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
"A good science fiction story should be able to predict not the automobile but the traffic jam."
- Frederik Pohl
 |
| Computer Vision (Artificial Eye) | ||
| A device which, attached to a suitable computer, will allow the device to see. |
How can you prove that your artificial, metallic brain works and is conscious? You might try providing it with vision.
| "The T-wave, the vibratory current, is produced over there, and led into the brain case to act on the atomic organism inside. Right now that thing is conscious."
"...And I can prove it now. Since you last saw it I've provided it with the sense of sight. See that inset lens? Well, it's like no lens you ever saw, for it's really an artificial eye, that I made myself. There is an artificial retina beneath and it is connected direct to the brain-stuff, and carries its sensations to it, as electric currents. "An artificial retina?" asked Lanier. "Isn't that going a bit too far? An inorganic material sensitive to light?" "Did you never hear of a substance called selenium?" asked Detmold with fine sarcasm, as as Lanier started, he added, "Ah, you begin to see! You remember that the electrical resistance of selenium varies enormously in light and in darkness, and you begin to perceive how the light striking that artificial retina could be translated into electricity and flashed to the brain." |
| Technovelgy from The Metal Giants,
by Edmond Hamilton. Published by Weird Tales in 1926 Additional resources -
|
This is a very early reference to the idea that an inorganic "brain" or computing device could be provided with vision, which today is called "machine vision".
Compare to the more modern conception of a vision strip from Orphans of the Void (1952) by Orville Shaara.
Comment/Join this discussion ( 0 ) | RSS/XML | Blog This |
Additional
resources:
More Ideas
and Technology from The Metal Giants
More Ideas
and Technology by Edmond Hamilton
Tech news articles related to The Metal Giants
Tech news articles related to works by Edmond Hamilton
Computer Vision (Artificial Eye)-related
news articles:
- Robots May Get Compound Insect Eye Vison
- Jumping Spiders And Machine Vision
| Cortex 1 - Today A Warehouse, Tomorrow A Calculator Planet |
| Is Agentic AI The Wrong Kind Of Smartness? |
| Jetson Orin Nano Super 70 Just $249 |
| Automatic Bot Traffic Is 38 Percent Of HTTP Requests |
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
'...there's a narrow belt where the climate is moderate.'
'He wore spectacles with thick wavy lenses. The spectacles were intended to make him not only half blind, but to give him whanging headaches besides.'
'... with the Master-operator all you have to do is push one! A remarkable achievement!'
'Not like me. A T-1000, advanced prototype. A mimetic poly-alloy. Liquid metal.'
'It was riddled with holes that were the mouths of tunnels.'
'The massive feet working the pedals, arms and hands flashing and glinting...'
