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
"I started writing in the 1930's when I was eighteen years old. And deep inside me I'm still eighteen and it's still 1938."
- Isaac Asimov
 |
| Hush Corner | ||
| A space made private by canceling sound waves in that area. |
In typical style, the device is worked into the story by comparing it with other hush corners in the narrator's experience.
In this scene from the novel, two rocket pilots argue over hiring an actor to "double" for their boss, an important political figure on Mars.
| "Will you excuse us? My friend and I must make heap big smoke." The suite was equipped with a hush corner, enclosing the autograph and the phone. Broadbent took Dubois by the arm and led him over there; they stood and talked urgently. Sometimes such facilities in public places like hotels are not all that they might be; the sound waves fail to cancel out completely. But the Eisenhower is a luxury house and in this case, at least, the equipment worked perfectly; I could see their lips move but I could hear no sound. But I could indeed see their lips move. Broadbent's face was toward me and Dubois I could glimpse in a wall mirror. When I was performing in my famous mentalist act, I found out why my father had beaten my tail until I learned the silent language of lips-in my mentalist act I always performed in a brightly lighted hail and made use of spectacles which-but never mind; I could read lips. |
| Technovelgy from Double Star,
by Robert Heinlein. Published by Doubleday in 1956 Additional resources -
|
One of the strengths of Heinlein's writing (for me) is his ability to directly connect the culture of the 1930's and 1940's with an era in which space travel is commonplace. He does it in this case by mentioning a mentalist act (mind reading) performed live in a large hall.
This piece of technovelgy predates the term "cone of silence," as used by Frank Herbert. Herbert also deals with the lip-reading problem. You might also be interested in Heinlein's futuristic modifications of the hush-a-phone, an actual invention used in the nineteen-twenties and thirties. Don't forget the Fenton silencer, from Arthur C. Clarke's 1957 short story collection Tales from the White Hart.
Comment/Join this discussion ( 1 ) | RSS/XML | Blog This |
Additional
resources:
More Ideas
and Technology from Double Star
More Ideas
and Technology by Robert Heinlein
Tech news articles related to Double Star
Tech news articles related to works by Robert Heinlein
Hush Corner-related
news articles:
- MIT Conversation Shielding Like Cone Of Silence
- Accoustic Cloak Achieves Sonic Invisibility
| Huawei Pura X Folding Phattie Phone |
| Positioned Cybertrucks With Free Starlinks WiFi In LA |
| Will Whales Be Our First Contact? |
| NYC/Dublin Portal Fails To Meet 'Guardian Of Forever' Standards |
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
'Twoflower's Luggage, which was currently ambling along on its little legs...'
'He came to as the ship went into free flight, arching in a high parabola over the plains...'
'The peculiar quality of this light, which gave it its great preeminence over all other penetrating rays...'
'The overworked leg motor would have to cool down before he could work on it...'
‘Where to, sport?’ the starter at cab relay asked.
This is nothing new for science fiction fans!
