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
"To get anywhere, or even live a long time, a man has to guess, and guess right, over and over again, without enough data for a logical answer."
- Robert Heinlein
 |
| Hoverlimo | ||
| A hovercraft for hire, with servility built in. |
They are at the UniBio labs, learning about the future of sex (corporate version); following the presentation, they head back to the office to write up their stories - or they would, if they could find a hoverlimo. Unfortunately, the vehicle refuses to carry fewer than 7 passengers.
| "When I write this story," I said, "and when I mention this foolish delay, portraying UniBio in an unfavorable light, your bosses will be extremely upset." "This information disturbs and alarms me," said the hoverlimo. "I, being only a subprogram of an incompletely-activated routine of the UniBio building computer, wish only to please my human passengers…However, I can't move." "Your mother was a garbage truck," I said, and kicked it in the rubber skirt. "Undoubtedly, sir. Thank you, sir. Please come back soon, sir." |
| From Steel Beach,
by John Varley. Published by Ace Putnam in 1992 Additional resources -
|
One of the fun things about recent sf (i.e., post 50's) is that one no longer encounters perfect devices.
Comment/Join this discussion ( 1 ) | RSS/XML | Blog This |
Additional
resources:
More Ideas
and Technology from Steel Beach
More Ideas
and Technology by John Varley
Tech news articles related to Steel Beach
Tech news articles related to works by John Varley
| CIMON Companion Robot For Space Station Astronauts |
| Airbnb Has AI Psychiatrist Looking At Your Facebook |
| Viisights AI Hones Video Surveillance |
| Legal Profession Now Fairly Bristling With AI |
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> |
|
|
|
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 Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
|
'But that barrier was going to melt away someday soon. The transhumanists had promised...'
'Clothes are no longer made from dead fibers of fixed color and texture...'
'... in some departments their power is absolute.'
'...he sipped the cognac that the robot bartender handed him.'
Convincing video shows progress (and limitations).
'The speech patterns you actually hear decode the brainwave matrix which has been fed into your mind by your Babel fish.'
'Against Death doth no simple grow.'
