Underwater Express - High Speed Troop-Carrying Torpedo
This remarkable development has at least been foreshadowed by elements of computer games. (re: Hideo Kojima) |
'Benevolence Kings' Protect Japanese Workers Automatically
This system is designed to provide a warning to construction workers in the event of out-of-control motorists. (re: Various) |
Phil Dick, Your Electric Cat Is... Not Quite Ready
This can may not quite be up to PKD's high standards, but you can see that we're getting close. (re: Philip K. Dick) |
Autostereoscopic 360 Degree Light Field Display
The frame rate of this interactive display is remarkably high. (re: Edmond Hamilton) |
Japan's 'Space Fireworks' A Success
Japanese researchers were successful in their launch of a rocket that produced 'space fireworks' over much of Japan. (re: Various) |
Ultrasound Bloodless Surgery Star Trek-Style
Looks like Dr. McCoy had it right again - maybe knives aren't necessary even for surgery. (re: Gene Roddenberry) |
Arm Spirit Arm-Wrestling Arcade Game Rampage
Machines are our friends - but you still need to be careful. (re: Roger Zelazny) |
Heinlein Controlways Predicted By Kiwi Profs
Professors seem to be channeling RAH on this one. (re: Robert Heinlein) |
Automated Restaurant Uses Gravity Feed Rail System
Nifty gravity feed system eliminates those pesky waiters - should you leave gravity a tip? (re: Edgar Rice Burroughs) |
Nokia N73 Preloaded For Ramadan
Worship aided by cellphone. (re: Roger Zelazny) |
Super Soaker With Electro-Hydrodynamic Power
This prototype device could allow police to fill up their nonlethal weapons from your garden hose. (re: Various) |
GOOG-411 Google's Free Talking Phone Search
This new beta service from Google gets you your 411 free of charge, thanks to advanced voice recognition and local search. (re: Frederik Pohl) |
HIPerSpace Offers Highest Display Resolution
The engineers at UCSD are at it again, creating the world's highest resolution display. (re: H.G. Wells) |
Vanderbilt Robot Arm Has Steam-Powered Prothetics
This new prosthetic limb power source could be in use as early as 2009 - and it even sweats like you do. (re: Various) |
Tribal Pizza Carputer For Snow Crash Deliverator
It's just the first generation, but I can almost smell that fresh 'za gliding silently to my house. (re: Neal Stephenson) |
China To Control Reincarnation Of Tibetan Buddhists
Only science fiction fans are unsurprised by this bizarre turn of events. (re: Roger Zelazny) |
Starfish Robot Stretching Video
A short video showing the Starfish robot, one of my faves, stretching and getting ready to walk. (re: Various) |
HypoSurface Walls Are Full Of Life
This remarkable new display surface is a pretty good implementation of a J.G. Ballard idea from the 1960's. (re: J.G. Ballard) |
LED Incapacitator And The Minority Report Game
A bit of reader help on this one, if possible. (re: Philip K. Dick) |
Crowd Farms And 'Coppertops'
Those parasitic power harvesters never give up. (re: Harl Vincent) |
DNA-Shaped Dust In Plasma May 'Live'
This new computer simulation shows that it is possible for very life-like structures to evolve in space. (re: Fred Hoyle) |
Artificial Bones Custom-Made On 3D Inkjet Printer
Far out even by sf standards, printed out bones are now being implanted in humans. (re: Frank Herbert) |
Imagine The Pizzamato
Here at least is a nice picture of what genetically modified food should really be like; Heinlein pictured it first, though. (re: Robert Heinlein) |
Backpack Laser - Just Don't Cross The Streams
If you think about it just a little, I'm sure you can come up with alternative uses for a backpack laser system. (re: Harold Ramis) |
Galactic Suites - LEO at $4 Million Per 3 Day Stay
Finally a destination worthy of the hyperrich. (re: Carl Sagan) |
Smart Dressing Mirror RFID-Based mi-tu Fashion
This system could make those endless hours of shopping go a lot faster. (re: Harry Harrison) |
Martians To Receive Great SF On CD
Mars now has some reading material, in the event that you should have some down time while exploring there. (re: Various) |
Visit Moon Base - In Krakow
How would you like to come to work here? And no chance of sudden death by decompression? (re: L. Ron Hubbard) |
Tango Motorcycle Monocycle Like Heinlein's Tumblebug
This looks like great fun to ride, way more fun than a Segway, anyway. (re: Robert Heinlein) |
Skullcandy G.I. Headphones Not Quite Skullgun
I'm not sure if you can get this one through an airport or not. (re: Neal Stephenson) |
Fujitsu PalmSecure Hand Vein Scanner
New device for biometric security reads not just palms, but veins under the palm. (re: Frank Herbert) |
Tondon Robot Autonomous Floor Cleaner
Zippy Balinese-style autonomous cleaning bot. (re: Robert Heinlein) |
kameraflage Seen By Cellphone Cameras Only
This is an interesting use of a little-known property of digital cameras. (re: Roger Zelazny) |
Rapid Deployment Integrated Surveillance System (RDISS)
Quickly deployed surveillance is a must in Iraq. (re: Robert Silverberg) |
Superman's Fortress of Solitude Found
This amazing cave has the enormous beams of crystal that Superman fans have been looking for. (re: DC Comics) |
America's Army Arcade Game
Looks like the US Army is finally getting the picture - the motion picture 'The Last Starfighter,' that is. (re: Various) |
Halluc II Robot With Multi Joint Wheels
Highly unusual robot has eight separate wheel modules for motion - well, motion every which way. (re: Various) |
For Those Who Read In Bed
Adjust bed warmth by reading bedtime stories with this unique item. (re: Robert Heinlein) |
iPhone Medical Image Viewer
Physicians are always looking for a tool that lets them take patient information with them. (re: Various) |
MIT Robotic Ankle Given To Iraq Vet
This Iraq vet gets a direct benefit from years of research on robotic prosthetic devices. (re: Various) |
Win A Trip To Outer Space!!!
That's right - a free trip to outer space. There's just one catch. (re: Robert Heinlein) |
Space Diving By Orbital Outfitters (And 'Doc' Smith)
Someday, when this has become commonplace, we'll have space diving Elvises returning from orbit. (re: E.E. 'Doc' Smith) |
Robot Taiko Drummers Give Up Factory Day Jobs
These bots are great on their own, but I know a great front man (robot) for them. (re: Herbert Goldstone) |
Vortex Engine - Tame Tornadoes May Generate Power
Not only could this technique produce electricity, it could also serve as a form of planetary air conditioning to counter global warming. (re: Pohl/Kornbluth) |
Automated Border Control With NeoFace Face Recognition
This system is good, but Jabba the Hutt's version was better. (re: George Lucas) |
Robotic Fly Micro Air Vehicle
I'd hate to think that one guy with a flyswatter could take down your entire air force. (re: Raymond Z. Gallun) |
Eos TV - The Death Channel
I don't think I would have thought of this one, but if you can get people to watch the weather on TV... (re: Various) |
Geckel Adhesive Has Gecko-Mussel Foot Power
To get the ultimate in stickiness, you must sit at the feet of the masters. (re: Various) |
Cheap Paint-On Flexible Solar Panels
I keep thinking there must be some way to turn all the sun-soaked surfaces in my life into power-generators... (re: Larry Niven) |
BigBelly Solar-Powered Trash Can - Good/Evil?
Oh, yes, someone has already thought about solar-powered trash cans. (re: Bruce Sterling) |
Bionic Dog Storm Gets Carbon Fiber Paw
Maximillion got his name because he was the one million dollar dog - now Storm gets a prosthetic paw in real life. (re: James Parriott) |
iLimb Bionic Hand Now Ready For Market
Remarkable invention now ready to wear. (re: Various) |
RapLeaf, Whuffie and Strakh
What is the best way to apportion goods between people in a society? How about starting with a reputation manager? (re: Jack Vance) |
BioSuit Space Suit Vs. Tentacle Monsters
Looks like those science fiction movies that depicted people in skin tight space suits knew what they were doing. (re: Manly Wade Wellman) |
Gesture-Controlled TV Update
Now you can control your TV with gestures, not just make gestures at your TV. (re: Various) |
RunBot Learns To Walk At Human Speed
Better put on your walking shoes to keep up with this robot. (re: Karel Capek) |
Wakamaru Robot Receptionists Hired By Temp Agency
This mobile, friendly, singing robot is now ready to go to work in your office. (re: Karel Capek) |
Robot Workers Ready To Go Postal
This robot is surprisingly competent at a human task - sorting packages. (re: Various) |
TASER XREP Neuro-Muscular Incapacitation
This little device comes just 132 years after it was first conceptualized by Jules Verne. (re: Jules Verne) |
Web Photos Now Have Zero Credibility
Now anyone can rewrite history, taking only seconds for each precious photo. (re: George Orwell) |
MULE Autonomous Navigation Vehicle By Lockheed Martin
This robotic device is described in several different sf stories; it sounds handy. (re: Anthony Boucher) |
No-Way Physics And Science Fiction
Do you like your physics possible, or impossible? SF lets you have it both ways. (re: Various) |
Paper Four Video
Excellent video really shows off cool display technology. (re: Philip K. Dick) |
Richard Palmer, d3o Inventor, O2 X Entrepreneur of the Year
Inventor Richard Palmer gets a bit of recognition for bringing science fiction to life for all of us. (re: Larry Niven) |
Robotic Cow Tongues
Artists are supposed to see things differently; raw meat definitely makes a comeback here. (re: Various) |
Micro Air Vehicle In Use In Iraq
This waste-basket-sized vehicle lets you see what's happening just ahead - maybe even on Hoth. (re: George Lucas) |
Vibration Energy Scavenging By Tiny Generator
This tiny generator might appear in a heart near you. (re: Harl Vincent) |
HortiBot - Autonomous Weed 'n Feed AgBot
This robot has handy, yet deadly, attachments to fight our weed enemies. (re: Michael Crichton) |
Transparent TV From Active Inc (And H.G. Wells)
This looks like a great product - H.G. Wells would be very glad to see it, having thought of it seventy years ago. (re: H.G. Wells) |
MulTicket Is Isaac Asimov's Idea
Very cool concept - but it's been around for a while. (re: Isaac Asimov) |
Piranha Movie Now At Stream Near You
This is one sf movie that I don't want to see become a real-life story. (re: Roger Corman) |
Robot Librarians In The Stacks
I wonder what sort of capabilities this robot librarian might have when it comes to retrieving overdue books? (re: Harry Harrison) |
Ultimate Credit Card Of The Future
This credit card concept might actually serve your interests, rather than those of the credit industry. (re: Edward Bellamy) |
Notificator Robot Messenger Predates Twitter
Social networking is fully automated by the 1930's - didn't you know? (re: Various) |
Stink Bullets And PKD's Sheep Dip Isolator
Philip K. Dick always thinks up the ultimate version of everything. (re: Philip K. Dick) |
Tangible 3D Display: Reach In And Touch With Haptic Glove
Grab virtual reality by the ..., well, you know what I mean. (re: Various) |
Genesis 2 Successfully Inflates Module
Another successful test of the Genesis inflatable module (not to mention Larry Niven's original concept) yields a nice photo. (re: Larry Niven) |
Amnesia Drugs: Bad Memories Blocked
Researchers may have found a way to block or even delete bad, unpleasant memories. Imagine the possibilities. (re: Philip K. Dick) |
Bandai Hex Bug Toy Robot Infestation
These tiny pests need to be paid, and probably kept charged as well (see pix and video). (re: Raymond Z. Gallun) |
Spice Girls Live Digital Enhancement
Technology marches on, this time helping bring the Spice Girls up to their usual standard. Such as it is. (re: Ray Bradbury) |
International Space Station To Get Japanese Take-Out
The menu on the International Space Station is about to get a lot more interesting. (re: Various) |
EQGuard Home Earthquake Warning Appliance
This system can give you just enough time to run outside. (re: Various) |
Meet R BOT 001, Russia's New Robocop
Russian militiamen turn to missile-shaped robotic police for help. (re: Harry Harrison) |
Nanowire Electronics Transparent And Flexible
Remarkable advance brings clear displays much closer - and clearer. (re: Various) |
Information Storage In Bacteria DNA Update
If you wanted to make sure that your data survived for thousands of years, where would you put it? (re: Various) |
Khanty Mansiysk Siberia Tower Of Glass
Ambitious glass tower under construction in Siberia reminds me of an earlier effort by Robert Silverberg. (re: Robert Silverberg) |
Bacteria Torture Tests Demonstrate Evolution
Dr. Richard Lenski has followed in the footsteps of famous sf writers, creating captive worlds and learning from them. (re: Theodore Sturgeon) |
SuiPo Posters Call Your Cellphone
New way for otherwise inanimate objects to get to you. (re: Steven Spielberg) |
RFID Mates With Surveillance Cameras
RFID chips plus surveillance cameras - how have we avoided this up to now? (re: Various) |
Hitachi Brain-Machine Interface Applications
Once a working brain-machine interface is developed, who knows what sort of devices we'll have. (re: Frank Herbert) |
Raydiance USP Laser Attacks Unwanted Cells
Medical uses for ultrashort pulse lasers are possible because they transfer no heat to the surrounding area. (re: Robert J. Sawyer) |
HRP-3 Promet Robot Blue Collar Style
Robots need to be able to work in the real world, not just inside controlled environments. (re: Harry Harrison) |
Front Runner Hydrofoil Like Star Wars Podracer
Who knew that Boonta Eve races were held in Grand Rapids, Michigan. (re: George Lucas) |
Smart Wheels Are Artificially Intelligent
Looks like the old 'Tiger Paws' advertisement will finally come true - not the tires, but the wheels themselves. (re: Neal Stephenson) |
Power Pedal Exoskeleton From Matsushita
It kind of looks like a power-assisted Stairmaster... (re: Robert Heinlein) |
Mad-Croc Power Peppermint Energy Gum
Why do people in today's world want to go faster, when they should go slower? (re: Philip K. Dick) |
LANdroid WiFi Robots
DARPA is at it again, this time looking to establish networks on the fly. (re: Various) |
UK 'Bag Brother' Trashcams
They're at it again - no crime is too small to be surveilled. (re: Various) |
Robot 'Minister' Performs Wedding Ceremony
In South Korea, your dream wedding can be engineered precisely to your specifications. (re: Robert Silverberg) |
Self-Healing Polymer Autonomous Material System
Autonomous materials may be able to heal themselves without high maintenance costs. (re: J.G. Ballard) |
Spartan DX Real-Time DNA Check
Need that DNA verification fast, fast, FAST? Try this little product - almost as fast as in the movies. (re: Andrew Niccol) |
T-Qualiser Club Shirt Has Electro- Gobbledi- Googescence
This shirt tells you whether you're getting enough base at the club. (re: Rudy Rucker) |
Interactive Paper Four Sounds Off
This revolutionary product will also improve those school science fair projects... (re: Harlan Ellison) |
Terminator Seed Ban Proposed In Canada
When you buy some seeds, you own all of the plants descended from those seeds, right? Don't be so sure. (re: Paolo Bacigalupi) |
Kansei Robot Reacts To Words Like 'President,' 'Sushi'
Robot seeks to express emotions - how's it doing so far? (re: Various) |
Max Water By Max Whisson
Dr. Max Whisson is back with more information about his Max Water invention to provide potable water to everyone. (re: ) |
Sigma: SF Writers Advise Homeland Security
Science fiction writers dream for the government as well as for us. (re: Niven and Pournelle) |
CB2 Child Robot Lifelike (Yet Creepy) Video
The videos for this robot demonstrate that the border between 'robotic movement' and 'eerily like human movement' has been crossed. (re: Various) |
CitizenObserver.com On The Watch
This website gives you the chance to report suspicious activities of all kinds, 24x7. (re: Ray Bradbury) |
Dutch Growing Pork In Lab
Researchers at it again, in search of pulled pork not pulled from porkers. (re: H. Beam Piper) |
Russians Fear Targeted Bioweapons, Ban Human Tissue Export
Russian fears about bioweapons were predicted by several sf writers, including Greg Bear. (re: Irwin Shaw) |
Microsoft Surface Multi-Touch Display
Microsoft's implementation of a multi-touch display looks smooth - but take a look at the earlier efforts. (re: Various) |
Space Station Gets Shielding, Not Blasters
Sure, you can bolt on some special protective shielding against space debris. But blasters are better. (re: Murray Leinster) |
Neuron Network Cyborg Has Memory
Is this cyborg-like combination of neurons and silicon a new proof of this kind of memory system? (re: Peter Watts) |
Chinese Cyberwar Units Prepare For Netwar
Science fiction authors warned us and gave us the weapon concepts we needed - the Pentagon now tells us about Chinese netwar capabilities. (re: William Gibson) |
Mice Get Smarter By Losing Cdk5 Enzyme
Those mice keep getting smarter - when will these different techniques become available to bloggers? (re: Various) |
Robotic Ecologies Shape Themselves To Serve You
Why don't more people read science fiction to catch a glimpse of what the future might hold? Architects certainly should. (re: Fritz Leiber) |
Punched Tape Music Box Hack
This reminds me very strongly of something quite different, and yet similar. (re: Various) |
Shuttle Launch Experience Open To All
Since you probably won't be going into space, you can try NASA's space shuttle ride. (re: Various) |
Clarke's Inflatable Lunar Habitats Now NASA's
Arthur C. Clarke calls another one in his early novel A Fall of Moondust. (re: Arthur C. Clarke) |
Google Determined To Provide Joymaker Infrastructure
Google knows that the key to whatever mobile device you buy lies in the back-end computer architecture. (re: Frederik Pohl) |
Hitachi Brain Scanner Fun Toy
Hitachi lets you look deep into the brain in this fun toy for the family. (re: Philip K. Dick) |
Wizard Duct Inspector Robot - Ancestor of Matrix Sentinel
Well, they don't have squid-like tentacles, but they do move inside ductwork, trying to eliminate undesirable elements... (re: Wachowski Brothers) |
Chinese Government To Control Olympic Weather
The Chinese government appears to have more control over the weather than you might think. (re: Robert Heinlein) |
Cheap Pocket-Sized DNA Replicator
This tiny, inexpensive device could revolutionize the practice of medicine in developing countries. (re: Various) |
Biocomputers (Biological Computers) Come Closer
Researchers continue to take small steps toward the creation of biological computers. (re: Greg Bear) |
Portal Denial System Electrolaser Intruder-Zapper
Not your mom's pretty lightshow laser system. (re: Various) |
SPIKE Fire-And-Forget Missile World's Smallest
If this tiny missile gets any smaller, you're going to have to see reruns of Crichton's Runaway to find out more. (re: Michael Crichton) |
RFID Diagnostic Sensors Read By RFID-Enabled Cell Phones
Band Aid-style skin patches with RFID chips will help you monitor yourself post-surgery. (re: Various) |
Cyber-Warfare Waged on Estonia By Russia?
Is this the first instance of cyberwarfare between nation-states? (re: Bruce Sterling) |
Tiny Portable Biosensor Detects Contaminants In Food
Frank Herbert calls it once again; finally, we're starting to get our remote-cast snoopers. (re: Frank Herbert) |
Rotating Skyscraper Dynamic Architecture Has Wind Turbine Power
New kind of skyscraper provides its own energy, and maybe enough for other buildings as well. (re: Frank Herbert) |
Vecna BEAR Rescue Robot Prototype Ready
The Vecna BEAR is evolving rapidly; new prototypes testing very well. (re: Takazawa Kijuro) |
Muscle Suit Tokyo Exoskeleton Power Workout
Who cares about carrying patients in hospitals? I want to do 200 pound curls! (re: Bruce Sterling) |
Biometric Deadbolt Lock Like A Palm Lock
Frank Herbert's palm lock always seemed like an ideal way to do locks - and now Biolock has the idea. (re: Frank Herbert) |
Sick Patient Robot Does More Than Say 'Ah'
This robotic patient is no dummy - it has at least one thing that no other robot patient has. (re: Various) |
Burj al-Taqa Dubai Energy Tower - High Tech Badgir
The planned Burj al-Taqa tower takes an energy efficient design of the ancient world into the future. (re: Frank Herbert) |
A4-Sized Color E-Paper Unrolled By Philips
South Korea's LG Philips does it again with this amazing full sheet of e-paper. (re: Neal Stephenson) |
LOCAD-PTS Handheld Microorganism Detector
Astronauts only carry the best in hand-held instrumentation - this one is a pocket-sized biology lab. (re: Greg Bear) |
Unwanted Life Forms Abound In Sick Spacecraft
You don't want unauthorized life forms growing in the walls of your spacecraft - but there they are! (re: Bruce Sterling) |
SPARKy Robotic Ankle Prosthesis (Runner-Up)
The secret of this cool-looking device is a special robotic tendon. (re: Various) |
Robotic Ankle First Such Powered Prosthesis
MIT researchers appear to have created the world's first powered robotic ankle prosthesis. (re: Various) |
'Plastic' Artificial Red Blood Cells
New blood substitute developed in the UK may provided the answer for blood shortages in emergency situations. (re: Various) |
Anti-Shredder Computer Versus Stasi Secret Police
Oh man, does Vernor Vinge have an idea for these people - talk about an anti-shredder! (re: Vernor Vinge) |
Bacteria Attacks Oil Like Black Monday Novel
New finding increases realism in a new sf/thriller novel by R. Scott Weiss. (re: R. Scott Weiss) |
Used Spacecraft Lot Needed On Moon
If you could just gather all the stuff, Robert Heinlein's dream of a used spacecraft lot could be realized. (re: Robert Heinlein) |
Nanoparticle-Treated Clothing Prevents Colds And Flu
The catwalk now holds the key to disease prevention. (re: Various) |
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation May Provide A Napcap
TMS may also help with sleep disorders - switch on deep sleep. (re: Larry Niven) |
DigiDesk Touch-Desk Microsoft's Sci-Fi Desk of the Future
I think Fritz Lang had the spirit (and form) of this device as early as 1927. (re: Fritz Lang) |
Web Services Wizard And Frederik Pohl's Joymaker
For better or for worse, Pohl's vision from The Age of the Pussyfoot is coming closer. (re: Frederik Pohl) |
