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

Latest By
Category:


Armor
Artificial Intelligence
Biology
Clothing
Communication
Computers
Culture
Data Storage
Displays
Engineering
Entertainment
Food
Input Devices
Lifestyle
Living Space
Manufacturing
Material
Media
Medical
Miscellaneous
Robotics
Security
Space Tech
Spacecraft
Surveillance
Transportation
Travel
Vehicle
Virtual Person
Warfare
Weapon
Work

"Bureaucracies hide their mistakes, because people's careers are tied to those mistakes. Therefore, bureaucracies are a perfect mechanism for perpetuating mistakes."
- Frank Herbert

Remotely Operated Auto-targeting Gun (ROAG)  
  A weapon able to pick out its own targets; it's action can be remotely initiated.  

Soldiers in the near-future Iraq of the novel had access to the latest in weapons.

The Humvee had a ROAG - Remotely Operated Auto-targeting Gun - a rapid-fire twenty millimeter mounted over the roof like a small steel sewage pipe.
Technovelgy from Quantico, by Greg Bear.
Published by Vanguard in 2007
Additional resources -

In an interview with Technovelgy.com, Greg Bear had this to say about the ROAG:

    Technovelgy: You also write about an ROAG. Have you seen the work they've been doing on [autonomous] sentry guns?

    Greg Bear: "No, I haven't. I've seen some of these things on the military Discovery channel. Some of that stuff is astonishing; the self-targeting bullets, the flechette technology. I discussed flechettes back in the 1980's - man, it's really happening."

    T: For self-targeting bullets, [Michael] Crichton directed a movie in the 1980's - Runaway - that showed self-targeting bullets. [see smart bullets]

    GB: "I think they did that in [Who Framed] Roger Rabbit, too. [Laughs] I don't know if you've listed that."

    T: I don't think I listed that...

    (Read the rest of Greg Bear's interview on Quantico.)

A very early (possibly the earliest) reference to this kind of weapon is the automatic gun from Michael Crichton's 1969 novel The Andromeda Strain.

Be sure to take a look at these real-life autonomous sentry guns:

Also, take a look at the Handwear Computer Input Device Combat Glove (which was demonstrated at NextFest 2006).

Comment/Join this discussion ( 0 ) | RSS/XML | Blog This |

Additional resources:
  More Ideas and Technology from Quantico
  More Ideas and Technology by Greg Bear
  Tech news articles related to Quantico
  Tech news articles related to works by Greg Bear

Articles related to Weapon
Bunker Busters and Bore-Pellets
Can A Swarm Of Deadly Drones Take Out An Aircraft Carrier?
Has Turkey Been Stealing Rain From Iran?
We Need To Build Anti-Drone Systems For Civilian Spaces

Want to Contribute an Item? It's easy:
Get the name of the item, a quote, the book's name and the author's name, and Add it here.

<Previous
Next>

Google
  Web TechNovelgy.com   

 

 

Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Science Fiction Invention Timeline, or see what's New.

 

 

 

 

Science Fiction Timeline
1600-1899
1900-1939
1940's   1950's
1960's   1970's
1980's   1990's
2000's   2010's

Science Fiction in the News

Bunker Busters and Bore-Pellets
'The first revelation of the new Soviet bore-pellets.'

Spikeless Swizzle Stick Detects Spiked Drinks
'the unobtrusive inspections with tiny remote-cast snoopers...'

Heart Patches Grown In The Lab Repair Hearts
I'm hoping that this procedure becomes a normal part of medical practice!

Humanoid Robots Spotted In Homes Performing Household Chores
'... nothing was perfected until M. Pantalon announced the completion of his automatic valet.'

Musk Proposes Sites For Martian Cities
'...its streets were of remarkable width, with few or no buildings so high as mosques, churches, State-offices, or palaces in Tellurian cities.'

Bambot Open Source Cheap Delivery Robot
'Not since the time he rewired the delivery robot...'

Robot Collective Acts Like A Smart Material
'...it was all composed of tiny, identical cubes, carefully laid to form a tilelike surface.'

Vipera Electric Skis From Frigid Dynamics
'JOAN strapped on her power-skis...'

Pixel Watch 'Loss of Pulse Detection' And Philip K. Dick
'He carried on his person a triggering mechanism sensitive to his heartbeat.'

Nuclear Plant Restarted To Power AI To Feed Us Dreams
'...Anything was possible in my imaginary environment.'

More SF in the News

More Beyond Technovelgy

Home | Glossary | Science Fiction Timeline | Category | New | Contact Us | FAQ | Advertise |
Technovelgy.com - where science meets fiction™

Copyright© Technovelgy LLC; all rights reserved.