RESURRECT High-Fidelity Computer Battlefield Simulations
How would you face the no-win scenario? DARPA wants to know, and I think they want a very visceral kind of test. (re: Gene Roddenberry) |
Hyperion Power Module Neighborhood Nuclear Reactor
The story about small 'nuclear batteries,' small plants that produce enough power for small towns or big neighborhoods, just keeps coming back. (re: Robert Heinlein) |
Top Footballers Face 7/7 Testing
Top flight soccer players in the UK now face Olympic-style restrictions during the season. What if there was a league that embraced performance enhancement? (re: Chris Nakashima-Brown) |
Yamaha Deus Ex Wearable Motorcycle Concept
Although only a concept, the 'Deus Ex' may remind you of another vision of the wearable motorcycle. (re: Various) |
The Digital Dark Age And Bene Gesserit House Records
Fortunately, Frank Herbert has given us a glimpse of what this future will be like. (re: Frank Herbert) |
Wearable Field Hospital On A Chip
New concept in the works to create a kind of hospital uniform to minister to the troops. (re: Various) |
'Mycodiesel' From Patagonian Tree Fungus
Interesting find in the rainforests of Patagonia; the only organism that produces ready-to-use fuel. Put a fungus in your tank. (re: Neal Stephenson) |
Vlingo Voice-Enabled Blackberry Smartphone
This company seems to think the same way that Frederik Pohl did in 1965; voice is the best interface for a smartphone. (re: Frederik Pohl) |
Mcor Matrix 3D Paper Printer
This device prints out three-dimensional objects using regular paper. It seems like only yesterday that I brought home my MX-80. (re: William Gibson) |
Mobile Satellite Ventures Hybrid Satellite Network
MSV is starting to move into areas outlined by engineer and sf writer George O. Smith two generations ago. (re: George O. Smith) |
Honda Walking Assist Device
Nifty invention from Honda also illustrates some differences between people in the US and people in Japan. (re: Fritz Leiber) |
Diamagnetic Cavity Shield For Spacecraft?
New research provides a way to protect space travelers heading out past Earth's atmosphere and magnetosphere. (re: E.E. 'Doc' Smith) |
Blackhawk Built-In Tourniquet Pants, Shirts
Radical clothing system has real practical value; I can see this for extreme hikers, mountain climbers, etc. as well. (re: Joe Haldeman) |
LCD Panel Fingerprint Scanner
Interesting LCD display has a hidden function - it can also take your fingerprint. (re: George Orwell) |
Live Via 'Hologram' On CNN
Interesting technique used to project the 3D image of a correspondent back to the studio for use in a live broadcast. Not a true hologram, but it looks like telestereo to me. (re: Edmond Hamilton) |
Mouse Cloned From 16-year Frozen Tissue
Remarkable feat by Japanese researchers shows that even damaged frozen tissue can yield viable DNA for cloning. (re: Michael Crichton) |
Injectable Ice Slurry To Cool Organs
Fascinating technique may soon allow doctors to selectively cool individual organs, improving the chances for surgical success. (re: Philip K. Dick) |
Integrated Cyber Defense To Recode Cyberspace
The US military, father of the Internet, is trying to rewire its child. For protection. (re: Various) |
SkyV SkyCeiling From The Sky Factory
Now that we have amazing sky ceilings, it's time to get to work on those vast underground cities I've been reading about. (re: Stanislaw Lem) |
'E' Digital Essence Of Evil Like SID 6.7
Researchers create pure evil in the laboratory; 'E' uses both definitions of evil and case studies of evil persons. (re: Eric Bernt) |
Bombproof Trash Can Secures Rubbish
These rubbish bins are not only protective, but informative. Coming soon to London streets. (re: Harry Harrison) |
GPS Lingerie 'Find Me If You Can'
Misplaced your girlfriend? No problem - if she wants to be found. With video. (re: Murray Leinster) |
Universe Kits Now Available From Jonathon Keats
With this do-it-yourself kit, attractively packaged in a small tin, you can create new universes on a whim. (re: Edmond Hamilton) |
SideSight Virtual Touchpad - But Does It Have Air Quotes?
Interesting development brings gesture to control to very small devices. (re: Various) |
Earth Now Needs Agricultural Worlds
SF writers pondered this problem a generation ago, and came up with the answer. (re: Isaac Asimov) |
Amnesia Beam Under Dev - Uh, What Was I Saying
Is it possible to produce amnesia with beams? Some effects have been noted. (re: Various) |
SkyBot High-Rise Window Cleaning Robot
SkyBot is a rigorously tested solution for a problem that kills 70 workers in the U.S. alone - high-rise window washing. (re: Robert Heinlein) |
Hover Chair Like Star Wars Landspeeder
Keith Dixon makes himself a hover chair - it's like floating on a cloud. For $9,600 I was hoping to go find some droids... (re: George Lucas) |
Vote Flipping Video Shows Poor Electronic Plebiscite
Video of how a voting machine fails to properly register a voter's choices makes me think that paper ballots might have a future. (re: John Brunner) |
SOTHOC Submarine-Launched UAV
Submerged submarines will have more information-gathering options with this sub-launched Submarine Over the Horizon Organic Capabilities device. (re: Various) |
Nuclear-Powered Aircraft Like Thunderbirds' Fireflash?
Nuclear-powered aircraft could make a comeback after being given the axe in the 1950's. (re: Earl L. Bell) |
Palm Pistol Defensive Firearm
Interesting little device is a pretty close analog to an Isaac Asimov device from the 1950's. (re: Isaac Asimov) |
Flapping Display From Samsung Breezy OLED
Okay, marketing guys, I really want to show off just how thin this OLED display is, how flexible the substrate. EC Tubb nailed this one in 1958. (re: E.C. Tubb) |
Labyrinth Aquarium Has Swimming Tubes
A Habitrail for your fishy friends, it's all the rage among the Gowachin. (re: Frank Herbert) |
Toyota Robot Maid Learns From Mistakes
Great-looking robot maid from Toyota and Tokyo University researchers goes slow, but learns to avoid mistakes and memorizes good strategies. (re: Robert Heinlein) |
Artificial Heart Beats Like Yours
Remarkable new mechanical heart may give you even more choices. (re: Philip K. Dick) |
Australia Building Real 'Eureka' Tech City
The University of Queensland, in Australia has been watching Eureka, the TV series about a town full of geniuses - or so it appears - because they want to build one for real. (re: Various) |
Deep Bleeder Acoustic Coagulation Device
DARPA is trying to bring this device into being to help save the lives of wounded soldiers; it quickly coagulates blood to prevent bleed-out. (re: Gene Roddenberry) |
Jambot Music Improvisation Robot
This device takes the unusual step of improvising music to accompany human musicians. (re: Herbert Goldstone) |
Fishbowl Spaceship From Armadillo Aerospace
I'm sure it would be a spectacular ride, but I think I'd want a good crash couch and the Puppeteer guarantee before I went up in one. (re: Larry Niven) |
Multi-Robot Pursuit System: We'll Be Back!
I'm sure that everything will go fine with this project, which could have useful applications in search and rescue, fire fighting and for all I know, the food service industry. (re: Isaac Asimov) |
Online Death Leads To Offline Arrest
Bizarre case of broken hearts and avatar erasure. (re: Various) |
Atomic Pen Uses Atoms For Pixels
Technique allows researchers to write with atoms; talk about a very tiny point size. (re: Ridley Scott) |
Terminator Seeds Deployed To Iraq
Order 81 provides the authority to require Iraqi farmers to use genetically altered seeds that do not produce naturally viable offspring. (re: Jack Vance) |
GOCE Sat Delay Puts Off Gravimetric Weapons
A disappointing delay for the GOCE satellite. (re: Gene Roddenberry) |
You Can't Hide From DARPA
DARPA wants to be able to fully visualize the interior of a ten-story building - right into the basement - without having to obtain the architect's drawings. (re: Various) |
Self-Balancing Unicycle - Heinlein's Tumblebug
Nifty cycle looks a lot like what Heinlein described in the 1940's. (re: Robert Heinlein) |
Selective Memory Deletion In Mice
New technique demonstrates how specific memories can be blocked in mice; sf writers and movie makers have been predicting this one for decades. (re: Philip K. Dick) |
Solar Satellites Beam Back Energy
This is really a great idea, but I can only go back to 1941 for the earliest kind of reference. Anybody earlier? (re: Clifford Simak) |
Virtual Wife Nags Via Email
Solicitous correction and help from your virtual wife, presented with helpful sfnal references. (re: Gene Roddenberry) |
Walking House Ambles Away From Disaster
Fascinating project puts a robotic base under an ancient lifestyle. (re: Jack Vance) |
Walking iPhone Robot - Not The First 'Mobile' Phone
What happens if you are stuck in one place and you can't get to your iPhone? What if it could walk to you? (re: Various) |
XM25 Individual Air Burst Weapon Like Judge Dredd's
New smart gun fires rounds that detonate where you want them to, even in mid-air. (re: Various) |
Exact Number Of ET Civilizations Now Known
Now that an exact number is known, we can begin construction of vast architectural works to bolster the galactic government bureaucracy. (re: George Lucas) |
3rd Space Vests Lets You Feel Game Hits
Any engineer will tell you that a system with no negative feedback goes out of control. Feel the pain in your game and stop the spiral. (re: Various) |
Buckypaper To Go Commercial Soon
Fascinating material may actually be available soon in commercial quantities as a product for use in aerospace and other industries. (re: Various) |
Logic Gates Built Inside Living Cells
Remarkable development allows logic gates to be placed inside living cells. (re: Greg Bear) |
PlantBot: Humans Provide Gift Of Greater Mobility With 'Skrodes'
Unusual work by an unusual group gives us a glimpse of what Vernor Vinge had in mind fifteen years ago. With interview and moving image. (re: Vernor Vinge) |
Alien Languages Translated By Computer Program?
Interesting effort by British researcher to take a shot at understanding alien languages - when we actually get a sample. (re: Various) |
FlowerBot Robotic Flower Follows And Grabs
Neat little robot looks just like a flower; take a look at the video to see it work. (re: Jack Vance) |
Rocket Races Approved For Earth Only, Unfortunately
I'm certainly in favor of rocket racing and this is a good start. However, I can recall at least one sf work that offered rocket racing on somewhat larger scale. (re: Lester del Rey) |
Spam Kiwi Kings Of Spam Sent Third Of All Spam Emails
Two men stand accused of being the kings of spam; shutting them down may decrease world spam by one-third. (re: Greg Egan) |
NTT Energy-Generating Shoes Are Squishy
I really like the cool retro technology used to power these power walkers. (re: Frank Herbert) |
Net Surfing For Brain Development
It turns out that clicking on links at Technovelgy.com improves brain function. No really; the more stories you read at Technovelgy.com, the smarter you get. New research proves what you already knew. (re: Gene Roddenberry) |
Digital Zebrafish Embryo 3D Development
Interesting new technique provides remarkable details in the first 24 hours of life - from 1 to 20,000 cells. (re: Joan Slonczewski) |
Secure Help Vending Machine: RoboSodaPopCop
If you think that this machine has some moxie, I've got an sfnal device in mind that really knows how to dish it out. (re: William Gibson) |
Spider Robot Chair Like Star Wars
Slightly creepy furniture takes you for a robotic ride. (re: George Lucas) |
Machine Prints Lights In Sheets
Even though these won't fit in any of those 20 billion light sockets, sheets of light are worth looking at. (re: Isaac Asimov) |
Looking For Earth-Like Worlds With Nulling Interferometry
No need to go into orbit to look for Earth-like worlds, not when you have nulling interferometry on your side. (re: Edmond Hamilton) |
Paul Krugman's Asimov Inspiration
Dr. Paul Krugman has an interesting connection with sf; his career choice was inspired by a well-known work by Isaac Asimov. (re: Isaac Asimov) |
OLO iPhone-based Laptops
This is a really slick idea if you haven't seen it; at the right price point, this would be a great answer to those small net-surfing laptops. (re: Various) |
World's Thinnest TV - Sony Bravia ZX1
This television is pretty close to being the same size and thickness as a poster, which might get some Niven fans thinking. (re: Larry Niven) |
IBEX Interstellar Boundary Explorer
Satellite boosted into high earth orbit looks into processes taking place in the farthest reaches of the solar system. (re: Various) |
Zhu Bot Zhejiang Scrap Metal Transformer Sculptures
Transformers are near and dear to the hearts of scrap metal enthusiasts in China. As you can see. (re: Various) |
FLARE Creates 'Skin' For Buildings
Interesting idea for a flexible, interactive membrane that would allow a building to let air and light in, and let freedom of expression out. (re: James Boswell) |
'Hug And Kiss' Baby Ankle Monitor
This handy pair of devices keep mothers and children together in crowded hospitals. (re: Philip K. Dick) |
DARPA Gandalf Project And Philip K. Dick
The ability to target a single individual is one of Philip K. Dick's personal nightmares; he had a very special understanding of the military mind. (re: Philip K. Dick) |
Beautification Engine Digital Facial
This goes way beyond photoshopping away a few wrinkles; and yet, sf authors have led the way on this idea. (re: Bruce Sterling) |
Repliee R-1 Robot Child In Time For Halloween
It's hard for robots to cross the uncanny valley; take a look at a video of Repliee R-1 and a presentation on the uncanny valley idea. (re: Various) |
NeuroSky MindSet Brainwave-Controlled Game Demoed
My son can't wait for the MindSet version of the The Force Unleashed game. Don't think it will happen? I find your lack of faith disturbing... (re: Various) |
Fungus Accelerates Spores At 180K g (Video)
Fascinating video shows how tiny living creatures can fire objects at incredible accelerations. (re: Gary Shockley) |
Blogging Houseplant Midori-San
Maybe you don't listen to your plants, but you can read what this one has to say. (re: Roger Zelazny) |
Holographic 3D Television - And No Glasses
A nice step forward has been taken in creating true 3D holographic displays without funny-looking glasses. (re: Robert Heinlein) |
Submersible Aircraft - DARPA's Flying Sub?
I really think that everyone who watched TV in the Sixties knows what they want; and what have those DARPA guys left out of their spec? (re: Irwin Allen) |
Solar Camel-Back Clinic From Mpala Project
Remarkable development to help bring perishable medicines to people in the most remote and inaccessible parts of the world. (re: ) |
Liquid Camera Lens Controlled By Sound
Using a liquid as a lens? I read about it forty years ago. (re: Frank Herbert) |
Shape-Shifting Bomber In Need Of Plowsharing
Unfortunate budget cuts for DARPA may signal an opportunity for the rest of us to think of peacetime uses for cool military stuff. (re: Philip K. Dick) |
Photovoltaic Paint On Steel Sheets By The Corus Group
Fascinating new technology comes only about a decade after Larry Niven wrote about it. (re: Larry Niven) |
Anna Konda Robot Spraying Water Video
Neat video of the Anna Konda firefighting snake robot spraying water; could be effective in mine fires or other closed quarters. (re: Emmett McDowell) |
CkBot Modular Robot Self-Assembles, Picks Gait
CkBot can self-assemble and adopt its gait to the task at hand; it's pretty good at putting itself back together. (re: James Schmitz) |
ELISHA Handheld Personal Biosensors
Okay, Trek fans, you've been waiting for this one since 1967. Dr. McCoy, your scanner is almost ready. (re: Gene Roddenberry) |
DoCoMo Cellphone Projector
This looks like a pretty cool way to see movies in your cubicle, or make a slide presentation without a lot of extra gear. (re: Jack Vance) |
'Thinking Cap' Now With TMS Coil
Sydney researchers try using transcranial magnetic stimulation to improve ordinary people, with anecdotal results. SF writers love this idea. (re: James Blish) |
ExoFly Flapping Planetary Survey Aerobot
Visionary use of the tiny DelFly micro camera plane in planetary exploration and survey is planned. (re: Raymond Z. Gallun) |
Murata Unicycle-Riding Robot
Cute video of a very balanced bot. (re: George Lucas) |
Fictional Foodstuffs: The Snacks Of Science Fiction
Does food play an important role in science fiction books and movies? I've got my list. (re: Various) |
Emdrive Electromagnetic Drive For Chinese Space Ships?
Is this technology a physical impossibility? The Chinese space program is determined to find out. (re: James Blish) |
Element Four Watermill Needs No Droid
These devices keep adding features. Soon, you'll be saying 'What I really need is a droid that understands the binary language of moisture vaporators.' (re: George Lucas) |
Paul Otlet On The Internet (A Century Early)
Fascinating video describes how Otlet's work in the 1930's describes the functionality of the Internet. (re: Murray Leinster) |
Yotify Scouts Work The Web For You
Nifty application site offers 'google alerts on steroids' which sf fans will certainly recognize from some of their favorite novels. (re: Arthur C. Clarke) |
Webkare - Virtual Boyfriends
Are men or women more likely to become interested in a virtual friend/lover? Japanese schoolgirls are voting with their fingers on this one. (re: William Gibson) |
NASA Moon Base Nuclear Reactor
It's an old idea, but it still offers a practical alternative to getting power during those long lunar nights. (re: Various) |
LHC 'Malfunction' No Accident?
Interesting alternate explanation for the problems that have temporarily halted the onward march of particle physics. (re: John Cramer) |
Future Attribute Screening Technologies Precrime Detector
You'd better be thinking nice thoughts the next time you go anywhere that DHS has a portable precrime detector handy - the FAST M2. (re: Philip K. Dick) |
Separate Parasites From Hosts - With Light
Clever technique leads to better research samples in studies of parasitic organisms. (re: Robert J. Sawyer) |
4Moms Stroller: Death Cab For Cutie?
I'm thinking that I must have something in my database under the category of collapsible vehicle, but anyway. (re: Various) |
SentiSight Object Recognition For Robot Overlords
Until they can easily acquire the ability to recognize objects, robots will be no threat to us. (re: Various) |
Brando Spy Glassses Have Camera, Player Built-in
Possibly first occurrence of a pair of glasses with both camera and player built into the frames. (re: David Brin) |
Minority Report Iris Scanners Ordered By US Army
Mr. Anderton! A new future awaits you, thanks to the new iris scanning technology that will let the military take your iris scan anytime, without your knowledge. (re: Steven Spielberg) |
Super-Resolution Vision System Super Sniper Scope
DARPA goes sfnal in creating a sniper scope that can see through the fog of war. (re: Various) |
Satellites To Limit Your Driving Speed
This will make you long for the days when Big Brother contented Himself with merely watching you. (re: Nat Schachner) |
Performance Improving Self Contained Exoskeleton for Swimming (PISCES)
The military hopes to open up the underwater realm with mechanical super frogmen; fans of Brin's 'Sundiver' may find this familiar. (re: David Brin) |
'Spit Parties:' Social Networking Gattaca-Style
If you've ever felt like you need to party with the 'right people' there's no time like the present to apply scientific rigor to this social process. (re: Various) |
Pribot Robotic Prius Tours 'Frisco
New entry in self-driving sweepstakes comes not from a huge team but from one very determined engineer; you may recall his self-driving motorcycle from four years ago. (re: Robert Heinlein) |
Erotic Sensation Self-Stimulation Via Brain Implants
Interesting story surfaces about this topic; Larry Niven and Michael Crichton have covered at least some of this ground decades ago. (re: Larry Niven) |
Tributes.com Digital Obituary News
Want to live forever on the web? This site intends to bring obituary notices to the web, with the potential to offer multi-media tributes to comfort the bereaved. (re: Rudy Rucker) |
Evolved Earthworms To Clean Up Toxic Metals
Hardy super worms may provide a way to clean up contaminated soil. (re: Larry Niven) |
Atheon Temple To Science Open For Worship Soon
Interesting art project that presents a scientific alternative to worship; fans of Neal Stephenson will hear echoes of his new book 'Anathem.' (re: Various) |
Indian Court Says Brain Scan Proves Murder
Using a test called Brain Electrical Oscillations Signature, an Indian court convicts a woman based on her brain contents. (re: Robert Heinlein) |
Mars Lander Spots Robby Driving In Distance
I think that these pictures beamed back from Mars last week bear closer examination. (re: Various) |
Plastic Logic Reader 8.5x11 E-Book
Very hopeful story for those of us who are looking forward to a nice piece of e-paper to work with. (re: Various) |
'Water Bears' Survive Unprotected In Space
These tiny animals are a marvel, able to survive the pitiless rigors of open space. (re: Various) |
Gene Therapy Could Restore Hearing To The Deaf
Milestone in gene therapy demonstrates the possibility of curing the deaf. (re: Various) |
Self-Propelled Underwater Fish Cages
Prototype testing by an MIT researcher is making me think of vast underwater fish farms under remote control. (re: Hugo Gernsback) |
Moral Performance Enhancement
Is it possible for a person to behave better through the use of pharmaceuticals? (re: Various) |
The Evolution Of Spore
Fascinating computer game has many roots in both science and fiction. (re: Stanislaw Lem) |
E-Ink Cover World's First
Very impressive first effort; Esquire leads the way in bringing this futuristic technology right to your local news stand. (re: Greg Bear) |
Book-Scanning ScanRobot Neater Than Navicloud Custom Debinder
Nicely implemented book-scanning robot tastefully leaves books intact after yanking their text into the digital age. (re: Vernor Vinge) |
Dog Wan Robot Available For Lease
Here's a cute little robotic dog ready to lease in Japan; it can even carry a small bag for you. (re: John Brunner) |
Gangs Take PINs From Card Readers
Organized gangs are defrauding entire villages in Britain; common theft aided by sophisticated technology. (re: John Cameron) |
The Fremen Urinal Frank Herbert Never Imagined
These devices could save countless gallons of water, which helps even on water-rich planets. (re: Frank Herbert) |
This Alien Earth
Where do you think the most alien environment on Earth can be found? (re: Arthur C. Clarke) |
La Princesse Mechanical Spider
Giant steampunk mechanical spider Liverpool rampage! That was my alternate title. (re: Various) |
Robotic Busboy Like R2D2
Intel-sponsored research catches up to what we all saw in Star Wars a quarter-century ago. (re: George Lucas) |
Google Navy: Water-Based Data Centers
Avast, there: Google has filed a patent application for a sea-going Internet of sustainable data havens. (re: Bruce Sterling) |
Spy Satellite Gait Analysis ID's You
Amazing technical development may make routine identification possible from orbit. (re: Cory Doctorow) |
Blood From Stem Cells: Tru Blood For Real?
Researchers come up with a way to create blood in quantity from stem cells, just when television vampires will really need it. (re: Charlain Harris) |
Genealogy DNA Databases Trek-Style
Perhaps one day there will be some sort of computer printout of ancestors and descendants; in the meantime, DNA testing gets better. (re: Gene Roddenberry) |
Lower Limit Of Quantum Communication Speed
Interesting work determines a lower limit for the impossible communication that Einstein called 'spooky action at a distance.' (re: E.E. 'Doc' Smith) |
Personal Wind Turbines And Rooftop Windmills
Interesting strategy for a personal supply of renewable energy has been around for about a century. (re: John Jacob Astor) |
Lunar Contour Crafting - 'Print' A Moonbase
With increased funding, a futuristic idea has gotten a necessary shot in the arm. (re: Various) |
LifeBed System Like Star Trek Sick Bay
Now, EU nations can move into a Trekkie future. (re: Gene Roddenberry) |
Microgrippers Grab, Cut Tissue Internally
Interesting new microsurgical technique is uncomfortably similar to a Neal Stephenson device. (re: Neal Stephenson) |
Double-Taker (Snout) Offers Trans-Species Eye Contact
Interesting interactive project combines trans-species eye contact with autonomous surveillance. (re: Various) |
Toshiba LED Pico Projector
Forty years ago, this was a science-fictional item. (re: Jack Vance) |
Robot Helicopters Learn By Watching Experts
Artificial intelligence brings Skynet just that much closer; (re: Various) |
Digital Daewoo Folding Screen DID-FS
I think Vernor Vinge might have seen this coming; it's a fascinating combination of old and new. (re: Vernor Vinge) |
Space Marines Idea Takes Off
Interesting idea slowly moves into a real organization; and who first thought of space marines? (re: Robert Heinlein) |
Deep Sea Mining Tube Worms
I think Larry Niven nailed this one forty years ago; the idea of a mining worm is even older. (re: Larry Niven) |
Draganflyer X6 Helicopter Has HD Camera
Now, that's some stylish surveillance gear; the included video should push all your buttons. (re: Philip K. Dick) |
