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"But the problem with reincarnation is that it's hard to imagine what the storage medium for past lives would be. Not to mention the input-output device. I hesitate to rule it out completely, but I'd need pretty definite proof."
- Arthur C. Clarke
 |
| Auto-Car | ||
| A personal vehicle for indoor and outdoor use. |
In the world of this story, most human beings had given up walking.
| ... the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia was filled with the usual throng of pleasure seekers, each in his own auto-car.
 (The Autocar from The Revolt of the Pedestrians) Noiselessly, on rubber-tired wheels, they journeyed down the long aisles, pausing now and then before this exhibit or that which attracted their individual attention... Finally, a boy stopped his auto-car in front of a glass case. "What is that, Father? They look as we do, only what peculiar shapes." "That, my son, is a family of pedestrians... This family was shot in the Ozark mountains. It is believed they were the last in the world..." |
| Technovelgy from The Revolt of the Pedestrians,
by David H. Keller. Published by Amazing Stories in 1928 Additional resources -
|
I think that this is a spot-on prediction of the increasing use of "scooters" by people who should be healthy but have given up walking for reasons of obesity or laziness.
In the 2008 movie Wall-e, the entire population has given up walking:
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and Technology from The Revolt of the Pedestrians
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Tech news articles related to The Revolt of the Pedestrians
Tech news articles related to works by David H. Keller
Auto-Car-related
news articles:
- Segway S-Pod Fulfills Dire 1928 SciFi Prophecy
- Mobility Scooters Go Offroad
- Autonomous Wheelchairs Improve Airport Mobility
- Adorable One-Seater Electric Car From Wuxi Sinotech
- The Electric Balance Bicycle And The Decline Of Western Civilization
- Honda UNI-ONE Hands-Free Wheelchair Follows 100 Year-Old Design
| Tesla Electric 'Giga Train' Operational In Germany |
| San Francisco Autobus |
| Volvo's Autonomous Truck |
| Eviation Alice Electric Plane First Flight |
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'You’re the robopsychologist of the plant, so you’re to study the robot itself...'
'The Consul remembered his first glimpse of the kilometer-long treeship...'
'His contract with Space Industries required him to work summers in their orbital factory.'
'The basement was huge... carved deep into the rock that folded up to underlie the ridge...'
'...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.'
