 |
Dictionary of Lifestyle Terms in Science Fiction
(Technovelgy items at top: skip
down to News)
Name |
Author (Publication Date) |
Aeromuse Pillow A pillow that doubles as a music player. |
Alan Dean Foster (2010) |
Air Blast - the first air dryer An air dryer for personal use. |
Robert Heinlein (1940) |
Airchair A floating armchair. |
Ann K. Schwader (1988) |
Antiholo Generator Dispels intrusive hologram advertisements. |
John Varley (1977) |
Automated Wake-Up Call - the hotel wakes you up A device that provides automated wake-up calls. |
Jack Vance (1952) |
Bedog - a comfy canine A sentient creature designed to be a bed. |
Frank Herbert (1977) |
Boosterspice - anti geriatric drug A substance that extends human life almost indefinitely. |
Larry Niven (1980) |
Bubblehead - big-head brainiacs A person who as undergone E therapy, and achieved the frontal lobe of their dreams. |
Philip K. Dick (1965) |
Capillotomer An automatic shaving machine |
Robert Heinlein (1942) |
Cellphone Credit Card - mobile phone wallet Cellphone that can act as a credit card. |
Frederik Pohl (1966) |
Chairdog - the ultimate ergonomic chair A chair that is alive and partly sentient; it shapes itself to the person sitting in it. |
Frank Herbert (1964) |
Coffiest - coffee plus It's coffee that you can't live without. |
Frederik Pohl (w/CM Kornbluth) (1952) |
Commuter Cooling Unit - portable air conditioning A portable air conditioner for commuters. |
Philip K. Dick (1965) |
Credit Card - why carry cash? A simple card that is used in place of money |
Edward Bellamy (1888) |
Credit Wake - credit card transaction blog The electronic trail of our transactions across the Net. |
Dan Simmons (1989) |
Dentata - anti-rape device worn internally An anti-rape device. |
Neal Stephenson (1992) |
Depilatory Soap A labor-saving combination of soap and a agent that removes hair. |
Frederik Pohl (w/CM Kornbluth) (1952) |
Dermal Spray A color coating for the skin, applied as a jet of vapor. |
Philip K. Dick (1960) |
Dermal-Mist Spray Very refreshing for suburbanites. |
Philip K. Dick (1954) |
Diptray A hovering tray of drinks, used for parties. |
Roger Zelazny (1965) |
Drinking Bulb - best drinking container A small container, used for drinks. |
Larry Niven (1966) |
Dustplug - cover your Microsoft slot A cover specially made to protect one's microsoft socket; a tongue retainer for your brain. |
William Gibson (1986) |
Eloi - long lifers People who have undergone treatments to extend their lives. |
Greg Bear (1990) |
External Eyelenses - make a spectacle of yourself Way retro means of correcting vision problems in human beings. |
Richard Morgan (2003) |
Finger Watch - the original A ring that contains a working timepiece and a display. |
H.B. Fyfe (1951) |
Floating Booths Comfortable bar booths that float around and come together for conversation. |
Larry Niven (1967) |
Free-fall Couch Furniture that achieves the comfort of free-fall, the weightless condition normally achieved only in space. |
Dan Simmons (1989) |
Fresher - refreshing chamber Short for "refreshing chamber,", it is the future of personal hygiene technology. |
Robert Heinlein (1941) |
'Fresher Short for 'refreshing chamber', a device that performs various personal services. |
Robert Heinlein (1949) |
Glowglobe - the original track lighting Floating spherical light bulb with organic energy source. |
Frank Herbert (1965) |
Glow-Worm Living Alternated work, play and slumber without long periods of sleep. |
George Parsons Lathrop (1897) |
Gnome - built into life support A person who requires so much life support, they are built into the chair. |
John Varley (1983) |
Golden Lights - track lighting without the track Another unusual use of the suspensor field; lights are suspended in it. |
Frank Herbert (1965) |
Grass Carpet An indoor home or office floor covering - living grass. |
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (1959) |
Hanky Bush - use the white leaves A plant with leaves grown to resemble common, multipurpose tissues. |
Thomas A. Easton (1990) |
Hydropathic bed - better than a waterbed A heated bed that used something more comfortable than water. |
Alfred Bester (1952) |
Implanted Credit Card - wherever you want it to be A credit card system that could be surgically implanted; uses radio frequency identification to communicate with checkout hardware. |
Neal Stephenson (1995) |
Joo Janta 200 Super-Chromatic Peril Sensitive Sunglasses Sunglasses that darken at the sight of danger. |
Douglas Adams (1979) |
Kitchen Korner - smarty fridge Just exactly what futurists say you're going to get, like or not, in a refrigerator. |
William Gibson (1996) |
Life Recorder - records your life automatically Record the details of your life. |
Roger Zelazny (1966) |
Live Carpet - sensor fibers are self-cleaning A carpet made of living fibers; the backing is a digestive system. |
Greg Bear (1990) |
Living Grass Carpet - not AstroTurf An indoor area covered with grass, in the manner of a carpet. |
Robert Heinlein (1961) |
Low-Gravity Velodrome A bicycle track in an orbital resort. |
William Gibson (1984) |
Lucid Dreamer - it's a dream machine A machine that guarantees productive REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, and therefore dreams. |
Peter Watts (1999) |
Magnetic Levitating Bed A bed that hovers above the floor, with no visible means of suport. |
William Gibson (2007) |
Mall (Great City Bazaar) - Wal-Mart foreseen An aggregation of shops under one roof. |
Edward Bellamy (1888) |
Manual Closet - old-style storage An old-fashioned storage room for clothing, which required the user to place and organize articles of apparel by hand. |
Philip K. Dick (1964) |
Mattress Sleep Sensor - foolproof anti-sleep Sleep problems? Make sure you get your body out of bed each day. |
Larry Niven (w/S. Barnes) (1981) |
Microwave Beamer A hand-held fast cooking device. |
Larry Niven (1985) |
Mirrorshades - Surgically Inset Glasses - why buy expensive frames? Glasses that were implanted in the face of the wearer. |
William Gibson (1984) |
Moddy - no personality? No problem! A plug-in personality module; a firmware device that gives the user the personality desired - ROM to your brain's RAM. |
George Alec Effinger (1987) |
Moon Moth - a plain and timid mask A rather plain and timid mask. |
Jack Vance (1976) |
Napcap Capsule - snooze at will A handy refuge for travelers in busy terminals; a sleep aid when you really need one. |
Larry Niven (w/S. Barnes) (2000) |
Napcap Induction Cap - get a good night's sleep A device that aids sleep and relaxation by working with the subject's brain waves. |
Larry Niven (w/S. Barnes) (2000) |
Neck Radio Commercial radio from an implanted device. |
Philip K. Dick (1970) |
Odalarm - aromatherapy wake-up call An alarm clock that awakens the sleeper with a selected odor. |
Frank Herbert (1977) |
Olfactory Wakeup Call - wakey wakey eggs and bakey An alarm clock that works by wafting scents your way. |
Richard Morgan (2003) |
Online Job Search - via cellphone Networked assets allow ordinary people to search through nationwide job listings upon providing a short set of qualifications. |
Frederik Pohl (1966) |
Perky Pat Layout - playset for grownups A very special playset into which adults could project their very being. |
Philip K. Dick (1963) |
Plastex - self-healing material A combination of plaster and latex, it allows houses to change shape for you. |
J.G. Ballard (1962) |
Plastirobe - variations in opacity A dress that varies in opacity by distance. |
Philip K. Dick (1954) |
Poppins - Julie Andrews android An android body imprinted with the personality of a Master Nanny. |
David Brin (2002) |
Radioactive Coding for Checks Special coding system to easily recognize checks. |
Robert Heinlein (1956) |
Reading Machine - read while reclining A projector which showed text on a screen or the ceiling for easy reading. |
Robert Heinlein (1961) |
Refreshing Chamber Replaces the bathroom in the future history of Robert Heinlein. |
Robert Heinlein (1940) |
Remote-Cast Snooper A small, easily concealed poison snooper. |
Frank Herbert (1965) |
| Larry Niven (1985) | |
Selected Melanin Boosting - designer tan The only way to get a designer tan. |
William Gibson (1984) |
Self-Adjusting Furniture Automatic adjustment for a perfect fit. |
Clifford Simak (1950) |
Self-Igniter A self-lighting cigarette. |
Jack Vance (1949) |
Self-Lighting Cigarette A cigarette with a matchhead built in. |
Robert Heinlein (1941) |
Self-Satisfied Door - aaaahh! A door that is much more satisfied with its functionality than it has any right to be. |
Douglas Adams (1979) |
Self-Service Cafeteria Food on demand. |
E.C. Tubb (1958) |
Simicolor Artificial coloring for the body. |
Roger Zelazny (1965) |
Sleeping Plates - null gravity as a sleep aid A pair of plates that nullify gravity for the being(s) sleeping between them. Is null gravity the answer to your sleep problems? |
Larry Niven (1966) |
Snake Contact Lens - get that reptilian look A pair of contact lenses designed to make you appear to have slit pupils, like a snake's. |
William Gibson (1999) |
Soot-Extractor Nostril Plugs (Antisoot Plugs) - breathe easier A small device worn to filter industrial pollutants out of breathing air. |
Frederik Pohl (w/CM Kornbluth) (1952) |
Steel Drugs - in a tank A name for recreational chemicals that were entirely synthetic. |
Bruce Sterling (1988) |
Stimic - instrument for cool disapproval A musical instrument consisting of three flutelike tubes equipped with plungers; thumb and forefinger squeeze a bag to force air across the mouthpieces. |
Jack Vance (1976) |
| William Gibson (1988) | |
Sunshades - a transition Sunglasses that darken and lighten based on ambient lighting. |
Roger Zelazny (1965) |
Suspensor Chair - ultimate office chair A chair that suspends itself above the floor. |
Frank Herbert (1965) |
Suspensor Lamp - descendant of the lava lamp A lamp that will float in mid-air, and will stay where you put it. |
Frank Herbert (1965) |
Syrup Sac - kind of like those gravity flow beer hats A device used to provide an efficient source of nutrition to Meks, servants of the aristocrats of Earth. |
Jack Vance (1967) |
Telechronometer A watch that synchronizes itself to a remote source. |
Robert Heinlein (1940) |
Towel - massively useful A simple scrap of cloth with surprisingly many uses. |
Douglas Adams (1979) |
Truffle Skins - genetically unique money Genetically unique skins are the common currency; their special genetic makeup makes forgery impossible. |
Philip K. Dick (1965) |
Universal Card - every planet you want to be A device that mimics every credit card and identification card you possess. |
Dan Simmons (1989) |
Visual Ad An advertisement that forces its way directly into the brain of the viewer. |
Philip K. Dick (1954) |
VR Dyslexia - take those glasses off! Severe disorientation brought about by excessive use of virtual reality equipment. |
Alexander Besher (1994) |
Watchphone A combination cell phone and wrist watch. |
Bruce Sterling (1988) |
Waterbed (Hydraulic Bed) - a waterbed A bed that uses water instead of springs and stuffing. |
Robert Heinlein (1961) |
Watercouch A couch filled with water, rather than springs and cushions. |
Frederik Pohl (1980) |
Window-Willie - robot help for dirty windows A robot that cleaned windows by electrostatic repulsion of dust and grime. |
Robert Heinlein (1956) |
Zag House A means of implanting dreams. |
Clifford Simak (1950) |
Zero-G Ashtray An ashtray designed for use on a space station. |
Robert Heinlein (1942) |
Related Science Fiction in the News
Amazon Blimp Parent Drone Concept 'So the parent drone carries a spotter that it launches...' - Daniel Suarez, 2012. (re: Daniel Suarez, 10/19/2022 ) |
Tortoise Mobile Smart Stores '... all round the city dozens of cars have rented out their trunks, which contain cigars and scotch and stuff.' - Karl Schroeder, 2019. (re: Karl Schroeder, 5/23/2022 ) |
Sony Pocket Air Conditioner Is Phil Dick's Idea! '... he went to the hall closet to get his pith helmet and his mandatory cooling-unit.' - Philip K. Dick, 1965. (re: Philip K. Dick, 3/21/2021 ) |
ROAM Robotics Skiing Exoskeleton 'The real genius in the design is that you don't have to control the suit; you just wear it...' - Robert Heinlein, 1959. (re: Robert Heinlein, 10/28/2018 ) |
IRL Glasses Block Screens, Limit Vision To Real Life 'If you couldn't see the ads, how would you know what was fashionable?' - John Varley, 1977. (re: John Varley, 10/4/2018 ) |
The Hammock Caravan And Italo Calvino's Octavia 'Now I will tell you how Octavia, the spider-web city, is made.' (re: Italo Calvino, 4/4/2018 ) |
Americans! Stay Indoors To Save Energy 'Those funny old days, when men went for change of air instead of changing the air in their rooms!' - EM Forster, 1909. (re: EM Forster, 2/8/2018 ) |
Nissan ProPILOT Slippers Are Self-Parking, Autonomous Beyond science and fiction, that's what they are. (re: Terry Prachett, 1/19/2018 ) |
Seiko Astron Always Knows Your Time Zone 'Harrington glanced at his wrist watch - a bulky affair - and whistled.' - Robert Heinlein, 1940. (re: Robert Heinlein, 8/20/2017 ) |
The Ring Clock IS Heinlein's Finger Watch 'Crayn glanced at his finger watch...' - HB Fyfe, 1951. (re: HB Fyfe, 5/17/2017 ) |
3D Printed Fashion - Plastirobes And Transdresses '... dial a new fashion every day!' - Niven and Barnes, 1992. (re: Niven and Barnes, 2/10/2017 ) |
ThreeForm 3D Scans And Digitally Simulates Customer Fashion '...A miracle of misapplied engineering caused his own face to appear on the illustrated figures dressed in trooper red.' - Harry Harrison, 1965. (re: Harry Harrison, 2/4/2017 ) |
Safilo Brain-Sensing Eyewear 'they all relaxed and got mellow....' - Philip K. Dick, 1977. (re: Philip K Dick, 1/26/2017 ) |
The Sheep Look Up In Beijing 'The hungry sheep look up, and are not fed...' - John Brunner, 1972. (re: John Brunner, 12/26/2016 ) |
You Can't Lose The Travelmate Autonomous Suitcase - It Follows You '...follow him as faithfully as a well-trained hound.' - John Brunner, 1975. (re: John Brunner, 11/26/2016 ) |
Double Charging Textile Obviates Clunky Dune Stillsuit Boots '... the action of the heel-powered pumps that drove his still suit.' - Frank Herbert, 1969. (re: Frank Herbert, 11/2/2016 ) |
Skin Chair For That 'Sitting On A Fat Guy' Feeling 'The semi-sentient artifact glided to a position behind McKie...' -Frank Herbert, 1964. (re: Frank Herbert, 6/18/2015 ) |
Thync Mood-Changing Wearable Device 'Very gently, hypnotically, the electronic pulses throbbed in the frontal lobes of his brain.'- Arthur C. Clarke, 1964. (re: Philip K. Dick, 6/10/2015 ) |
Automated Treadmill Adjusts To Your Pace 'The auto-treadmill's bumps and gullies matched...'- David Brin, 1994. (re: David Brin, 4/15/2015 ) |
XPrize's Diamandis Implants RFID Tag In Hand 'People in Manhattan have replaced their Freedom Card with a radio-frequency chip about the size of a vitamin pill.'- John Twelve Hawks, 2014. (re: John Twelve Hawks, 11/22/2014 ) |
pd.id Personal Drink ID Device Like Dune 'Poison Snooper' 'The jeweled hands clutching drinks (and the unobtrusive inspections with tiny remote-cast snoopers)...'- Frank Herbert, 1965. (re: Frank Herbert, 7/18/2014 ) |
SF Authors Have Wearable Computing Ideas The device would need to convey essential information, to the wearer and perhaps to those around him. (re: Various, 4/19/2014 ) |
Podtime Sleeping Pod Like Niven's Napcap 'The lid lifted and she crawled inside... The inside received her as a womb.' (re: Niven/Barnes, 8/15/2012 ) |
A Cool DIY Magnetically Levitated Bed 'Everything was suspended magnetically at the proper height... ' (re: William Gibson, 5/27/2012 ) |
Swede's Home Nuclear Reactor On Back Burner 'His interest in nuclear physics was awakened as a teenager.' (re: Various, 8/1/2011 ) |
Philips Luminous Textile Panel Soft Cells Luminous textiles that work with sound waves. (re: Vernor Vinge, 7/10/2011 ) |
Google Wallet Makes Your Phone Your Wallet Tap to pay by Mastercard or Google Prepaid Card. (re: Frederik Pohl, 5/29/2011 ) |
MobilePay USA Credit Card App For Smartphones Frederik Pohl called this one in 1965 - just one of the characteristics of his prescient joymaker concept. (re: Frederik Pohl, 9/30/2010 ) |
LuminAR Bulb And Robot Lamp Frees Trapped Pixels Remarkable prototype camera/projector fits in a bulb's outlet and sets your information free, putting it on any surface you want. (re: Various, 6/10/2010 ) |
Sleepbox Like Niven's Napcap Just the thing for weary travelers, it looks like someone was reading Larry Niven. But where's the sleep induction cap? (re: Larry Niven, 11/10/2009 ) |
Date Rape Prevention Lip Gloss Kit Women should take their 2 Love My Lips lip gloss when clubbing, because you never know when someone will try chaumurky. (re: Frank Herbert, 10/10/2009 ) |
Biggest Electronic Book Store On Earth I'm a bit late with this story, but then again, so is Barnes and Noble with that whole electronic bookstore idea. (re: Stanislaw Lem, 7/22/2009 ) |
Hovering Levi-Table Furniture that floats - that's the future - at least of the office - according to Kurt Vonnegut. (re: Kurt Vonnegut, 6/25/2009 ) |
Will Japan Abolish Cash? What are the political implications of a cashless society, in which every transaction is recorded? (re: Edward Bellamy, 6/20/2009 ) |
Voice Interactive Alarm Clock By Moshi Hello Moshi - now haven't we all spoken to our alarm clocks at one time or another? (re: Frank Herbert, 5/21/2009 ) |
Aquapeutics Futuristic Luxury Steam Shower I feel somewhat reluctant to enclose myself in this device, especially without any protective gear, but we must face the future bravely. (re: Robert Heinlein, 3/3/2009 ) |
Hoverit Lounger Suspended Vonnegut Dream Quite the lifestyle enhancement, this clear acrylic lets you lounge upon an invisible field of magnetic force. Now with Hoverit Lounger video! (re: Kurt Vonnegut, 2/4/2009 ) |
Google Maps Public Transit Layer Google maps has caught up with a sixty-year-old vision of Stanislaw Lem's. Nice going, Google! (re: Stanislaw Lem, 1/14/2009 ) |
New Super-Wipe Best On Stains, Mustard Gas Sure, you've got your favorite brand of wipes; we all do. But give this new product a try. Especially for those really tough spills. (re: E.E. 'Doc' Smith, 12/14/2008 ) |
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, 11/4/2008 ) |
Bombproof Trash Can Secures Rubbish These rubbish bins are not only protective, but informative. Coming soon to London streets. (re: Harry Harrison, 11/4/2008 ) |
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, 10/15/2008 ) |
Wasabi-Based Odor Alarm What would be a good name for an odor alarm? Perhaps an ... odalarm. (re: Frank Herbert, 3/17/2008 ) |
Credit Card Embedded Authentication Device Looks Retro, Is Advanced I bet they could build a lot more into this little gadget if they tried - in the meantime, beat banking fraud with it. (re: Edward Bellamy, 10/29/2007 ) |
Yabafo Brings Free Fall Experience To Jaded Shoppers This amazing amusement park ride is the first of its kind to bring free-fall excitement to shopping in a vertical mall. (re: 'Doc' Smith, 10/16/2007 ) |
Google Vanity Ring: Search Engine Popularity Bling For those of you who want some sort of ego-bling to tout your online self, read on. (re: Various, 10/15/2007 ) |
Dr. Whippy Ice Cream Machine Makes Sure You're Happy Remarkable prototype device guarantees ice cream satisfaction scientifically - somewhere, Douglas Adams is smiling. (re: Douglas Adams, 9/12/2007 ) |
Visit Moon Base - In Krakow How would you like to come to work here? And no chance of sudden death by decompression? (re: L. Ron Hubbard, 8/3/2007 ) |
Ultimate Credit Card Of The Future This credit card concept might actually serve your interests, rather than those of the credit industry. (re: Edward Bellamy, 7/3/2007 ) |
Mad-Croc Power Peppermint Energy Gum Why do people in today's world want to go faster, when they should go slower? (re: Philip K. Dick, 6/18/2007 ) |
Solar System Ball Chair Unique chair lets you feel like the Earth is your footstool - or your chair, anyway. (re: Various, 5/4/2007 ) |
Noise-Cancelling Windows With Piezoelectric Patches Interesting new window prototype reduces noise by cancellation. (re: Arthur C. Clarke, 5/1/2007 ) |
Clever Clocks Get You Up Can't get up in the morning? Here's a handful of clocks that use every trick in the book to wake you up. (re: Various, 4/17/2007 ) |
Meth Coffee Now The Coffiest It's an edgy beverage with a special alkaloid dusted right in. (re: Pohl/Kornbluth, 1/11/2007 ) |
Grow Your Own Furniture Christopher Castle has a uniquely green solution to creating furniture the all-natural way. (re: Jack Vance, 12/12/2006 ) |
Modafinil 24-hour Living Through Chemistry Is sleep a lifestyle choice? Read on. (re: Paul Di Filippo, 11/22/2006 ) |
Disappearing-Pattern Tiles Show Energy Use I had no idea how much money I spend every month on heating the water used for showers, etc.; this project provides feedback on energy use that is simple and beautiful. (re: Various, 11/3/2006 ) |
Levitating Bed Vonnegut's Future Now Kurt Vonnegut called this one about 45 years ago. (re: Kurt Vonnegut, 8/8/2006 ) |
Magic Mirror Available Now Snow White never had her house wired for automation - this guy really knows all. (re: , 7/22/2006 ) |
50 MPH Rollerblade Ride There is a safer way to hitch rides from cars - in Snow Crash. (re: Neal Stephenson, 7/12/2006 ) |
Blank-o-Matic Wake Up If your spouse (or your mom) is not available to tear the blanket away from you in the morning, this might just do. (re: Various, 7/8/2006 ) |
Obsessive Computer Hoodies, Headbands, Headscarves You thought you were obsessed with computer/pda/phone usage? Now, this is obsessive. (re: Various, 6/21/2006 ) |
Audio Bone-Conduction Headphones Tired of headphones banging on your eardrums? Bang directly on your nerves through your skull instead. (re: Hugo Gernsback, 6/21/2006 ) |
Rape Trap Like Snow Crash 'Dentata' South Aftrican inventor Sonette Ehlers has invented an anti-rape device similar to one mentioned in Neal Stephenson's novel Snow Crash. (re: Neal Stephenson, 6/12/2005 ) |
Lumaray FL6 LED Flashlight Okay, it's not a lightsaber - but it looks like you might be able to find your seat in a darkened cineplex with style. (re: George Lucas, 5/19/2005 ) |
Dubai World Island Earth Al Nakheel Properties are working on a Dubai island project that will consist of between 250 and 300 islands shaped like the continents of the world - The Dubai World Islands. (re: Larry Niven, 5/12/2005 ) |
Cigarette Lights Self (Not That We Needed It) The cigarette has a tip anointed with sulphur and phosphorus. Striking the tip against a rough pad on the side of the packet ignites the cigarette, which is reinforced with slivers of bamboo or tobacco leaf to stop it breaking. (re: Robert Heinlein, 3/24/2005 ) |
Nap-Cap - How About A Hat-Tip For Larry Niven? Maybe it just uses the name, but Heads Up(TM)'s Nap-Cap should at least mention Larry Niven, who thought of it. (re: Larry Niven, 10/23/2004 ) |
The Future Of Time Was Written In The Past Timex should have consulted science fiction writers before running their 150 year anniversary timepiece of the future contest. (re: Larry Niven, 10/13/2004 ) |
Mattress Alarm Perfect For Sleepy Students Who needs jarring alarms? Try rising (literally) each morning with the mattress alarm. (re: Larry Niven, 9/4/2004 ) |
Sky Ear Works! Sky Ear, a thousand sensitive helium balloons, finally took flight last month after a slight delay due to bad weather and other problems. (re: Roger Zelazny, 8/8/2004 ) |
Thump Eyewear: What About Video? Thump, the first performance eyewear with internally integrated MP3 storage and playback capabilities will be available this fall. (re: Bruce Sterling, 7/22/2004 ) |
Metronap Sleep Pod The MetroNap Pod inclines forward to allow for easy entry, and then reclines to allow for optimal positioning. The slight elevation of the feet promotes blood circulation, while the elevation of the knees takes pressure off your lower back. (re: Larry Niven, 7/21/2004 ) |
Calendar Ring I always liked the finger watch; now you can get a calendar ring. (re: Robert Heinlein, 7/12/2004 ) |
StreetNet: Brussels Provides Free WiFi At Internet Kiosks The Brussels city government established five open-air Internet kiosks that provide wifi-enabled web surfing for all citizens and visitors. The weatherproof kiosks have a touchscreen for those without a laptop or PDA. (re: John Brunner, 6/18/2004 ) |
VeriTouch iVue: Fun, Fashionable Media Player With Military-Grade Encryption Finally, someone has announced the features that all of us consumers have been looking for in a digital media player - military-grade encryption and biometric security. (re: Ray Bradbury, 6/6/2004 ) |
Electrolux Trilobite: Programmable Robot Vacuum Cleaner The Trilobyte 2.0 is the new version of their self-propelled robot vacuum cleaner. It has more going for it than it's metallic silvery-green color - you can program it. (re: William Gibson, 6/1/2004 ) |
Sad Day For Odor Alarm Clock Enthusiasts Stunning news reaches us today regarding a new Brown University study concluding that scents will not rouse us from sleep. (re: Frank Herbert, 5/19/2004 ) |
GlowRing: Light Without Power The GlowRing will glow for up to ten years in funky colors. GlowRings do not require any external power source (and no internal source - a battery - either!) (re: Frank Herbert, 5/11/2004 ) |
High Speed Hand Dryer It's fast, it's neat, it pushes water off the palms and backs of your hands in one easy motion. No, it's not from Ronco - it's a Mitsubishi Electric design, until now available only in Japan. (re: Robert Heinlein, 5/3/2004 ) |
JewelEye - Innovative Body Piercing Update You've seen it everywhere (and lots of places you haven't seen it) - piercings and tatooing. But you'd need to go to the Netherlands to see eyeball jewelry. (re: Neal Stephenson, 4/26/2004 ) |
Frank Herbert's Odalarm - Scent-Based Alarm Clock Update In his 1977 novel The Dosadi Experiment, Frank Herbert wrote about an "odalarm" - an alarm clock that worked by scent. You can buy one now from Hakugen Online. (re: Frank Herbert, 4/6/2004 ) |
Parasitic Power Harvesting - Dada Sprees Supreme Shoes The Dada Sprees Supreme atheletic shoes have an unusual feature - a "spinnah" built into the outside wall of the show just above the ankle actuated by heel power. (re: Frank Herbert, 4/5/2004 ) |
Transparent Aluminum Used To Make Tinfoil Hats The tinfoil hat, once the protective device of choice, has become little more than a crude joke in recent years. Improved headgear is now available. (re: Harlan Ellison, 4/1/2004 ) |
Gear For The Timelady: Phone Watch The pleasures of the rotary phone dial can be yours again in this way retro phone-shaped watch. Not a watchphone - that's Bruce Sterling you're thinking of. (re: Bruce Sterling, 3/30/2004 ) |
Chameleon Card: Simmons' Universal Credit Card? The new Chameleon Card (and associated Pocket Vault) provides a single card that gives access to all of your bank and credit card accounts. (re: Dan Simmons, 3/8/2004 ) |
Polymer Takes Cue From Glow Worms How many times have you opened a bag or other enclosure, only to find that you don't have enough light to be able to see what's inside? An Austrian company may have a solution.< (re: Richard Morgan, 12/6/2003 ) |
Veripay Credit-Card Implant Advanced Digital Solutions intends to use its implanted RFID (radio frequency identification) VeriChips as a method of payment at the upcoming ID World 2003 in Paris, France. (re: Neal Stephenson, 11/27/2003 ) |
Robovac Visualizes Your Home The Samsung robotic vacuum cleaner draws a three-dimensional map of its environment to enable more efficient (both in time and energy) cleaning. (re: Robert Heinlein, 11/26/2003 ) |
Berlin Gets Talking Trash Cans Next spring, Berlin trash experts will build electronics into some of the city's wastebaskets that will allow them to speak - or even sing! - to the public.< (re: Bruce Sterling, 11/22/2003 ) |
New Technique Detects False Memories Recent research indicates that it may be possible to distinguish between a false memory and a memory of actual events. (re: Philip K. Dick, 11/11/2003 ) |
VeriChip Provides Emergency ID A radio frequency identification (RFID) product called VeriChip is now being used in a controversial pilot program in Mexico to help identify missing children. (re: Neal Stephenson, 10/10/2003 ) |
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Engineering
Entertainment
Input Devices
Lifestyle
Living Space
Manufacturing
Material
Media
Medical
Miscellaneous
Output Devices
Robotics
Security
Space Tech
Spacecraft
Surveillance
Transportation
Travel
Vehicle
Virtual Person
Warfare
Weapon
Work
