 |
Timeline
of Science Fiction Ideas, Technology and Inventions
(sorted by Publication Date)
Most of these items are linked to information about similar real-life inventions and inventors; click on an invention to learn more about it.
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1600-1899 1900-1929 1930's 1940's 1950's 1960's 1970's 1980's 1990's 2000+
| Date | Device Name (Novel Author) |
| 1900 | Aerocar (from The Abduction of Alexandra Seine by Fred C. Smale) A personal flying vehicle. |
| 1901 | Cavorite (from The First Men in the Moon by H.G. Wells) An antigravity metal; when it cools, whatever it covers will be impervious to gravitational forces. |
| 1901 | Breathing Dresses (from A Honeymoon In Space by George Griffith) A special suit and apparatus for survival on the surface of the Moon. |
| 1901 | Home-World (from A Honeymoon In Space by George Griffith) One's planet of origin. |
| 1901 | Translatophone (from My Translatophone by Frank Stockton) A device that performs mechanical translation of one language into another. |
| 1903 | Death-Ray (from The World Masters by George Griffith) A thin ray of electric light that melts flesh away from the bone. |
| 1903 | Aerial Navies (from The World Masters by George Griffith) Use of vast numbers of air-ships (planes) to overwhelm land defenses. |
| 1903 | Vandelite Gun (from The World Masters by George Griffith) An artillery device that freezes the explosive material for firing so it doesn't explode in the gun when it fires. |
| 1903 | Joystick Controls w/Remote Display (from The Land Ironclads by H.G. Wells) A fire-by-wire remote-controlled weapon system. |
| 1904 | The Terror (from Master of the World by Jules Verne) An amazing vehicle capable of attaining tremendous speeds - in many different ways. |
| 1905 | Glass Dome (from A Modern Utopia by H.G. Wells) Protective cover for cities. |
| 1907 | Interplanetary Radiograph Station (from On The Martian Way by Harry Gore Bishop) Network of communication in the solar system. |
| 1907 | Gravitation Screen (from On The Martian Way by Harry Gore Bishop) Shields a spacecraft from the gravity of a planetary body. |
| 1907 | Neutral (Point) (from On The Martian Way by Harry Gore Bishop) The point at which the gravitational pull of the sun and that of a planet cancel each other out. |
| 1907 | Tik-Tok (from Ozma of Oz by L. Frank Baum) A mechanical man. |
| 1908 | Minus-Matter (from Red Star by Aleksandr Bogdanov) Material that negates weight. |
| 1908 | Etheroneph (from Red Star by Aleksandr Bogdanov) Spacefraft fueled by radioactive materials. |
| 1909 | The Machine (from The Machine Stops by E.M. Forster) A single vast contrivance that supplied all the needs of the world's millions of solitary inhabitants. |
| 1909 | Video Communicator (from The Machine Stops by E.M. Forster) A device that carried both voice and image, letting the two parties see each other. |
| 1909 | Machine Apartment (from The Machine Stops by E.M. Forster) Each person lives isolated in their own room, supported by a vast planetary machine. |
| 1909 | Breed Humans For Machines (from The Machine Stops by E.M. Forster) Carefully cull the strong, resilient humans in favor of weakness, that the human race might be more adapted to life in the Machine. |
| 1909 | Cinematophote (Blue Optic Plate) (from The Machine Stops by E.M. Forster) The first reference to a tablet-sized, handheld screen. |
| 1909 | Telemedicine Apparatus (from The Machine Stops by E.M. Forster) First reference to a device that allows physicians to examine or aid patients at a distance. |
| 1909 | The Book of the Machine (from The Machine Stops by E.M. Forster) The only book needed for life in the vast Machine. |
| 1910 | Automaton Chessplayer (from Moxon's Master by Ambrose Bierce) The first chess-playing computer. |
| 1911 | Space-Sick (from Ralph 124c 41 + by Hugo Gernsback) Uneasiness associated with space travel. |
| 1911 | Telautograph (from Ralph 124c 41 + by Hugo Gernsback) First fictional reference to a fax machine. |
| 1911 | Alohydrolium (from Ralph 124c 41 + by Hugo Gernsback) The lightest metal. |
| 1911 | Iridium Spirals (Street Lights) (from Ralph 124c 41 + by Hugo Gernsback) Streetlights provide sunlight at night. |
| 1911 | Automatic-Electric Packing Machine (from Ralph 124c 41 + by Hugo Gernsback) A device able to pack randomly shaped objects combined into a single package automatically. |
| 1911 | Gyrocar (from Two Boys in a Gyrocar the story of a New York to Paris motor race by Kenneth Brown) A two-wheeled, self-balancing automobile. |
| 1911 | Actinoscope (from Ralph 124c 41 + by Hugo Gernsback) A device that used a pulsating polarized ether wave to judge the distance to an object (a RADAR) |
| 1911 | Electric Rifle (from Tom Swift and His Electric Rifle by Victor Appleton) A device that shoots an electrical charge. |
| 1911 | Hypnobioscope (from Ralph 124c 41 + by Hugo Gernsback) The first fictional reference to sleep teaching. |
| 1911 | Steelonium (from Ralph 124c 41 + by Hugo Gernsback) A remarkable kind of steel that did not rust or corrode. |
| 1911 | Aeroflyer (from Ralph 124c 41 + by Hugo Gernsback) A flying car. |
| 1911 | Sub-Atlantic Tube (from Ralph 124c 41 + by Hugo Gernsback) A tunnel under the ocean; the shortest distance between the two points. |
| 1911 | Tele-Motor-Coasters (from Ralph 124c 41 + by Hugo Gernsback) Powered skates for personal transportation. |
| 1911 | Language Rectifier (from Ralph 124c 41 + by Hugo Gernsback) The first reference to machine-translation of human languages. |
| 1911 | Telephot (from Ralph 124c 41 + by Hugo Gernsback) A device that combined the functions of telephone and television; a phone with a screen. |
| 1911 | Personalized News (from Ralph 124c 41 + by Hugo Gernsback) First reference to news that is customized to the needs of each individual subscriber. |
| 1911 | Demagnitizing Ray (from The Lord of Labour by George Griffith) A beam of radiation that makes even the strongest steel as brittle as chalk. |
| 1911 | Detectophone (from Ralph 124c 41 + by Hugo Gernsback) First use of the idea of a voice-activated machine. |
| 1912 | Automated Restaurant (from A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs) Food is prepared and served entirely automatically. |
| 1914 | Artificial Food (from The World Set Free by H.G. Wells) Food produced without soil, chemically. |
| 1914 | Radioactive Ruin (from The World Set Free by H.G. Wells) The aftermath of atomic war is generations of ruin. |
| 1914 | Sustained Atomic Reaction (from The World Set Free by H.G. Wells) The idea that a sustained reaction could lead to an atomic explosion. |
| 1914 | Atomic Bomb (from The World Set Free by H.G. Wells) A weapon that uses an atomic chain reaction as an explosive force. |
| 1914 | Sunray Tank (from Warlord of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs) A device that stores sunlight itself for use as an energy source. |
| 1915 | Food Tablet (from John Jone's Dollar by H.S. Keeler) All of your nutrients in one easy-to-swallow form factor. |
| 1917 | Ray gun (from The Messiah of the Cylinder by Victor Rousseau) A weapon that projects a beam of destructive force. |
| 1917 | Telephone Funnel (from The Messiah of the Cylinder by Victor Rousseau) A kind of two-way public loudspeaker. |
| 1917 | Open-Air Moving Picture Shows (from The Messiah of the Cylinder by Victor Rousseau) Public news outlets |
| 1917 | Tele-Photophonic Attachment (from The Messiah of the Cylinder by Victor Rousseau) A device that permits a telephone funnel to see as well as hear. |
| 1918 | Aero Bus (Flying Bus) (from What Not: A Prophetic Comedy by Rose Macaulay) A flying bus. |
| 1918 | Photophone (from The Planeteer by Michael Flynn) A device that provided a view of the other booth. |
| 1918 | Magnetic Elevator (from The Gods of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs) A device that uses very powerful electromagnets for propulsion. |
| 1920 | Spinning Mill for Veins (Artificial Organs) (from R.U.R. by Karel Capek) The manufacture of artificial organs, digestive tract, veins - body parts. |
| 1920 | Robot (from R.U.R. by Karel Capek) A (usually human-shaped) artifact with the same kinds of abilities as a human - this is the first use of the word 'robot'. |
| 1920 | Living Metal Cubes (from The Metal Monster by Abraham Merritt) Tiny metal cubes and pyramids that work together to create larger shapes. |
| 1921 | Phonographic Locks (from A Journey to the Year 2025 by Clement Fezandie) Doors that open using voice recognition. |
| 1922 | Membrane (from We by Yevgeny Zamyatin) A listening device. |
| 1923 | Parallel Universe (from Men Like Gods by H.G. Wells) An entirely separate realm or universe that exists along with our own; it may be wildly different or vary from ours by only a tiny degree. |
| 1923 | Networked Telephone Answering Machine (from Men Like Gods by H.G. Wells) A device that would accept verbal messages and store them for replay from any remote station. |
| 1923 | Clockwork Man (from The Clockwork Man by E.V. Odle) A man from the future with an embedded mechanism to manipulate time. |
| 1923 | Wireless Access Point (from Men Like Gods by H.G. Wells) Infrastructure that provides power and wireless communication. |
| 1923 | Acoustic Apparatus (Osophone) (from Acoustic Apparatus by Hugo Gernsback) A device that used bone conduction to transmit sound. |
| 1925 | Quadraturin (from Quadraturin by Sigizmund Krzhizhanowsky) Substance that creates more space when applied to walls, floors and ceilings. |
| 1925 | Blaster (from When the Green Star Waned by Nictzin Dyalhis) A device that shoots a beam of energy that destroys whatever is in its path. |
| 1926 | Blue Ray of Death (from Across Space by Edmond Hamilton) A ray that reduces an organic being to ash instantly. |
| 1926 | Starship (from War in Space by Raymond Quiex) A vehicle for space travel. |
| 1926 | Vacuum Suit (from The Man from the Atom by G. Peyton Wertenbaker) An early description of a space suit, and the first use of this now archaic phrase. |
| 1926 | Artificial Brain (from The Metal Giants by Edmond Hamilton) A non-organic device structured like a human brain. |
| 1926 | Bolognium (from Transactions of Amer Soc for Steel Treating by Edgar Bain) Very early fictional element, courtesy of metallurgists. |
| 1926 | Computer Vision (Artificial Eye) (from The Metal Giants by Edmond Hamilton) A device which, attached to a suitable computer, will allow the device to see. |
| 1926 | Transparent Dome Helmet (from The Man from the Atom by G. Peyton Wertenbaker) A spacesuit helmet that can be seen through. |
| 1926 | Atomic Machine (from The Man from the Atom by G. Peyton Wertenbaker) A device that shrinks and expands its wearer. |
| 1926 | Flexible Metal Arms (Tentacles) (from The Metal Giants by Edmond Hamilton) An interesting description of how mechanical tentacles might function. |
| 1926 | Artificial Life (from Across Space by Edmond Hamilton) Creating living beings from inorganic elements. |
| 1926 | Gyro-Hat (from An Experiment in Gyro-Hats by Ellis Parker Butler) Hidden in a top hat, this device cures staggering and reeling, for whatever reason. |
| 1926 | Atomic Energy Motor (from The Man from the Atom by G. Peyton Wertenbaker) An engine which utilizes atomic energy. |
| 1927 | Paralyzing Cone (from The Atomic Conquerors by Edmond Hamilton) A device that paralyzes the muscles. |
| 1927 | Cold Ray (from The Atomic Conquerors by Edmond Hamilton) A device that pulled warmth from anything it was aimed at. |
| 1928 | Auto-Car (from The Revolt of the Pedestrians by David H. Keller) A personal vehicle for indoor and outdoor use. |
| 1928 | Viewplate (from Armageddon: 2419 A.D. by Philip Frances Nowlan) A flat panel viewing display. |
| 1928 | Hyper-space (from The Invisible Bubble by Kirk Meadowcroft) A realm or parallel universe in which it is possible to travel much faster than light. |
| 1928 | Chest Disc (from Armageddon: 2419 A.D. by Philip Frances Nowlan) A voice activated wireless transmitter. |
| 1928 | Ultraphone Ear-Disc (from Armageddon: 2419 A.D. by Philip Frances Nowlan) Wireless receivers that fit directly over the ears; they also offered noise reduction. |
| 1928 | Airlock (from Skylark of Space by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) An intermediate chamber between airless space and the interior of a space craft. |
| 1928 | Ultron Wire (from Armageddon: 2419 A.D. by Philip Frances Nowlan) Invisible metal makes the thinnest, strongest wire. |
| 1928 | Ultron (from Armageddon: 2419 A.D. by Philip Frances Nowlan) Very handy material is invisible and non-reflective. |
| 1928 | Hall of the Council (from Crashing Suns by Edmond Hamilton) An enormous council chamber, fit for a galaxy. |
| 1928 | Meteor-Sweeps (from Crashing Suns by Edmond Hamilton) Maneuver to chase down and destroy meteor showers that threaten celestial navigation. |
| 1928 | Death-Beam (from Crashing Suns by Edmond Hamilton) Ravening pale beams of light used in space battles. |
| 1928 | Jumper (from Armageddon: 2419 A.D. by Philip Frances Nowlan) Inertron belt results in effective weightlessness. |
| 1928 | Space Buoy (from Crashing Suns by Edmond Hamilton) A marker in space. |
| 1928 | Repellor Anti-Gravity Rays (from Armageddon: 2419 A.D. by Philip Frances Nowlan) Device provides support for planet-side air travel. |
| 1928 | Gravity-Screen (from Crashing Suns by Edmond Hamilton) A device that shields an object from the effects of gravity. |
| 1928 | Rocket Gun (from Armageddon: 2419 A.D. by Philip Frances Nowlan) In essence, a bazooka. |
| 1928 | Synthetic Babies (from A Biological Experiment by David H. Keller) A means of gestating eggs to term is found. |
| 1928 | Inertron (from Armageddon: 2419 A.D. by Philip Frances Nowlan) Material with all the properties of heavier metals, but lighter. |
| 1928 | Psycho-Phone (from A Biological Experiment by David H. Keller) A device that recorded and played back the thoughts of the user. |
| 1928 | Flying Harness (from Skylark of Space by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) Device allows free movement in the air. |
| 1928 | Disintegrator Ray (Dis Ray) (from Armageddon: 2419 A.D. by Philip Frances Nowlan) A device that projects a beam reducing matter to nothingness. |
| 1928 | Pressure-Suit (from Skylark of Space by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) A pressurized suit for use in the airless void of space. |
| 1928 | Floater (from Armageddon: 2419 A.D. by Philip Frances Nowlan) A device that allows the user to literally float in the air |
| 1928 | Anti-Gravity Belt (from Armageddon: 2419 A.D. by Philip Frances Nowlan) A device which, when worn, reduces exposure to the effects of gravitation. |
| 1928 | Concentro (from Armageddon: 2419 A.D. by Philip Frances Nowlan) Concentrated synthetic food rations. |
| 1928 | Ultrophone (from Armageddon: 2419 A.D. by Philip Frances Nowlan) A means of communication that transmits and receives simultaneously. |
| 1928 | Electric Diaper (from The Psychophonic Nurse by David H. Keller) A diaper that will indicate when it is wet. |
| 1928 | Meteorometer (from Crashing Suns by Edmond Hamilton) A device that warned space ships in flight about oncoming meteors. |
| 1928 | De-atomizing Ray (from Crashing Suns by Edmond Hamilton) Beam of energy causes matter to fly apart. |
| 1928 | Raytron Apparatus (from Beyond the Stars by Ray Cummings) A device for aerial surveillance; the image was transmitted back to the user. |
| 1928 | Needle Pipe (from Beyond the Stars by Ray Cummings) A device that could project slivers of metal at near light speed. |
| 1928 | Psychophonic Nurse (from The Psychophonic Nurse by David H. Keller) A child-care robot - a nanny bot. |
| 1928 | Grantline Comptometer (from Beyond the Stars by Ray Cummings) Key-driven computer/calculator that easily solves even calculus problems. |
| 1928 | Steering a Star (from Crashing Suns by Edmond Hamilton) Steering a star, altering its path, taking it to a new location. |
| 1928 | Heat Transmitter (from Crashing Suns by Edmond Hamilton) Device which captures solar energy close to the source and then beams it in concentrated form to outer planets. |
| 1928 | Vibration-Propelled Cruiser (from Crashing Suns by Edmond Hamilton) A spacecraft with a propulsion system relying on waves in spacetime itself. |
| 1928 | Private Space Cruiser (from Crashing Suns by Edmond Hamilton) A fully space-worthy ship under private ownership. |
| 1928 | Telestereo (from Crashing Suns by Edmond Hamilton) A disk, upon which the projected image of the distant sender appears. |
| 1928 | Space-Lanes (from Crashing Suns by Edmond Hamilton) Well-traveled routes through outer space. |
| 1928 | Pain Ray (from Crashing Suns by Edmond Hamilton) Creates pain by nerve induction. |
| 1928 | Attractive Ray (from Crashing Suns by Edmond Hamilton) A beam of radiation that pulls. |
| 1928 | Telechart (from Crashing Suns by Edmond Hamilton) An interactive metal plate upon which were displayed celestial objects for interstellar navigation. |
| 1929 | Atomic Shell (from Buck Rogers, 2430 AD by Philip Nowlan (w/D. Calkins)) A nuclear munition, fired from a cannon. |
| 1929 | Space Travel (from A Baby on Neptune by Clare Winger Harris (w/MJ Breuer)) Human movement through outer space. |
| 1929 | Force-Ray (from Buck Rogers, 2430 AD by Philip Nowlan (w/D. Calkins)) A large, hand-held spear of force. |
| 1929 | Ship Pushes Moon (from Buck Rogers, 2430 AD by Philip Nowlan (w/D. Calkins)) Altering the course of a small moon by pushing on it with a rocket motor. |
| 1929 | Metalloglass (from Buck Rogers, 2430 AD by Philip Nowlan (w/D. Calkins)) A transparent "glass" made of metal. |
| 1929 | Aerocab (from Buck Rogers, 2430 AD by Philip Nowlan (w/D. Calkins)) A floating taxicab. |
| 1929 | Hypnotelevisor (from Buck Rogers, 2430 AD by Philip Nowlan (w/D. Calkins)) A device that displays memories directly on a helmet screen. |
| 1929 | Ships With Legs (from Buck Rogers, 2430 AD by Philip Nowlan (w/D. Calkins)) Space ships with mechanical limbs for walking the Earth. |
| 1929 | Human Blood Chlorophyll (from The Murgatroyd Experiment by S.P. Meek) Replacement of elements of human blood with chlorophyll. |
| 1929 | Televisor (from The Phantom Teleview by Bob Olsen) A viewing screen. |
| 1929 | Vibration Machine (from The Comet Doom by Edmond Hamilton) A device that neutralized the gravitational force of the sun on the earth. |
| 1929 | O-220 (from Tarzan at the Eath's Core by Edgar Rice Burroughs) Ultralight zeppelin |
| 1929 | Harbenite (from Tarzan at the Eath's Core by Edgar Rice Burroughs) Ultralight metal. |
| 1929 | Rocket Engine Moves Moon (from The Space Dwellers by Raymond Z. Gallun) Using the propulsive mechanism of a space ship to move a small moon or asteroid. |
| 1929 | Life Chamber (from The Chamber of Life by G. Peyton Wertenbaker) A machine-mediated, fully immersive experiential environment. |
| 1929 | Electric Kitchen (from The Shot Into Infinity by Otto Willi Gail) Food preparation in space requires safe equipment. |
| 1929 | Mechanical Hand (from Buck Rogers, 2430 AD by Philip Nowlan (w/D. Calkins)) A large robotic hand or claw, large enough to grasp a person. |
| 1929 | Pneumatic Suit (from The Shot Into Infinity by Otto Willi Gail) An airtight spacesuit. |
| 1929 | Rocket Pistol (from Buck Rogers, 2430 AD by Philip Nowlan (w/D. Calkins)) Using pistol rounds to maneuver in space. |
| 1929 | Ships Propelled By Light Pressure (from The Comet Doom by Edmond Hamilton) Space ships that use light pressure from a distant source for propulsion |
| 1929 | Brain Placed In Metal Body (from The Comet Doom by Edmond Hamilton) A robotic body with a support system for a connected organic brain. |
| 1929 | Reflectocosmic Spectrometer (from Buck Rogers, 2430 AD by Philip Nowlan (w/D. Calkins)) A device that detects and measures cosmic rays that reflect from different metals. |
| 1929 | Sol (from Out of Void by L.F. Stone) Familiar name for our own sun. |
| 1929 | Remote Telepresence Robot (from Buck Rogers, 2430 AD by Philip Nowlan (w/D. Calkins)) A very early depiction of this basic idea. |
| 1929 | Ship's Artificial Gravity (from Buck Rogers, 2430 AD by Philip Nowlan (w/D. Calkins)) A very early mention of the term. |
| 1929 | Spacesuit Testing (from The Shot Into Infinity by Otto Willi Gail) A device and method for testing spacesuits. |
| 1929 | Air Tunnel (from Through the Air Tunnel by Harl Vincent) A means of sending trains through the air. |
| 1929 | Robot Control Board (from The Robot Master by O.L. Beckwith) Control panel with small screens showing the point of view of different robots. |
| 1929 | Gravity Nullifier (from The Sky Maniac by Henri Dahl Juve) Shields a large object from the effect of gravity. |
| 1929 | Pocket Gravity Nullifier (from The Sky Maniac by Henri Dahl Juve) Personal device stops gravity's effect. |
| 1929 | Mechanical Men (from The Ancient Brain by A.G. Stangland) Remote controlled robots used to perform dangerous work. |
| 1929 | Personal Metallic Record Disc (from The Ancient Brain by A.G. Stangland) A stamped metal record that contains all of a person's data in a convenient form. |
| 1929 | Electro-Culturer (from The Ancient Brain by A.G. Stangland) A device used to artificially stimulate cell growth and development. |
| 1929 | Teleview (from The Phantom Teleview by Bob Olsen) A device for seeing at a distance. |
| 1930 | Tight-Beam (from Skylark Three by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) A method of communication that uses a very narrowly-focused stream of energy. |
| 1930 | Moon Walk (from Brigands of the Moon by Ray Cummings) Very early realistic depiction of walking on the moon in low gravity. |
| 1930 | Home Planet (from Last and First Men by Olaf Stapledon) Usually the birthplace of your species or simply your planet of origin. |
| 1930 | Solar-Powered Aircraft (from The Black Star Passes by John W. Campbell) A plane powered entirely by solar energy. |
| 1930 | Ray Pistol (from The Black Star Passes by John W. Campbell) A handheld device for projecting radiative force of some kind. |
| 1930 | Altitude Suit (from The Black Star Passes by John W. Campbell) Special gear for venturing out at high altitude or even space. |
| 1930 | Shield (from Skylark Three by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) Early name for a defensive force field. |
| 1930 | Artificial Island (from Between Earth and Moon by Otfrid von Hanstein) An entirely artificial, floating island. |
| 1930 | Helicops (from The Black Star Passes by John W. Campbell) Small, private flyers for business commuting. |
| 1930 | Face-Plate (from Skylark Three by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) The transparent front of a space suit helmet. |
| 1930 | Glassite (from Brigands of the Moon by Ray Cummings) A transparent material of great strength. |
| 1930 | Artificial Gravity System (from Last and First Men by Olaf Stapledon) Producing a gravity field without a large nearby mass. |
| 1930 | Artificial Transparent Element (from Last and First Men by Olaf Stapledon) A substance as strong as metal that you can see through. |
| 1930 | Artificial Gravity (from Brigands of the Moon by Ray Cummings) Procuring gravitational forces without a suitably large mass. |
| 1930 | Lux (from The Black Star Passes by John W. Campbell) A bar of solidified light. |
| 1930 | Lunar Mining (from Brigands of the Moon by Ray Cummings) Very early (first?) reference to mining operations on the moon. |
| 1930 | Rocket Side Tubes (from Evans of the Earth-Guard by Edmond Hamilton) An early description of attitude jets, course correction by small emissions of gas. |
| 1930 | Shock-Absorbing Seats (from Evans of the Earth-Guard by Edmond Hamilton) Perfect for the many gravities of acceleration upon take-off. |
| 1930 | Vacuum Armor (from Skylark Three by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) An armor-plated space suit. |
| 1930 | Neutronium (from Skylark Three by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) Extremely dense material. |
| 1930 | Magnalloy (from The Cave of Horror by S.P. Meek) A durable form of magnesium. |
| 1930 | Death Projector (from The Stolen Mind by M.L. Staley) Wide angle Ray of death! |
| 1930 | Automatic Cultivators (from Piracy Preferred by John W. Campbell) Agricultural robots. |
| 1930 | Gyroscope Seats (from The Black Star Passes by John W. Campbell) Your best bet for remaining at the right angle to the force of acceleration. |
| 1930 | Eavesdropping Ray (from Brigands of the Moon by Ray Cummings) A device that allows others to hear from outside ordinary locked rooms. |
| 1930 | Low-scale Detectors (from Brigands of the Moon by Ray Cummings) Magnifies even the smallest sound. |
| 1930 | Matched-Frequency Separable Units (from Skylark Three by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) Devices that can draw power wirelessly from a matched source. |
| 1930 | Ray Gun (Handheld) (from The Black Star Passes by John W. Campbell) A weapon shaped like a handgun that shoots rays of energy. |
| 1930 | Spaceport (from The Birth of a New Republic by M. Breuer (w/J. Williamson)) A location on the surface of a planet used for launching vehicles into space. |
| 1930 | Planets Made Habitable (from Last and First Men by Olaf Stapledon) A plan to "terraform" a planet to improve its habitability by human beings. |
| 1930 | Space Lock (from The Black Star Passes by John W. Campbell) An airlock on a spacecraft. |
| 1930 | Visiplate (from Skylark Three by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) A flat screen for viewing remote images. |
| 1930 | One-Man Rocket (from Evans of the Earth-Guard by Edmond Hamilton) A small rocket ship with only a pilot. |
| 1930 | Gravity Assist (from Brigands of the Moon by Ray Cummings) Using the gravity and orbital speed of a celestial body to change speed and course of a spacecraft. |
| 1930 | Space Pirate (from Evans of the Earth-Guard by Edmond Hamilton) Space ships taken against their will. |
| 1930 | Asteroid From Outside Solar System (from Brigands of the Moon by Ray Cummings) An asteroid or similar body that comes from outside the solar system; an interstellar body. |
| 1930 | Oxygen Space Flare (from Brigands of the Moon by Ray Cummings) A flare that burns inside a glass bulb with oxygen. |
| 1930 | The Cosmic Express (from The Cosmic Express by Jack Williamson) A means of transmitting matter wirelessly. |
| 1930 | Pencil Heat Ray (from Brigands of the Moon by Ray Cummings) An offensive, man-portable heat ray. |
| 1930 | Moon Dome (from Brigands of the Moon by Ray Cummings) A permanent domed structure for living on the Moon. |
| 1930 | Invisible Cloak (from Brigands of the Moon by Ray Cummings) A cloak that renders the wearer invisible. |
| 1930 | Paralyzing Ray (from Brigands of the Moon by Ray Cummings) Stops body motions. |
| 1931 | Suit-Phone (from The Sargasso of Space by Edmond Hamilton) A means of wireless communication between individuals dressed in space suits. |
| 1931 | Wreck-Pack (from The Sargasso of Space by Edmond Hamilton) An agglomeration of wrecked spacecraft drawn together by mutual gravitational attraction in the 'dead area' of the solar system. |
| 1931 | Faster-Than-Light (from Islands of Space by John W. Campbell) Describes something that exceeds the usual speed limit on physical objects of 186,282 miles per second in vacuum. |
| 1931 | Light Speed (from Out Around Rigel by Clyde Wilson) Using the speed of light at a unit of velocity. |
| 1931 | Time Stream (from Time Stream by John Taine) The total sequence of events considered as a kind of flow. |
| 1931 | Virtual Assembly (from If The Sun Died by R.F. Starzl) Use of holograms to accomplish an assembly of people. |
| 1931 | Gravograph (from The Sargasso of Space by Edmond Hamilton) A graphical representation of gravitational fields. |
| 1931 | Astrogator (from The Conquest of Space by David Lasser) A person who acts as navigator for s space ship. |
| 1931 | Deflector (from On Board the Martian Liner by Miles J. Breuer) A means of pushing aside asteroids that get in the path of your space ship. |
| 1931 | Pressor (Pressor Beam) (from Space Hounds of IPC by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) A force-field beam that pushes, rather than pulls. |
| 1931 | Sargasso of Space (from The Sargasso of Space by Edmond Hamilton) A "dead area" in which the gravitational fields of the planets are cancelled out. |
| 1931 | Vita-Light (from If The Sun Died by R.F. Starzl) A special form of bulb or light source that could keep people who were never exposed to the sun perfectly healthy. |
| 1931 | Thought-receptor Vote-counting Machine (from If The Sun Died by R.F. Starzl) That's one way to do a plebiscite. |
| 1931 | Telucid (from If The Sun Died by R.F. Starzl) A holographic projector. |
| 1931 | Free Fall (from Islands of Space by John W. Campbell) Phrase describing how bodies move in orbit. |
| 1931 | Thought Screen (from The Emperor of the Stars by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat)) A material screen that is worn by the user, upon which are projected the mental images of the user. |
| 1931 | Robot Revolt (from The Exile of Time by Ray Cummings) Robots to throw off the yoke of Man? |
| 1931 | Artificial Atmosphere Machine (from Venus Mines, Incorporated by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat)) Not just oxygen, this gives you what you need in space. |
| 1931 | Gravity Belt (from Venus Mines, Incorporated by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat)) Adds 'weight' for walking on asteroids. |
| 1931 | Disintegrator Plate Ray (from The Revolt of the Machines by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat)) Ray cuts through metal like butter. |
| 1931 | Jovium (from Venus Mines, Incorporated by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat)) Rocket fuel catalyst that makes space travel commercially practical. |
| 1931 | Argento-Platinoid Dispatch Box (from Venus Mines, Incorporated by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat)) Impenetrable message carriers. |
| 1931 | Curtain (Force Barrier) (from Venus Mines, Incorporated by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat)) An easily set-up protective force barrier. |
| 1931 | Emergency Corrective Rockets (from The Emperor of the Stars by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat)) Used when you seem to be off-course in your spaceship. |
| 1931 | Energy Curtain Key (from Venus Mines, Incorporated by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat)) A small handheld "key" to shut off a force field. |
| 1931 | Transparent Spherical Ship (from The Emperor of the Stars by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat)) A huge sphere of quartz housing a platform for space use. |
| 1931 | Magnetic Clamps (from Twelve Hours To Live by Jack Williamson) Used for attaching your craft to a larger spaceship. |
| 1931 | Neutronic Dust (from Twelve Hours To Live by Jack Williamson) What's left over when you've annihilated matter. |
| 1931 | Atmosphere Tester (from The Emperor of the Stars by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat)) A device used to test the composition of a sample of the atmosphere on another planet, to see if it is breathable by humans. |
| 1931 | Zero-Ray (from An Adventure in Futurity by Clark Ashton Smith) Inflicts a fatal frostbite on living tissue. |
| 1931 | Space-Helmet (from The Sargasso of Space by Edmond Hamilton) A 'fishbowl-style' head covering for space explorers. |
| 1931 | Space Helmet (from The Disc-Men of Jupiter by Manly Wade Wellman) Headgear for space explorers. |
| 1931 | Heliocar (from The Prince of Space by Jack Williamson) Ground vehicle that can also lift off like a helicopter. |
| 1931 | Paralyzing Blast (from The Exile of Time by Ray Cummings) A red Ray of light that freezes those it falls upon. |
| 1931 | Control Disk (from The Slave Ship From Space by A.R. Holmes) |
| 1931 | Metal Monster (from The Doom From Planet 4 by Jack Williamson) A large robotic device with legs. |
| 1931 | Vision-Tube (from The Doom From Planet 4 by Jack Williamson) A kind of seeing device like a short-range telescope. |
| 1931 | Robot-Deranger (from The Exile of Time by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat)) A device that confuses the cognitive functions of robots. |
| 1931 | Robot Waiter (from The Death Cloud by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat)) Robotic restaurant servitor. |
| 1931 | Robot Waiter (from The Death Cloud by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat)) Robotic restaurant servitor. |
| 1931 | Propulsion Gun (from Venus Mines, Incorporated by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat)) What can you push against in space? |
| 1931 | Gate (from The Gate to Xoran by Hal K. Wells) A gate through spacetime to other worlds. |
| 1931 | Ultra-Telescope Ray (from The Moon Weed by Harl Vincent) A transporter Ray that works over interplanetary distances. |
| 1931 | Deviatoscope (from The Emperor of the Stars by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat)) A device that registered how much your course diverged from what you intended. |
| 1931 | Ownership of Machines (from The Revolt of the Machines by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat)) Who will own the machines that produce material abundance? |
| 1931 | Dressing Machines (from The Revolt of the Machines by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat)) Semi-autonomous guided devices that could dress a person in ordinary clothing. |
| 1931 | Annihilator Beam (from The Conquest of Gola by L.F. Stone) A deadly ray that literally dissolved matter! |
| 1931 | Death Bath (from The Revolt of the Machines by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat)) A suicide chamber. |
| 1931 | Thought Coil (Machine Intelligence) (from The Revolt of the Machines by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat)) Specially designed hardware that imparts intelligence to machines. |
| 1931 | Master Machine (from The Revolt of the Machines by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat)) One single machine to run a civilization! |
| 1931 | Time-Telespectroscope. (from The Exile of Time by Ray Cummings) See other time-travelers. |
| 1931 | Sodaluminum (from Exiles of the Moon by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat)) Lightweight and tough! |
| 1931 | Dimensoscope (from The Fifth-Dimension Catapult by Murray Leinster) A telescope for peering into other dimensions. |
| 1931 | Attractor (from The Conquest of Gola by L.F. Stone) A beam capable of holding objects motionless, as well as adjusting their position. |
| 1931 | Force-Field (from Islands of Space by John W. Campbell) A barrier to objects, created by projected forces. |
| 1931 | Object-Finder Beam (from The Conquest of Gola by L.F. Stone) A unique device that projected a beam that found what you wanted. |
| 1931 | Moon Run (from Exiles of the Moon by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat)) An accurate representation of running on the moon. |
| 1931 | Food Factory (from Exiles of the Moon by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat)) Mechanized production of food by entirely artificial means. |
| 1931 | Recoil Pistol (from Exiles of the Moon by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat)) A handheld device that permits a spaceman to manuever in zero gravity. |
| 1931 | Synthetic Food Factories (from The Revolt of the Machines by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat)) Food production without soil. |
| 1931 | Rocket Liner (from Exiles of the Moon by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat)) A rocket designed for point-to-point Earth journeys; it goes well into the stratosphere. |
| 1931 | Integral Calculator (from Exiles of the Moon by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat)) A device that accepts complex equations and solves them. |
| 1931 | Alpha Insert (from Exiles of the Moon by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat)) A special compound used to seal punctures in space craft. |
| 1931 | Mutation (from The Man Who Evolved by Edmond Hamilton) An organism that has come into being through genetic mutation. |
| 1931 | Stationary Sidewalk (from Exiles of the Moon by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat)) A sidewalk that is fixed permanently in one location; not a sliding walkway. |
| 1931 | Communication Disk (from Exiles of the Moon by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat)) A wearable device that told the time as updated from a central source. |
| 1931 | Tele-Audiovized Meeting (from Exiles of the Moon by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat)) Teleconferencing done right. |
| 1931 | Robot Vending Machine (from The Prince of Space by Jack Williamson) Machinery displaces news boys selling papers on street corners. |
| 1931 | Satellite Photography for Surveillance (from The Prince of Space by Jack Williamson) Use of pictures taken from near Earth orbit for reconnaissance in a military operation. |
| 1931 | Motor Torpedo (from The Prince of Space by Jack Williamson) A terrestrial torpedo, driven by ion beams. |
| 1931 | Photograph of Earth from Space (from The Prince of Space by Jack Williamson) An aerial photograph from outside the atmosphere. |
| 1931 | Self-Sustaining Space Craft (from The Prince of Space by Jack Williamson) A spacecraft ecosystem. |
| 1931 | Beam-Powered Propulsion (from The Prince of Space by Jack Williamson) Using a powerful energy source as motive power for a projectile. |
| 1931 | Positive Ray Propulsion (Ion Drive) (from The Prince of Space by Jack Williamson) An ion drive. |
| 1931 | Space Liner (from On Board the Martian Liner by Miles J. Breuer) A large, passenger-carrying space ship. |
| 1931 | Sunship (from The Prince of Space by Jack Williamson) A space craft powered entirely by the sun. |
| 1931 | Tractor Beam (from Space Hounds of IPC by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) A force field used to pull objects. |
| 1931 | Microhands (from Microhands (Микроруки) by Boris Zhitkov) Mechanical replica of hands, that mimic the movements of actual human hands. |
| 1931 | Space Suit (from The Emperor of the Stars by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat)) Special protective gear worn as protection in space. |
| 1931 | Centipede-Machine (from Monsters of Mars by Edmond Hamilton) Multi-legged transport. |
| 1931 | Sensitive Robot Fingers (from The Exile of Time by Ray Cummings) Special sensory capabilities of robotic appendages. |
| 1931 | Kundrenaline (from The Hands of Aten by H.G. Winter) Revives even a dead man's heart. |
| 1931 | Selective Electric Eye (from Exiles of the Moon by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat)) A facial recognition device. |
| 1931 | Vitalium (from The Prince of Space by Jack Williamson) A rare radioactive metal which enables solar power cells. |
| 1931 | Space-Liner (from Twelve Hours To Live by Jack Williamson) A passenger ship in space. |
| 1931 | Disruptor Tube (Disruptor Ray) (from The Emperor of the Stars by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat)) A device that interrupted the very bonds between atoms. |
| 1931 | Pentavalent Nitrogen (from Space Hounds of IPC by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) A high explosive formed from nitrogen. |
| 1931 | Photoelectric Course Warning (from Out Around Rigel by Robert H. Wilson) A means of keeping a spaceship on course using a selected star and a photoelectric cell. |
| 1931 | Evolution Machine (from The Man Who Evolved by Edmond Hamilton) A device that accelerates the process of evolution by millions of times. |
| 1931 | Helio-Beryllium (from Out Around Rigel by Robert H. Wilson) Unusual alloy combines a metal and a gas. |
| 1931 | City of Space (from The Prince of Space by Jack Williamson) A very early reference to an enormous cylindrical space station. |
| 1931 | Conveyor Ribbon (from Exiles of the Moon by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat)) A moving sidewalk. |
| 1931 | Power Planet (from Power Planet by Murray Leinster) A satellite that supplies the Earth with power. |
| 1931 | Centrifugal Force Creates 'Artificial Gravity' (from The Prince of Space by Jack Williamson) Using centrifugal force in a rotating cylinder as a substitute for gravity. |
| 1931 | Matter Transmitter (from The Conquest of Gola by L.F. Stone) Device which causes a physical object to disappear from one place and reappear in another. |
| 1931 | Ultra-Light Vision System (from Space Hounds of IPC by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) A viewing technology able to see through and even within most objects. |
| 1931 | Mechanical Thought Transformers (from The Conquest of Gola by L.F. Stone) Machinery to expedite the process of thought transfer. |
| 1931 | Flame Pistol (from Invisible Ships by Harl Vincent) A hand-held weapon that incinerates opponents. |
| 1931 | Televisiophone (from Islands of Space by John W. Campbell) A device that combines picture with sound for personal communication. |
| 1931 | Radio Meteor Detector (from Islands of Space by John W. Campbell) A device carried by space ships that could detect meteors in space early enough to avoid them. |
| 1931 | Pneumatic Tube Station (from Exiles of the Moon by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat)) Passengers are sealed into a narrow cylinder that is shot through a pressurized tube to their destination. |
| 1931 | Teleradio Control (Hand Flash) (from Exiles of the Moon by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat)) A device that can call a vehicle to a driver; it drives itself in a near-autonomous fashion to the caller. |
| 1931 | Reaction-Motors (from Twelve Hours To Live by Jack Williamson) A spacecraft engine that works by firing matter out at high speed. |
| 1931 | Groundling (from Exiles of the Moon by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat)) A person who does not fly, especially into space. |
| 1931 | Gravito-Statoscope (from The Emperor of the Stars by Nat Schachner (w. AL Zagat)) An instrument used to detect the gravitational influences on a space ship. |
| 1931 | Normal Space (from Islands of Space by John W. Campbell) As opposed to hyperspace. |
| 1931 | Protonite (from Twelve Hours To Live by Jack Williamson) Radioactive fuel for spacecraft. |
| 1931 | Matter Annihilation Ray (from Twelve Hours To Live by Jack Williamson) A beam that forces electrons into protons, thereby destroying ordinary matter. |
| 1932 | Bone-Building Compounds (from A Conquest of Two Worlds by Edmond Hamilton) Combat heavy gravity on other planets by building greater bone density in workers and colonists. |
| 1932 | Battle Sphere (from The Space Rover by Edwin K. Sloat) An armored space ship using the simplest geometric shape. |
| 1932 | Alpha Plus (from Brave New World by Aldous Huxley) Intervening in the physical development of humans can result in enhancements. |
| 1932 | Surta (from The Great Dome of Mercury by Leo Zagat) A base material for synthetic food. |
| 1932 | Sunward (from The Space Rover by Edwin K. Sloat) The direction leading toward the center of the solar system. |
| 1932 | Bokanovsky's Process (from Brave New World by Aldous Huxley) A very early description of cloning. |
| 1932 | Wandering Worlds (from When Worlds Collide by Edwin Balmer (w/P. Wylie)) Planets that are attached to no sun, and roam interstellar space. |
| 1932 | Magnet Grapnel (from The Space Rover by Edwin K. Sloat) Used to pull another vessel closer when boarding in space. |
| 1932 | Space Men (from Revolt of the Star Men by Raymond Z. Gallun) Human beings who travel and work in space. |
| 1932 | Negative Gravity Field (from 50th Century Revolt by A.G. Stangland) Antigravity effect produced for space ship propulsion. |
| 1932 | Antigravity (from The Vanguard of Neptune by J.M. Walsh) A force opposed to gravity. |
| 1932 | Space-Armor (from Revolt of the Star Men by Raymond Z. Gallun) Special shielding worn against rays and explosives. |
| 1932 | Feelies (Feely) (from Brave New World by Aldous Huxley) Device adds the tactile element to entertainment. |
| 1932 | Meteor Warning System (from A Conquest of Two Worlds by Edmond Hamilton) A system that provided rockets in flight with early warning of meteors. |
| 1932 | Rigid Metallic Clothing (from A Conquest of Two Worlds by Edmond Hamilton) An early exoskeleton. |
| 1932 | Tele-Screen (from After Armageddon by Francis Flagg) A display screen for live events. |
| 1932 | Hypnopædia (Sleep-Teaching) (from Brave New World by Aldous Huxley) The idea that a person can learn explicit subject matter while sleeping. |
| 1932 | Centrifugal Bumble-Puppy (from Brave New World by Aldous Huxley) Futuristic children's game. |
| 1932 | News-Dispenser (from After Armageddon by Francis Flagg) Audio news ready when you are. |
| 1932 | Scent-Organ (from Brave New World by Aldous Huxley) A device that output specified odors. |
| 1932 | Diskoid (from Slaves of Mercury by Nat Schachner) A huge flying saucer. |
| 1932 | Automatic Truck (from Mechanocracy by Miles J. Breuer) A cargo-carrying vehicle that autonomously drives to the selected destination. |
| 1932 | Atomic Pistol (from Mutiny on Mercury by Clifford Simak) Reduces the target to atomic dust. |
| 1932 | Electro-Gun (from Pirates of the Gorm by Nat Schachner) It shoots electro-bullets. |
| 1932 | Electro-Bullet (from Pirates of the Gorm by Nat Schachner) Fired by an electro-gun. |
| 1932 | Attraction Ray (from Pirates of the Gorm by Nat Schachner) In effect, a tractor beam. |
| 1932 | Ship's Magnetic Plates (Magnetic Mooring) (from Asteroid of Gold by Clifford Simak) Keeps a mining ship attached to the surface of an asteroid. |
| 1932 | Conveyor (from Slaves of Mercury by Nat Schachner) A great moving belt carrying people between cities. |
| 1932 | Sun-Tube (from Slaves of Mercury by Nat Schachner) A slicing ray of death! |
| 1932 | Jump (from Invaders From The Infinite by John W. Campbell) Instantaneous movement over vast distances, points many light-years apart. |
| 1932 | Polarization Apparatus (from Slaves of Mercury by Nat Schachner) A device that caused a space ship to repel the Earth and send a space ship on its way. |
| 1932 | Smoke Jets (Air Leak Detection) (from The Great Dome of Mercury by Leo Zagat) A means of determining the location of air leaks in a building built on an airless moon. |
| 1932 | Asteroid Mining (Blasting) (from Asteroid of Gold by Clifford Simak) Setting charges on an asteroid. |
| 1932 | Pent House (from The Pent House by David H. Keller) An island in the sky - a hermetically sealed skyscraper isolated entirely from its surroundings. |
| 1932 | Manufactured Planet (from The Heritage of the Earth by Harley S. Aldinger) Is that a moon - or a space station? |
| 1932 | Spaceship Garden (from The Heritage of the Earth by Harley S. Aldinger) A fully-enclosed garden on a spaceship producing edible foodstuffs. |
| 1932 | Weather Machine (from Slaves of Mercury by Nat Schachner) A device for controlling the weather. |
| 1932 | Government Machine (from Mechanocracy by Miles J. Breuer) The automata that constitute the entire government, all in one building. |
| 1932 | Hinged Mittens (for Space Suit) (from The Bluff of the Hawk by Anthony Gilmore) Space worthy mittens for space suits. |
| 1932 | Gravity-Plates (from The Bluff of the Hawk by Anthony Gilmore) Reliable, controllable gravity force. |
| 1932 | Self-Propulsive Space Suit (from The Bluff of the Hawk by Anthony Gilmore) A space suit outfitted with its own means of movement. |
| 1932 | Search Beams (from Slaves of Mercury by Nat Schachner) Penetrating rays that disclose the contents of rooms, ships, etc. |
| 1932 | Super-Photon (from Invaders From The Infinite by John W. Campbell) Three photons in one. |
| 1932 | Space-Boat (from Revolt of the Star Men by Raymond Z. Gallun) A small space-worthy craft for use in emergencies. |
| 1932 | Space-Boots (from The Passing of Ku Sui by Anthony Gilmore) Special footgear for spacemen. |
| 1932 | Telectroscope (from Invaders From The Infinite by John W. Campbell) A much better telescope than yours. |
| 1932 | Electro-Magnet Anchor (from The Space Rover by Edwin K. Sloat) Attach a line to a spacecraft hull. |
| 1932 | Space Freighter (from The Space Rover by Edwin K. Sloat) A large spacecraft used for heavy cargo; can lift off from the Earth or other planets. |
| 1932 | Emergency Space-Boat (from Revolt of the Star Men by Raymond Z. Gallun) An escape ship. |
| 1932 | Space-Drive (from Invaders From The Infinite by John W. Campbell) A means of providing propulsion for a spacecraft. |
| 1932 | Pneumatic-Tube Zone (from Mechanocracy by Miles J. Breuer) The portion of a city that is served by direct tubes to each dwelling. |
| 1932 | Artificial Womb (from Brave New World by Aldous Huxley) A room in which a human embryo waits for the necessary months as a fetus, preparing for birth (decanting). |
| 1932 | Quartzite Leak Foil (from The Great Dome of Mercury by Leo Zagat) Special material for space dome leaks. |
| 1932 | Water to Cushion Acceleration (from The Derelicts of Ganymede by John W. Campbell) The use of water to cushion and protect against extreme ship accelerations. |
| 1932 | Pocket-Planet (from The Duel on the Asteroid by P. Schuyler Miller (w/D. McDermott)) An asteroid. |
| 1933 | Life-Tubes (from Salvage in Space by Jack Williamson) Escape pods for space ships. |
| 1933 | Helix Gun (from Salvage in Space by Jack Williamson) A device for capturing ferrous meteors. |
| 1933 | Vibra-Transmitter (Teleportation) (from Into the Meteorite Orbit by Frank K. Kelly) An early use of the notion of matter transmission. |
| 1933 | Spaceways (from Shambleau by C.L. Moore) A set route though space. |
| 1933 | Gateway (from Wanderer of Infinity by Harl Vincent) A device that opens a portal to another dimension. |
| 1933 | Meteor Miner (from Salvage in Space by Jack Williamson) Someone who roams the solar system, hunting for metal in meteors. |
| 1933 | Granton Motor (from Into the Meteorite Orbit by Frank K. Kelly) Spacecraft propulsion system based on gravital radiation. |
| 1933 | Food Preparation Machine (from Unto Us A Child Is Born by David H. Keller) An automated device for the production of complete meals. |
| 1933 | Synthetic Food (from Unto Us A Child Is Born by David H. Keller) Edible food for humans, grown in the laboratory. |
| 1933 | Flip to Brake (from Murder on the Asteroid by Eando Binder) Maneuver to put the tail end (with rocket output) in the forward direction of travel to use for lowering velocity. |
| 1933 | Electric Machine Gun (Railgun) (from The Battery of Hate by John W. Campbell) A device that accelerates small projectiles magnetically using a strong electric current. |
| 1933 | Osprey Space Armor (from Salvage in Space by Jack Williamson) Space suit you can live in. |
| 1933 | Corporol (from A Race Through Time by Donald Wandrei) Preserves and maintains the body. |
| 1933 | Life Boat (from Murder on the Asteroid by Eando Binder) A small space-worthy craft that can be jettisoned from a larger ship, to save its crew. |
| 1933 | Space Tug (from Murder on the Asteroid by Eando Binder) A small vessel used to maneuver other ships. |
| 1933 | Asteroid Rocket (from Salvage in Space by Jack Williamson) An engine attached to an asteroid to drive it through space. |
| 1933 | Spectro-Flash Analysis (from Salvage in Space by Jack Williamson) Device for determining the content of meteorites. |
| 1933 | Conscious Retarded Animation (from A Race Through Time by Donald Wandrei) A kind of hibernation, but leaves the user fully conscious, but aging at an incredibly slow rate. |
| 1933 | Human Serial Number (from Unto Us A Child Is Born by David H. Keller) A unique number tattooed on body of a person. |
| 1933 | Landing on an Asteroid (from Murder on the Asteroid by Eando Binder) An elaborate flight plan for landing a space ship on an asteroid. |
| 1933 | Globular Glass Helmet (from Murder on the Asteroid by Eando Binder) A bowl-shaped space helmet. |
| 1933 | Magnetic Boots (from Salvage in Space by Jack Williamson) Special footgear holds spacemen to the metal deck in spite of the lack of gravity. |
| 1933 | Seleno-Cosmo-Tel (from A Race Through Time by Donald Wandrei) Device to automatically avoid asteroids or other bodies. |
| 1933 | Anadrenalin (from A Race Through Time by Donald Wandrei) Has the opposite effect of adrenalin. |
| 1933 | Ether Boat (from Murder on the Asteroid by Eando Binder) A space craft. |
| 1934 | Electric-Space-Strain Projector (from The Mightiest Machine by John W. Campbell) Device enables the wireless transmission of power. |
| 1934 | Vibrowriter (from The Lost Language by David H. Keller) A device that translated speech and typed it out for you. |
| 1934 | Flying Wing (from Triplanetary by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) A V-shaped plane capable of flight to the edge of the atmosphere. |
| 1934 | Platinum Alloy Disc (from Triplanetary by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) A silvery disc used for data record storage. |
| 1934 | Machine City (from Twilight by John W. Campbell) A city that is a self-maintaining whole entity. |
| 1934 | Synthetic Food Dispenser (from Twilight by John W. Campbell) A machine that could make whatever food you wanted from basic elements. |
| 1934 | Visiphone (from Triplanetary by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) Visual as well as audio communication. |
| 1934 | Ether-Wall (from Triplanetary by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) An invisibility field. |
| 1934 | Standish (from Triplanetary by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) A beam weapon of frightful intensity. |
| 1934 | Robots Refuse To Serve Man (from The Mentanicals by Francis Flagg) When robots evolve their own perspectives, and ultimately refuse to act as servants to human beings. |
| 1934 | Sound-Transposing Machine (from The Lost Language by David H. Keller) A device that scans a printed page and reads it out loud. |
| 1934 | Planetary Propulsion-Blasts (from Thundering Worlds by Edmond Hamilton) Devices capable of moving and steering planets to new orbits or new stars. |
| 1934 | Acceleration-tank (from Triplanetary by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) A water-filled tank used to ease the strains of acceleration. |
| 1934 | Wine Pellets (from Redmask of the Outlands by Nat Schachner) Fine wine in convenient, dried form. |
| 1934 | Invisibility Magnets (from Redmask of the Outlands by Nat Schachner) They can cloak a space ship by bending light around it. |
| 1934 | Penetron (from Redmask of the Outlands by Nat Schachner) A synthetic substance that is opaque unless penetrated by infra-red. |
| 1934 | Homorium (from The Last Men by Frank Belknap Long, Jr.) A kind of nursery that could bring a human being to maturity in a single year. |
| 1934 | Living Machines (from The Mentanicals by Francis Flagg) Robots that are able to learn. |
| 1934 | Mentanical Communication (from The Mentanicals by Francis Flagg) Thinking, learning robots have a special means of communication. |
| 1934 | Mentanicals (from The Mentanicals by Francis Flagg) Robots capable of mentation - i.e., thought. |
| 1934 | Bergenholm Drive (from Triplanetary by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) A device that renders a spaceship free of inertia. |
| 1934 | Impermite (from Redmask of the Outlands by Nat Schachner) A substance that is impervious to penetration. |
| 1934 | Ultrawave (from Triplanetary by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) A means of faster-than-light (FTL) communication. |
| 1934 | 3D Tank Display (from Triplanetary by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) A transparent cube showing a three-dimensional display. |
| 1934 | Space Warp (from Redmask of the Outlands by Nat Schachner) The very fabric of space-time. |
| 1934 | Air-Car (from A Matter of Size by Harry Bates) A personal flying car |
| 1934 | Liquid Mirror Telescope on Mars (from Old Faithful by Raymond Z. Gallun) A large telescope using a spinning bowl of mercury as the mirror. |
| 1934 | Automatic Navigator (from A Matter of Size by Harry Bates) Device steers your spaceship to its destination without additional effort from you. |
| 1934 | Needle-Ray (from Skylark of Valeron by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) Very thin beam of destruction. |
| 1934 | Glass Pistol (from A Martian Odyssey by Stanley G. Weinbaum) A clear glass gun that fires poisoned splinters. |
| 1934 | Healing Crystal (from A Martian Odyssey by Stanley G. Weinbaum) A small object that burns off diseased tissue, leaving healthy tissue unharmed. |
| 1934 | Spy Ray Goggles (from Triplanetary by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) A form of radiation that can penetrate walls to allow the user to 'see' what is happening on the other side. |
| 1934 | Mutant (from The 100th Generation by Nat Schachner) A new organism resulting from an alteration in the DNA sequence of its genome or chromosome. |
| 1934 | Out-Worlder (from A Matter of Size by Harry Bates) A person from another planet. |
| 1934 | Mother Ship (from Triplanetary by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) A large spacecraft that serves as home base for other (usually smaller) ships. |
| 1934 | Protective Shield (from Triplanetary by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) An energy shield for one person. |
| 1934 | Extradimensional (from Skylark of Valeron by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) From another dimension. |
| 1934 | Ablative Heat (Reentry) Shield (from Triplanetary by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) A single-use shield or covering designed to accept the heat of reentry and burn off. |
| 1934 | Darkness Bomb (from The Mightiest Machine by John W. Campbell) A small bulb containing a vapor that causes darkness to occur. |
| 1934 | Solar Engine (from A Matter of Size by Harry Bates) A space ship that gets it motive power from the rays of the sun. |
| 1934 | Wrist Search Display (from A Matter of Size by Harry Bates) A wearable device that uses its own search beam to view scenes close by. |
| 1934 | Moving a Planet (from Triplanetary by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) Early use of the concept of moving a planet to a new sun. |
| 1934 | Deep-Space (from Triplanetary by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) Typically refers to the vast empty regions of interstellar space. |
| 1934 | Ingestible Communication Capsule (from Triplanetary by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) A tiny transmitter that can be swallowed, which makes possible voice communication. |
| 1934 | Radio-Dirigible Torpedo (from Triplanetary by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) A drone missile that is controlled remotely by an operator. |
| 1934 | Manual Search For Habitable Planet (from Skylark of Valeron by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) A tedious search for habitable planets by hand. |
| 1934 | Cone of Battle (from Triplanetary by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) An offensive formation of space ships providing the ultimate in firepower. |
| 1934 | Artificial Planet (from Triplanetary by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) A very large constructed object in space. |
| 1934 | Lewiston (from Triplanetary by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) Standard blaster pistol with terrifying power. |
| 1934 | Credit (from The Mightiest Machine by John W. Campbell) A basic unit of currency. |
| 1934 | Emergency Lifeboat (from Triplanetary by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) A small craft used as a bail-out vehicle from a large space station or spacecraft. |
| 1934 | Inertialess Drive (from Triplanetary by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) Faster-than-light travel achieved! |
| 1934 | Invisibility Shield (from Triplanetary by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) A means of concealing a physical object to the naked eye. |
| 1935 | Automatic Air Mail Plane (from The Living Machine by David H. Keller) A pilotless airplane for delivery of cargo. |
| 1935 | Floater (Vehicle) (from The Machine by John W. Campbell) A conveyance distinguished primarily by antigravity power. |
| 1935 | Automated Factory (from The Hidden Colony by Otfrid von Hanstein) A factory that works entirely automatic, without human guidance. |
| 1935 | Horsten Psychomat (from The Worlds of If by Stanley G. Weinbaum) Re-creates a mental scene for the viewer. |
| 1935 | Conscious Farm Machines (from The Hidden Colony by Otfrid von Hanstein) Farm machinery that worked on their own. |
| 1935 | Driverless Car (from The Living Machine by David H. Keller) A car that drives itself; an autonomous vehicle. |
| 1935 | Flame-Pistol (from Parasite Planet by Stanley G. Weinbaum) Incinerates everything in its path. |
| 1935 | Xixtline (from Parasite Planet by Stanley G. Weinbaum) Venusian drug provides a rejuvenate effect. |
| 1935 | Subjunctivisor (from The Worlds of If by Stanley G. Weinbaum) Projects a possible future, based on your own impressions. |
| 1935 | Thermide (from Parasite Planet by Stanley G. Weinbaum) A chemical which, added to water, boiled and sterilized it instantly. |
| 1935 | Mudshoes (from Parasite Planet by Stanley G. Weinbaum) Footgear specialized for the semisolid soil of Venus |
| 1935 | Emotion Meter (from The Emotion Meter by W. Varick Nevins, III) A device for empirically determining human emotion. |
| 1935 | Fruit-Picking Machine (from The Hidden Colony by Otfrid von Hanstein) An humanoid machine for automatic fruit picking. |
| 1935 | Magic Spectacles (from Pygmalion's Spectacles by Stanley G. Weinbaum) Very early take on virtual reality hardware. |
| 1935 | No Steering Wheel Autonomous Car (from The Living Machine by David H. Keller) An autonomous vehicle without a wheel for human drivers. |
| 1935 | Thermlectrium (from Blindness by John W. Campbell) An alloy that turns heat directly into electricity. |
| 1935 | Machine (Thinking Machine) (from The Machine by John W. Campbell) A very early reference to a thinking machine in charge of a planet. |
| 1935 | Driverless Taxi (from The Living Machine by David H. Keller) A taxi that does not require a driver. |
| 1935 | Transkin (from Parasite Planet by Stanley G. Weinbaum) A hooded protective suit worn on Venus. |
| 1935 | Automatic Toll Payment (from The Living Machine by David H. Keller) An automated car that pays its own toll. |
| 1935 | Bloodhound Machine (from Crimes of the Year 2000 by Ray Cummings) Could positively identify a person using their scent alone. |
| 1935 | Trans-Oceanic Rocket (from The Worlds of If by Stanley G. Weinbaum) Also, a rocket-plane. |
| 1935 | First Contact (from Proxima Centauri by Murray Leinster) The initial encounter with a non-human race. |
| 1935 | Living Space Ship (from Proxima Centauri by Murray Leinster) A space ship made of a living substance, in this case cellulose. |
| 1936 | Wireless Wrist Intercom (from The Shape of Things To Come by H.G. Wells) A portable wireless intercom, worn on the wrist. |
| 1936 | Transparent Flat Panel Display (from The Shape of Things To Come by H.G. Wells) A fifty-inch flat panel display that is (or can be) transparent. |
| 1936 | Dimension Shifting Apparatus (from Cosmic Quest by Edmond Hamilton) Achieves faster than light space travel by moving into a different, parallel dimension. |
| 1936 | Telespectroscope (from Cosmic Quest by Edmond Hamilton) Device for searching for habitable (Earth-like) planets. |
| 1936 | Automated Search For Habitable Planets (from Cosmic Quest by Edmond Hamilton) Automated use of telescopes and other devices to search the universe for Earth-like planets. |
| 1936 | Indoor Weighted Belt (from Blood of the Moon by Ray Cummings) Device to stay grounded in low gravity on the Moon. |
| 1936 | Radiation Shield (from The Ultimate Weapon by John W. Campbell) A clever use for the water you need to take anyway. |
| 1936 | Volplane (from Blood of the Moon by Ray Cummings) A small vehicle used in transporting people around the moon's surface. |
| 1936 | Giant Flat Panel Display (from The Shape of Things To Come by H.G. Wells) Movie screen-sized flat panel display for live televised images. |
| 1936 | Planetary Engineering (from The Cometeers by Jack Williamson) Remaking or modifying an entire planet. |
| 1936 | Paralyzing Ray (Bolar Current) (from Blood of the Moon by Ray Cummings) A beam that forces a person to remain rooted to a particular spot. |
| 1936 | Zed-Ray (from Blood of the Moon by Ray Cummings) A penetrating beam that would disclose the details inside of a closed object. |
| 1936 | Audiphone (from Blood of the Moon by Ray Cummings) Communication between space suits in the airless void of space. |
| 1936 | Protective Energy Halo (from The Scarab by Raymond Z. Gallun) A device that cast a hemisphere of protective beams. |
| 1936 | Starways (from Blood of the Moon by Ray Cummings) The well-traveled paths from star to star. |
| 1936 | Emergency Repulsion (Repulsive Ray) (from Blood of the Moon by Ray Cummings) A beam of force that repels one object from another. |
| 1936 | Electro-Telescope (from Blood of the Moon by Ray Cummings) A device that could clearly image space battles from a great distance. |
| 1936 | Vision Tubes (from The Scarab by Raymond Z. Gallun) Microminaturized vision for UAV's. |
| 1936 | Electronized Gravity Plate (from Blood of the Moon by Ray Cummings) Artificial gravity for use on space stations and spacecraft. |
| 1936 | Shoggoths (from At the Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft) Bioengineered creatures, able to change shape, created for labor. |
| 1936 | Android (from The Cometeers by Jack Williamson) A synthetic being having the form of a human being. |
| 1936 | Robot With Human's Brain (from Revenge of the Robot by Otis Adelbert Kline) A very early example of encasing a human brain in a robotic body. |
| 1936 | Desktop Flat Panel Intercom (from The Shape of Things To Come by H.G. Wells) A small desktop screen intercom system. |
| 1936 | Wire Gun (from Shadow Gold by Ray Cummings) Shoots a length of constricting wire. |
| 1936 | Probability Time Wave Tube (from Elimination by John W. Campbell) A device that allows the user to see every possible event. |
| 1936 | Dark Vapor Bubble (from Man-Jewels for Xothar by H.G. Wells) A kind of field that keeps an alien base provided with an atmosphere. |
| 1936 | Beckerley Electrical Field (from Smothered Seas by R.M. Farley (w/SG Weinbaum)) An energy field that can protect a city or large area. |
| 1936 | Vitrisheen (from Moon Crystals by J. Harvey Haggard) A translucent glass-like fashion choice. |
| 1936 | Luxobe Crystals (from Moon Crystals by J. Harvey Haggard) They give light. |
| 1936 | Needle Beam Gat (from Moon Crystals by J. Harvey Haggard) A thin disintegrator beam. |
| 1936 | Cartograph (from The Cometeers by Jack Williamson) A device that shows you a record of your travels - a GPS readout. |
| 1936 | Photoelectric Telescope (Photoelectric Eyes) (from The Cometeers by Jack Williamson) An astronomical telescope that uses the photoelectric effect to gather light, and then to present the finished image on a screen. |
| 1936 | Geodynes (from The Cometeers by Jack Williamson) Spacecraft propulsion that pushes against the very fabric of space itself. |
| 1936 | Scarab Robot Flying Insect (from The Scarab by Raymond Z. Gallun) A tiny flying robotic machine, used for surveillance. |
| 1936 | Gravity Detector (from The Cometeers by Jack Williamson) A device capable of detecting the gravitational field of a distant mass. |
| 1936 | Tubular Field of Force (from The Cometeers by Jack Williamson) Can pull an object through space. |
| 1936 | Atom Compactor (Metal Earthworm) (from Death Dives Deep by Paul Ernst) A tunneling device. |
| 1937 | Proton Pistol (Proton Beam) (from A Menace in Miniature by Raymond Z. Gallun) A device that unleashed a 'protonic storm' of energy. |
| 1937 | Gravity Neutralizing Disks (from Fessenden's Worlds by Edmond Hamilton) Two plates between which Earth's gravitational influence is cancelled out. |
| 1937 | Miniature Universe (from Fessenden's Worlds by Edmond Hamilton) A microcosmic universe created in the laboratory. |
| 1937 | Designed Bacteria (from Seeds of Dusk by Raymond Z. Gallun) Very early reference to the idea of bacteria designed to wipe out a particular species, and no others. |
| 1937 | Vibration Screen (from The Shining One by Nat Schachner) Subtle rays prevent electronic surveillance. |
| 1937 | Groundcar (or Ground Car) (from Galactic Patrol by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) A non-skimming, non-flying vehicle. |
| 1937 | Electelscope (from The Cavern of the Shining Pool by Leo Zagat) Telescope uses electronics applied to optics. |
| 1937 | Ether Eddy (from The Cavern of the Shining Pool by Leo Zagat) A shimmering region of space marking a break-through into another universe. |
| 1937 | Nose Tubes (from The Cavern of the Shining Pool by Leo Zagat) Rocket blasts from the front of a ship, to brake it. |
| 1937 | Stratocar (from The Cavern of the Shining Pool by Leo Zagat) A vehicle intended for use in traveling through the upper atmosphere. |
| 1937 | Self-Propelled Space Suit (from The Cavern of the Shining Pool by Leo Zagat) A vacuum suit with a means of propelling itself built in. |
| 1937 | Ultra-microrobot (from A Menace in Miniature by Raymond Z. Gallun) A nanomachine; a machine whose parts are no bigger than atoms. |
| 1937 | Alien Life Form (from The Hothouse Planet by Arthur K. Barnes) Living organisms of non-Earth origin. |
| 1937 | Spectroscopic Robot Converter (from Diamond Planetoid by Gordon A. Giles) Accepted the return of soft x-ray radiation, and translated it into Fraunhofer spectra. |
| 1937 | Reaction Pistol (from Diamond Planetoid by Gordon A. Giles) A hand-held device for maneuvering in zero gravity in a space suit. |
| 1937 | Etherometer (from Spawn of the Red Giants by Frank Belknap Long, Jr.) A device that looked at the 'ether' pervading space as a means of determining gravitation field strength. |
| 1937 | Heat Generating Magnetic Disks (from Spawn of the Red Giants by Frank Belknap Long, Jr.) Devices used to artificially raise the temperature of the surface of moons to a reasonable level. |
| 1937 | Concentrated Light (from The Shining One by Nat Schachner) Beam of powerfully concentrated light pressure. |
| 1937 | Subphoton Search Ray (from The Shining One by Nat Schachner) A special ray beam that penetrates into hidden bunkers; images are caught on special film cameras. |
| 1937 | Multiple Sample Voice (from The Shining One by Nat Schachner) The use of multiple voice samples to create a single, smoothed voice. |
| 1937 | X Gun (X-Beam Projector) (from Diamond Planetoid by Gordon A. Giles) A device that projected soft x-rays into small planetoids to determine their composition. |
| 1937 | Blast-Off (from The Cavern of the Shining Pool by Leo Zagat) The act of firing a rocket into space. |
| 1937 | Space Laboratory (from Crystalized Thought by Nat Schachner) A specialized space station, for scientific research. |
| 1937 | Sono-Induction Coils (from The Shining One by Nat Schachner) A public address system consisting of buried coils. |
| 1937 | Artificial eye (from Galactic Patrol by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) A surgically-implanted artificial eyeball. |
| 1937 | Artificial Planet (from Star Maker by Olaf Stapledon) Constructed bodies the size of planets for habitation. |
| 1937 | Near-Space Solar Energy Collectors (from Star Maker by Olaf Stapledon) Generating power from solar radiation closer to the source. |
| 1937 | Gold-Fish-Bowl World (from Star Maker by Olaf Stapledon) An artificial water planet. |
| 1937 | Drop Shaft (Neutralization of Inertia) (from Galactic Patrol by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) An 'elevator shaft' in which the user can fall at the speed of gravity, then be stopped without inertia (i.e., instantly). |
| 1937 | Sub-Space (from Crystallized Thought by Nat Schachner) A dimension or a transmission medium other than our own, which allows faster-than-light communication or movement. |
| 1937 | Blast Rifle (from Exiles of the Stratosphere by Frank Belknap Long, Jr.) A gun that creates a short-range energy blast. |
| 1937 | Photo-Electric Mosaic (from Beyond Which Limits by Nat Schachner) A means of capturing astronomical images. |
| 1937 | Light Traps (Dyson Sphere) (from Star Maker by Olaf Stapledon) Surrounding a sun, a set of devices to capture or focus solar power. |
| 1937 | Rocket Tug (from Crystalized Thought by Nat Schachner) The equivalent of a tug boat for space ships. |
| 1937 | Plani-Glass (from Crystalized Thought by Nat Schachner) Transparent and light and has the tensile strength of steel! |
| 1937 | Automatic Reversed Memory (from Brain Control by Dave Cummins) A device that activates memories and plays them back in reverse order. |
| 1937 | Mercy Gas (from The Saga of Pelican West by Eric Frank Russell) Breathe it and die. |
| 1937 | Poldek (from The Saga of Pelican West by Eric Frank Russell) Ability to sense life. |
| 1937 | Magnetic Anchor (from The Saga of Pelican West by Eric Frank Russell) A means of affixing an anchor point on a spacecraft hull. |
| 1937 | Ultra-Communicator (from Galactic Patrol by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) A communication system that transfers voice commands from one person to selected others. |
| 1937 | Repulsor Screen (from Crystalized Thought by Nat Schachner) Diverts troublesome asteroids. |
| 1938 | Reversal Coils (from The Infinite Enemy by Jack Williamson) Provide both entry into a negative universe and propulsion. |
| 1938 | Robotic Animals (from Reunion on Ganymede by Clifford Simak) Artificial animals created using robotic elements. |
| 1938 | Alcatraz of Space (from Reunion on Ganymede by Clifford Simak) A planetoid prison. |
| 1938 | Robot Cook (from Helen O'Loy by Lester del Rey) A household robot that can cook meals. |
| 1938 | Magnetic Shoes (from The Dual World by Arthur K. Barnes) Footgear magnetized for working on steel hulls. |
| 1938 | Air-Blanket (from Hollywood on the Moon by Henry Kuttner) A dome-less protective air shield. |
| 1938 | Artificial Eye Drone (from Glimpse by Manly Wade Wellman) A remote flying device that transmits its view to the operator. |
| 1938 | Mass Detector (Gravitator) (from Roamer of the Stars by Clyde Wilson) A device that finds substantial masses, particularly in the path of a space craft. |
| 1938 | Steel-Lined Space Boots (from Roamer of the Stars by Clyde Wilson) In combination with a magnetized floor, allows the user to walk in zero gravity. |
| 1938 | Magnetic Flame Gun (from Roamer of the Stars by Clyde Wilson) Device shoots charged positive nuclei. |
| 1938 | Helen O'Loy (from Helen O'Loy by Lester del Rey) A robot is enhanced to offer feelings and affection. |
| 1938 | Psychode (from The Infinite Enemy by Jack Williamson) A device that enables communication by thought alone. |
| 1938 | Preserved Brains (from Murder in the Void by Edmond Hamilton) Preserving a brain, and then communicating with it. |
| 1938 | Space-Court (from Murder in the Void by Edmond Hamilton) The place of judgement for crimes committed in interstellar space. |
| 1938 | Invisible Watchmen (from Murder in the Void by Edmond Hamilton) Automated 'home security' sentry system that targets and eliminates intruders. |
| 1938 | Brain-Case (from Murder in the Void by Edmond Hamilton) A device designed to transport a living human (or alien, if similar) brain. |
| 1938 | Radium Salt (from Murder in the Void by Edmond Hamilton) Radioactive materials used as an assassination weapon. |
| 1938 | Space-Tanned (from Murder in the Void by Edmond Hamilton) The characteristic darkening of the men of the spaceways. |
| 1938 | Beam-Pistol (from Murder in the Void by Edmond Hamilton) A handheld ray gun. |
| 1938 | Hand-Rocket (from Murder in the Void by Edmond Hamilton) A handheld device that used reaction matter to aid explorers in space suits to move around easily in zero gee. |
| 1938 | Coronium Ore (from Roamer of the Stars by Clyde Wilson) A radiolite substance to revolutionize industry. |
| 1938 | Paralysis Ray (from Satellite Five by Arthur K. Barnes) A special ray that produces paralysis. |
| 1938 | Chronoscope (from Legion of Time by Jack Williamson) A device used to see into specific internals of time. |
| 1938 | Cosmic Teletype (from Cosmic Teletype by Carl Jacobi) A device that utilizes the fourth dimensional continuum to achieve communication at great distances. |
| 1938 | Tiny Atomic-Power Drive Unit (from The Brain Pirates by John W. Campbell) A very small power generator that is atomic powered. |
| 1938 | Atomic-Powered Lifting Suits (from The Brain Pirates by John W. Campbell) Special exoskeletons that would allow an ordinary human being to walk in doubled gravity. |
| 1938 | Interplanetary Passport (from Murder in the Void by Edmond Hamilton) Required document for space travelers. |
| 1938 | Pneumatic Bumpers (from The Brain Pirates by John W. Campbell) An inflatable bumper system for ground-based motor vehicles. |
| 1938 | Teleoperated Robot Surrogate (from The Robot and the Lady by Manly Wade Wellman) A robot that is entirely controlled remotely by a person who sees with the point of view of the robot. |
| 1938 | Gogglelike Televisors (from The Robot and the Lady by Manly Wade Wellman) A screen technology placed very close to the eyes. |
| 1938 | Selective Television (from The Challenge of Atlantis by Arthur J. Burks) A special kind of 'television' that let the user choose any scene around the world. |
| 1938 | Basic Robot Personality (from Simultaneous Worlds by Nat Schachner) Providing simple personalities to robots. |
| 1938 | Gyrotomic (from Ra For The Rajah by John Victor Peterson) A small gyrostabilized hovercraft. |
| 1938 | Robot Emotions (from Helen O'Loy by Lester del Rey) Devices or techniques that give rise to emotions in robots. |
| 1938 | Surface Car (from Satellite Five by Arthur K. Barnes) A specialized vehicle for traveling on a planetary surface. |
| 1938 | Psychoprobe (from Satellite Five by Arthur K. Barnes) Get to the truth. |
| 1938 | Visi-Screen (from Satellite Five by Arthur K. Barnes) A display device. |
| 1938 | Air-o-Stat (from Satellite Five by Arthur K. Barnes) Provides life-giving air in spacecraft. |
| 1938 | Rocket-Polo (from Ra For The Rajah by John Victor Peterson) Polo played with rocket-powered craft. |
| 1938 | Zero-Gravity (from If Science Reached the Earth's Core by John R. Binder) A state in which gravity is effectively absent or cancelled out. |
| 1938 | Field-Projector (from Easy Money by Edmond Hamilton) A device that dematerializes a person and then sends forth a ray that will then rematerialize a person at the end. |
| 1938 | Automatic Commercial Deletion (from Satellite Five by Arthur K. Barnes) Device automatically detects commercials and turns off the set for the duration. |
| 1938 | Control Helmet (from Easy Money by Edmond Hamilton) A device which causes an entire race of people to think and feel the same as the wearer. |
| 1938 | Helicoptomic (from Ra For The Rajah by John Victor Peterson) A hovering craft used by referees in rocket polo. |
| 1938 | Sub-Etheric (from Legion of Time by Jack Williamson) Below the level at which ordinary light is propagated. |
| 1939 | Orbiting Casino Advertising Sign (from One Against The Legion by Jack Williamson) The mightiest billboard in the Solar System! |
| 1939 | Metal Desk Car (from Ben Gleed, King of Speed by Don Wilcox) A combination work desk and vehicle for librarians and researchers; part desk part carnival ride. |
| 1939 | Vacuum Cylinder (from Wandl, The Invader by Ray Cummings) Traveling first class, but like mail, in a tube system. |
| 1939 | Mirror Grid Multiple-View Surveillance Panel (from Wandl, The Invader by Ray Cummings) Very modern presentation combining multiple camera viewpoints, selectable using one monitor screen. |
| 1939 | Isolation Barrage (from Wandl, The Invader by Ray Cummings) Device prevents eavesdropping. |
| 1939 | Torpoon (from Seed of the Arctic Ice by H.G. Winter) Clever portmanteau of "torpedo" and "harpoon", an underwater whaling craft. |
| 1939 | Asteroid Prison (from One Against The Legion by Jack Williamson) A jail is the sole occupant of an asteroid. |
| 1939 | Visiwave (from One Against The Legion by Jack Williamson) Even faster than ultrawave! a means of instantaneous communication over lightyear distances. |
| 1939 | Geopeller (from One Against The Legion by Jack Williamson) An atomic powered, miniaturized means of propulsion. |
| 1939 | Atomic Torch (from One Against The Legion by Jack Williamson) An atomic-powered cutting and welding tool. |
| 1939 | Outbound Interplanetary Traffic (from One Against The Legion by Jack Williamson) The rules of the spacelanes. |
| 1939 | Spacecraft Invisibility Electronics (from One Against The Legion by Jack Williamson) A means of rendering a spacecraft invisible to detection by electromagnetic means. |
| 1939 | Chart Cabinet (from One Against The Legion by Jack Williamson) Used in astrogation, this device can see the positions of stars and planets over a thousand year period. |
| 1939 | Move an Asteroid (from Misfit by Robert Heinlein) Using practical techniques to change the orbit of an asteroid or small moon. |
| 1939 | New Moon Casino Satellite (from One Against The Legion by Jack Williamson) An enormous artificial moon, it was far easier to get to than the Old Moon. |
| 1939 | Barber Helmet (from Ben Gleed, King of Speed by Don Wilcox) Cuts your hair quickly and efficiently. |
| 1939 | Floating Spherical Pool (from One Against The Legion by Jack Williamson) Control of gravity permits mid-air pools of water. |
| 1939 | Communicator (from One Against The Legion by Jack Williamson) A small, pendant-shaped device that works to communicate over large distances. |
| 1939 | Geofractor (from One Against The Legion by Jack Williamson) Device provides instantaneous teleportation of selected objects over vast distances. |
| 1939 | Geofractor Shield (from One Against The Legion by Jack Williamson) Protects the bearer against unwanted geofractor use. |
| 1939 | Vortex Gun (from One Against The Legion by Jack Williamson) A device that projects whirling fields of atomic instability. |
| 1939 | Manmade Black Hole (from One Against The Legion by Jack Williamson) Using the power of a hole in the continuum. |
| 1939 | Robot Observatory (from Space Rating by John Berryman) A fully automated astronomical observatory, placed on a planet (typically, one that does not support human life). |
| 1939 | Space-Post (from Episode On Dhee Minor by Harry Walton) A trading post in space. |
| 1939 | Hypomatrin (from The Confession of Dr. DeKalb by Stanton A. Coblentz) A spinal anesthetic that allows the reformation of personality. |
| 1939 | Metalite (from Black Destroyer by A.E. van Vogt) Strong metal you can see through. |
| 1939 | Anti-Acceleration Engine For Space Suits (from Black Destroyer by A.E. van Vogt) Counteracts the effects of high acceleration. |
| 1939 | Directed Cars in Tunnels (from The Lord of Tranerica by Stanton A. Coblentz) Self-driving vehicles. |
| 1939 | Hall of Euthanasia (from One Against The Legion by Jack Williamson) A place for (mostly) voluntary suicide. |
| 1939 | Smoke Filter (from Misfit by Robert Heinlein) Allows grizzled spacemen to smoke in space ships. |
| 1939 | Shock Hammock (from Habit by Lester del Rey) Special netting oriented for pilots in high gee spacecraft. |
| 1939 | Needle Gun (from The Empress of Mars by Ross Rocklynne) A weapon that fires thin slivers of metal. |
| 1939 | Force-Screen (from The Dweller in Outer Darkness by Frank Belknap Long, Jr.) A variation on the force shield idea. |
| 1939 | Super-Weapon (from Robot Nemesis by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) A generic term for an advanced destructive device or technology. |
| 1939 | Inertia Screen (from Space Rating by John Berryman) A device that canceled out the law of inertia to help decelerating space craft occupants. |
| 1939 | Inertia Tank (from Masson's Secret by Raymond Z. Gallun) A device that protected its delicate contents by cushioning. |
| 1939 | Microsurgery Tool (from Masson's Secret by Raymond Z. Gallun) Miniaturized device for surgical precision. |
| 1939 | Neuronic Receptor-Transmitter (from Masson's Secret by Raymond Z. Gallun) A device which, implanted in the brain, can both transmit sight and sound, and enable control of the body by a remote operator. |
| 1939 | Neuronic Control Apparatus (from Masson's Secret by Raymond Z. Gallun) A device that communicated with a brain implant, granting both sight and control. |
| 1939 | Space Marines (from Misfit by Robert Heinlein) A space-based military force. |
| 1939 | Rocket Racing (from Habit by Lester del Rey) Use of reaction mass vehicles for races held within the solar system. |
| 1939 | Chronovitameter (from Lifeline by Robert Heinlein) Device that can determine a person's date of birth - and the date on which he or she will die. |
| 1939 | Radio-Facsimile Receiver (from Ben Gleed, King of Speed by Don Wilcox) A device that prints a newspaper in your home. |
| 1939 | Ballistic Calculator (from Misfit by Robert Heinlein) An on-board computer for a spaceship to calculate its course and perform other related tasks. |
| 1939 | Movie Pill (from Ben Gleed, King of Speed by Don Wilcox) Gives you the experience of having seen a movie. |
| 1939 | Inflatable Roofed Valley (from Misfit by Robert Heinlein) A habitat on an asteroid created by placing a tent-like roof over a natural valley or depression, and then inflating it. |
| 1939 | Thermalite (from Planet of Eternal Night by John W. Campbell) A transparent material that allows almost no heat to escape. |
| 1939 | Synthite Food (from Planet of Eternal Night by John W. Campbell) Compact food for space travelers. |
| 1939 | Durite (from Misfit by Robert Heinlein) Super-strong material used to counter reaction-blasts. |
| 1939 | Solar-Powered Robot (from Rust by Joseph E. Kelleam) A robot powered by sunlight. |
| 1939 | Visual Pattern Recognition (from Rust by Joseph E. Kelleam) A robot's ability to respond to programmed visual stimulus |
| 1939 | Killer Robot (from Rust by Joseph E. Kelleam) An autonomous robot made for the express purpose of killing living creatures. |
| 1939 | Gravitic (from Question of Salvage by Malcom Jameson) Relating to gravity. |
| 1939 | Ultra-Vibrator (from Into Another Dimension by Maurice Duclos) Transports objects into another dimension through intense vibration. |
| 1939 | Acceleration Hammock (from Pioneer - 1957 by Henry Gade) Webbing used to cushion acceleration in spacecraft. |
| 1939 | Permalloy (from Fugitives From Earth by Nelson S. Bond) Protects ships from the hazards of space. |
| 1939 | Electric Brain Stimulator (from Ben Gleed, King of Speed by Don Wilcox) A device that coordinated the waves of the brain with an external device to improve performance. |
| 1939 | Ultraset (Ultrawave Set) (from Habit by Lester del Rey) A device that used ultrawave faster-than-light (FTL) communication. |
| 1939 | Synthetic Spider Silk (from Misfit by Robert Heinlein) Artificial fabric thread as strong as steel. |
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Implantable Covid-Detecting Microchip Developed By DARPA
re: Medical
(4/5/2021)
SpaceX Requests Starlink For Starship
re: Harry Gore Bishop
(4/3/2021)
SF Writers Predicted John Deere Autonomous Tractors
re: Otfrid von Hanstein
(4/1/2021)
DARPA Funding AI Fighter Pilots
re: Peter Watts
(3/29/2021)
StoryFile To Help William Shatner Become Landru
re: Gene Roddenberry
(3/27/2021)
Telehealth Drones To The Rescue
re: Frederik Pohl
(3/25/2021)
Capture Asteroids In A Bag
re: VE Theissen
(3/23/2021)
Sony Pocket Air Conditioner Is Phil Dick's Idea!
re: Philip K. Dick
(3/21/2021)
Is It Possible To GROW Planes And Vehicles?
re: Greg Bear
(3/19/2021)
Guard Dog Robot Security Check
re: Greg Bear
(3/17/2021)
Sheepskin Parchment Helped Medieval Lawyers Prevent Fraud
re: Gordon R. Dickson
(3/15/2021)
Space 'Hurricane' Has Been Seen
re: AE van Vogt
(3/13/2021)
PR2 Fencing Robot Perfect For Kwisatz Haderach-in-training
re: Frank Herbert
(3/11/2021)
Sole Morphing Astronaut Boots - A New Pair Of Moon Boots?
re: James P. Hogan
(3/9/2021)
Mice Gestate In Mechanical Womb
re: Aldous Huxley
(3/7/2021)
3rd Century BC Gold Bee Is Just The Start
re: Raymond Z. Gallun
(3/5/2021)
Worlds With Underground Oceans More Conducive To Life
re: Arthur C. Clarke
(3/3/2021)
Electric Monocyle Tumblebug Available On Alibaba
re: Robert Heinlein
(3/1/2021)
China's Self-Driving Electric Trucks Are Poul Anderson's Electrotrucks
re: Poul Anderson
(2/27/2021)
Portsmouth, OH Residents Don't All Favor Drone Surveillance
re: Larry Niven
(2/25/2021)
Poisoning Big Tech's Data Well
re: Philip K. Dick
(2/23/2021)
Sci-Fi Organic Technology
re: Gary Shockley
(2/21/2021)
Flatcat Robot Recalls Both Heinlein And Simak
re: Robert Heinlein
(2/19/2021)
Nuclear Batteries May Pack Inner Punch
re: Edmond Hamilton
(2/17/2021)
Elon Musk STILL Wants To Make Heinlein's 1940's Speedster
re: Robert Heinlein
(2/15/2021)
Mercury Capsule Ablative Shielding
re: EE 'Doc' Smith
(2/13/2021)
Heinlein And Russian Quail In Orbit
re: Robert Heinlein
(2/11/2021)
Listen Up, Coppertop - Wearable Device Turns You Into A Battery
re: Wachowskis
(2/9/2021)
Solar Powered Robot Cleans Up Solar Panels For Free
re: Arthur C. Clarke
(2/7/2021)
Spot Arm From Boston Dynamics Picks Up Like Heinlein's Hired Girl Robot
re: Robert Heinlein
(2/5/2021)
Electric Vehicle Prices Will Drop To $2,890
re: Niven and Pournelle
(2/3/2021)
TIGER Ultimate Mobility Vehicle From Hyundai
re: Anthony Boucher
(2/1/2021)
(See More Science Fiction in the News)
