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
"Advertising is the rattling of a stick inside a swill bucket."
- George Orwell
 |
| Robot Probes (Arr-twos) | ||
| Remote controlled robots that wander through a facility, bringing pictures and information to a central location. |
Niven and Pournelle use small, remote-controlled robots to be the "eyes and ears" of Tony Rand, the chief engineer of a massive arcology, Todos Santos.
| He had to follow the minutiae, because he didn't know what would turn out to be vital.
That led to his development of robot probes; small devices with cameras and sound equipment which could move freely through Todos Santos under Rand's direct control. If he sent out two or three of the small tele-operated devices (he called them Arr-twos after the small droid in Star Wars), Rand could effectively be in several places at once, see machinery and construction details in real time from both above and below, and generally explore without leaving his bedroom. |
| Technovelgy from Oath of Fealty,
by Larry Niven (w/J. Pournelle). Published by Timescape in 1981 Additional resources -
|
The authors even provide us with some possible limits of the device, particularly during interactions with people:
Compare to remote telepresence robot from Buck Rogers, 2430 AD (1929) by Philip Nowlan (w/D. Calkins) and the proxy robot from Hotel Cosmos (1938) by Raymond Z. Gallun.
Good as the Arr-twos were, with their full two-way communications and their TV screen to show Rand's face, he'd found it necessary to get out and talk to the technicians and carpenters and pipe fitters and maintenance people; talk to them himself, because most construction people didn't like talking to an Arr-two even with Rand's TV image.
This is becoming the preferred model for security guard robots (see links below).
Comment/Join this discussion ( 2 ) | RSS/XML | Blog This |
Additional
resources:
More Ideas
and Technology from Oath of Fealty
More Ideas
and Technology by Larry Niven (w/J. Pournelle)
Tech news articles related to Oath of Fealty
Tech news articles related to works by Larry Niven (w/J. Pournelle)
Robot Probes (Arr-twos)-related
news articles:
- Rotundus And Rover: Robotic And Fictional Guardians (Updated)
- PEBBLES Robot - Teleconferencing For Kids At NextFest 2006
- Reborg-Q May You Shop In Peace
- HeadThere Giraffe Telepresence Robot
- DIY Telepresence By Teleoperated Robot
- 7 Day Old Baby Meets Telepresence Robot Dad
- Tmsuk Telepresence Shopper Cell Phone-Controlled
- Rotundus Groundbot Robotic Spherical Guardian Video
- MeBot Robot Avatar Telepresence
- Telepresence Robot Roundup With Anybot
- iRobot AVA Telepresence Robot With iPad
- Videochat Robot: DIY Telepresence Robot
- Kuri Robot Roams Your Home, Taking Pictures
- Double Robotics iPad-Based Telepresence Robot
- Beam Yourself To Distant Places
- Telepresence In The Office
- Temi Robotic Telepresence Roommate
- Ford Uses Obedient Robot Dogs To Update Facilities Maps
| Optimus Robot Will Be A Good Nanny, Says Musk |
| LORIS Passive-Gripper Climbing Robot |
| Athena Smart Security Guard Robot With Face Recognition |
| SpaceHopper Microgravity Robot Lands On Its Feet |
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 pitiless M rays pierced Earth and steel and densest concrete as if they were so much transparent glass...'
'Pina2bo would have to operate full blast for many years to put as much SO2 into the stratosphere as its namesake had done in a few minutes.'
'Nanny is different,' Tom Fields murmured... 'she's not like a machine. She's like a person.'
'We made a crude , small cell and were delighted - and, I admit, somewhat surprised - to find it worked.'
'...we've promised him a generous pension from the royalties.'
'The clothes and jewelery drew their tiny power requirements from her movements.'
'At the end of each appendage's eight fingers there are tinier appendages...'
'We want to do something to help those who are suffering from tooth loss or absence,' said lead researcher Katsu Takahashi.
