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
 |
Timeline
of Science Fiction Ideas, Technology and Inventions
(sorted by Publication Date)
Most of these items are linked to information about similar real-life inventions and inventors; click on an invention to learn more about it.
<-
Select Date Range ->
1600-1899 1900-1929 1930's 1940's 1950's 1960's 1970's 1980's 1990's 2000+
| Date | Device Name (Novel Author) |
| 1990 | Garbage Mine (from Earth by David Brin) The idea that recycling can spawn entirely new industries. |
| 1990 | Bee Zapper (from Earth by David Brin) A laser-based insect remover. |
| 1990 | Bioform House (from Sparrowhawk by Thomas A. Easton) A house grown from a bioengineered plant. |
| 1990 | Leaf Screens (from Sparrowhawk by Thomas A. Easton) Bioform displays grown from plants offering flat surfaces - like leaves. |
| 1990 | Dormancy Switch (from Sparrowhawk by Thomas A. Easton) Essential device 'switches off' your cyborg animal, causing it to quickly drop off to sleep. |
| 1990 | Hanky Bush (from Sparrowhawk by Thomas A. Easton) A plant with leaves grown to resemble common, multipurpose tissues. |
| 1990 | Citizen Journalism (from Earth by David Brin) The notion that ordinary people can make use of technological tools like cellphone cameras and the Internet to provide information. |
| 1990 | Autosecretary (Autosec) (from Earth by David Brin) A software agent able to accept your query and then seach the public net for related information. |
| 1990 | Roachster (from Sparrowhawk by Thomas A. Easton) A genetically-engineered vehicle based on arthropod DNA; uses implanted control structures. |
| 1990 | Portable Ident-Plate (from Earth by David Brin) A small, thin device that will capture biometric data from a person's finger. |
| 1990 | Purza the Pukha (from The Rowan by Anne McCaffrey) A toy with sensors used to monitor children in hospitals. |
| 1990 | Personal Cache (from Earth by David Brin) An online data repository used to store personal data. |
| 1990 | Oxygen Hip Flask (from Earth by David Brin) A small, portable source of pure oxygen for breathing. |
| 1990 | Filter Program (from Earth by David Brin) Using programs to filter Internet results; a person need see only what they want to see. |
| 1990 | E-Document Distribution (from Earth by David Brin) A method of wirelessly distributing a document to a large group of people in an ad hoc setting. |
| 1990 | Genetic Ark (from Earth by David Brin) Enormous, multi-habitat enclosed spaces, used to conserve the animal gene pool. |
| 1990 | Mammontelephas (from Earth by David Brin) A 'mammoth' resurrected from the genes of the original. |
| 1990 | Assassin Bird (from Sparrowhawk by Thomas A. Easton) A bird genetically engineered to accept instructions on how to kill. |
| 1990 | Cannibal Grass (from Sparrowhawk by Thomas A. Easton) Genetically engineered grass that acts as a defense layer for a home. |
| 1990 | Vivisector (from Earth by David Brin) A program that takes another computer program apart, while it's running, to see what it does. |
| 1990 | Magnus-Effect Ambulance (from Earth by David Brin) A vehicle that can hover and fly using the Magnus Effect. |
| 1990 | Quantum Logic Thinker (QL) (from Heads by Greg Bear) A computer system that thinks about problems in unusual ways. |
| 1990 | Home Manager (from Queen of Angels by Greg Bear) A device that responds to verbal or other commands; serves as an intelligent telephone answering machine and other tasks. |
| 1990 | Monomol Mesh Armor (from Queen of Angels by Greg Bear) Material to protect selected areas that must bend (elbows, knees, and so forth). |
| 1990 | Dustmice (from Queen of Angels by Greg Bear) Tiny robotic sensors that police could set loose in a crime scene, looking for tiny clues. |
| 1990 | Eloi (from Queen of Angels by Greg Bear) People who have undergone treatments to extend their lives. |
| 1990 | Live Carpet (from Queen of Angels by Greg Bear) A carpet made of living fibers; the backing is a digestive system. |
| 1990 | Tracking Bracelet (from Shadowspeer by Patricia Jo Clayton) A security device armed with explosives. |
| 1990 | General Bodies Tortoise (from Sparrowhawk by Thomas A. Easton) A passenger vehicle genetically engineered from tortoise DNA and controlled by implanted electronics. |
| 1990 | Anti-Onc Cream (from Earth by David Brin) An ointment used to cure skin cancers. |
| 1990 | Reading Plaque (from Earth by David Brin) A tablet-sized display for reading. |
| 1990 | Dozer (from Earth by David Brin) A person with extreme susceptibility to the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. |
| 1990 | Sonomagnetic Fabric (from Earth by David Brin) Cloth that gathers sound energy. |
| 1990 | Lawyer Program (from Earth by David Brin) Software that could listen to legal argument. |
| 1990 | Subvocal Input Device (from Earth by David Brin) Attached sensors read nerve signals to determine what the user will say next. |
| 1990 | Predictions Registry (from Earth by David Brin) An organization that keeps track of predictions made by individuals. |
| 1990 | EmilyPost (from Earth by David Brin) An autonomous worm that searches the Net for lack of courtesy. |
| 1990 | Data-Retrieval Programs (from Earth by David Brin) Programs that searched the Net for specific information. |
| 1990 | Fabricow (from Piecework by David Brin) Cattle and other creatures that create gene-designed biomachinery in their wombs. |
| 1990 | Deadman's Device (from Shadowspeer by Patricia Jo Clayton) A device implanted beneath the skin of an operative who is to be sent on a hazardous mission. |
| 1990 | Sunshade-Photocell Collector (from Earth by David Brin) A fanciful design for a device that gathers solar energy. |
| 1990 | Knife Missile (from Use of Weapons by Iain M Banks) A sharp-edged weapon that can maneuver in space. |
| 1990 | Dazer (from Earth by David Brin) A person who learned biofeedback techniques to float on his own endorphins. |
| 1990 | Credibility Rating (from Earth by David Brin) How believable are your blog posts? your emails? your tweets? |
| 1990 | True-Vu Lenses (Goggles) (from Earth by David Brin) Lenses that are worn as goggles, allowing the user to both see and record what is being viewed. |
| 1990 | Polar Ice (from The Ring of Charon by Roger MacBride Allen) Water ice at the poles of the Moon. |
| 1990 | Kinotrope (from The Difference Engine by William Gibson (w/B. Sterling)) Small bits of painted wood in a grid that spin around to form different pixelated images. |
| 1991 | Stimsuit (from Heavy Time by C.J. Cherryh) An elastic suit worn to decrease the effects of micro-gravity in space. |
| 1991 | Seeder Ramship (from Rammer by Larry Niven) A spacecraft designed to travel from one star system to another , terrafoming worlds for use. |
| 1991 | Screening Software (from The Moat by Greg Egan) Rules-based software trained to eliminate spam email. |
| 1991 | Flatscreen Movie (from Orbital Resources by John Barnes) Like holographic or three-dimensional recordings, but showing only two dimensions. |
| 1991 | Donnersprache (from Silent Thunder by Dean Ing) A hypnotic transceiver that enhances the charisma of speakers. |
| 1991 | Patient Bath Robot (from Roujin Z by Katsuhiro Otomo) Robot gives patient a bath. |
| 1991 | Law Expert System (LEX) (from The Moat by Greg Egan) Software capable of rendering a legal opinion. |
| 1991 | Spotlight of Heat (Orbital Microwaves) (from Fallen Angels by Larry Niven w/Pournelle, Flynn) Using an orbiting satellite microwave array to heat a specific portion of a planetary surface. |
| 1991 | Teaching Chair (from Rammer by Larry Niven) No-frills teaching machine. |
| 1991 | Roujin Z-0001 Robotic Bed (from Roujin Z by Katsuhiro Otomo) A fully automated hospital bed and transport robot. |
| 1991 | Tiersian Therapy (from Red Orc's Revenge by Philip Jose Farmer) A therapeutic discipline in which the patient chooses a character from a book and then attempts to be that character. |
| 1992 | Reality Graphics (from A Fire Upon The Deep by Vernor Vinge) One-stop design - the final design is the object. |
| 1992 | Smartwheels (from Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson) Special "wheels" that are actually sets of spokes that telescope to be as long as they need to be for a smooth ride. |
| 1992 | EverRest Cryotorium (from Flare by Roger Zelazny) Rest forever in cryonic suspension among the stars. |
| 1992 | Metaverse (from Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson) A virtual universe. |
| 1992 | Readout Skin (from Steel Beach by John Varley) Normal-appearing skin that can be used as an output device for text or graphics. |
| 1992 | Transdress (from The California Voodoo Game by Larry Niven (w/S. Barnes)) A transparent dress upon which thousands of patterns may be projected. |
| 1992 | DreamTime Scleral Contact Lenses (from The California Voodoo Game by Larry Niven (w/S. Barnes)) Full-size contact lenses that can provide an augmented reality view. |
| 1992 | Avatar (from Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson) A computer-enhanced doppelganger; a computer-generated image that takes your place in a three-dimensional online encounter. |
| 1992 | High-Voltage Cuffs (from Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson) Metallic shirt-sleeve cuffs capable of carrying a charge. |
| 1992 | Nanobot (from Steel Beach by John Varley) A robot constructed with nanotechnology. |
| 1992 | Deliverator Car (from Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson) The vehicle for edgy pizza delivery. |
| 1992 | Data Goggles (from Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson) Eyewear connected to a computer provides total immersion in the matrix. |
| 1992 | Arachnofiber Uniforms (from Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson) Remarkable attire for a pizza delivery person; but given the violence of near future America, the protection offered by ordinary uniforms was insufficient. |
| 1992 | Hypercard (from Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson) A virtual business card; what one avatar might hand another to introduce themselves. |
| 1992 | Metavirus (Digital Metavirus) (from Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson) Binary code that can infect computers or even hackers, through the binary nerve. |
| 1992 | MagnaPoon (from Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson) To hitch a ride from a faster vehicle while riding a skateboard (from harpoon). |
| 1992 | Timeslip (from Red Mars by Spider Robinson) When humans keep time on Mars, they must work with the extra forty minutes in each day. |
| 1992 | Sven (from The Turing Option by Harry Harrison) Sven is an artificially intelligent computer detective. |
| 1992 | Smart Pizza Box (from Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson) A container with microprocessor-based data processing capabilities built-in to the box. |
| 1992 | Disney Therapy (from Steel Beach by John Varley) Letting people retreat to a simpler time, for their mental health. |
| 1992 | Avatar Construction Set (from Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson) A collection of software that allows the building of a complete avatar. |
| 1992 | Negative Matter Space Drive (from Timemaster by Robert Forward) A reactionless space drive using negative matter. |
| 1992 | Sintered Armorgel (from Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson) A substance that is flexible when moved slowly, but which hardens upon external impact. |
| 1992 | CIC Virtual Earth (from Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson) A software application that presents detailed information about the Earth. |
| 1992 | Rat Thing (from Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson) A guard cyborg created from a living animal. |
| 1992 | Hoverlimo (from Steel Beach by John Varley) A hovercraft for hire, with servility built in. |
| 1992 | Handwriter (from Steel Beach by John Varley) A text input device implanted in your skin. |
| 1992 | Direct Interface (from Steel Beach by John Varley) A form of computer interface that inputs text into a computer by thinking. |
| 1992 | Padloid (from Steel Beach by John Varley) A tawdry news publication on a PDA, or notepad, device. |
| 1992 | Airbag Jacket (from Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson) A jacket or coverall with inflatable air bags throughout for protection against impact. |
| 1992 | P-120 Reconnaissance Robot (from A Season for Slaughter by David Gerrold) A multi-legged robot built for speed and silence. |
| 1992 | Reason Hypervelocity Railgun (from Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson) Multichamber weapon accelerates tiny splinters of metal. |
| 1992 | Loogie Gun (from Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson) A non-violent weapon that shoots a gooey mass to immobilize a person judged to have criminal or violent intent. |
| 1992 | Skrode (from A Fire Upon The Deep by Vernor Vinge) A small mobile platform designed for a legless race. |
| 1992 | Burbclave (from Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson) Contraction of suburban enclave; an extension of today's gated communities. |
| 1992 | U-Stor-It (from Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson) A storage unit converted for use as an apartment. |
| 1992 | Dentata (from Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson) An anti-rape device. |
| 1992 | Dataset (from A Fire Upon The Deep by Vernor Vinge) A portable computer with multiple screens and capabilities. |
| 1993 | Canola Oil (from Virtual Light by William Gibson) Vegetable oil refined for use as fuel |
| 1993 | Translation Program (from Deep Eddy by Bruce Sterling) A computer program that translates speech from one language to another, in real time, to aid in conversation. |
| 1993 | Wende (from Deep Eddy by Bruce Sterling) A change, a turning point, a reversal of culture and politics. |
| 1993 | Air-Conditioned Coat (from Deep Eddy by Bruce Sterling) An otherwise ordinary overcoat that fights the heat. |
| 1993 | Diagnostic Sleeve (from Gripping Hand by Larry Niven (w/J. Pournelle)) Worn on one arm, it diagnoses and adminsters medications. |
| 1993 | Fractal Knife (from Virtual Light by William Gibson) The blade uses a fractal geometry to increase its cutting surface. |
| 1993 | Antiturbulence Wings (from Deep Eddy by Bruce Sterling) Wings that are designed to buffer turbulence for passengers. |
| 1993 | Spex (Spexware) (from Deep Eddy by Bruce Sterling) Video glasses with computer assistance. |
| 1993 | Stealth House (from Virtual Light by William Gibson) A home that is entirely sealed, leading to toxic buildup. |
| 1993 | Chunker (from Virtual Light by William Gibson) A device that fires small cubes of rubber; a non-lethal form of riot control. |
| 1993 | Separated At Birth Database (from Virtual Light by William Gibson) Missing persons database uses similarity to famous people. |
| 1993 | Hood Hologram (from Virtual Light by William Gibson) A hologrammatic display on the outside surface of a car. |
| 1994 | AIRE (from Mother of Storms by John Barnes) A piece of software that can break through encryption to determine exactly how a compiled program accomplishes its tasks. |
| 1994 | Flexible Car Map (from Heavy Weather by Bruce Sterling) A nonrigid map that extrudes from the dashboard of a car when needed. |
| 1994 | Smart Piston Spokes (from Heavy Weather by Bruce Sterling) A car that uses a set of pistons that feels and reacts to the surface to move around. |
| 1994 | Electronic Cash (from Heavy Weather by Bruce Sterling) A digital currency, like Bitcoin. |
| 1994 | VR Dyslexia (from Rim by Alexander Besher) Severe disorientation brought about by excessive use of virtual reality equipment. |
| 1994 | Wandering Mine (from Half the Day is Night by Maureen F. McHugh) A landmine with legs. |
| 1994 | Vai-Chi (from Rim by Alexander Besher) Tai-Chi movements translated into the virtual world |
| 1994 | Neuro-netsukes (from Rim by Alexander Besher) A small sculpture containing the personality of a living person. |
| 1994 | XV (from Mother of Storms by John Barnes) Allows anyone to directly experience another person's conscious awareness. |
| 1994 | Holo (License) (from Rim by Alexander Besher) A three-dimensional driver license and identification card. |
| 1994 | Virtual Reality Ceremony (from Rim by Alexander Besher) Don't just put your motion capture suit on - do it with style. |
| 1994 | Escalladder (from Crashlander by Larry Niven) A ladder that you don't have to climb to get to the top. |
| 1994 | Mass Pointer (from Crashlander by Larry Niven) Tells you where the really large (star-sized) masses are while you travel in hyperspace. |
| 1994 | Inflatable Expansion Bubble (from Crashlander by Larry Niven) Inflatable chamber to provide temporary additional space for cramped space craft. |
| 1994 | Crash Web (from Crashlander by Larry Niven) A simple mechanical linkage to activate a crash field. |
| 1994 | XV Wedge (from Mother of Storms by John Barnes) A piece of entertainment that consists of edited real experience. |
| 1994 | Stim-Crib (from Natulife by David Brin) A cradle that provides virtual reality experiences to tiny tots. |
| 1994 | Dope Mule Robot (from Heavy Weather by Bruce Sterling) A metal sphere that propels itself with a single piston-like foot. |
| 1994 | Smart Rope (from Heavy Weather by Bruce Sterling) Long 'rope' consisting of a variety of intertwined cables with different properties; controlled with special glove interface. |
| 1994 | Semisentient Plastic (from Ring by Stephen Baxter) A durable coating that protects and preserves objects. |
| 1994 | Tannin-Secretion Pills (from Crashlander by Larry Niven) Artificially darkens skin, for skin protection. |
| 1994 | Virtuality Helmet ('Virching' Helmet) (from Heavy Weather by Bruce Sterling) A helmet with a communication system and a display; a pilot wearing this helmet could sit on the ground and control a distant aircraft. |
| 1994 | Voice-Changing Bowtie (from Case Closed (Detective Conan) by Gosho Aoyama) Special device allows wearer to take on the voice of another person at will. |
| 1994 | Tracing Glasses (from Case Closed (Detective Conan) by Gosho Aoyama) Locate criminals by using glasses to pick up signals from special transmitters. |
| 1994 | Virtual Childrearing (from Natulife by David Brin) Learn childcare the virtual way; maybe long distance childcare, too. |
| 1994 | Accu-Terrain Floor (from Natulife by David Brin) A special floor for virtual reality environments that simulates any kind of surface. |
| 1994 | Auto-Treadmills (Needle-Gym) (from Natulife by David Brin) A simulation-exercise room floor that allows the user to walk and run on a consistently realistic surface. |
| 1994 | Yeast-Beast Machine (from Natulife by David Brin) A device for growing meat in a vat. |
| 1994 | Chemotactic Artificial Jellyfish (from Big Jelly by Rudy Rucker (w/B. Sterling)) Artificial device modeled on jellyfish capable of seeking specific components of liquid. |
| 1994 | Home Termite Habitat (from Natulife by David Brin) Edible insects raised fresh in your own kitchen! |
| 1994 | Embryo Visualization (from Daughter of Elysium by Joan Slonczewski) Special display technique lets researchers see cell development in three dimensions. |
| 1994 | Neotopological Metaeuclidean Adjacency (from The Hole in the Hole by Terry Bisson) A portal through space-time. |
| 1995 | Nurse Drone (from The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson) A larger flying platform to provide power to smaller drones. |
| 1995 | Chevaline (from The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson) An open robotic vehicle for one person, shaped like a horse. |
| 1995 | Sky-Eye (from The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson) A football-sized flying surveillance device. |
| 1995 | Primer (from The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson) A special software program that teaches basic language skills. |
| 1995 | Cookie-Cutters (from The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson) Very small (corpuscle-sized) devices that can enter the blood stream and destroy an enemy from within. |
| 1995 | Soletta (from Green Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson) An array of solar sail mirrors that focus light onto a planetary surface for power. |
| 1995 | Solar Electric Paint - Black Power (from The Woman in Del Rey Crater by Larry Niven) A black-colored paint that can be sprayed on, making any surface a solar power generator. |
| 1995 | Implanted Credit Card (from The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson) A credit card system that could be surgically implanted; uses radio frequency identification to communicate with checkout hardware. |
| 1995 | Composite Living (from The Day the Aliens Came by Robert Sheckley) Forming a meld with other life forms. |
| 1995 | Mediatronic Display (from The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson) Electronic paper comes in big sheets. |
| 1995 | Jodie Grid (from The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson) A 'tattoo' that provides points for mapping your face into a grid. |
| 1995 | Ballisticules (from The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson) Nanotechnology devices that throw their weight around. |
| 1995 | Smart Paper (from The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson) A very slim thin-film transistor display. |
| 1995 | Toner (from The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson) Dead bits of nanomachines. |
| 1995 | Aerostat Monitor (from The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson) A small flying platform, capable of maneuvering in three dimensions; can hover in place and communicate with others like it. |
| 1995 | Lithocule (from The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson) Tiny intelligent building blocks. |
| 1995 | Fabricules (from The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson) Tiny bits of fabric that were self-cleaning; gloves made of this material always stayed clean. |
| 1995 | Filter Wheel (from The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson) A device for filtering liquid or gas to obtain a pure sample of a selected molecule. |
| 1995 | Sights (from The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson) Sunglasses-mounted crosshairs (you'll need one with your skull gun). |
| 1995 | Freedom Machine (from The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson) A birth control device developed using nanotechnology. |
| 1995 | Immunocules (from The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson) Very small, lightweight objects able to move in three dimensions; they form a protective shield against airborne devices. |
| 1995 | Nanomachine Lidar (from The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson) Radar-like system that uses electromagnetic radiation at optical frequencies (visible light) for range-finding and analysis. |
| 1995 | Mediaglyphic (from The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson) Animated symbols to help those who haven't bothered to learn to read in a multimedia age. |
| 1995 | Clave (from The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson) Short for enclave (see also burbclave - autonomous suburban enclave) |
| 1995 | Geotect (from The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson) A person who creates landforms and physical environments |
| 1995 | 'Sites (from The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson) Small parasites that cause muscles to twitch in sequence for strength. |
| 1995 | Mediatron (from The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson) A paper-thin networked computer display. |
| 1995 | Phased Acoustical Array (from The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson) An music system implanted right on your eardrum. |
| 1995 | Microde (from Armed Memory by Jim Smith) A tailored virus, that infects the selected person, and passes on whatever characteristics have been implanted in the virus. |
| 1995 | Smartcoral Reef (from The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson) An artificial coral reef that pulls water in for use in large communities. |
| 1995 | Phantoscope (phenomenoscope) (from The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson) A device that provides you with a computer-operable display; can be worn or surgically implanted right on your own eyes. |
| 1995 | Skullgun (from The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson) A pistol that is concealed in your cranium. |
| 1995 | Matter Compiler (from The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson) A device that builds the desired article (such as a dress) atom by atom according to a specified design. |
| 1995 | Dog Pod Grid (from The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson) A swarm of quasi-independent aerostatic devices. |
| 1995 | Runcible (from The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson) A book made of smart paper; every page is a flexible LCD (liquid crystal display) screen. |
| 1995 | Ava (from The Calcutta Chromosome by Amitav Ghosh) A piece of learning software. |
| 1995 | Pedomotive (from The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson) A kind of stilt-like leg extenders; take longer strides, get there faster. Extreme sports gear. |
| 1995 | Mite (from The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson) A very small device (about the size of a dust mite) that has been manufactured for a particular purpose. |
| 1995 | Satellite Ion Cannon (from Command and Conquer by Westwood Games) Orbiting station armed with a particle beam weapon, used for surgical tactical strikes. |
| 1996 | Computer Translator (from Idoru by William Gibson) A computer translator; software that provides automatic translation when jacked into a data port. |
| 1996 | Eyephone(s) (from Idoru by William Gibson) A projection system using small goggles to project an image directly on your eye. |
| 1996 | Virtual Meeting (from Idoru by William Gibson) A meeting space that exists only in a computer; the descendant of today's web conferences. |
| 1996 | Hotdesk (from Idoru by William Gibson) A desk space that was itself ready for input. |
| 1996 | Wearable White-Noise Generator (from Idoru by William Gibson) A device worn when the wearer preferred not to be the subject of audio recordings. |
| 1996 | Control-Face (from Idoru by William Gibson) A small liquid crystal display (LCD) unit linked to a larger network; gives a window onto your larger network world. |
| 1996 | Synthespian (from Idoru by William Gibson) A synthetic media personality. |
| 1996 | Cybernetic Water Witch (from Idoru by William Gibson) A job that involves a lot of surfing for patterns in information. |
| 1996 | Webeye (from The Ringworld Throne by Larry Niven) Communications device with a camera, microphone, zoom lens, projector, etc.; can be sprayed on. |
| 1996 | Sandbenders (from Idoru by William Gibson) A highly customized computer system; the opposite of a box from Gateway or Dell. |
| 1996 | Headset (from Idoru by William Gibson) Wireless headsets provide computer language translation. |
| 1996 | Kitchen Korner (from Idoru by William Gibson) Just exactly what futurists say you're going to get, like or not, in a refrigerator. |
| 1996 | Video Unit (from Idoru by William Gibson) Video units attached directly to the optic nerve, giving sight to the blind. |
| 1996 | Flicker Drive (from Fremder by Russell Hoban) A space ship drive that allows instantaneous travel across the galaxy. |
| 1996 | Idoru (from Idoru by William Gibson) A virtual person like a video game character; an entity given specific characteristics, existing only in computer networks. |
| 1996 | Robotic Abattoir (from Freedom's Landing by Anne McCaffrey) Robots with knives in a meat-packing plant. |
| 1996 | Nanotech Buildings (from Idoru by William Gibson) Enormous buildings built with nanotech fibers. |
| 1996 | Combat Wasp (from The Reality Dysfunction by Peter F. Hamilton) Drone craft able to carry and direct a variety of submunitions. |
| 1996 | Micro-Bachelor (from Idoru by William Gibson) A small apartment carved out of an abandoned structure. |
| 1997 | Retinal Implant (from The Neutronium Alchemist by Peter F. Hamilton) An implanted device that can record and transmit what the person sees. |
| 1997 | Boink Biosensor (from The Cobra Event by Richard Preston) A hand-held sensor that detects the presence of hazardous biological material. |
| 1997 | Moldies (from Freeware by Rudy Rucker) Autonomous, intelligent, artificial life forms. |
| 1997 | Mook (from Bicycle Repairman by Bruce Sterling) Computer-based proxy that deals with communication. |
| 1997 | UPUD (from First to Fight by David Sherman (w/Cragg)) Universal Positionator Up-Downlink. |
| 1997 | Subtle Knife (from The Subtle Knife (His Dark Materials, Book 2 by Philip Pullman) A knife able to cut through any material, and even cut through into different worlds. |
| 1997 | Automated DNA Typing (from Gattaca by Andrew Niccol) A device that takes quick samples of DNA and compares each sample to a database. |
| 1997 | Softlight (from Softlight Sins by Peter F. Hamilton) Personality erasure via laser imprinted subliminal commands. |
| 1997 | Helmet Visor Display (from The Tank Lords by David Drake) A heads-up display with a variety of advanced features. |
| 1998 | Magsail (from Falling Stars by Michael Flynn) An interplanetary craft that uses magnetic fields to catch the solar winds for propulsion. |
| 1998 | Desktop-TV (from Factoring Humanity by Robert J. Sawyer) Video available worldwide, prepared by everyone. |
| 1998 | Emblok (from Earth Made of Glass by John Barnes) A device that imparts memories into the regrown brain, just like uploading content into a computer's random access memory. |
| 1998 | Magship (from Falling Stars by Michael Flynn) A ship that uses magnetic fields to catch the solar wind for propulsion. |
| 1998 | Dime Disk (from The Best of all Possible Wars by Larry Niven) A very small data storage medium. |
| 1998 | Psypyx (from Earth Made of Glass by John Barnes) A way of gathering and recording mental impressions. |
| 1998 | Concrete Boxes (from Earth Made of Glass by John Barnes) Self storage for your body - living space designed for people who spend most of their time ignoring their surroundings anyway. |
| 1998 | Pokkecon (from Maneki Neko by Bruce Sterling) A device tied into a good will network. |
| 1998 | Bugged Money (from Distraction by Bruce Sterling) American cash with embedded listening devices. |
| 1998 | Spook (from SOLACE by Jeff Noon) A drink that comes unflavored in a container; twist the cap to add flavor. |
| 1998 | Spaceplane (Clarke-class) (from A Quantum Murder by Peter F. Hamilton) An inexpensively powered flight to low earth orbit. |
| 1998 | Boob Cube (from The Best of all Possible Wars by Larry Niven) Device for showing three-dimensional news broadcasts. |
| 1998 | Netwar (from Distraction by Bruce Sterling) Making use of various means to disrupt the enemy's military and civilian information networks. |
| 1998 | Junkbot (from Distraction by Bruce Sterling) An automated email program that specializes in sending junk mail (spam) |
| 1998 | Profile Sniffers (from Distraction by Bruce Sterling) A software device that sifts Internet access records for patterns associate with particular personality types. |
| 1998 | Bambakias Hotel (from Distraction by Bruce Sterling) A hotel that wants to exist! It just needs a little help. |
| 1998 | Infowar Operation (from Distraction by Bruce Sterling) Making use of various means to disrupt the enemy's military and civilian information networks. |
| 1998 | Smart Bike (from Distraction by Bruce Sterling) A motorcycle with sophisticated systems for steering and balance. |
| 1998 | Aggressive-Response Service (from The Golden Globe by John Varley) An answering service with an attitude. |
| 1998 | Monobloc Dating System (from The Best of all Possible Wars by Larry Niven) A kind of pub with unique hardware and software for computer dating. |
| 1998 | D-9 Motherspinner (from The Golden Globe by John Varley) An enormous genetically engineered spider used to create large structures in space. |
| 1998 | Robot Handlers (from The Golden Globe by John Varley) Small robots used in spacecraft for a variety of useful tasks. |
| 1998 | Talking Tape (from Distraction by Bruce Sterling) Adhesive-backed network connection, global positioning, voice synthesis and speakers. |
| 1999 | Interactive Video Column (from All Tomorrow's Parties by William Gibson) A video display in a chain convenience store that shows random scenes from other stores in the chain around the world. |
| 1999 | Smart Tag (from All Tomorrow's Parties by William Gibson) A piece of graffiti, or a small sticker tag, that could survive being placed on walls designed to be self-cleaning. |
| 1999 | Graffiti-Eating Finish (from All Tomorrow's Parties by William Gibson) A wall covering that maintained itself, eating any graffiti placed on it. |
| 1999 | Smart Gel (from Starfish by Peter Watts) Intelligent paste made of neurons; spread upon a substrate for computing. |
| 1999 | Lucky Dragon ATM (from All Tomorrow's Parties by William Gibson) An automatic teller machine with attitude. |
| 1999 | Snake Contact Lens (from All Tomorrow's Parties by William Gibson) A pair of contact lenses designed to make you appear to have slit pupils, like a snake's. |
| 1999 | Palm Scan (from All Tomorrow's Parties by William Gibson) A means of positive identification, in this case, for an ATM machine. |
| 1999 | GPS Sunglasses (from All Tomorrow's Parties by William Gibson) Sunglasses that contain both global positioning system components and cell phone services. |
| 1999 | Bohemias (from All Tomorrow's Parties by William Gibson) A place where the ordinary rules of society don't apply; the "next big thing" often comes from these places. |
| 1999 | Motion Capture Suit (from All Tomorrow's Parties by William Gibson) A tight fitting garment that uses sensors at various positions to record movement in space; can be used as the basis for computer graphic creations. |
| 1999 | Nanofax (from All Tomorrow's Parties by William Gibson) Send a copy of a three-dimensional object to a distant place. |
| 1999 | Belt Sword (from All Tomorrow's Parties by William Gibson) A piece of very thin material sewn between the two leather sides of a belt. |
| 1999 | Dustmote (from A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge) A tiny sensor device that could also form networks with other motes. |
| 1999 | Quantum Power (from Alpha Centauri by Sid Meier) Power generation through photon fission. |
| 1999 | Ethical Calculus (from Alpha Centauri by Sid Meier) Mathematics used to determine positive social conduct. |
| 1999 | Silksteel (from Alpha Centauri by Sid Meier) Material that has high tensile strength as well as high flexibility. |
| 1999 | Cyberethics (from Alpha Centauri by Sid Meier) Philosophy detailing how computers work within human communities. |
| 1999 | Matter Editation (from Alpha Centauri by Sid Meier) Technology that enables the easy manipulation of atomic properties. |
| 1999 | Homo Superior (from Alpha Centauri by Sid Meier) A human subspecies created through radical applications of biotechnology. |
| 1999 | Organic Superlubricant (from Alpha Centauri by Sid Meier) Advanced lube that can "learn" how to be more effective. |
| 1999 | Genejack (from Alpha Centauri by Sid Meier) A genetically-modified human ideally created for menial work. |
| 1999 | Punishment Sphere (from Alpha Centauri by Sid Meier) Used to bring disruptive elements of society into line. |
| 1999 | Chain Gun (from All Tomorrow's Parties by William Gibson) Device fires lengths of steel chain. |
| 1999 | Recycler (from Starfish by Peter Watts) A surgically implanted device that enables a diver to obtain oxygen directly from seawater. |
| 1999 | Focusing (from A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge) Psychoactive microbe improves the attention-focusing ability of those infected. |
| 1999 | Exoskeleton (from A Good Old-Fashioned Future by Bruce Sterling) Fighting suit |
| 1999 | Localizer (from A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge) Devices that work together to form ad-hoc networks. |
| 1999 | Video Wallpaper (from A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge) Very thin, large scale display. |
| 1999 | Neuroinduction Field (from Starfish by Peter Watts) Keeps the patient still without the use of cumbersome restraints or drugs. |
| 1999 | Sonar Pistol (from Starfish by Peter Watts) A device that divers can use to find seabottom and objects in extremely dark or murky water. |
| 1999 | Head Cheese (from Starfish by Peter Watts) Intelligent paste made of neurons; spread upon a substrate for computing. |
| 1999 | Medical Mantis (from Starfish by Peter Watts) A medical telefactoring device; allows a physician to remotely examine patients and perform procedures. |
| 1999 | Lucid Dreamer (from Starfish by Peter Watts) A machine that guarantees productive REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, and therefore dreams. |
| 1999 | Sentient Econometrics (from Alpha Centauri by Sid Meier) Use of artificial intelligence in economic forecasting. |
| 1999 | Face Seal (from Starfish by Peter Watts) A dive mask for deep sea diving. |
| 1999 | Eyecaps (from Starfish by Peter Watts) Corneal cap that acts as a pair of goggles for extreme depth diving. |
| 1999 | Diveskin (from Starfish by Peter Watts) Special wetsuit that allows a diver to function at extreme depths. |
| 1999 | Nano-Paste (from Alpha Centauri by Sid Meier) Nanobots that use the resources around it to create a desired product. |
1600-1899 1900-1949 1950's 1960's 1970's 1980's 1990's 2000's
Technovelgy.com
is devoted to the creative inventions of science fiction authors and movie
makers. Look for the Science Fiction Invention
Category that interests you, the Dictionary
of Science Fiction Inventions, the Timeline
of Science Fiction Inventions, or see what's New.
Find new authors and technologies - Shop for yourself,
your library and your lab.
Miss Alabama Beauty Contest Offers Different Standards
re: Jack Vance
(11/29/2024)
Has Musk Given Up On Full Self Driving (FSD)?
re: Charles Stross
(11/27/2024)
Prufrock-3 'The Monster' Ready To Launch
re: Frank Philips
(11/25/2024)
Drones In Vast Airborne Grids
re: Neal Stephenson
(11/23/2024)
Starship Special Edition For Lunar Shuttle
re: Arthur C. Clarke
(11/21/2024)
Capturing Asteroids With Nets
re: VE Thiessen
(11/19/2024)
Project Hyperion - Generation Ship Designers Needed!
re: Judson W. Reeves
(11/17/2024)
AI Welfare Position At Anthropic Filled By Human
re: Isaac Asimov
(11/15/2024)
Marslink Proposed By SpaceX
re: George O. Smith
(11/13/2024)
Simple Way To Defeat AI Face Recognition
re: Neal Stephenson
(11/11/2024)
Wood-Panelled LignoSat Launched
re: Dan Simmons
(11/9/2024)
Laser-Beam Welding In Orbital Factories
re: Jerry Pournelle
(11/7/2024)
'Iceberg House' Of Travis Kelce Reflects Science Fiction Of Past Century
re: Clifford Simak
(11/5/2024)
Mechazilla Arms Catch A Falling Starship, But Check Out SF Landing-ARMS
re: Edmond Hamilton
(11/3/2024)
A System To Defeat AI Face Recognition
re: Neal Stephenson
(11/1/2024)
Robot Hand Separate From Robot
re: Philip K Dick
(10/29/2024)
Hybrid Wind Solar Devices
re: Simpson Stokes
(10/27/2024)
Is Optimus Autonomous Or Teleoperated?
re: AG Stangland
(10/25/2024)
Robot Masseuse Rubs People The Right Way
re: AE van Vogt
(10/23/2024)
Solar-Powered Space Trains On The Moon
re: Arthur C. Clarke
(10/21/2024)
Drone Deliveries Instead Of Waiters In Restaurants?
re: H. Beam Piper
(10/19/2024)
Optimus Robot Can Charge Itself
re: William Morrison
(10/17/2024)
Skip Movewear Arc'teryx AI Pants
re: Edmond Hamilton
(10/17/2024)
'Robovan' Name Already Taken - Elon, Try These
re: Weinbaums
(10/15/2024)
How Old Are Tesla Designs?
re: Various
(10/13/2024)
Is Your Autonomous Tractor Safe?
re: Brian W. Aldiss
(10/11/2024)
Smart TVs Are Listening!
re: George Orwell
(10/9/2024)
Police Drones In China Would Like To Have A Word With You
re: James Blish
(10/7/2024)
Oh Great (Part 2), Fence-Climbing Robots
re: Michael Crichton
(10/5/2024)
Are The Thought Police Listening To Everyone All The Time?
re: George Orwell
(10/3/2024)
Finally, Robot Conductors On Autonomous Buses
re: Robert Silverberg
(10/1/2024)
RoboShiko! Sumo Exercises Still Good For Robots
re: Roger Zelazny
(9/29/2024)
(See More Science Fiction in the News)
