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"Poised between intransigent scepticism and uncritical credulity, it [science fiction] is par excellence the literature of the open mind."
- John Brunner
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| Robot Bird | ||
| A small winged UAV that can mimic a bird in flight. |
When you're a Stinker, and other people can't stand to be around you, the company of intelligent robotic birds with excellent voice recognition abilities and conversational skills can be a blessing.
| He ruffled his plastic feathers. "I have calculated... that the retentive capacity of my memory is now restricted to a mere 70,000 additional words - how about fixing me up with two more retentive banks?"
...Craig smiled faintly. "As soon as possible and that's a promise." Gun extended one wing, examined his feathers and said: "Many thanks." When he had first built them, they had been crude indeed, flying mechanisms with little more than a reflex-response unit. Over the years, however, he had given them life and intelligence... They had developed into personalities and provided stimulating companions in his isolation. He had given them free-decision, apart from their business as bodyguards and all three had total recall. Gun, the golden eagle, was a compulsive reader... Recky, the first of the two kestrals, was apt to become lost in classical music while Screen, the second one, was literally working his way through college in a variety of abstract subjects. |
| From Invader on My Back,
by Philip E. High. Published by Ace Books in 1968 Additional resources -
|
Here's a typical sample of Gun's interaction with Craig's enemies:
"- what kind of bird flies at ninety-seven thousand feet for God's sake?"
High above, Gun folded his wings and dropped like a stone. As he dropped his body vibrated oddly and things happened to the ship below him. Sparks danced on its back and where the sparks danced, the surface opened jaggedly spraying smoke and fragments...
Compare to the metal birds from Vulcan's Hammer (1960), by Philip K. Dick.
The operator gave it magnification. "Okay, it's a bird, yeah a bird, small eagle or something."
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and Technology from Invader on My Back
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Tech news articles related to works by Philip E. High
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- Flying Robot Inspired By Hawks
| Kuka Robot 'Heidi' Paints With Artificial Intelligence |
| Do You Need The Entire Fembot? Maybe Just The Hand |
| Pandemic Entrepreneurs! Consider Robo Esso Robot Barista |
| Shape-Shifting Robot From MIT |
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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.
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'In your days they showed you a fashion-plate,' said the tailor, 'but this is our modern development.'
'If there's anything in here worth looking at, these pups'll find it.'
'They will have flung great arches and domes of glass above the wider spaces...'
'The figure seemed to be swimming toward the surface.'
'...Men don't want real women anymore. You and I are behind the times...'
