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
"it slowly dawned on me that the landscape of science is maybe what interests people a great deal in science fiction."
- Gregory Benford
 |
| Spider Robot | ||
| A mechanism in the form of a spider. |
As far as I know, the first use of the phrase "spider robot".
| In one of these cubbyholes under the bench a large black spider crouched motionless. That is, it looked like a spider and its glittering dark eyes seemed alive. Its body was as big as that of a chicken and its inch-thick legs would have straightened out to a full three feet in length apiece if they were not gracefully curved to support the huge body.
If it were a spider it was of no species of spiders known on Earth — or for that matter, any other place in the universe other than Jerry’s mind and workshop.
 (Spider Robot from 'The Mystery of Element 117' by Milton K. Smith) It was a robot shaped like a spider. Jerry had built it to act as a bodyguard, and put into it reflexes that would cause it to attack anything that entered the room. When he slept the robot’s reflexes acted and the spider stood guard. When he was awake he could control it verbally or by a pocket radio. The word “quiet” shut off its reflexes. After nearly loosing his life once when he fell asleep without turning on the spider’s reflexes, he had fixed it so that his breathing while asleep would activate its reflexes so it could protect him. He had built it in the shape of a giant spider because a man is more afraid of that shape than any other — especially if it is unbelieveably large and springing through the air with its glistening eyes and clashing mandibles. The sight of it would paralyze the most daring of marauders automatically, leaving them wide open. While Jerry slept the robot lurked under the workbench, its eyes taking in the whole room, its legs motionless until some sudden movement would cause them to spring. |
| Technovelgy from The Mystery of Element 117,
by Milton K. Smith. Published by Amazing Stories in 1949 Additional resources -
|
Here's the excerpt with the phrase "spider robot":
A look of frustrated rage entered Jerry’s eyes. One of the policemen was speaking.
“We shot the spider thing,” he was saying apologetically. “The elevator boy told us afterward it was a mechanical gadget of yours, but we thought it was alive at the time.
Compare to the metallic spider from The War of the Worlds (1898) by H.G. Wells,
the scarab robot from The Scarab (1936) by Raymond Z. Gallun,
the mechanical hound from Fahrenheit 451 (1953) by Ray Bradbury,
the metal insects from The Invincible (1954) by Stanislaw Lem,
the Sheem spider robot from The Witches of Karres (1966) by James Schmitz,
the spider tripod from Rendezvous With Rama (1972) by Arthur C. Clarke,
the spider cable device from The Web Between the Worlds (1979) by Charles Sheffield,
the spider robotic insects from Runaway (1985) by Michael Crichton and the recon spiders from Minority Report (Movie) (2002) by Steven Spielberg.
The door was open. Inside three men lay motionless on the floor. Atop one of them was the shattered remains of the spider robot.
Comment/Join this discussion ( 0 ) | RSS/XML | Blog This |
Additional
resources:
More Ideas
and Technology from The Mystery of Element 117
More Ideas
and Technology by Milton K. Smith
Tech news articles related to The Mystery of Element 117
Tech news articles related to works by Milton K. Smith
| Robot Hand Separate From Robot |
| Is Optimus Autonomous Or Teleoperated? |
| Robot Masseuse Rubs People The Right Way |
| Optimus Robot Can Charge Itself |
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.'
