 |
Dictionary of Security Terms in Science Fiction
(Technovelgy items at top: skip
down to News)
Name |
Author (Publication Date) |
Automated Sentry - automatic face recognition A biometric device that scans facial features for identification. |
Greg Bear (2003) |
Defuser Electroshock cellphones to keep unruly individuals under control. |
Lauren Beukes (2008) |
Doublethink A mental discipline that is an exact contradiction to the basic principles of scientific inquiry. |
George Orwell (1948) |
Electrified Fence A wire fence carrying an electrical charge sufficient to deter crossing the boundary. |
Mark Twain (1889) |
Palm Lock - uses more than a fingerprint A lock or seal which can be opened only by contact with the palm of the human hand to which it has been keyed. |
Frank Herbert (1965) |
Palm Scan - the big print A means of positive identification, in this case, for an ATM machine. |
William Gibson (1999) |
Penfield Wave Transmitter - an emotional brain remote control A device that directs some sort of energy wave into a person's brain, allowing them to experience a chosen (dialed) mood. |
Philip K. Dick (1968) |
Spine-Clamp - restraint bolt for humans A device that constrains the movements of convicted criminals. |
Neal Stephenson (2008) |
Tongueprint Verification - touching, not licking A device that verifies the unique print of the tongue against a a database for identification purposes. |
Larry Niven (w/E.M. Lerner) (2007) |
Truth Meter - a 50's lie detector A lie detector. |
Robert Heinlein (1954) |
Virtual Punishment It seems like decades in prison. |
Joe Haldeman (2011) |
Related Science Fiction in the News
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, 9/15/2008 ) |
Background Draw-a-Secret (BDAS) Makes Graphical Passwords Interesting security technique that takes advantage of the greater ease with which we all recall pictures, as opposed to the kind of alphanumeric strings IT techs want us to use for passwords. (re: William Gibson, 7/3/2008 ) |
ID-U Biometrics Eye Tracking Signature Interesting new method of secure identification gathers a unique response to stimulus each time; old data cannot be copied and presented to the system. (re: Various, 6/21/2008 ) |
PCASS And The Original Handheld Lie Detector The idea that a simple device could tell a soldier who was lying is an attractive idea; but can it really work? You might be surprised about the origin of the lie detector idea. (re: William M. Marston, 4/12/2008 ) |
Steering Wheel Finger Vein Authentication Hitachi has thought of an unusual use for finger vein authentication; Niven and Lerner have thought of an unusual use for tongue authentication. (re: Niven (w/EM Lerner), 10/23/2007 ) |
Fujitsu PalmSecure Hand Vein Scanner New device for biometric security reads not just palms, but veins under the palm. (re: Frank Herbert, 8/2/2007 ) |
Portal Denial System Electrolaser Intruder-Zapper Not your mom's pretty lightshow laser system. (re: Various, 5/21/2007 ) |
Biometric Deadbolt Lock Like A Palm Lock Frank Herbert's palm lock always seemed like an ideal way to do locks - and now Biolock has the idea. (re: Frank Herbert, 5/16/2007 ) |
DNA Authenticators: Anti-Counterfeiting Proposed by Philip K. Dick A security measure proposed by Philip K. Dick in 1964 is now being used to use DNA technology to authenticate consumer products. (re: Philip K. Dick, 6/21/2004 ) |
Biometric HandReader - Frank Herbert's Palm Lock? IR Recognition Systems has released a biometric hand reader that is able to simultaneously analyze more than 31,000 points. The system records 90 different measurements of your hand: length, width, thickness and surface area. (re: Frank Herbert, 6/16/2004 ) |
Accenture Gets US VISIT Biometric Security Contract A group led by Accenture has won the five year US Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology (US VISIT) biometric security contract. (re: George Orwell, 6/2/2004 ) |
Biometric Identification Finally Gets Started Problems with the fingerprint and iris-recognition hardware and software forced a three month delay in the project. (re: Frank Herbert, 5/7/2004 ) |
China May Issue A Billion RFID-Based ID Cards A speaker representing China's radio frequency identification (RFID) initiative said he expected China to issue over a billion identification cards - one to every citizen. (re: John Brunner, 5/4/2004 ) |
Biometric ID Cards Doomed To Fail The UK plans on issuing large numbers of biometric ID cards to stop fraud and terrorism; travellers to the United States will be required to have visas with biometric data by October of 2004. (re: Frank Herbert, 11/21/2003 ) |
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Armor
Artificial Intelligence
Biology
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Communication
Computers
Culture
Data Storage
Displays
Engineering
Entertainment
Input Devices
Lifestyle
Living Space
Manufacturing
Material
Media
Medical
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Output Devices
Robotics
Security
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Surveillance
Transportation
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