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
"The immediate problem with our meat brains is that they have no back-up. We can lose the most precious information we have from one bump on the head or stroke. You want a mind system with back-up that can access other databases."
- Bart Kosko
 |
| Gravitic Lift | ||
| An elevator with no visible means of support. |
| "Where does the acrophobia come in?"
"Well, we can get there a lot faster if we use a gravitic lift. Not many people use it and I must tell you that I'm not overjoyed at the idea myself, but if you think you can handle it, we had better." "What's a gravitic lift?" "It's experimental. The time may come when it will be widespread over Trantor, provided it becomes psychologically acceptable--or can be made so to enough people. Then, maybe, it will spread to other worlds, too. It's an elevator shaft without an elevator cab, so to speak. We just step into empty space and drop slowly--or rise slowly--under the influence of antigravity. It's about the only application of antigravity that's been established so far, largely because it's the simplest possible application." "What happens if the power blinks out while we're in transit?" "Exactly what you would think. We fall and--unless we're quite near the bottom to begin with--we die. I haven't heard of it happening yet and, believe me, if it had happened I would know. We might not be able to give out the news for security reasons--that's the excuse they always advance for hiding bad news--but I would know. It's just up ahead. If you can't manage it, we won't do it, but the corridors are slow and tedious and many find them nauseating after a while." ... Seldon peered over the edge, down the deep shaft. "You might find it better--or easier," said Hummin, "if we link arms and if you close your eyes. It won't take more than a few seconds." He gave Seldon no choice, actually. He took his arm and once again there was no hanging back in that firm grip. Hummin stepped into nothingness and Seldon (who heard himself, to his own embarrassment, emit a small squeak) shuffled off with a lurch. He closed his eyes tightly and experienced no sense of falling, no feeling of air movement. A few seconds passed and he was pulled forward. He tripped slightly, caught his balance, and found himself on solid ground. He opened his eyes. "Did we make it?" Hummin said dryly, "We're not dead," then walked away, his grip forcing Seldon to follow. |
| Technovelgy from Prelude to Foundation,
by Isaac Asimov. Published by Doubleday in 1988 Additional resources -
|
Also, compare this to the space elevator from The Fountains of Paradise by Arthur C. Clarke (1974), the gravitic repulsion elevator from Asimov's Foundation (1951), the Beanstalk from Heinlein's Friday (1982), and the bounce tube from Robert Heinlein's Double Star (1956).
Thanks to Connor Lawrence for writing in with this item.
Comment/Join this discussion ( 0 ) | RSS/XML | Blog This |
Additional
resources:
More Ideas
and Technology from Prelude to Foundation
More Ideas
and Technology by Isaac Asimov
Tech news articles related to Prelude to Foundation
Tech news articles related to works by Isaac Asimov
| Hybrid Wind Solar Devices |
| BeamBike Solar Power Canopy For Electric Bikes |
| REALLY Remote Control Excavators |
| Your Solar Electric Paint Is Ready, Larry Niven |
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 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
'...the rocket’s landing-arms automatically unfolded.'
'...points and patches of light... sliding all over their faces in a programmed manner that had been designed to foil facial recognition systems.'
'...the combined Wind-Suncatcher, like a spray of tulips mounted fanwise.'
'I went to the control room where the three other men were manipulating their mechanical men.'
'The low-slung monorail car, straddling its single track, bored through the shadows on a slowly rising course.'
'It was a smooth ovoid floating a few inches from the floor...'
'... he thrust in his charging arm to replenish his store of energy.'
'...the terrible Jovian gravity that made each movement an effort.'
