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
 |
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.
<-
Select Date Range ->
1600-1899 1900-1929 1930's 1940's 1950's 1960's 1970's 1980's 1990's 2000+
| Date | Device Name (Novel Author) |
| 1940 | Floating Villa (from Doom Over Venus by Edmond Hamilton) An artificial island several acres in extent. |
| 1940 | Paralysis Bomb (from If This Goes On... by Robert Heinlein) A device like a hand grenade that released paralyzing radiation. |
| 1940 | Double-Pane Vacuum Window (from The Achilles Heel by Raymond Z. Gallun) Double-pane glass separated by vacuum. |
| 1940 | Neutronium Slippers (from Revolt on the Tenth World by Edmond Hamilton) Special footgear to keep ones footing in lower gravities. |
| 1940 | Hydroponics (from The Hydroponic Monster by Maria Moravsky) Growing food without soil, typically from water saturated with nutrients. |
| 1940 | Atom-Gun (from Revolt on the Tenth World by Edmond Hamilton) A handheld device that sprays atomic fire. |
| 1940 | Stratospheric Traffic (from The Great God Awto by Clark Ashton Smith) Bad traffic at every level. |
| 1940 | Solar Station Switch Room (from Doom Over Venus by Edmond Hamilton) A power station for the entire solar system. |
| 1940 | Dream-House (from Doom Over Venus by Edmond Hamilton) An establishment wherein one could find the finest dream adventures placed in his own mind. |
| 1940 | Dream-Adventures (from Doom Over Venus by Edmond Hamilton) Dreams sent directly to the brain are more popular than movies. |
| 1940 | Darkened Glass Face Plate (from The Achilles Heel by Raymond Z. Gallun) The use of darkened glass on the face plate of a space suit helmet to protect the wearer from solar radiation. |
| 1940 | Planetary ID Card (from Doom Over Venus by Edmond Hamilton) Identification for every person on every planet in the solar system. |
| 1940 | Planetfall (from Quicksands of Youthwardness by Malcolm Jameson) Making a landing on a planet from space. |
| 1940 | Death-Capsule (from Doom Over Venus by Edmond Hamilton) A tiny implanted explosive capsule can be activated remotely. |
| 1940 | Bifocal TV Screen Lenses (from Doom Over Venus by Edmond Hamilton) Using the bottom lens of bifocals as a TV screen. |
| 1940 | Solid Power (from Revolt on the Tenth World by Edmond Hamilton) A concentrated form of easily accessed energy to supply any need. |
| 1940 | Space Shuttle (from Hell Ship of Space by Frederic Arnold Kummer, Jr.) A space-going vessel for trips from the surface of a planet to a ship in orbit, and back. |
| 1940 | Ferretscope (from If This Goes On... by Robert Heinlein) A counter-surveillance tool to detect the presence of listening devices. |
| 1940 | Conversion Gun (from Hell Ship of Space by Frederic Arnold Kummer, Jr.) The ray converts the heat in an object to light. |
| 1940 | Voder (from Exit From Asteroid 60 by D.L. James) Device that produces speech by purely mechanical means. |
| 1940 | Cyclotronic Ore-Hurler (from Exit From Asteroid 60 by D.L. James) Using the magnetic properties of an asteroid to send ore hurling across space! |
| 1940 | Air Scooter (from Space Double by Nat Schachner) A flying personal vehicle. |
| 1940 | Autosight Achronic Beam (from Hindsight by Jack Williamson) A range-finder for weaponry that isn't limited by time, for the ultimate in accuracy. |
| 1940 | Dream-Machine (from Doom Over Venus by Edmond Hamilton) The mechanism that sent standardized dreams into the brain. |
| 1940 | Gesturing Robot (from Robbie (Strange Playfellow) by Isaac Asimov) A robot that uses gestures to communicate. |
| 1940 | Electro-Automatic Pistol (from The Worlds of Tomorrow by Manly Wade Wellman) Circular, pocket-sized weapon. |
| 1940 | Pocket-Caller (from The Worlds of Tomorrow by Manly Wade Wellman) Private communication device that fits in your pocket. |
| 1940 | Silk-Metal (from The Worlds of Tomorrow by Manly Wade Wellman) A very tough fabric. |
| 1940 | Radium-Action Lighter (from The Worlds of Tomorrow by Manly Wade Wellman) A personal device used to ignite tobacco products. |
| 1940 | Rocket Cruiser (from The Worlds of Tomorrow by Manly Wade Wellman) A privately owned space ship. |
| 1940 | Rocket-Belt (from The Worlds of Tomorrow by Manly Wade Wellman) A single-user propulsion pack. |
| 1940 | Atom-Shifter (from The Worlds of Tomorrow by Manly Wade Wellman) A device that 'softens' matter, making it possible for a person to pass through. |
| 1940 | Synthetic Personality (from If This Goes On... by Robert Heinlein) A artificial identity, a legal fiction of a person. |
| 1940 | Talking Robot (from Robbie (Strange Playfellow) by Isaac Asimov) An impractical robot, for display only. |
| 1940 | Vacuum Wall Compartments (from The Achilles Heel by Raymond Z. Gallun) Shielding against heat by using walls with evacuated sections. |
| 1940 | Solar Power Screen (from Let There Be Light by Lyle Monroe) Absorb all solar energy, and emit electrical energy. |
| 1940 | Escape Port (from Hell Ship of Space by Frederic Arnold Kummer, Jr.) Emergency egress from a space ship for one person. |
| 1940 | Two-Wheeled Car (from The Roads Must Roll by Robert Heinlein) A small passenger vehicle with two centerline wheels. |
| 1940 | Hyperbolic Solenoid (from The Exhalted by L. Sprague de Camp) Device that creates and manipulates magnetic fields. |
| 1940 | Methuen Treatment (from The Exhalted by L. Sprague de Camp) Injections that increase intelligence. |
| 1940 | Slow Glass Rod (from The Exhalted by L. Sprague de Camp) A transparent glass rod that makes light travel so slowly that it can trap light within its depths. |
| 1940 | Telelubricator (from The Exhalted by L. Sprague de Camp) Makes any surface or substance perfectly frictionless. |
| 1940 | Soft Speaker (from The Exhalted by L. Sprague de Camp) A device that sends a tightly-controlled beam of sound. |
| 1940 | San-Ray Projector (from Hell Ship of Space by Frederic Arnold Kummer, Jr.) Device produces a habit-forming, nerve-tingling ray that clouds the mind. |
| 1940 | Humanoid (from Homo Sol by Isaac Asimov) An alien with a human-like shape and appearance. |
| 1940 | Test Box (from The Devil's Pocket by F.E. Hardart) A remote-controlled device for capturing small objects from open space. |
| 1940 | Tectogenetic (from Crisis in Utopia by Norman L. Knight) Deliberate manipulation of genes to produce unique species. |
| 1940 | Lighting Panel (from Let There Be Light by Lyle Monroe) A large panel that presents illumination without heat. |
| 1940 | Tumblebug (from The Roads Must Roll by Robert Heinlein) A monocycle; a motorcycle that balances on a single wheel. |
| 1940 | Warp Drive (from The Tides of Time by R.M. Williams) Traveling across the gap between universes. |
| 1940 | Telechronometer (from Blowups Happen by Robert Heinlein) A watch that synchronizes itself to a remote source. |
| 1940 | Robots Build Robots (from Robbie (Strange Playfellow) by Isaac Asimov) Using robot labor exclusively to build more robots. |
| 1940 | Robot Prohibition (from Robbie (Strange Playfellow) by Isaac Asimov) Robots may not wander alone. |
| 1940 | Sun Plant (Solar Motor) (from The Lotus-Engine by Raymond Z. Gallun) A huge system of mirrors collects light and focuses it on a boiler for energy. |
| 1940 | Rolling Road (from The Roads Must Roll by Robert Heinlein) A set of fast-moving strips to move people over distances. |
| 1940 | Refreshing Chamber (from Coventry by Robert Heinlein) Replaces the bathroom in the future history of Robert Heinlein. |
| 1940 | Electrically Heated Clothes (from Repetition by A.E. van Vogt) Using artificial heating to counteract the cold of space. |
| 1940 | Life-Ship (from The Invisible World by Ed Earl Repp) An emergency escape or survival craft. |
| 1940 | Tesseract House (from -And He Built A Crooked House by Robert Heinlein) A house built in the shape of a four-dimensional figure. |
| 1940 | Knockdown Cabin (from Coventry by Robert Heinlein) A portable shelter; had solid walls and could be assembled quickly. |
| 1940 | Mind-Shield (from Slan by A.E. van Vogt) A mental defense or barrier that prevents access to one brain by another person or device. |
| 1940 | Air Blast (from Coventry by Robert Heinlein) An air dryer for personal use. |
| 1940 | Barrier (Force Field) (from Coventry by Robert Heinlein) Force-field fence. |
| 1940 | Steel Tortoise (from Coventry by Robert Heinlein) An all-terrain vehicle, grandfather to the four-wheeler. |
| 1940 | Sunpower Screen (from Coventry by Robert Heinlein) A solar cell array used to provide power for a vehicle. |
| 1940 | Solar Reception Screen (from The Roads Must Roll by Robert Heinlein) A device for converting sunlight to electricity |
| 1940 | Synthetic Flesh (from The Amazon Fights Again by Thornton Ayre) Material resembles human flesh, handy for disguises. |
| 1940 | Atomic Blast Weapon (from The Achilles Heel by Raymond Z. Gallun) Reduces the target to atoms. |
| 1940 | Childcare Robot (from Robbie (Strange Playfellow) by Isaac Asimov) A robot constructed to take care of a small child. |
| 1940 | Solar-Powered Electric Runabout (from Let There Be Light by Lyle Monroe) A vehicle powered from the sun. |
| 1940 | Paralyzing Gun (from The Achilles Heel by Raymond Z. Gallun) Renders senseless any human in its path. |
| 1940 | Asbestos Sunshade (from The Achilles Heel by Raymond Z. Gallun) A means of shielding oneself from the sun's rays. |
| 1940 | Robot Suicide (from Adam Link's Vengeance by Eando Binder) A robot decides to commit suicide, and sets up a mechanism to put his decision into effect. |
| 1940 | Vibroblade (from If This Goes On... by Robert Heinlein) A knife-like weapon. |
| 1940 | Synthetic Voice (from The Amazon Fights Again by Thornton Ayre) Artificial human speech. |
| 1940 | Hush-a-Phone (from The Roads Must Roll by Robert Heinlein) A special kind of telephone that reduced noise while talking. |
| 1940 | Moon Skis (from Requiem by Robert Heinlein) Special wide skis for travel on lunar powder. |
| 1940 | Trumpaphone (from The Voyage That Lasted 600 Years by Don Wilcox) A loud, brassy instrument. |
| 1940 | Merry-Go-Round Life Suspension (Refrigerator Plant) (from The Voyage That Lasted 600 Years by Don Wilcox) A device that offered cold sleep. |
| 1940 | Atomic Automatic (from Revolt on Io by Jack West) Fires a special, rocket-like bullet. |
| 1940 | Gravitational Disks (from Revolt on Io by Jack West) Maintain your footing on those low-gravity celestial bodies. |
| 1940 | Space Tramp (from The Invisible World by Ed Earl Repp) An old, slow spacecraft. |
| 1940 | Grapple-Ray (from Exit From Asteroid 60 by D.L. James) A version of the tractor beam idea. |
| 1940 | Iridium-Sponge Brain (from Adam Link's Vengeance by Eando Binder) A human-like metal brain for robots. |
| 1941 | Antigrav Boots (from The Day We Celebrate by Nelson S. Bond) Footgear that negate gravity. |
| 1941 | Delayed Action Stereoscopic Principle (from Methuselah's Children by Robert Heinlein) Distinguishing far off space craft by relative speed against the fixed stars. |
| 1941 | Automatic Refueling Screen (from Biddiver by Theodore Sturgeon) Repels objects that are too big, and gathers small ones for fuel. |
| 1941 | Sleep Destroying Field (from Biddiver by Theodore Sturgeon) Causes lack of sleep. |
| 1941 | Epileptigenic Ray (from Sixth Column by Anson MacDonald) Ray causes uncontrollable spasms in human subjects. |
| 1941 | Psycho-History (from Beyond All Weapons by Eric Frank Russell) The application of psychology to historical data. |
| 1941 | Identification Beacon (from Methuselah's Children by Robert Heinlein) Radio pulse to identify orbiting craft. |
| 1941 | Hypnosis Ray (from Beyond All Weapons by Eric Frank Russell) Eases the words of dictators into the minds of the credulous. |
| 1941 | Paralyzing Eye (from The Best-Laid Scheme by L. Sprague de Camp) False eye contains mechanism for causing brief paralysis. |
| 1941 | Automated Hotel Reservation (from Methuselah's Children by Robert Heinlein) A hotel that did not use clerks; a self-service hotel. |
| 1941 | Space Socks (from Lost Rocket by Manly Wade Wellman) Protective garments for the lower extremities. |
| 1941 | Bee Wing (from Slacker's Paradise by Malcolm Jameson) A flapping wing aircraft in use on Mars. |
| 1941 | Interplanetary Clearance (from Methuselah's Children by Robert Heinlein) Bureaucratic red tape associated with busy space ports. |
| 1941 | Young Blood - New Blood For Old (from Methuselah's Children by Robert Heinlein) Replacing the blood plasma of older people with material from younger people. |
| 1941 | Pilot Beam (from Methuselah's Children by Murray Leinster) A signalling device that space craft in orbit descending to Earth could home in on and land. |
| 1941 | Momentum Screen (from Completely Automatic by Theodore Sturgeon) Allows a spacemen to avoid the problem of "high gee" forces on take-off. |
| 1941 | Improve Memory (from Methuselah's Children by Robert Heinlein) Help immortals make sense of their memories. |
| 1941 | A-Bomb (from Sixth Column by Anson MacDonald) Abbreviation for "atomic bomb". |
| 1941 | Metal Solvent Ray Thrower (from Lost Rocket by Manly Wade Wellman) Acts like a flame thrower in space. |
| 1941 | Blastick (from The Traitor by Kurt von Rachen) A scorching beam weapon |
| 1941 | Electrono-Mirror (from The Day We Celebrate by Nelson S. Bond) Focuses the sun's rays on a planetary surface for terraforming purposes. |
| 1941 | Space Rush (from Jurisdiction by Nat Schachner) The Outer Space equivalent of the gold rush. |
| 1941 | Charted Planetoid Mines (from The Day We Celebrate by Nelson S. Bond) Charting the planetoids and minor bodies for mining purposes. |
| 1941 | Space Placers (from The Day We Celebrate by Nelson S. Bond) Miners who use placer mining techniques adapted from Earth geology. |
| 1941 | Asteroid Lanes (from Jurisdiction by Nat Schachner) Regular routes traversed by asteroids. |
| 1941 | Cold-Rest (from Methuselah's Children by Robert Heinlein) Lowering body temperature and metabolic levels, as in hibernation; also called reduced temperature somnolence. |
| 1941 | Robot Mother (from The Mechanical Mice by Maurice G. Hugi) A self-replicating robot, which creates a series of helper bots that adapt to conditions as needed. |
| 1941 | Psychophone (from The Mechanical Mice by Maurice G. Hugi) A device that allows the user to tune their mind to a future reality - a time-traveling device. |
| 1941 | Robopark (from Methuselah's Children by Robert Heinlein) An automated parking garage. |
| 1941 | Positronic Brain (from Reason by Isaac Asimov) A computer CPU with the capacity to rival a human brain. |
| 1941 | Weather Integrator (from Methuselah's Children by Robert Heinlein) An entire technology for controlling the weather. |
| 1941 | Orbital Mirror (from Completely Automatic by Theodore Sturgeon) A huge reflective surface in orbit around a planet or moon, the purpose of which is to focus sunlight onto the surface. |
| 1941 | Self-Lighting Cigarette (from Methuselah's Children by Robert Heinlein) A cigarette with a matchhead built in. |
| 1941 | Disinto (from Robot AL-76 Goes Astray by Isaac Asimov) A disintegrating ray. |
| 1941 | Astrogation (to Astrogate) (from Methuselah's Children by Robert Heinlein) To navigate in space. |
| 1941 | Interplanetary Union Of Spacemen (from Old Fireball by Nat Schachner) An organized union of people who work in space. |
| 1941 | Cold-Sleep (from Methuselah's Children by Robert Heinlein) A state of hibernation, created by lowered temperature and metabolism. |
| 1941 | Sleep Surrogate (from Methuselah's Children by Robert Heinlein) Pharmaceutical designed to make up for lost sleep. |
| 1941 | Joy-boat Junior (from Methuselah's Children by Robert Heinlein) A private space yacht, capable of suborbital journeys. |
| 1941 | Traffic Control Camera (from Methuselah's Children by Robert Heinlein) An automated camera system that photographs license plates as cars move past on a road system. |
| 1941 | Hypnotic injunction (from Methuselah's Children by Robert Heinlein) A method of hypnosis that prevents people from revealing particular information. |
| 1941 | Fresher (from Methuselah's Children by Robert Heinlein) Short for "refreshing chamber,", it is the future of personal hygiene technology. |
| 1941 | Stunner (from Fire-Power by S.D. Gottesman) A non-lethal weapon; typically used like a firearm but only renders its victim unconscious. |
| 1941 | Neoterics (from Microcosmic God by Theodore Sturgeon) Pure engineering genius on tap. |
| 1941 | Instant Customized Clothing (from Methuselah's Children by Robert Heinlein) A machine that produced a selected item of clothing, on the spot, based on customer demand. |
| 1941 | Newsbox (News-Receptor) (from Methuselah's Children by Robert Heinlein) Also referred to as a microviewer; could search media programming for news on a particular words used in the broadcast. |
| 1941 | Camden Speedster (from Methuselah's Children by Robert Heinlein) A super sports utility vehicle (SUV); it drives on the highway, the water and jumps into the air for short periods. |
| 1941 | Group Ego (from Methuselah's Children by Robert Heinlein) A group mind; a single entity that shares a number of bodies. |
| 1941 | Vanwinkling (from The Best-Laid Scheme by L. Sprague de Camp) Another name for time-traveling into the future. |
| 1941 | Pseudogravity (from Common Sense by Robert Heinlein) Gravity produced by artifice, rather than by a suitably large mass. |
| 1941 | Solar Station (from Reason by Isaac Asimov) A satellite that gathers solar energy in space and then beams it to Earth (or other planetary surface). |
| 1941 | Magnetic Sandals (from Star of Dreams by Jack Williamson) Special footgear to walk in zero-gee spacecraft. |
| 1941 | Thermatite (from Jurisdiction by Nat Schachner) Pure energy fuel mined on asteroids. |
| 1941 | Asteroid Claim Law (from Jurisdiction by Nat Schachner) The legal steps required in claiming an asteroid |
| 1941 | Space Lawyer (Sky-Lawyer) (from Jurisdiction by Nat Schachner) A lawyer with special knowledge of space law. |
| 1941 | Solar Energy Beam (from Masquerade by Clifford Simak) A solar energy plant on Mercury provides power for projects all over the solar system. |
| 1941 | Flitter (from Vortex Blaster by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) A small craft used for short-range journeys. |
| 1941 | Space Tanned (from Methuselah's Children by Robert Heinlein) A tan acquired by being exposed to sunlight while outside the atmosphere. |
| 1941 | Golden Shuttles (Mechanical Mice) (from The Mechanical Mice by Maurice G. Hugi) Very small robots with an appetite for watch parts. |
| 1941 | 'Chatterbox' News-Receptor (from Methuselah's Children by Robert Heinlein) An appliance for listening to the news that lacked content controls. |
| 1941 | Howard Families (from Methuselah's Children by Robert Heinlein) A project designed to produce a group of people with exceptionally long life. |
| 1941 | Controlway (from Methuselah's Children by Robert Heinlein) An automated highway system that takes full operational control of vehicles traveling upon it. |
| 1941 | Talking Speedometer (from Biddiver by Theodore Sturgeon) A gauge that tells you its value verbally |
| 1941 | Space Overalls (from Lost Rocket by Manly Wade Wellman) Light-duty space suit. |
| 1941 | Roving Bomb (from Lost Rocket by Manly Wade Wellman) Special zero-gee guided bomb. |
| 1941 | Magnetized Boots (from Lost Rocket by Manly Wade Wellman) Special shoes to allow walking in and around a metal ship with no artificial gravity. |
| 1941 | Oxygen Freshener (from Lost Rocket by Manly Wade Wellman) A device that removed carbon dioxide from air and replaced it with fresh oxygen. |
| 1941 | Mind Control Genetically Modified Food (from Methuselah's Children by Robert Heinlein) Plants that are modified to produce specific combinations of flavors. |
| 1941 | Parking Orbit (from Methuselah's Children by Robert Heinlein) An orbit from which access to the planet's surface via a small auxiliary vessel is quick and uncomplicated. |
| 1941 | Lunar Used Spacecraft Lot (from Methuselah's Children by Robert Heinlein) A sales lot for used spacecraft |
| 1941 | Alterable License Number (from Methuselah's Children by Robert Heinlein) A device which permits a driver to alter the license plate without leaving the vehicle. |
| 1941 | Automatic Speeding Fine (from Old Fireball by Nat Schachner) An automated device that not only computes the speed of a vehicle, but registers and then issues an electronic citation. |
| 1941 | Moon-Terror (from Star of Dreams by Jack Williamson) A syndrome common to people who live in less than half Earth-normal gravity. |
| 1941 | Bone Conduction Receiver (from Sixth Column by Anson MacDonald) A concealed radio receiver. |
| 1941 | Chardion Field (from Star of Dreams by Jack Williamson) Electronic 'envelope' that retained atmosphere on tiny worldlets. |
| 1941 | Geodesic Inflexors (from Star of Dreams by Jack Williamson) Propulsion provided not by pushing against matter, but against spacetime. |
| 1941 | Charging Arm (from Masters of Chance by William Morrison) A specialized device allowing a robot to charge itself. |
| 1941 | Visible Halo (from Sixth Column by Anson MacDonald) Providing a religious figure with a technological sign of grace. |
| 1941 | Space Station (from Backlash by Jack Williamson) A base of operations in space, typically in orbit around a larger body. |
| 1941 | Hell-Stone (from Star of Dreams by Jack Williamson) An incomparably beautiful and rare jewel. |
| 1941 | Solar Car (from The Man Who Bought Mars by Polton Cross) A car the energy for which comes from the sun. |
| 1941 | Time Line (from Time Wants A Skeleton by Ross Rocklynne) The sequence of events leading up to, and past, this moment. |
| 1941 | Robopsychologist (from Liar by Isaac Asimov) One who examines the thought processes of robots. |
| 1941 | Spacehound (Beast) (from Beast of Space by F.E. Hardart) Oddly canine, telepathic beast digs in asteroids for metal. |
| 1941 | Dewlog (from The Traitor by Kurt von Rachen) A drug with the side-effect of virtually eliminating hunger. |
| 1941 | Squeaker (from Beast of Space by F.E. Hardart) Used to search out radium in asteroids. |
| 1941 | Floating Robot (from The Floating Robot by David Wright O'Brien) A robot that floats in mid-air. |
| 1941 | Quench Field (from The Purple Light by E. Waldo Hunter) Stopped runaway nuclear reactions by quenching the cascades of neutrons. |
| 1941 | Uranatomic (from Backlash by Jack Williamson) An atomic pile that generates electricity. |
| 1941 | Wall Screen (from Star of Dreams by Jack Williamson) A large size display for video, anchored to a wall, or actually forming the wall itself. |
| 1941 | Roboticist (from Robot AL-76 Goes Astray by Isaac Asimov) A person who creates or works with robots. |
| 1941 | Space Tunnel (from The Man Who Bought Mars by Polton Cross) An enclosed gang plank extended between space ships. |
| 1941 | Atmospherics Switchboard (from Lie on the Beam by John Victor Peterson) Make sure each hotel room has the right atmosphere from the right planet. |
| 1941 | Robot AI Driven Mad (from Liar by Isaac Asimov) Placing an artificial intelligence or autonomous robot in a situation in which its brain is unable to make a decision and is destroyed or driven mad. |
| 1941 | Robotics (from Liar by Isaac Asimov) The engineering field encompassing the creation and maintenance of robots. |
| 1941 | Sweep Field (from Methuselah's Children by Robert Heinlein) Pulls in interplanetary matter for space ship propulsion. |
| 1941 | Docking-Cradle (from They Never Came Back by Fritz Leiber) Holds a space craft in gravity. |
| 1941 | Anti-Robot Propaganda (from Liar by Isaac Asimov) Human activity against robots. |
| 1941 | Robot Music (from The Robot God by Ray Cummings) Music created and performed entirely by robots. |
| 1942 | Insosuit (from Runaround by Isaac Asimov) A space suit specially designed to resist extreme heat. |
| 1942 | Radiant Power Receptor (DeKalbs) (from Waldo by Robert Heinlein) A device which received and used energy transmitted from a station or satellite. |
| 1942 | Cubics (from The Face of the Deep by Edmond Hamilton) Small, square animals that can combine to create a larger entity. |
| 1942 | Levitator Pack (from Gears for Nemesis by Raymond Z. Gallun) Handy anti-gravity when you need it. |
| 1942 | Space Tugs (from Describe a Circle by Eric Frank Russell) Early use of familiar ocean vehicle in space. |
| 1942 | Energy Converter (from Runaround by Isaac Asimov) Massive unit on the sunside of Mercury converts heat into energy, and beams it around the solar system. |
| 1942 | Time Dredge (from Time Dredge by Robert Arthur) A device that scoops up material from the past, and returns it to the present. |
| 1942 | Antigravity Plate (Antigravity Raft) (from Co-Operate or Else by A.E. van Vogt) A thin, circular craft that floats. |
| 1942 | Directrix Z9M9Z (from Gray Lensman by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) A control center ship for a vast space armada. |
| 1942 | Groundhog (from Waldo by Robert Heinlein) Not a space professional. |
| 1942 | Martian Sawgrass (from QRM - Interplanetary by George O. Smith) Specialized variety of plant that is used to provide oxygen for space stations. |
| 1942 | Gravanol (from QRM - Interplanetary by George O. Smith) A medicine or supplement that helps astronauts deal better with high accelerations. |
| 1942 | Control Natural (from Beyond This Horizon by Robert Heinlein) A person who is allowed to have an unmodified genetic makeup. |
| 1942 | Vestan Parasite (from The World With A Thousand Moons by Edmond Hamilton) Semi-intelligent creatures that take control of the nervous system of other animals. |
| 1942 | News Roundup (from Beyond This Horizon by Robert Heinlein) A device that presents brief story outlines, any of which can be chosen to find details. |
| 1942 | Asterite (from Collision Orbit by Jack Williamson) A person who was born and lived amongst the asteroids. |
| 1942 | Interplanetary Communications Center (from QRM - Interplanetary by George O. Smith) The backbone for a solar system-wide communications system. |
| 1942 | Gravitation Paralysis (from The World With A Thousand Moons by Edmond Hamilton) Dread illness of space travelers striking when changing from very weak to very strong gravities. |
| 1942 | Meteorscope (from The World With A Thousand Moons by Edmond Hamilton) A device that probes ahead in space detecting swarms of deadly meteors. |
| 1942 | Telaudiogram (from The World With A Thousand Moons by Edmond Hamilton) An interplanetary communication method. |
| 1942 | Weight-Shoes (from The World With A Thousand Moons by Edmond Hamilton) Devices intended to make it easier to walk on celestial bodies with weaker gravity. |
| 1942 | Electric Wall (from The World With A Thousand Moons by Edmond Hamilton) A wall of electric force. |
| 1942 | Atomics (from Nerves by Lester del Rey) The field of nuclear energy. |
| 1942 | Capillotomer (from Beyond This Horizon by Robert Heinlein) An automatic shaving machine |
| 1942 | Zero-G Ashtray (from Waldo by Robert Heinlein) An ashtray designed for use on a space station. |
| 1942 | Plastifoam (from Collision Orbit by Jack Williamson) Used to seal large leaks in space craft. |
| 1942 | Xenephrene Interstellar World (from A Brand New World by Ray Cummings) A planet not attached to a solar system. |
| 1942 | Thermodyne Heat Ray (from A Brand New World by Ray Cummings) Device focuses, and projects, a heat beam. |
| 1942 | Black Coating (from Gray Lensman by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) A material that absorbs practically all incident light. |
| 1942 | Up-and-Down Orientation (from Waldo by Robert Heinlein) Designed and constructed as if gravity were a factor. |
| 1942 | Chronanalyzer (from Waldo by Robert Heinlein) Isolate specific movements for analysis. |
| 1942 | Auto-Clerk (from Beyond This Horizon by Robert Heinlein) An automated accounting system. |
| 1942 | Tiny Robot Planes (from Blood on the Sun by Hal K. Wells) A swarm of very small independently maneuverable unmanned aerial vehicles. |
| 1942 | Fire Storm (from Collision Orbit by Jack Williamson) When clouds of antimatter dust encountered ordinary matter spaceships. |
| 1942 | Wheelchair Space Station (from Waldo by Robert Heinlein) A home in space. |
| 1942 | Igloo-Shaped Space Shelter (from Collision Orbit by Jack Williamson) Easy to set up on airless asteroids. |
| 1942 | Space-Burned (from Collision Orbit by Jack Williamson) Analogous to sun-burned. |
| 1942 | Paragravity (from Collision Orbit by Jack Williamson) Artificial gravity. |
| 1942 | Pilot-Robot (from Collision Orbit by Jack Williamson) The piloting gear of a space tug. |
| 1942 | Dirigible Space Armor (Working Space Suits) (from Collision Orbit by Jack Williamson) Heavy-duty space suits for mining work on asteroids. |
| 1942 | Thermalarm Relays (from Collision Orbit by Jack Williamson) Detects objects by their heat radiation, so space craft can maneuver around them. |
| 1942 | Negative Safety-Field (from Collision Orbit by Jack Williamson) A paragravity-based shield for space craft. |
| 1942 | Seetee Blinker (from Collision Orbit by Jack Williamson) A marker of contraterrene matter (antimatter) asteroids, to aid in interplanetary navigation. |
| 1942 | Vac Suit (from Child of the Sun by Leigh Brackett) A space suit, designed for use in vacuum. |
| 1942 | Concentrated Cosmic Radiation (from The Face of the Deep by Edmond Hamilton) Passing through a region of intense radiation alters lifeforms. |
| 1942 | Venus Equilateral Relay Station (from QRM - Interplanetary by George O. Smith) A converted asteroid that served as the relay station for telecommunications throughout the solar system. |
| 1942 | Wabbler (from The Wabbler by Murray Leinster) An autonomous underwater robot. |
| 1942 | Stasis Field (from Beyond This Horizon by Robert Heinlein) Energy field which prevents time from passing inside the field walls; no time passes, nobody gets hurt. |
| 1942 | Three Laws of Robotics (Rules of Robotics) (from Runaround by Isaac Asimov) The original formulation of Asimov's laws of robotics. |
| 1942 | The Twonky (from The Twonky by Lewis Padgett) A robotic device from the future, constructed to look like a 1940's radio cabinet. |
| 1942 | Sobriety Ray (from The Twonky by Lewis Padgett) A ray of a particular wavelength and intensity, that conferred instant sobriety on those it shone upon. |
| 1942 | Alien Self-Government (from Co-Operate or Else by A.E. van Vogt) Rules to assure intelligent aliens the right to govern themselves in freedom. |
| 1942 | Slideway (from Beyond This Horizon by Robert Heinlein) A slidewalk, or moving walkway, that moves people forward. |
| 1942 | Radiation Garment (from Waldo by Robert Heinlein) Clothing worn by ordinary citizens to reduce the risk of radiation exposure. |
| 1942 | Contraterrene Matter (Antimatter) (from Collision Orbit by Jack Williamson) Contraterrene (CT) Matter (sometimes abbreviated "Seetee"). |
| 1942 | Broomstick Speedster (from Waldo by Robert Heinlein) A two-seater craft capable of spaceflight; it used radiant power to achieve orbit. |
| 1942 | Hive Mind (from The Face of the Deep by Edmond Hamilton) A group mind. |
| 1942 | Terraforming (from Collision Orbit by Jack Williamson) The process of modifying a planetary surface to resemble those of an ideal earth; affects the entire biosphere. |
| 1942 | Waldo (from Waldo by Robert Heinlein) A telefactoring device; also known as the Waldo F. Jones Synchronous Reduplicating Pantograph. |
| 1942 | Fairy Digits (Tiny Waldoes) (from Waldo by Robert Heinlein) Waldoes used for very fine work. |
| 1943 | Usuform Robot Bartender (from Q.U.R. by Anthony Boucher) A robotic bartender that is designed along purely functional lines. |
| 1943 | Meteor-Spotting Radar (from Recoil by George O. Smith) A device to warn spacecraft of oncoming meteors. |
| 1943 | Robot Taste Buds (from Robinc by Anthony Boucher) A sensor for robots that would allow it to taste foods like a human being. |
| 1943 | Force Pencil (from Gather, Darkness! by Fritz Leiber) Device straps to forearm, projects a force beam. |
| 1943 | Pain Canopy (from Gather, Darkness! by Fritz Leiber) Pain by nerve induction improves interrogation. |
| 1943 | Rod of Wrath (from Gather, Darkness! by Fritz Leiber) A sword made of light. |
| 1943 | Gum Tree (from Symbiotica by Eric Frank Russell) A huge tree that lashed out with a mind of its own. |
| 1943 | Mixed Men (from The Storm by A.E. van Vogt) A mostly human being, but with an additional robot brain. |
| 1943 | Verhaeren Factor (from Robinc by Anthony Boucher) Provides autonomous robots with the capacity for independent creative action. |
| 1943 | Usuform Robot (from Q.U.R. by Anthony Boucher) A robot designed strictly along functional lines. |
| 1943 | Impervium (from Clash by Night by Lawrence O'Donnell) Unique material is impenetrable and indestructible. |
| 1943 | Polyfrequency Neutralizer (from Gather, Darkness! by Fritz Leiber) Dissolves projected solidographs (holograms). |
| 1943 | Robot Chef (from Robinc by Anthony Boucher) Creative, autonomous robotic cook. |
| 1943 | Filmag (from Sunward Flight by Leo Zagat) A video magazine. |
| 1943 | Visigraphic Crowd Emotional Record (from Gather, Darkness! by Fritz Leiber) A graphic record of the emotions of a crowd. |
| 1943 | Micro Book (Microbook) (from One Way Trip by Anthony Boucher) A very small volume, possibly an electronic book. |
| 1943 | Robot Cop (from Pacifist of Hell's Island by R.M. Williams) A robotic police officer. |
| 1943 | Aladur (from Sunward Flight by Leo Zagat) High tensile strength, lightweight material. |
| 1943 | Airpolo (from Sunward Flight by Leo Zagat) Polo played in mid-air with special aircraft and helium-filled balls. |
| 1943 | Space Weather Map (from The Storm by A.E. van Vogt) A map that details hazardous space conditions. |
| 1943 | Flame Barrier (from The Storm by A.E. van Vogt) A form of protective force field. |
| 1943 | Hooman (from Castaways of Eros by Nelson S. Bond) An alternative spelling. |
| 1943 | Off-World (from Judgement Night by C.L. Moore) Not of Earth. |
| 1943 | Rocketeer (from Sunward Flight by Leo Zagat) A person who pilots rockets. |
| 1943 | Vastening (from The Proud Robot by Lewis Padgett) It's hard to describe, but it's a robotic sense perception. |
| 1943 | Stratoyacht (from Sunward Flight by Leo Zagat) A privately-owned pleasure craft capable of attaining orbit. |
| 1943 | Deceleration Chambers (from The Storm by A.E. van Vogt) Stressed, the ship breaks apart into parts that may survive. |
| 1943 | Coldlight (from Sunward Flight by Leo Zagat) A means of producing illumination that does not produce heat. |
| 1943 | Plastibulb (from The Proud Robot by Lewis Padgett) A squeezable drink container. |
| 1943 | Royalties For Machine Learning Subjects (from Q.U.R. by Anthony Boucher) A payment to people who are used as subjects for imitation learning by robots. |
| 1943 | Manshell (from Sunward Flight by Leo Zagat) A spaceship large enough for just one man; also an escape pod. |
| 1943 | Inviolability Field (from Gather, Darkness! by Fritz Leiber) A kind of field of force built into a robe, to protect an individual person. |
| 1943 | Durasteel (from Sunward Flight by Leo Zagat) More durable than steel? |
| 1943 | Treatment of Extramundane Aborigines (from Symbiotica by Eric Frank Russell) Laws for aliens on their own planet. |
| 1943 | Personality Alteration (from Gather, Darkness! by Fritz Leiber) Permanent alternation of personality, the tools of the trade. |
| 1943 | Pneumo-Slacks (from The Proud Robot by Lewis Padgett) Pants that make you look beefier. |
| 1943 | Solidograph (from Gather, Darkness! by Fritz Leiber) Long distance projection of three-dimensional images. |
| 1943 | Adjustable House (from Gather, Darkness! by Fritz Leiber) A house with elastic walls and structural members, the shape of which can be changed. |
| 1943 | Telesolidograph (from Gather, Darkness! by Fritz Leiber) Projects three-dimensional images at great distances. |
| 1943 | Viewscreen Pentagon (from Sunward Flight by Leo Zagat) A display with a central, pentagonal display surrounded by square displays attached to the sides. |
| 1943 | Space Cadet (from Sunward Flight by Leo Zagat) A young person training to be a spaceman. |
| 1943 | Sea Robot (from The Metal Monster (Jarvis) by E.K. Jarvis) An enormous robot able to function in the ocean. |
| 1943 | Zeroentropy Spray (from Gather, Darkness! by Fritz Leiber) A method of reducing the disorder of an object as much as possible, reducing the temperature close to absolute zero. |
| 1944 | Hollow Asteroid (from Juke Box Asteroid by Joseph Farrell) An asteroid that has been hollowed out for use as a space habitat. |
| 1944 | Relations with Extraterrestrial Life (from Ogre by Clifford Simak) Instructions to earth citizens on how to behave when encountering alien civilizations. |
| 1944 | Asteroid Mining Robot (from Catch That Rabbit by Isaac Asimov) An autonomous robot able to effectively mine asteroids. |
| 1944 | Robot Team (from Catch That Rabbit by Isaac Asimov) A set of robots, with the leader able to coordinate the activities of less intelligent subsidiary robots. |
| 1944 | Simple Organisms Do Math (from Mr. Meek Plays Polo by Clifford Simak) Insects show unusual signs of intelligence. |
| 1944 | Planetoid With Earth Gravity (from The Soul Eaters by William Conover) |
| 1944 | Automatic Massager (from Far Centaurus by A.E. van Vogt) An autonomous massage machine with robotic arms and hands. |
| 1944 | Robot Lawn Mower (from City by Clifford Simak) An automated lawn mower. |
| 1944 | Asteroids From Outside Solar System (from Mr. Meek Plays Polo by Clifford Simak) Small bodies from beyond the solar system are captured by major planets. |
| 1944 | Slidewalk (from Sanity by Fritz Leiber) A moving sidewalk; a conveyor belt for people. |
| 1944 | Robot Voice (from Catch That Rabbit by Isaac Asimov) A voice box for a robot that is an analog of the human voice system. |
| 1944 | Reserve Bracelet (from Plague by Murray Leinster) A means of sending a message via tiny shocks in code, delivered to the wrist. |
| 1944 | Gyrocar Monorail (from The Anarch by Malcolm Jameson) A self-balancing vehicle. |
| 1944 | Battle Integrator (from The Bureaucrat by Malcolm Jameson) A three-dimensional representation of warfare in space. |
| 1944 | Star Base (from Star Base X by R.M. Williams) An installation or station at an important interstellar location. |
| 1944 | Robotic Arm (from City by Clifford Simak) A specialized robotic reaching and grasping device. |
| 1944 | Suit-Radio (from The Long Way by George O. Smith) A means of communication between two individuals clad in space suits. |
| 1944 | Hide in the Asteroids (from Plague by Murray Leinster) Match speed with the asteroids and become undetectable. |
| 1944 | Mal de Void (from Off the Beam by George O. Smith) Literally, space sick. |
| 1944 | Eternity Drug (from Far Centaurus by A.E. van Vogt) A medication that puts a person into a deep hibernation-like sleep for decades at a time. |
| 1944 | Life Blanket (from Ogre by Clifford Simak) Sentient moss which, when draped over the shoulders of a human being, becomes fully self-aware, providing valuable services. |
| 1944 | Solar Beam (from The Long Way by George O. Smith) Obtaining solar power by means of a direct connection with the sun. |
| 1944 | Turnover (from Off the Beam by George O. Smith) The point in a torchship's trajectory when it must flip over and point its fiery tail toward its destination to decelerate. |
| 1944 | Energy Screen (from Far Centaurus by A.E. van Vogt) A field of force. |
| 1944 | Gravitics (from Tricky Tonnage by Malcolm Jameson) The science of using gravity as a technology. |
| 1944 | Rust Ray Pistol (from Gambler’s Asteroid by Manly Wade Wellman) Makes the hardest steel or iron crumbly. |
| 1945 | Cosmoquake (from Things Pass By by Murray Leinster) Gravity waves ripple across the solar system. |
| 1945 | Ship Hull Thermobatteries (from The Ethical Equations by Murray Leinster) Solar activated and charged batteries built into the hull of a spacecraft. |
| 1945 | Escapecraft (from The Ethical Equations by Murray Leinster) A small spacecraft used when abandoning the main ship. |
| 1945 | Geosynchronous Satellite (from V2 for Ionospheric Research by Arthur C. Clarke) A communications satellite that appears to "hover" over one spot on the earth's surface; it goes around the earth in twenty-four hours. |
| 1945 | Fixed Star Advertising (from Pi in the Sky by Frederic Brown) In which the positions of the fixed stars are changed to form advertising. |
| 1945 | Meteor Blasters (from First Contact by Murray Leinster) Energy beams that would destroy space debris or rocks that lay in the path of a spacecraft. |
| 1945 | Sleeve Communicator (from First Contact by Murray Leinster) An electronic device controller built into clothing. |
| 1945 | Overdrive (from First Contact by Murray Leinster) A propulsion technology that allows a craft to travel at faster-than-light speed. |
| 1945 | Star-Globe (3D Map) (from Pi in the Sky by Frederic Brown) A celestial star map, done in three dimensions. |
| 1945 | Electronic Locator (from World of Null-A by A.E. van Vogt) A device that determines the location of a person. |
| 1945 | Games Machine (from World of Null-A by A.E. van Vogt) A vast computer system. |
| 1945 | Vision Plate (from First Contact by Murray Leinster) A flat panel monitor. |
| 1945 | Plastic Constructor (3D Printer) (from Things Pass By by Murray Leinster) A 3D printer - for spaceships. |
| 1945 | Matter Duplicator (from Pandora's Millions by George O. Smith) Makes a perfect copy of any material object. |
| 1946 | Logics Service (from A Logic Named Joe by Murray Leinster) A networked service that retains all of your personal information, schedules and phone messages online. |
| 1946 | Logics (from A Logic Named Joe by Murray Leinster) Machines that let you request information, and then display it for you on a screen. |
| 1946 | Carson Circuit (from A Logic Named Joe by Murray Leinster) A means of distinguishing betweem millions of different information sources - the secret of the Internet. |
| 1946 | Asteroid Mine (from Love Among The Robots by Emmett McDowell) The practice of seeking out and mining asteroids for their ore. |
| 1946 | Robot Cat (from The Cat and the King by Raymond F. Jones) A biological feline with mechanical parts. |
| 1946 | Tanks (from A Logic Named Joe by Murray Leinster) Device that provides mass storage of information. |
| 1946 | Roboticist (from Evidence by Isaac Asimov) A person who works on robots. |
| 1946 | Robot Bus (from The Little Things by Henry Kuttner) An autonomous vehicle to transport groups of people. |
| 1946 | Plastic Igloo (from Love Among The Robots by Emmett McDowell) A heavy plastic shelter for use in airless environments. |
| 1946 | Pocket Universe (from Pocket Universes by Murray Leinster) A created, separate space within the normal space of the universe. |
| 1946 | Star Travel (from Forgotten World by Edmond Hamilton) Undertaking a journey between the stars. |
| 1946 | Gravity Port (from Shadow Over Venus by Frank Belknap Long, Jr.) Used for refueling. |
| 1946 | Wandering Sunless Planet (from Dead Hand by Isaac Asimov) A planet that is not bound to a star. |
| 1946 | Mining Worm (Robot) (from Love Among The Robots by Emmett McDowell) An autonomous mining robot shaped like a worm. |
| 1946 | Spotcast (from The Little Things by Henry Kuttner) A new form of one-to-many communication. |
| 1947 | Space-Split (from The Star of Life by Edmond Hamilton) Access to other dimensions provided by splitting space itself. |
| 1947 | Machine Servant (from The Star of Life by Edmond Hamilton) A wheeled plastic box with universal-joint arms. |
| 1947 | Vitalizer (from The Soma Racks by Margaret St. Clair) Tired? Try Henderson's Vitalizer! |
| 1947 | Gravitic Generator (from Meddler's Moon by George O. Smith) A device that produces an artificial gravity field. |
| 1947 | Hedgerly Effect (from Meddler's Moon by George O. Smith) A means of producing a gravitational field artificially. |
| 1947 | Asteroid Nets (from Asteroid Justice by V.E. Thiessen) Capturing small asteroids or fragments using rocket nets. |
| 1947 | Mechanical Funeral (from The Coffin by Ray Bradbury) An entirely autonomous burial rite. |
| 1947 | Space-Dory (from Asteroid Justice by V.E. Thiessen) A small spacecraft sometimes used as a life boat. |
| 1947 | Prime Directive (from With Folded Hands by Jack Williamson) The first and most important rule; usually protective. |
| 1947 | Self-Opening Box (from Child's Play by William Tenn) Don't show this to Apple. |
| 1947 | Gyrocab (from You Are Forbidden! by Jerry Shelton) A flying taxi. |
| 1947 | Ion Drive (from Equalizer by Jack Williamson) A space drive that emits a stream of ions as reaction mass; it starts out slow but builds up to interstellar speeds. |
| 1947 | Planet-Smasher (from Propagandist by Murray Leinster) Devices capable of destroying an entire planet. |
| 1947 | Wango Wave (from Propagandist by Murray Leinster) Energy surge that accompanies the entrance into, and exit from, overdrive outside of normal space. |
| 1947 | Synchrophased Power Beams (from Propagandist by Murray Leinster) Focuses energy beams from multiple planets on the same object. |
| 1947 | Psychoscanner (from Propagandist by Murray Leinster) A device capable of taking impressions, feelings and memories from living brains; it can be used on animals as well. |
| 1948 | Survey Craft (from The Rull by A.E. van Vogt) Light duty ship for use in atmosphere, to explore planets. |
| 1948 | Star Drive (from Genius by Poul Anderson) The propulsion unit for an interstellar space craft. |
| 1948 | Microwavable Food (from Space Cadet by Robert Heinlein) Food that is prepared specifically for use in a microwave (high-frequency) oven. |
| 1948 | Portable Telephone (from Space Cadet by Robert Heinlein) The essence of a cell phone. |
| 1948 | Nerve Control Lines (from The Rull by A.E. van Vogt) Designs that take control of human nervous systems. |
| 1948 | Atomician Sign Language (from The Faceless Men by Leo Zagat) Specialized sign language used by those who work with atomics. |
| 1948 | High-Frequency Oven (from Space Cadet by Robert Heinlein) This describes the essence of a microwave. |
| 1948 | Versificator (from 1984 (Nineteen Eighty-Four) by George Orwell) A device that composes words to music. |
| 1948 | Rewriting History (from 1984 (Nineteen Eighty-Four) by George Orwell) Use of sophisticated technology to continuously rewrite the historical record. |
| 1948 | Space Ark (from Decision Illogical by N.B. Wilkinson) A very large ship used to transport a large group of people. |
| 1948 | Crimestop (from 1984 (Nineteen Eighty-Four) by George Orwell) The faculty of stopping short, as though by instict, at the threshold of any dangerous thought. |
| 1948 | Automatic Defensors (from The Rull by A.E. van Vogt) Devices that follow along with you, providing extra viewpoints. |
| 1948 | Doublethink (from 1984 (Nineteen Eighty-Four) by George Orwell) A mental discipline that is an exact contradiction to the basic principles of scientific inquiry. |
| 1948 | Telescreen (from 1984 (Nineteen Eighty-Four) by George Orwell) Very early use of the idea of using technology to monitor human activity at a distance. |
| 1948 | Beltway (from The Faceless Men by Leo Zagat) A moving sidewalk. |
| 1948 | Gravity Centrifuge (from Space Cadet by Robert Heinlein) Used in low gravity environments to build up muscle for visits to Earth, or other high gravity worlds. |
| 1948 | Tubecar (from The Faceless Men by Leo Zagat) A pneumatic tube that carries people. |
| 1948 | Personal Rocket Jet (from Space Cadet by Robert Heinlein) A small, handheld jet pack that can be used to maneuver freely in space. |
| 1948 | Moonbase (or Moon Base) (from 240,000 Miles Straight Up by L. Ron Hubbard) A base of operations on Earth's moon. |
| 1948 | Precog (v) (from Police Operation by H. Beam Piper) To see the future. |
| 1948 | Novel-Writing Machines (from 1984 (Nineteen Eighty-Four) by George Orwell) A device that automatically produces fiction. |
| 1948 | Memory Hole (from 1984 (Nineteen Eighty-Four) by George Orwell) A receptacle for unwanted documents. |
| 1948 | Atmospheric Braking (from Space Cadet by Robert Heinlein) Using a planet's atmosphere to gradually decelerate a spacecraft. |
| 1948 | Solidograph-Projector (from Police Operation by H. Beam Piper) A device that projected a 3D image of objects or a person. |
| 1948 | Moonquake-Proof Habitats (from Gentlemen, Be Seated by Robert Heinlein) Moonbases that are built to withstand quakes on the Moon. |
| 1948 | Tag-Along Balloon (from Gentlemen, Be Seated by Robert Heinlein) A bladder-like device that both finds and temporarily fixes leaks in moon tunnels or space station habitats. |
| 1948 | Speakwrite (from 1984 (Nineteen Eighty-Four) by George Orwell) A dictation machine that also transcribes the speech into typed words. |
| 1948 | Brain Erasure (from The Knowledge Machine by Edmond Hamilton) Deleting selected knowledge from the brain using electrical impulses. |
| 1948 | Learning-Cap (from The Knowledge Machine by Edmond Hamilton) A special metal helmet for electro-education. |
| 1948 | Electro-Education (from The Knowledge Machine by Edmond Hamilton) The latest thing in electrically stimulated learning. |
| 1949 | Emergency Treatment Tank (Chamber) (from Agent of Vega by James Schmitz) A fully enclosed regeneration device. |
| 1949 | Painted Respirator Masks (from Red Planet by Robert Heinlein) Children choose to decorate otherwise uniform equipment masks. |
| 1949 | Metal Calculator Planet (from Limiting Factor by Clifford Simak) A planet covered entirely with machinery to a height of twenty miles and covered with a metal roof. |
| 1949 | Spider Robot (from The Mystery of Element 117 by Milton K. Smith) A mechanism in the form of a spider. |
| 1949 | Bubble Armor Space Suit (from Agent of Vega by James Schmitz) Steel bubble-shaped space suit. |
| 1949 | Herculoy (from The Howling Bounders by Jack Vance) A very strong alloy like steel. |
| 1949 | Self-Igniter (from The Howling Bounders by Jack Vance) A self-lighting cigarette. |
| 1949 | Synthetigrav (from Agent of Vega by James Schmitz) General term for any of the fields produced by synthetic gravity devices. |
| 1949 | Cybernetic Brain (from The Cybernetic Brain by Charles Recour) An artificial brain to control the movements of an prosthetic leg using nerve impulses. |
| 1949 | Quizzer (from Agent of Vega by James Schmitz) An autonomous mind-probe. |
| 1949 | Three Generation Work (Century Piece) (from The Sub-Standard Sardines by Jack Vance) An artwork created by three consecutive generations of artists, in exactly one century. |
| 1949 | Resilian (from The Howling Bounders by Jack Vance) A natural fiber that is as strong as steel. |
| 1949 | Plastiskin (from Unforeseen by Roger P. Graham) Artificial human skin to cover prosthetics. |
| 1949 | Vivo-Gel (from Agent of Vega by James Schmitz) Semi-living material. |
| 1949 | Repulsor (from What Mad Universe by Frederic Brown) A device that inhibits the action of a spacewarp drive. |
| 1949 | 'Fresher (from Gulf by Robert Heinlein) Short for 'refreshing chamber', a device that performs various personal services. |
| 1949 | Desert Cabbage (from Red Planet by Robert Heinlein) A giant plant that regulates its internal temperature even on Mars. |
| 1949 | Skimmer (from Lost Ulysses by W.L. Bade) Low-flying, hovering vehicle. |
| 1949 | Spacewarp Drive (from What Mad Universe by Frederic Brown) A means of faster-than-light travel. |
| 1949 | Gee (from Sacred Martian Pig (Idris' Pig) by Margaret St. Clair) Using the standard letter designation in physics for gravity. |
| 1949 | Mind-Parasite (from Agent of Vega by James Schmitz) Takes over the cognition of a host organism. |
| 1949 | Mind-Lock (from Agent of Vega by James Schmitz) A device that confines a mind within its own shielded area. |
| 1949 | Telepath Transmitter (from Agent of Vega by James Schmitz) A device for long distance communication that makes use of telepathy. |
| 1949 | Stationary Automatic Blaster (from Red Planet by Robert Heinlein) An automated defensive blaster. |
| 1949 | Space Scurvy (Kenoalgia) (from Sacred Martian Pig (Idris' Pig) by Margaret St. Clair) A wasting disease of space travel. |
| 1949 | Visiglobe (from Agent of Vega by James Schmitz) A display that provided a spherical, 3D visualization of a scene. |
| 1949 | Shari (from Sacred Martian Pig (Idris' Pig) by Margaret St. Clair) A multipurpose net worn as clothing. |
| 1949 | Bolt Anti-Grav (from Sacred Martian Pig (Idris' Pig) by Margaret St. Clair) This device produces a torus-shaped discharge that causes weightlessness. |
| 1949 | Fluor Strips (from Sacred Martian Pig (Idris' Pig) by Margaret St. Clair) Lighting long narrow devices. |
| 1949 | Robot Introspection (from Unforeseen by Roger P. Graham) A robotic brain grows and learns about itself. |
1600-1899 1900-1949 1950's 1960's 1970's 1980's 1990's 2000's
Technovelgy.com
is devoted to the creative inventions of science fiction authors and movie
makers. Look for the Science Fiction Invention
Category that interests you, the Dictionary
of Science Fiction Inventions, the Timeline
of Science Fiction Inventions, or see what's New.
Find new authors and technologies - Shop for yourself,
your library and your lab.
Bambot Open Source Cheap Delivery Robot
re: Robert Heinlein
(4/12/2025)
Robot Collective Acts Like A Smart Material
re: Jack Williamson
(4/10/2025)
Vipera Electric Skis From Frigid Dynamics
re: Ursula K. Le Guin
(4/8/2025)
Pixel Watch 'Loss of Pulse Detection' And Philip K. Dick
re: Philip K. Dick
(4/6/2025)
Nuclear Plant Restarted To Power AI To Feed Us Dreams
re: Raymond Z. Gallun
(4/4/2025)
SpaceX's Starman Tesla Roadster In Space
re: Theodore Sturgeon
(4/2/2025)
Pivotal Blackfly Electric Aircraft Lifts And Hovers
re: R.H. Roman
(3/29/2025)
CORLEO Robotic Horse Concept Looks Ready To Ride
re: Emil Souvestre
(3/27/2025)
Who First Thought Of A Tin Foil Hat?
re: Julian Huxley
(3/25/2025)
Warp Drive Tech Back On The Menu
re: RM Williams
(3/23/2025)
Huawei Pura X Folding Phattie Phone
re: William Gibson
(3/21/2025)
Sleep Pods At Daxing International Airport
re: Chris Boyce
(3/19/2025)
Robot Baristas Learn Their Trade Without Paying Royalties
re: Anthony Boucher
(3/17/2025)
JAXA Int Ball 2 Coming Right Along As Star Wars Remote
re: George Lucas
(3/15/2025)
Robot Bricklayer Or Passer-By Bricklayer?
re: Bruce Sterling
(3/13/2025)
Robot Gas Station Attendant Pumps Gas For You
re: Philip K. Dick
(3/11/2025)
Engineer Creates Crazy Motorized Track Hospital Bed
re: Katsuhiro Otomo
(3/9/2025)
Tiny Flying Robot Weighs Just One Gram
re: Neal Stephenson
(3/7/2025)
Some Ringworld Configurations Are Stable
re: Larry Niven
(3/5/2025)
TRANSFORM Dynamic Furniture Concept Becomes What You Need
re: Larry Niven
(3/3/2025)
Harvard Metamaterials Change Structure Instantly
re: Samuel R. Delany
(3/1/2025)
SnapBot Robots - You Choose Their Legs And They Choose Their Gaits
re: Milton K Smith
(2/27/2025)
Dino From Magical Toys An AI Companion To Children
re: Anne McCaffrey
(2/25/2025)
Humanoid Robots Building Humanoid Robots
re: Isaac Asimov
(2/23/2025)
Darpa 'Defiant' Unmanned Autonomous Ship
re: Miles J. Breuer
(2/21/2025)
What's The Best Way To Ship And Unpack Humanoid Robots?
re: Elizabeth Bellamy
(2/19/2025)
DNA Printed Book By Isaac Asimov Now Available
re: Barbara Hambly
(2/17/2025)
AI Computer Chip Designs Passeth Human Understanding
re: Isaac Asimov
(2/15/2025)
Space Traffic Management (STM) Needed Now
re: Arthur William Bernal
(2/13/2025)
Fine-Tune Your Infinite Book The Way You Want It
re: Clifford Simak
(2/11/2025)
SpiRobs Soft Spiral Robotic Arm
re: HG Wells
(2/9/2025)
Holland Factory 3D Printing 500 Tons Of Steak Per Month
re: Margaret St. Clair
(2/7/2025)
(See More Science Fiction in the News)
