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

"Every scientist worth his salt that I know of has read science fiction."
- Greg Bear

Color Generator  
  A variable spectrum light source  

Problems with metamerism provide clues during an investigation in this quote.

'...There's been no mistake; I took great pains.' Gersen studied the tiles. '...what color light will bring the tiles to the same color as the sketch?'

...Mankinello put the tiles under a color generator. 'Presumably you're interested in standard incandesence?'

'Standard star-light. I presume that's close to the same thing.'

'Somewhat different due to the stellar atmospheres. But I can easily code for the stellar progression. Let's start with about 4,000 degrees.' He turned a wheel, flicked a switch, checked with a comparator. 'Close' He turned the wheel. 'There it is. 4,350 degrees.' He glanced through a port. 'See for yourself.'

Gersen peered through the opening. The tiles were now identical to the colors of the sketch. 'Color temperature, 4,350 degrees: Class K?'

'I'll tell you exactly.' Mankinello consulted a reference. 'Class G8.'

Technovelgy from The Killing Machine, by Jack Vance.
Published by Fantastic Fiction (?) in 1964
Additional resources -

The letters refer to stellar spectral types - O B A F G K M R N S.

Thanks to R. Probert for contributing this item.

Comment/Join this discussion ( 0 ) | RSS/XML | Blog This |

Additional resources:
  More Ideas and Technology from The Killing Machine
  More Ideas and Technology by Jack Vance
  Tech news articles related to The Killing Machine
  Tech news articles related to works by Jack Vance

Articles related to Engineering
Tiny Flying Robot Weighs Just One Gram
Some Ringworld Configurations Are Stable
Darpa 'Defiant' Unmanned Autonomous Ship
DNA Printed Book By Isaac Asimov Now Available

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>

Google
  Web TechNovelgy.com   

 

 

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

Science Fiction in the News

JAXA Int Ball 2 Coming Right Along As Star Wars Remote
'Hocus-pocus religions and archaic weapons are no substitute for a good blaster at your side.'

Robot Bricklayer Or Passer-By Bricklayer?
'Oscar picked up a trowel. 'I'm the tool for the mortar,' the little trowel squeaked cheerfully.'

Robot Gas Station Attendant Pumps Gas For You
'... he waited for the robotrix attendant to finish fueling up his ship.'

Engineer Creates Crazy Motorized Track Hospital Bed
The Roujin Z system provides care to fully bedridden patients - and then some!

Tiny Flying Robot Weighs Just One Gram
'Aerostat meant anything that hung in the air. This was an easy trick to pull off nowadays.'

Some Ringworld Configurations Are Stable
'The Ringworld had no horizon. There was no line where the land curved away from the sky.'

TRANSFORM Dynamic Furniture Concept Becomes What You Need
'An adjustment panel outside the door would cause it to extrude various appurtenances in memory plastic...'

Harvard Metamaterials Change Structure Instantly
'Annealed in any shape for a time, and codified, the structure of that shape is retained down to the molecules.'

SnapBot Robots - You Choose Their Legs And They Choose Their Gaits
It's not really polite to tear the limbs off robots.

Dino From Magical Toys An AI Companion To Children
'...the imaginary companions discovered by needful children.'

More SF in the News

More Beyond Technovelgy

Home | Glossary | Science Fiction Timeline | Category | New | Contact Us | FAQ | Advertise |
Technovelgy.com - where science meets fiction™

Copyright© Technovelgy LLC; all rights reserved.