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"[Science fiction] has become big business, where books are merchandised and promoted and distributed and placed on sale like slabs of bacon or cans of soup."
- Frederik Pohl
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| Purza the Pukha | ||
| A toy with sensors used to monitor children in hospitals. |
Pukhas are described in the novel as "specially programmed stabilizing surrogate devices."
| Pukhas, deriving their name from the imaginary companions discovered by needful children, had become widely used in pediatrics. They could be programmed for a variety of uses, but more often were used in surgical and long-term care with great effect and as surrogates for intense dependency cases. ...thought had been given to its programming: its long soft hair was composed of receptors, monitoring the child's physical and psychic health. It could, receiving danger signals from the Rowan, initiate pacifying sentiments, encourage conversation and, of paramount importance, moderate the little girl's mental "voice." It also responded with its soothing, rumbling purr when the little girl became restless or distressed. |
| Technovelgy from The Rowan,
by Anne McCaffrey. Published by Penguin Putnam in 1990 Additional resources -
|
This does not appear to be a robotic device capable of independent movement.
Compare to the electric sheep and other pets in Philip K. Dick's 1968 novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?.
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More Ideas
and Technology from The Rowan
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and Technology by Anne McCaffrey
Tech news articles related to The Rowan
Tech news articles related to works by Anne McCaffrey
Purza the Pukha-related
news articles:
- Huggable Robotic Bear Companion From MIT
- Huggable Robotic Bear Video
- Paro Robot Seal Helps Grandma
- Auti Interactive Toy For Autistic Children
- MEDi Robot Calms The Nervous Patient
- Qoobo Headless Robotic Therapy Cat Was Anne McCaffrey's Idea
- Cute Teddy Bear Robot Favorite Of Hospitalized Children
- Dino From Magical Toys An AI Companion To Children
| Bacteria Turns Plastic Into Pain Relief? That Gives Me An Idea. |
| Heart Patches Grown In The Lab Repair Hearts |
| Pixel Watch 'Loss of Pulse Detection' And Philip K. Dick |
| ErythroMer Artificial Blood |
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'...small electric motors at the principal joints worked the prosthetic framework by means of steel cables...'
'Living protoplasm incorporated into the Ampek F-a2 recording system...'
'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.
