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Science Fiction in the News Articles
Related to material in Distraction
by Bruce Sterling

This future Earth novel is set in 2044, and most of the government and social institutions that we think are eternal and unchangeable have gone to the dogs. Global warming, cheap computer power, increasingly irrelevant government - sound familiar? See at least one set of logical conclusions in this book.

Science fiction in the News articles describe real-world events that relate to the ideas and inventions in sf novels and movies. Select a news article:

Ghostrider Robot: Sterling's Smart Motorcycle?
   The Ghostrider Robot (aka Dexterit), an entrant to the upcoming "Grand Challenge" race sponsored by DARPA, is an autonomous self-balancing robotic motorcycle.<

The Smart Construction Site Of The Future
   The future construction site detailed in Bruce Sterling's Distraction is closer than you think.

Shuffle Master Bets On RFID Poker Chips
   Casinos have sought in vain to accurately track table game bets and rate a player's wagering tendencies - until now. Shuffle Master has acquired two RFID patents that will allow them to track every chip on the table.

Flexible Fabric Speakers Are Coming
   A Korean research firm has announced that it has developed a technology for the mass production of sound speakers that are as flexible as fabric.

Canadian Coins Are Bugged Money
   DoD reports say that contractors have received cash with listening devices - now, where have I read that before?

RFID 'Powder' - World's Smallest RFID Tag
   New tag from Hitachi is incredibly small - truly RFID in powder form.

Cyber-Warfare Waged on Estonia By Russia?
   Is this the first instance of cyberwarfare between nation-states?

Carbon Nanotube Speakers Are Flexible, Transparent
   This material could be an enabler for a variety of science fictional ideas, Update: a reader has found a great precursor to the idea of a flexible speaker.

Terminator Salvation Motorcycle Robot Like Ghostrider
   Those neat motorcycles from Terminator Salvation have a real world development predecessor, as well as a science fictional predecessor.

CyberWar May Require Military Response
   Cyber attacks may lead to combat.

Flexible, Transparent Speakers From Graphene
   See through your speakers, someday.

Arcology Now Universal Constructor
   '... the hotel direly wanted to exist.'- Bruce Sterling, 1998.

Google Lobbies For Autonomous Motorcycles
   'He had never ridden any motorized device that lacked onboard steering and balance systems.'- Bruce Sterling, 1988.

Lit Motors Self-Balancing Motorcycle
   'He had never ridden any motorized device that lacked onboard steering and balance systems...'- Bruce Sterling, 1998.

BMW Self-Balancing Motorcycle - Never Put Feet On Road
   'He had never ridden any motorized device that lacked onboard steering and balance systems...'- Bruce Sterling, 1998.

Meet Assist-e Honda's Self-Balancing Motorcycle
   'He had never ridden any motorized device that lacked onboard steering and balance systems...'- Bruce Sterling, 1998.

Stick-On Tape Speakers, As Predicted By Bruce Sterling
   Flexible tape speakers, someday.

Yamaha MOTOROiD Living Motorcycle Experiment
   'He had never ridden any motorized device that lacked onboard steering and balance systems.' - Bruce Sterling, 1998.

Yamaha Motoroid 2 No Handlebars Self-Balancing Motorcycle
   'He rode the bike with an intense lack of physical grace...' - Bruce Sterling, 1998.

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