection and control fluid and heat loss.
Read more at www.skinhealing.com.
Comment/Join this discussion ( 5 ) | RSS/XML | Blog This |
Additional
resources:
More Ideas
and Technology from Steel Beach
More Ideas
and Technology by John Varley
Tech news articles related to Steel Beach
Tech news articles related to works by John Varley
Readout Skin-related
news articles:
- Skin Cells Genetically Modified To Fight Infection
- Skinput Uses Your Skin As An Input Device
- Stretchable Electronic Skin Input Device Video
- NailO Thumb-Mounted Mouse Needs John Varley's Help
- Cicret Interactive Skin Display Prototype
- Organic Photonic Skin Display
- Cicret Makes Your Skin Into A Display
| Transparent 4K OLED Wireless TV From LG |
| DOTPad Braille Device Offers Live Access |
| Transparent MicroLED Screen From Samsung |
| Augmented Reality Book Covers Reveal The Inner Book |
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> |
|
|
|
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
'The robant and the tiny old woman entered the control room slowly...'
'Guy named Otto Octavius winds up with eight limbs... What are the odds?'
'It is as you thought when you constructed the time crystal, my master Vaylan.'
'This was their world, their planet — this swift-traveling, yet seemingly moveless vessel.'
'Gaines and Harvey mounted tumblebugs, and kept abreast of the Cadet Captain...'
