Distraction by Bruce Sterling:
Science Fiction Inventions, Technology and Ideas

This future Earth novel is set in 2044, and most of the government and social institutions that we think are eternal and unchangeable have gone to the dogs. Global warming, cheap computer power, increasingly irrelevant government - sound familiar? See at least one set of logical conclusions in this book. Select an invention:

Bambakias Hotel - help it come into being
A hotel that wants to exist! It just needs a little help.

Bugged Money - money rigged for surveillance
American cash with embedded listening devices.

Infowar Operation
Making use of various means to disrupt the enemy's military and civilian information networks.

Junkbot - spamachine
An automated email program that specializes in sending junk mail (spam)

Netwar - communications warfare
Making use of various means to disrupt the enemy's military and civilian information networks.

Profile Sniffers - sifting the web
A software device that sifts Internet access records for patterns associate with particular personality types.

Smart Bike
A motorcycle with sophisticated systems for steering and balance.

Talking Tape - smart as a brick
Adhesive-backed network connection, global positioning, voice synthesis and speakers.

 

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Science Fiction
in the News

LLM 'Cognitive Core' Now Evolving
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(6/19/2025)

Has Elon Musk Given Up On Mars?
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Bacteria Turns Plastic Into Pain Relief? That Gives Me An Idea.
re: Brian W. Aldiss
(6/15/2025)

When Your Child's Best Friend Is An AI
re: Clifford Simak
(6/13/2025)

China's Drone Mothership Can Carry 100 Drones
re: Daniel Suarez
(6/11/2025)

Drones Recharge In Mid-Air Like Jets Refuel!
re: Neal Stephenson
(6/9/2025)

Australian Authors Reject AI Training Of Llama
re: Anthony Boucher
(6/7/2025)

Is China Mining Helium-3 On The Moon's Farside?
re: Ray Cummings
(6/5/2025)

Maybe It's Too Soon To Require Autonomous Mode
re: Arthur C. Clarke
(6/3/2025)

Is Agentic AI The Wrong Kind Of Smartness?
re: Isaac Asimov
(6/1/2025)

Heat Waver - The First Ever Combo Solar Collector And Wind Turbine
re: Simpson Stokes
(5/29/2025)

Tesla 'Fleet Response Agents' Bolster FSD Autonomy
re: Charles Stross
(5/27/2025)

Mori3 Autonomous Shapeshifting Robot
re: Stargate
(5/25/2025)

Tesla Seeks 'Tesla Robotaxi' And 'Robobus' Trademarks Ignoring Prior Art
re: Gordon R. Dickson
(5/23/2025)

More SF in the News

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