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.
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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) |
| 1950 | Computer-Controlled House (from The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury) A residence that is an autonomous robotic system. |
| 1950 | Space Platform (from The Morning of the Day They Did It by E.B. White) The Space Platform for Checking Aggression is a military orbital weapons platform. |
| 1950 | Robotic Chess Expert (from Time Quarry by Clifford Simak) A robot that plays chess at a level that no human can match. |
| 1950 | Self-Adjusting Furniture (from Time Quarry by Clifford Simak) Automatic adjustment for a perfect fit. |
| 1950 | Gravity Drive (from Star Ship by Poul Anderson) A spaceship propulsion method that uses gravity or gravity waves. |
| 1950 | Tri-D (from The Morning of the Day They Did It by E.B. White) A remarkable pesticide. |
| 1950 | Diaheliper (from The Morning of the Day They Did It by E.B. White) Offers delivery of diapers by air. |
| 1950 | Black Bag (from The Little Black Bag by C.M. Kornbluth) A medical kit from the future. |
| 1950 | Automatic Light Switch (from The Man Who Sold The Moon by Robert Heinlein) A device that senses if an illuminated room is empty, and turns off the light. |
| 1950 | Torch (from Farmer in the Sky by Robert Heinlein) The orifice from which issued the reaction mass of an atomic powered space craft. |
| 1950 | Sand Ship (from The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury) A wind-powered vehicle in the desert. |
| 1950 | Helicab (from Heli-Cab Hack by John Weston) A taxi cab that flies using helicopter rotors. |
| 1950 | Stratovideo (Television Plane) (from The Morning of the Day They Did It by E.B. White) An aircraft with studios that continuously broadcast line-of-sight television. |
| 1950 | Repair Robots (from The Well-Oiled Machine by H.B. Fyfe) Autonomous robots that carry out maintenance functions on a space ship. |
| 1950 | Anti-Tri-D Shot (from The Morning of the Day They Did It by E.B. White) Counteracts the deadly pesticide Tri-D. |
| 1950 | Fontema (from First Lensman by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) A strange two 'wheeled' animal. |
| 1950 | Walker Wagon (from Farmer in the Sky by Robert Heinlein) Robotic vehicle with a trough-like body and many mechanical legs. |
| 1950 | The Machines (from The Evitable Conflict by Isaac Asimov) A few of these can run a planetary economy. |
| 1950 | Yeast Steak (from The Evitable Conflict by Isaac Asimov) Growing custom strains of yeast as food. |
| 1950 | Two-Wheeled Ground Car (from First Lensman by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) A gyro-stabilized vehicle like an enclosed motorcycle. |
| 1950 | Underpeople (from The Ballad of Lost C'Mell by Cordwainer Smith) An animal modified to be human in shape and intellect. |
| 1950 | Nexialist (from Voyage of the Space Beagle by A.E. van Vogt) A person with a coordinative knowledge across a variety of sciences. |
| 1950 | Haberman (from Scanners Live in Vain by Cordwainer Smith) Modified humans controlled by cybernetic implants. |
| 1950 | Regeneration Tank (from Contagion by Katherine MacLean) A nutrient bath large enough to enclose a person that preserved life and treated disease. |
| 1950 | Earthport (from The Ballad of Lost C'Mell by Cordwainer Smith) A massive spaceport that reared up from the surface of the earth to the edge of the atmosphere. |
| 1950 | Syntho-Steak (from Farmer in the Sky by Robert Heinlein) Artificially produced meat. |
| 1950 | Quickthaw (from Farmer in the Sky by Robert Heinlein) A microwave oven to heat food items quickly. |
| 1950 | Mass-Conversion Ship (from Farmer in the Sky by Robert Heinlein) A spacecraft that uses the ultimate in fuel sources. |
| 1950 | Nucleocat Cureall (from Contagion by Katherine MacLean) Only human cells can survive contact. |
| 1950 | Hybrid Mass Driver (from The Man Who Sold The Moon by Robert Heinlein) A device for launching space craft on the first stage of a journey to space. |
| 1950 | Earther (from The Five Gold Bands by Jack Vance) A person born on planet Earth. |
| 1950 | Water From Lunar Gypsum (from The Moon is Hell by John W. Campbell) Extracting water (and therefore oxygen, by electrolysis) from apparently dry lunar material. |
| 1950 | Building With Lunar Materials (from The Moon is Hell by John W. Campbell) Using a planet's materials to make what you need. |
| 1950 | Palm Key-Plate (from The Stars are The Styx by Theodore Sturgeon) A plate that accepts palms that have been verified. |
| 1950 | Robotic Dishwasher (from The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury) A fully automated solution to the dishwashing problem. |
| 1950 | FTL (from The Enchanted Forest by Fritz Leiber) Abbreviation for "faster than light". |
| 1950 | Shipboard Medical Treatment (from Contagion by Katherine MacLean) An elaborate system to guard against infection in returning space explorers. |
| 1950 | Voice-Clock (from The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury) A clock that could state the time out loud. |
| 1950 | Robot Mice (from The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury) Tiny cleaning robots. |
| 1950 | Zag House (from Time Quarry by Clifford Simak) A means of implanting dreams. |
| 1950 | Mentophone (from Time Quarry by Clifford Simak) A device that facilitates long-distance telepathy. |
| 1950 | Culture Tank (from Needle by Hal Clement) Germs that eat garbage and produce oil. |
| 1950 | Tractatruck (from The Moon is Hell by John W. Campbell) Combination tractor and truck used for hauling and exploration. |
| 1951 | Butler-Valet Robot (from The Jester by William Tenn) A gentleman's servant, roboticized. |
| 1951 | Smarter People Having Fewer Children (from The Marching Morons by C.M. Kornbluth) The original argument that less suitable human pairs are having proportionally more children. |
| 1951 | Air Speedster (from Foundation by Isaac Asimov) Highly maneuverable air vehicle for hunting. |
| 1951 | Coffee Cube (from The Marching Morons by C.M. Kornbluth) Concentrated coffee that boils itself! |
| 1951 | Asteroid Homesteaders' School (from Asteroid of Fear by Raymond Z. Gallun) An institution of learning where regular folks learned how to start a farm on an asteroid. |
| 1951 | Personal Capsule (from Foundation by Isaac Asimov) An impenetrable device containing information for your eyes only. |
| 1951 | Polaron Beam (from Earthlight (Novella) by Arthur C. Clarke) A unique beam of energy that scatters some of its light at right angles to the direction of propagation. |
| 1951 | Asteroid Garden (from Asteroid of Fear by Raymond Z. Gallun) A method for building a greenhouse on a small, airless body. |
| 1951 | Airtight Tent (from Asteroid of Fear by Raymond Z. Gallun) A temporary structure for living on an airless moon or asteroid. |
| 1951 | Oxygen Weeds (from The Sands of Mars by Arthur C. Clarke) Plants that create oxygen on a planet with little breathable air. |
| 1951 | Audio Relay (from The Puppet Masters by Robert Heinlein) A communication device implanted behind the ear; also used as an alarm for wake-up calls. |
| 1951 | Space Station One (from The Sands of Mars by Arthur C. Clarke) Describes an early space station similar to the International Space Station, that grew over time by accretion. |
| 1951 | Single Vehicle Tunnel (from Foundation by Isaac Asimov) A small diameter tunnel that accepts a single vehicle to a single destination. |
| 1951 | Sun Dome (from The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury) Used on Venus to give relief from the endless rain. |
| 1951 | Oxygen Concentrator (from Duel on Syrtis by Poul Anderson) Gathers oxygen from a thin atmosphere until it is breathable, supporting life. |
| 1951 | Negative Molecular Motion (from The Universe Between by Alan E. Nourse) A state of matter that has a temperature below absolute zero. |
| 1951 | Pail of Air (from A Pail of Air by Fritz Leiber) A small bucket filled with (liquid) air. |
| 1951 | Nuclear Shears (from Foundation by Isaac Asimov) Device uses nuclear power to accomplish basic shop tasks. |
| 1951 | Genetic Engineering (from Dragon's Island by Jack Williamson) Direct manipulation of genetic material |
| 1951 | Dirt-Farming (from The End of the Line by James Schmitz) An archaic method of food production. |
| 1951 | Suction Mail Tube (from The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury) An evacuated tube system carrying mail to residences. |
| 1951 | Metal Foil Advertisement (from The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury) An advertising circular made out of metal. |
| 1951 | Dominator (from The End of the Line by James Schmitz) Device implants a psychological block. |
| 1951 | Static Field (from Foundation by Isaac Asimov) A defense against a spy beam. |
| 1951 | Ontogenetic Adaptation (from The End of the Line by James Schmitz) Immediate genetic-level ability to eat alien plants. |
| 1951 | Teledar (from The Jester by William Tenn) Three-dimensional television. |
| 1951 | Suspensine (from Duel on Syrtis by Poul Anderson) Slows biological functions enough to survive in airless space - for a time. |
| 1951 | Force-Field Penknife (from Foundation by Isaac Asimov) A pocket-sized knife, the blade of which is a force-field. |
| 1951 | Flavor-Fix Rheostat (from The Jester by William Tenn) Technology makes sure that the flavor of automatically-produced food is perfect. |
| 1951 | Neuronic Whip (from The Stars, Like Dust by Isaac Asimov) A weapon that stimulated the nerve endings to cause extreme discomfort. |
| 1951 | Half-Sphere Force Field (from Between Planets by Robert Heinlein) A protective force field that can manifest even as a half-sphere. |
| 1951 | Microwire (from Between Planets by Robert Heinlein) A very thin wire used for recording purposes. |
| 1951 | Helmet-Mounted Display Screen (from Rock Diver by Harry Harrison) A small electronic display mounted for easy viewing. |
| 1951 | Vibratory Mass Penetrator (from Rock Diver by Harry Harrison) A device that allows a person to walk through earth and even solid rock. |
| 1951 | Flying Saucer (from The Puppet Masters by Robert Heinlein) Spacecraft flown by the androgynes of Titan - under control of the Puppetmasters. |
| 1951 | Ultrawave Relay or Hyperwave Relay (from Foundation by Isaac Asimov) Instantaneous, faster-than-light communication system. |
| 1951 | Pocket Nucleo-Bulb (from Foundation by Isaac Asimov) A nuclear-powered pocket-sized flashlight. |
| 1951 | Neutron Disruption Blaster (from The Complete Paratime by H. Beam Piper) Beam pistol which splits neutrons into protons and electrons, releasing enormous energy. |
| 1951 | Shuttle Ship (from Between Planets by Robert Heinlein) A spacecraft that could take off from a planet, rendezvous with an object in orbit, and fly back to the surface like a glider. |
| 1951 | The Veldt (from The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury) A nursery that comes alive for the viewer. |
| 1951 | Winged Rocket Shuttle (from Between Planets by Robert Heinlein) A sort of plane that briefly reached space while traveling between points on a planet. |
| 1951 | Selector Card (from The Puppet Masters by Robert Heinlein) Pneumatic delivery of book films by using a mechanical form of data storage; selector cards - probably punch cards. |
| 1951 | Odorophonics (from The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury) A system capable of reproducing selected scents capable of fooling the human nervous system. |
| 1951 | Happylife Home (from The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury) An automated multi-media home, which provided the good life to its inhabitants. |
| 1951 | Cold-Sleep (from Between Planets by Robert Heinlein) A form of induced suspended animation, in which a person enters a state like hibernation. |
| 1951 | Jump Through Hyperspace (from Foundation by Isaac Asimov) Device that makes faster-than-light travel possible. |
| 1951 | Vat Meat (Albert) (from The End of the Line by James Schmitz) Meat grown in a vat. |
| 1951 | Calculator Pad (from Foundation by Isaac Asimov) Used to make psychohistoric calculations |
| 1951 | Gravitic Repulsion Elevator (from Foundation by Isaac Asimov) The elevator was of the new sort that ran by gravitic repulsion. |
| 1951 | Directional Ticket (from Foundation by Isaac Asimov) A ticket that also has the property of glowing while you are going toward what you bought. |
| 1951 | Finger Watch (from Key Decision by H.B. Fyfe) A ring that contains a working timepiece and a display. |
| 1951 | Personal Force-Shield (from Foundation by Isaac Asimov) A portable force-shield small enough to be carried by a single man. |
| 1951 | Agricultural World (from Foundation by Isaac Asimov) Planet set aside for the production of food for another world. |
| 1951 | Plasto-Textile (from Foundation by Isaac Asimov) A fabric that cannot be stained. |
| 1951 | Trantor (from Foundation by Isaac Asimov) A city that covers the entire surface of the planet. |
| 1951 | Variable Modifier (from The Jester by William Tenn) Provides the capability of altering standard jokes to fit new circumstances. |
| 1951 | Meson Filter (from The Jester by William Tenn) Provides robots with the ability to tell the difference between jokes that provide a chuckle and jokes that provide a belly laugh. |
| 1951 | Robot Comedian (from The Jester by William Tenn) Joke-telling feature added to a standard butler robot. |
| 1951 | Vocalex Kitchen (from The Jester by William Tenn) Voice command automatic kitchen. |
| 1951 | Self-Sealing Plastic (from Asteroid of Fear by Raymond Z. Gallun) Transparent sheeting with a layer of material that would flow to staunch tiny leaks. |
| 1951 | Surrogate Skin (from The Puppet Masters by Robert Heinlein) False skin that is sprayed onto damaged areas. |
| 1951 | Machine Test Scoring (from The Fun They Had by Isaac Asimov) A device that scans a specially prepared grade sheet and determines a student's score. |
| 1951 | Telebook (from The Fun They Had by Isaac Asimov) A book made available in text on a television screen. |
| 1951 | Robass (from The Quest for Saint Aquin by Anthony Boucher) A robotic beast of burden. |
| 1951 | Psychohistory (from Foundation by Isaac Asimov) Branch of mathematics describes the behavior of human beings en masses. |
| 1951 | Spy Beam (from Foundation by Isaac Asimov) A surveillance device that projects energy into a room, revealing conversation taking place. |
| 1951 | Anti-Spying Device (from Foundation by Isaac Asimov) Foolproof means of defending against spy beams. |
| 1951 | Molecule Matrix (from Between Planets by Robert Heinlein) Storing information in individual molecules and atoms. |
| 1951 | Movable Slideway (from Between Planets by Robert Heinlein) A slideway (moving sidewalk) that can be extended to a spaceship to ease the debarkation process. |
| 1951 | Powered artificial exoskeleton (from Between Planets by Robert Heinlein) A robotic device designed to support someone too weak to comfortably move in high gravity. |
| 1951 | Spinning Pressurized Drum (from Between Planets by Robert Heinlein) Put a spin on just a part of a space station. |
| 1951 | Guided Missile Control Station (from Between Planets by Robert Heinlein) An orbital missile base. |
| 1951 | Space Transfer Station (from Between Planets by Robert Heinlein) An orbiting space station primarily used as a stepping-off point from Earth. |
| 1951 | Security Restraint Field (from Between Planets by Robert Heinlein) A force field that restricts personal movement. |
| 1951 | Martian Perambulator (from Between Planets by Robert Heinlein) A mechanized transport for heavy gravity environments for beings born in lower gravity environments. |
| 1951 | Autocab (from Between Planets by Robert Heinlein) An fully automated taxi cab. |
| 1951 | Mechanical Teacher (from The Fun They Had by Isaac Asimov) A computer device able to teach children. |
| 1951 | Planetruck (from The Slave Ship to Andrigo by Ross Rocklynne) Huge vehicle for planetary surface transport. |
| 1951 | Ultra-Light (from Rock Diver by Harry Harrison) Allows the user to see into rock or other solid matter. |
| 1951 | Boarding Space-Line (from Tyrann by Isaac Asimov) A method for two ships to connect at a distance, allowing a passenger to move safely between ships. |
| 1951 | Artificial Intelligence (from Moon of the Unforgotten by Edmond Hamilton) A machine or other created system able to respond in a human-like way to questions or problems. |
| 1951 | Booklegger (from Between Planets by Robert Heinlein) A smuggler of books. |
| 1951 | Retard-Jets (from Brother Worlds by Raymond Z. Gallun) Rockets to slow down. |
| 1951 | Sun-Room (from Foundation by Isaac Asimov) On a planet-wide city, the only way to get some sun without going to the roof. |
| 1951 | Robot Detector (from Assignment in the Unknown by Frank Quattrocchi) A device that can sense robotics. |
| 1951 | Star-Globe (Ship) (from Brother Worlds by Raymond Z. Gallun) A spherical spacecraft. |
| 1952 | Spray-On Gloves (from Abercrombie Station by Jack Vance) Fashionable evening gloves that are sprayed onto the hand and arm. |
| 1952 | Self-Maintaining Circuit Monitoring and Repair (from Gramp and his Dog by Frank Quattrocchi) A computer that monitors itself for repair. |
| 1952 | Monoline (from Big Planet by Jack Vance) A wind-driven overland transport. |
| 1952 | Singularity (from All The Time In The World by Arthur C. Clarke) In science, a condition in which spacetime breaks down; in society, a technological advance causes social conditions to break down. |
| 1952 | Photo Crystal (Cube) (from Foundation and Empire by Isaac Asimov) A small handheld display for a picture |
| 1952 | Ribbon World (from Foundation and Empire by Isaac Asimov) A planet that presents the same face to its sun has a small habitable area - the ribbon between light and dark. |
| 1952 | Spray-On Clothing Web (from Abercrombie Station by Jack Vance) A 'web' clothing foundation that can be sprayed on and then molded by a couturier. |
| 1952 | Wall-Light (from Foundation and Empire by Isaac Asimov) The walls of a room provide illumination. |
| 1952 | Flavor-Capsule (from Foundation and Empire by Isaac Asimov) A small pill used to turn ordinary water into a flavored beverage. |
| 1952 | Gravital Unit (from Accidental Flight by W.F. Wallace) Device that maintains Earth-comparable gravity on an asteroid. |
| 1952 | Nuclear-Field Depressor (from Foundation and Empire by Isaac Asimov) A device that causes nuclear-powered devices to stop working. |
| 1952 | Robodore (from Robot Unwanted by Daniel Keyes) A robot specialized for use as a stevedore, emptying the contents of ships in port. |
| 1952 | Airplane Window Ads (from The Space Merchants by Frederik Pohl (w/CM Kornbluth)) An airplane window that allows you to - see advertisements! |
| 1952 | Robot Tennis Player (from Manners of the Age by H.B. Fyfe) A purely mechanical, autonomous foe on the court. |
| 1952 | Warp-Speed (from Yachting Party by Fox B. Holden) Faster than light spaceships. |
| 1952 | Panatrope (from Surface Tension by James Blish) A device that modifies human dna to ensure survival in harsh alien environments. |
| 1952 | Magnetized Cloth Pajamas (from Abercrombie Station by Jack Vance) Sleeping in zero gee - just like on Earth! |
| 1952 | Esper (from The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester) A person to perceive the contents of another person's mind. |
| 1952 | Flat Cat (from The Rolling Stones by Robert Heinlein) A nearly two-dimensional furry little beast. |
| 1952 | Medical Use for Weightlessness (from Accidental Flight by W.F. Wallace) Early reference to the idea of using a weightless environment for medical purposes. |
| 1952 | Robotic Law Tape Safety Valve (from Robot Unwanted by Daniel Keyes) A specific impulse that warns robots contemplating breaking the laws set forth for their behavior. |
| 1952 | Robot Manumission (from Robot Unwanted by Daniel Keyes) The freeing of a robotic being from a state of being owned property. |
| 1952 | Silencer-Padding (from Robot Unwanted by Daniel Keyes) Robots need to have special padding on the bottoms of their lower limbs, so they don't clank as they walk. |
| 1952 | Triple Airlock (from Uller Uprising by H. Beam Piper) Special device to protect against extremely corrosive atmospheres. |
| 1952 | Monowheel (from Firewater by William Tenn) A single-wheeled police car. |
| 1952 | Robot Ramp (from Robot Unwanted by Daniel Keyes) A special means of ingress and egress solely for use by mechanical help. |
| 1952 | Chicken Little (from The Space Merchants by Frederik Pohl (w/CM Kornbluth)) Very early reference to meat grown in a vat for food. |
| 1952 | Tiny Nuclear Generator (from Foundation and Empire by Isaac Asimov) A complete nuclear-based generator of power no bigger than a walnut. |
| 1952 | Free Robot (from Robot Unwanted by Daniel Keyes) A robot without a master. |
| 1952 | Vacuum Tractor (from Moonwalk by H.B. Fyfe) A small transport used on the surface of the moon, in vacuum. |
| 1952 | Moonwalk (from Moonwalk by H.B. Fyfe) To traverse the Earth's moon on foot, in a space suit. |
| 1952 | Water Bulb (from The Space Merchants by Frederik Pohl (w/CM Kornbluth)) A zero-gee dispenser of liquids. |
| 1952 | Plasticocoon (from The Space Merchants by Frederik Pohl (w/CM Kornbluth)) Holds a prisoner motionless. |
| 1952 | Hypnoteleset (from The Space Merchants by Frederik Pohl (w/CM Kornbluth)) A device that guarantees quick, surrogate sleep. |
| 1952 | Tourist Rocket (from The Space Merchants by Frederik Pohl (w/CM Kornbluth)) A cheap, unpleasant way to do space travel. |
| 1952 | Chlorella Plantation (from The Space Merchants by Frederik Pohl (w/CM Kornbluth)) A skyscraper designed for food production. |
| 1952 | Water Bulb (from The Space Merchants by Frederik Pohl (w/CM Kornbluth)) A zero-g way to enjoy water. |
| 1952 | Pocket Projector (from Foundation and Empire by Isaac Asimov) A personal device for replaying media. |
| 1952 | Recorded Books (from Foundation and Empire by Isaac Asimov) Electronically recorded books. |
| 1952 | Magneslippers (from Accidental Flight by W.F. Wallace) Shoes that adhere to metal space ship floors, useful in null gravity situations. |
| 1952 | Psychic Probe (from Foundation and Empire by Isaac Asimov) A device capable of discerning truthful information in a living human brain. |
| 1952 | Toaster (from Accidental Flight by W.F. Wallace) A handheld beam weapon. |
| 1952 | Levitating Path (from A Sound of Thunder by Ray Bradbury) Anti-gravity metal used to make a floating walkway. |
| 1952 | Contragravity Suit (from Uller Uprising by H. Beam Piper) A suit with antigravity. |
| 1952 | Off-Planet (from Uller Uprising by H. Beam Piper) Away from a planet, towards another or into space. |
| 1952 | Ullran Enunciator (from Uller Uprising by H. Beam Piper) Special prosthesis needed to aid humans in speaking an alien language. |
| 1952 | Animal-tissue Culture Vat (from Uller Uprising by H. Beam Piper) A means of producing artificial meat for food. |
| 1952 | Airjeep (from Uller Uprising by H. Beam Piper) A small military air vehicle. |
| 1952 | Personal Solar Plant (from Ring Around the Sun by Clifford Simak) A single-home solar-powered energy source. |
| 1952 | Solar-powered Prefab House (from Ring Around the Sun by Clifford Simak) A pre-built house that can live off the grid. |
| 1952 | Electronic Spy (from Ring Around the Sun by Clifford Simak) An autonomous device that kept itself hidden while keeping track of an individual's activity. |
| 1952 | Plastissue (from Accidental Flight by W.F. Wallace) Artificial flesh. |
| 1952 | Prism Window (from The Space Merchants by Frederik Pohl (w/CM Kornbluth)) A device for getting a better view of the ground from inside an airplane. |
| 1952 | Self-Repairing Robot (from Accidental Flight by W.F. Wallace) A mechanism that can detect faults in itself and repair them. |
| 1952 | Stun Pistol (from Foundation and Empire by Isaac Asimov) A hand-held device that causes unconsciousness. |
| 1952 | Hydropathic bed (from The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester) A heated bed that used something more comfortable than water. |
| 1952 | Moon-Dome (from Last Blast by Eric Frank Russell) A transparent hemisphere used as a habitat. |
| 1952 | Spy-Eyes (from Manners of the Age by H.B. Fyfe) Tiny robotic surveillance devices fly using propellers. |
| 1952 | Analogue Treatment (from Ticket to Anywhere by Damon Knight) Hypnotic drug treatment that normalizes behavior in humans. |
| 1952 | Visi-Sonor (from Foundation and Empire by Isaac Asimov) An entertainment device which appeared to create both sound and light by acting directly on brain cells. It also stimulated emotions directly. |
| 1952 | Barytrine Field (from Troubled Star by George O. Smith) Very large scale stasis field. |
| 1952 | Gas Giant (from Solar Plexus by James Blish) Large planet consisting primarily of gas with a solid core. |
| 1952 | Soot-Extractor Nostril Plugs (Antisoot Plugs) (from The Space Merchants by Frederik Pohl (w/CM Kornbluth)) A small device worn to filter industrial pollutants out of breathing air. |
| 1952 | Coffiest (from The Space Merchants by Frederik Pohl (w/CM Kornbluth)) It's coffee that you can't live without. |
| 1952 | Leak Disk (from Islands in the Sky by Arthur C. Clarke) Simple device to temporarily close a leak in a spacecraft. |
| 1952 | Retinal Projection (from The Space Merchants by Frederik Pohl (w/CM Kornbluth)) A method for projecting advertisements directly on the retina. |
| 1952 | Menslator (from Troubled Star by George O. Smith) A translator that works by examining the mental image of what you are trying to say. |
| 1952 | Mechanical Dentist (from Make Mine Mars by C.M. Kornbluth) No human graduated from dental school here. |
| 1952 | Supervisor Robot (from Manners of the Age by H.B. Fyfe) A robot that watches over and gives orders to other robots. |
| 1952 | Lunocycle (Lunar Bicycle) (from The Rolling Stones by Robert Heinlein) A bicycle specially adapted for lunar travel. |
| 1952 | Compulsive Subsonics (from The Space Merchants by Frederik Pohl (w/CM Kornbluth)) An advertising agency works with every part of the audience's brain. |
| 1952 | Space-Weather Men (from Revenge of the Robots by Lawrence Chandler) Predictors of the 'weather' in space. |
| 1952 | Mnemiphot (from The Kokod Warriors by Jack Vance) A device used to search for information, which is then presented on a convenient screen. |
| 1952 | Kite-Copter Car (from The Kokod Warriors by Jack Vance) An observation car suspended below a device that supplies lift. |
| 1952 | Automated Wake-Up Call (from The Kokod Warriors by Jack Vance) A device that provides automated wake-up calls. |
| 1952 | Automatic Pilot (from The Space Merchants by Frederik Pohl (w/CM Kornbluth)) A device to control the movement of aircraft using computer components. |
| 1952 | Zero 'g' (Zero Gee) (from Islands in the Sky by Arthur C. Clarke) In a ship in orbit, in free fall. |
| 1952 | Space Beacon (from Troubled Star by George O. Smith) An ordinary sun is transformed into a beacon for use by spacecraft when in hyperspace. |
| 1952 | Law of Contact (from Orphans of the Void by Orville Shaara) Non-interference in the development of other worlds. |
| 1952 | Droid (First Use) (from Robots of the World! Arise! by Mari Wolf) Contraction of "android". |
| 1952 | Lead-Bodied Android (from Robots of the World! Arise! by Mari Wolf) A robot designed for use in the nuclear industry. |
| 1952 | Flesh Men (from Robots of the World! Arise! by Mari Wolf) Thinking beings that are not mechanical robots - human beings. |
| 1952 | Robot Strike (from Robots of the World! Arise! by Mari Wolf) When robots refuse to work. |
| 1952 | Hilsch Vortex Tube (from The Space Merchants by Frederik Pohl (w/CM Kornbluth)) A T-shaped device that admits air under pressure and outputs hot air from side and cold from the other. |
| 1952 | Light Absorbing/Emitting Ink (from Gravy Planet by Frederik Pohl (w/CM Kornbluth)) Ink that can absorb light and then emit it in a burst for advertising purposes. |
| 1952 | Broomstick (from Islands in the Sky by Arthur C. Clarke) Device to ease movement in a zero-gravity environment. |
| 1952 | Tree-Grown Wood (from Gravy Planet by Frederik Pohl (w/CM Kornbluth)) The natural product, obtained by cutting down a living tree. |
| 1952 | Depilatory Soap (from Gravy Planet by Frederik Pohl (w/CM Kornbluth)) A labor-saving combination of soap and a agent that removes hair. |
| 1952 | Vision Strip (from Orphans of the Void by Orville Shaara) A circular vision strip for robots. |
| 1952 | Cylinder Space Suit (from Islands in the Sky by Arthur C. Clarke) A mostly rigid, cylindrical space suit. |
| 1952 | Beeper (from Islands in the Sky by Arthur C. Clarke) A handheld radar set, used to find items that have drifted off. |
| 1952 | Magnetic Coil Slippers (from Abercrombie Station by Jack Vance) Maintain your footing in zero gravity. |
| 1953 | Paint-to-Order Robot Artist (from The Music Master by F.L. Wallace) A robotic mechanism that could produce a unique picture, given subject and artistic style. |
| 1953 | Air-Propelled Train (from Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury) A silent means of mass transit. |
| 1953 | Vapor Cloud (from The Cosmic Poachers by Philip K. Dick) Corrosive gas destroys ships. |
| 1953 | Synthony (from The Music Master by F.L. Wallace) A musical performance by robots. |
| 1953 | Space Wagon (from Space Tug by Murray Leinster) A space vehicle without a cabin, used for short-range towing. |
| 1953 | Sound Analysis (from Assignment in Eternity by Robert Heinlein) Improving language teaching by showing the waveform of a spoken word or phrase, and comparing it to standard speech. |
| 1953 | Salamander (from Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury) Name given to the fire trucks of the future, which carry kerosene rather than water, and are used to burn houses. |
| 1953 | Travel-Rug (from Roll Out The Rolov! by Christopher Anvil) A rug that conveyed you around your house. |
| 1953 | Permanent Skywriting (from Soap Opera by Alan Nelson) Non-wispy skywriting letters. |
| 1953 | Space Weakness (from Space Tug by Murray Leinster) Early description of what happens to the human body in zero gravity. |
| 1953 | Buy-Me-Discs (from Captive Audience by Anne Warren Griffith) Tiny disks attached to products in stores that received transmitted ads to share with consumers. |
| 1953 | Preserving Machine (from The Preserving Machine by Philip K. Dick) A device that would create a unique animal from a piece of classical music. |
| 1953 | Ring Road (from Starman Jones by Robert Heinlein) A magnetically levitated train. |
| 1953 | Spot-Wavex Scrambler (from Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury) Provides a more personalized experience of television, by letting the announcers talk to you personally. |
| 1953 | Hypertracer (from Second Foundation by Isaac Asimov) A device that allows a pursuer to follow a spaceship through hyperspace. |
| 1953 | Speedtalk (from Assignment in Eternity by Robert Heinlein) A constructed language that uses a single sound to stand for a word, achieving great improvements in communication speed. |
| 1953 | Spacecraft Ejection Seat (from Space Tug by Murray Leinster) An ejection seat for spacecraft, to be used in the event of problems during launch. |
| 1953 | Big Flue (from Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury) Enormous incinerators serviced directly by helicopter. |
| 1953 | Stardrive (from Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke) Propulsion method that quickly brings a ship's speed to nearly that of light. |
| 1953 | Master Ventriloquism Corporation (MV) (from Captive Audience by Anne Warren Griffith) A central source of product advertising, commercials sent out to every product. |
| 1953 | Pocket Phone (or pocketphone) (from Assignment in Eternity by Robert Heinlein) A telephone that is not hard wired to the network; a mobile or cell phone. |
| 1953 | Homeostatic Newspaper (from If There Were No Benny Cemoli by Philip K. Dick) An autonomous news-gathering and publishing entity; abbreviated as homeopape. |
| 1953 | Earplug Decision (Restraint of Advertising) (from Captive Audience by Anne Warren Griffith) A Supreme Court judgement that declared that earplugs used to block advertising were unconstitutional. |
| 1953 | Planoforming (from The Game of Rat and Dragon by Cordwainer Smith) A form of "faster than light" travel allows for interstellar travel. |
| 1953 | Automatic Ticket Machine (from Second Foundation by Isaac Asimov) Get your ticket to Trantor automatically. |
| 1953 | Worldcraft Bubble (from The Trouble With Bubbles by Philip K. Dick) An incredibly detailed mechanical simulation of a world. |
| 1953 | Farming Trantor (from Second Foundation by Isaac Asimov) Taking apart a vast city, and returning to farming the land. |
| 1953 | Ovoid 3D Galactic Model (from Second Foundation by Isaac Asimov) A handheld display of a galaxy. |
| 1953 | Mental Static Device (from Second Foundation by Isaac Asimov) Cloak the minds of individuals with a kind of 'noise'. |
| 1953 | Legislation Analyzer (from The Trouble With Bubbles by Philip K. Dick) Device analyzes potentially biased bills. |
| 1953 | Sideglance Robe (from The Trouble With Bubbles by Philip K. Dick) A dress that is invisible or opaque, depending on how you look at it. |
| 1953 | Space Flight Simulator (from Space Tug by Murray Leinster) Very early description of a way to practice flying in space while still on Earth. |
| 1953 | Sub-C (from The Impossible Planet by Philip K. Dick) Of ships, older models that travel at speeds below that of light. |
| 1953 | Pinlight (from The Game of Rat and Dragon by Cordwainer Smith) Thimble-sized photonuclear bomb. |
| 1953 | Sunlight Blocker (from Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke) A roughly circular field which denies sunlight to an area of a planet. |
| 1953 | Robant (from The Impossible Planet by Philip K. Dick) A robotic servant. |
| 1953 | Electronic-Eyed Snake (from Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury) A fully automated stomach pump. |
| 1953 | Control Screen (from Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke) An alien display device. |
| 1953 | Machine Evolution (from Second Variety by Philip K. Dick) An early look at the idea that machines can evolve all by themselves, physically and intellectually. |
| 1953 | Lens Image (from Second Foundation by Isaac Asimov) A presentation of the night sky, calculated for any planet or point in space. |
| 1953 | Robot Door (from Colony by Philip K. Dick) Automated door has some decision-making capabilities, in addition to speech recognition capabilities. |
| 1953 | R. Daneel Olivaw (from Caves of Steel by Isaac Asimov) A human-like robot, skilled in police work. |
| 1953 | Gravity-Simulator Harness (from Space Tug by Murray Leinster) Device that simulates gravity's effect on muscles to keep in shape while in space. |
| 1953 | Garbage Screen (from Space Tug by Murray Leinster) Use of bits of metal to confuse radar targeting of space stations. |
| 1953 | News Receptor (from If There Were No Benny Cemoli by Philip K. Dick) Devices used by homeostatic newspapers to gather news autonomically. |
| 1953 | Zero-G Cups (from Space Tug by Murray Leinster) Cups that were specially designed to be usable under zero gravity conditions. |
| 1953 | Claws (Attack Robot) (from Second Variety by Philip K. Dick) Autonomous guard robots that attack living tissue. |
| 1953 | Robot Pianist (from Virtuoso by Herbert Goldstone) A robot learns the fine art of playing classical music on the piano. |
| 1953 | Robot Psyche Tester (from Colony by Philip K. Dick) An automated psychiatric evaluation device. |
| 1953 | Pilot's Tank (from Sky Lift by Robert Heinlein) For high gee boosting. |
| 1953 | The Shed (from Space Tug by Murray Leinster) Enormous building needed to assemble giant space craft or space stations. |
| 1953 | Inflatable Air Lock (from Space Tug by Murray Leinster) Air lock making use of inflatable side walls to achieve large size. |
| 1953 | Magnetic-Soled Shoes (from Space Tug by Murray Leinster) A means of walking on a surface in zero gravity. |
| 1953 | Pushpot (from Space Tug by Murray Leinster) An independent rocket motor that can attach itself to an object bound for space. |
| 1953 | Robotaxi (from Dugal Was A Spaceman by Joe Gibson) A fully automated, driverless taxi. |
| 1953 | Self-Sufficient House (from Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke) A single family residence that required no surrounding infrastructure. |
| 1953 | Short-Wave Surgical Knife (from Boomerang (A Great Deal of Power) by Eric Frank Russell) A means of performing an internal cut without breaking the skin. |
| 1953 | Morality Rating-Computer (from Assignment to Aldebaran by Kendall Foster Crossen) A computer system able to determine moral deviancy. |
| 1953 | Artificially Pulsating Star (from The Cosmic Blinker by Eando Binder) A star that has been modified to pulsate with a message to the entire universe. |
| 1953 | Torchship (from Sky Lift by Robert Heinlein) A spaceship capable of high acceleration. |
| 1953 | Voice-Activated Door (from Assignment to Aldebaran by Kendall Foster Crossen) A door that opens upon verbal command. |
| 1953 | Buttered Toast Robot (from Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury) What it says on the tin. |
| 1953 | Yeast-Culture Vats (from Caves of Steel by Isaac Asimov) Using cultured yeast as the basis for food production. |
| 1953 | Merc-Pool (from Caves of Steel by Isaac Asimov) A device that stores information in vibration patterns on a mercury surface. |
| 1953 | Brains (Computer) (from The Cosmic Blinker by Eando Binder) An electronic brain that is able to do problem solving. This idea seems to be the impetus behind current artificial intelligence that seeks to solve problems, rather than to simulate human intelligenc |
| 1953 | Private Flyer (from Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke) A privately-owned air vehicle that used no control surfaces for maneuvering. |
| 1953 | Voice in the Ear (from Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke) Project a voice or sound to one individual's ears only. |
| 1953 | Positronic Motor (from Sally by Isaac Asimov) A combination of motor and brain; an engine with a cerebellum and a carburetor. |
| 1953 | Galactography (from Second Foundation by Isaac Asimov) Geography on a galactic scale. |
| 1953 | Prime Radiant (from Second Foundation by Isaac Asimov) A projector that puts all of a vast collection of writings on the wall of a special conference room. You could interact with it by writing on the wall; changes were stored. |
| 1953 | Robotic Conductor (from Paycheck by Philip K. Dick) A robot charged with conductor's duties aboard a bus or other public transportation. |
| 1953 | Space Phobia (from Let 'em Breathe Space! by Lester del Rey) When astronauts have had enough. |
| 1953 | Time Scoop (from Paycheck by Philip K. Dick) Retrieved objects from other points in time. |
| 1953 | City Ship (from Star of Wonder by Julian May) A generation ship, a spacecraft that carries a people to another star. |
| 1953 | Planetary Globe (from Star of Wonder by Julian May) A craftsman's model of a planet. |
| 1953 | Transcriber (from Second Foundation by Isaac Asimov) A automated transcriptionist - a machine which perfectly translates human speech into words on paper. |
| 1953 | Ruum Spherical Robot (from The Ruum by Arthur Porges) An autonomous spherical robot, possibly liquid metal, self-energizing, of alien design; a collector. |
| 1953 | Sliver Gun (from The Unreliable Perfumist by Margaret St. Clair) A firearm that shoots fine darts. |
| 1953 | Message Tree (from A Case of Conscience by James Blish) A tree growing out of a huge cliff of crystal provides communication for a world. |
| 1953 | Vistascreen (from Assignment to Aldebaran by Kendall Foster Crossen) Large screen entertainment. |
| 1953 | Planet Buster (from Assignment to Aldebaran by Kendall Foster Crossen) A bomb so powerful it could destroy a planet. |
| 1953 | Seashell Radio (Thimble Radios) (from Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury) Small radios that fit into the ears like hearing aids or ear buds. |
| 1953 | Dirtside (from Starman Jones by Robert Heinlein) The surface of a planet. |
| 1953 | Parlor Wall (TV Parlor) (from Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury) The original "big screen TV" takes up an entire wall of a room. |
| 1953 | Automatobus (from Sally by Isaac Asimov) An autonomous or self-driving bus seating a number of people. |
| 1953 | Rolov (from Roll Out the Rolov! by Christopher Anvil) A specialized robot for the bedroom. |
| 1953 | Dressing Machine (from Roll Out the Rolov! by Christopher Anvil) A robotic device to serve as a mechanical dresser. |
| 1953 | Mechanical Hound (from Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury) An eight-legged robotic "hound" with hypodermic poison fangs. |
| 1953 | Green Bullet (from Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury) A very compact (for 1950) radio transceiver, worn in the ear like a hearing aid. |
| 1953 | Automatobile (from Sally by Isaac Asimov) An autonomous private car. |
| 1953 | Panoramic Viewer (from Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke) Permits observation at a distance, as well as the projection of a holographic image. |
| 1953 | Leady (from The Defenders by Philip K. Dick) A radiation-resistant robot. |
| 1953 | Visicastor (from Second Foundation by Isaac Asimov) A person who presents video broadcasts. |
| 1953 | Self-Cleaning Autonomous Car (from Sally by Isaac Asimov) An automatic vehicle that keeps itself clean. |
| 1953 | Autonomous Car Intercommunication (from Sally by Isaac Asimov) Automatic cars talk to each other about everything. |
| 1953 | Galactic Damping Field (from Brain Wave by Poul Anderson) A vast field of force emanating from the center of the galaxy. |
| 1953 | Eetee (E.T. - extraterrestrial) (from Button, Button by Thomas Wilson) A sentient being not of this Earth. |
| 1953 | Plasta-Skin (from Star Rangers (The Last Planet) by Andre Norton) Artificial Skin |
| 1954 | Nanomachine Swarm (Black Cloud) (from The Invincible by Stanislaw Lem) A cloud of tiny machines, able to work together autonomously. |
| 1954 | Radiant (from The Houses of Iszm by Jack Vance) A chip that is injected into the shoulder, providing positioning and information about the subject. |
| 1954 | Tri-Type Record (from The Houses of Iszm by Jack Vance) A printed card that stores information about a person, including a perfect three-dimensional representation. |
| 1954 | Control Helmet (from Dawn of the Demigods by Raymond Z. Gallun) Direct control of a robot from the brain. |
| 1954 | Maid-Robot (from The Midas Plague by Frederik Pohl) A mechanical automaton does the work of a lady's maid. |
| 1954 | Thought Pattern Divination (from The Houses of Iszm by Jack Vance) Attempting to construct the thoughts of a person by imitating their actions. |
| 1954 | Sentry Trees (from The Houses of Iszm by Jack Vance) A set of trees that will allow only those with the safe signal to pass. |
| 1954 | Spaceward Lunar Hemisphere (from Dawn of the Demigods by Raymond Z. Gallun) Another name for the lunar far side. |
| 1954 | Radiant Shield (from The Houses of Iszm by Jack Vance) A device that would effectively prevent an implanted radiant from being detected or read. |
| 1954 | Inorganic Evolution (from The Invincible by Stanislaw Lem) A process by which robots could alter their own structure, or the ways that they interact with other robots, to adapt to a changing world. |
| 1954 | Shatter-Gun (from The Houses of Iszm by Jack Vance) A hand-held device that literally scrambles the brains of the victim. |
| 1954 | Metal Insects (from The Invincible by Stanislaw Lem) Small autonomous flying winged robots. |
| 1954 | Solar-Powered Ball (from Dawn of the Demigods by Raymond Z. Gallun) An autonomous round toy that powers itself. |
| 1954 | Beer Robot (from How-2 by Clifford Simak) A robot prepared and filled with draft beer. |
| 1954 | Guide-Beam (from Time Pawn by Philip K. Dick) A wireless means of controlling and directing the movement of a passenger vehicle. |
| 1954 | Temporal Paradox (from The Toy by Brian Berry) The paradoxical idea that making changes in the past results in changes in the present. |
| 1954 | Mechanical Bride (from The Mechanical Bride by Fritz Leiber) A perfect robotic replica of a woman. |
| 1954 | Hopper (from Lucky Starr and the Oceans of Venus by Isaac Asimov) A vehicle with a single leg and rotors to enhance 'hang time.' |
| 1954 | Hypno-Motor Control (from Sales Pitch by Philip K. Dick) A means of controlling the body remotely, cutting off the need for local control (ie, by your mind). |
| 1954 | Pod-Chair (from The Houses of Iszm by Jack Vance) A living chair, grown by the Iszc to perform its function. |
| 1954 | Voicewriter Screen (Computer Monitor) (from Granny Won't Knit by Theodore Sturgeon) A screen that displays characters. |
| 1954 | Consumption Robots (from The Midas Plague by Frederik Pohl) Humanoid robots placed in the position of consuming material goods to relieve human beings of the burden. |
| 1954 | Automatic Companion Robot (from The Midas Plague by Frederik Pohl) A robotic replacement for a pet or friend. |
| 1954 | Suit-Shield Fabric (from The Golden Man by Philip K. Dick) A kind of mesh fabric that could absorb energy bolts. |
| 1954 | Law Clerk Robot (from The Midas Plague by Frederik Pohl) A robotic lawyer. |
| 1954 | Protoplast (from Dawn of the Demigods by Raymond Z. Gallun) Artificial life, tougher than protoplasm. |
| 1954 | Micro-Android (Micro-Robot) (from Dawn of the Demigods by Raymond Z. Gallun) An extremely tiny robot or nanobot. |
| 1954 | Self-Selling Robot (from Sales Pitch by Philip K. Dick) A robot that sells itself. |
| 1954 | Prethink (from The Golden Man by Philip K. Dick) The ability to predict the future in a routine perceptual manner. |
| 1954 | Lash-Tube (from The Golden Man by Philip K. Dick) Device emits an energy beam. |
| 1954 | Feeler-Planes (from The Houses of Iszm by Jack Vance) Special sensors that make extremely detailed three-dimensional models. |
| 1954 | Universal Dictionary (from The Star Beast by Robert Heinlein) A machine that provided references to anything known. |
| 1954 | Boat-Tree (from The Houses of Iszm by Jack Vance) A tree, the pods of which can be grown as boats. |
| 1954 | House Trees (from The Houses of Iszm by Jack Vance) Living trees grown as houses; large hollow pods serve as living spaces. |
| 1954 | Central Guide-Beam (from Shell Game by Philip K. Dick) A kind of signal that demonstrates the best possible path to a destination in space and even provides motive power. |
| 1954 | TBR (Talk Between Robots) Circuit (from The Midas Plague by Frederik Pohl) A special means of communications used by robots to speak with each other. |
| 1954 | One-Man Car (from The Houses of Iszm by Jack Vance) A small transport vehicle. |
| 1954 | Trace Web (from Souvenir by Philip K. Dick) A small, handheld device that contacts (and even instantiates) the larger network. |
| 1954 | Airmakers (from The Big Rain by Poul Anderson) Machine to create breathable air from the constituent materials on an alien planet. |
| 1954 | Rom (Robot Operated Missiles) (from Breakfast at Twilight by Philip K. Dick) Intercontinental robotic weapons. |
| 1954 | Time Quake (from Breakfast at Twilight by Philip K. Dick) Too much energy applied to a time-fault may have started this. |
| 1954 | Bodyphone (from The Star Beast by Robert Heinlein) A unique designation for a personal phone you can carry with you. |
| 1954 | Escape Pod (from The Vanisher by Michael Shaara) A small automated ship attached to a larger ship or station, used in the event of an emergency. |
| 1954 | Mother-Scanner (from The Turning Wheel by Philip K. Dick) A device that can see your future through your next birth. |
| 1954 | Human Quarter (from James P. Crow by Philip K. Dick) A ghetto for human beings; in this case, in a world of robots. |
| 1954 | Roboscribe (from End as a Robot by Richard Marsten) A robotic writer of hard-bitten detective yarns. |
| 1954 | Copter Harness (from The Star Beast by Robert Heinlein) A single person flying machine. |
| 1954 | The Dip (from The Meddler by Philip K. Dick) A device that randomly dredges up things from the past... or the future. |
| 1954 | Space Capsule (from Space Capsule by E.R. James) A minimal space craft. |
| 1954 | Synapsis-Coils (from Last of the Masters by Philip K. Dick) Human-like storage for computers. |
| 1954 | Histo-Research (from The Meddler by Philip K. Dick) Historical research using a time machine. |
| 1954 | Relay (from Souvenir by Philip K. Dick) A central information system used to coordinate all of human culture and technology. |
| 1954 | Web (Data Network) (from Souvenir by Philip K. Dick) An information network. |
| 1954 | Truth Meter (from The Star Beast by Robert Heinlein) A lie detector. |
| 1954 | Gravity neutralizing paint (from Last of the Masters by Philip K. Dick) Paint or coating that neutralized the effects of gravity on whatever it was painted on. |
| 1954 | Sceneshifter (from Last of the Masters by Philip K. Dick) An automated display device that produced random pictorial presentations. |
| 1954 | Mecho-Clothing (from Last of the Masters by Philip K. Dick) Apparel created entirely by machines. |
| 1954 | Reading Plate (from The Star Beast by Robert Heinlein) A flat screen that provided computer output for viewing. |
| 1954 | Mechanical Tune-Maker (from Last of the Masters by Philip K. Dick) An electromechanical device that created unique music. |
| 1954 | Compassion Circuit (from Compassion Circuit by John Wyndham) A special robotic component that allows the robot to weigh harm and benefit in carrying out commands. |
| 1954 | Robot Cab Driver (from A Present for Pat by Philip K. Dick) You think you have problems? Robots have the worst problems of anyone. |
| 1954 | Mnemonic Service (from Sucker Bait by Isaac Asimov) Dedicated humans who collected bits of data in hopes of catching key correlations between fields of study. |
| 1954 | Spacelanes Traffic Jam (from Sales Pitch by Philip K. Dick) Fanciful description of commuters in space. |
| 1954 | Plastirobe (from Sales Pitch by Philip K. Dick) A dress that varies in opacity by distance. |
| 1954 | Cephaloscope (from The Houses of Iszm by Jack Vance) A device used to detect lying. |
| 1954 | One-Way Passage (from The Houses of Iszm by Jack Vance) A different way to assure permanent egress. |
| 1954 | Visual Ad (from Sales Pitch by Philip K. Dick) An advertisement that forces its way directly into the brain of the viewer. |
| 1954 | Commute Ship (from Sales Pitch by Philip K. Dick) Spacecraft used for traversing daily grind between Earth and the planet you work on. |
| 1954 | Retinal Vid-Screen (from Sales Pitch by Philip K. Dick) A tiny display surgically implanted directly in the retina of the eye. |
| 1954 | Sales Robot (Robot Salesman) (from Sales Pitch by Philip K. Dick) Fully automated robots giving untiring, incessant sales pitches to customers. |
| 1954 | Robot Farmer (from The Turning Wheel by Philip K. Dick) A humanoid robot used for agriculture. |
| 1954 | Public Vehicle Tube (from The Houses of Iszm by Jack Vance) Underground transportation tubes. |
| 1954 | Tanglefoot Field (from The Star Beast by Robert Heinlein) A force field that would not harm but merely entangle and stop anyone (or anything) caught in it. |
| 1954 | Finger Jet Bath (from The Houses of Iszm by Jack Vance) The ultimate in luxury tubs. |
| 1954 | Lawyer Robot (from How-2 by Clifford Simak) An autonomous, robotic lawyer. |
| 1954 | Polarized Window (from The Houses of Iszm by Jack Vance) Rather than curtains, use the window to control the light. |
| 1954 | Anti-Gerasone (from Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.) Cheap immortality comes to your neighborhood convenience store. |
| 1954 | Dermal-Mist Spray (from Prominent Author by Philip K. Dick) Very refreshing for suburbanites. |
| 1954 | Jiffi-scuttler (from Prominent Author by Philip K. Dick) A device providing near instantaneous travel between two points. |
| 1954 | Robot Guard (from The Turning Wheel by Philip K. Dick) Very early reference to a guard robot. |
| 1954 | Click-Band (from The Meddler by Philip K. Dick) Worn on the wrist, it helps you locate your transport. |
| 1954 | Snake Boring Truck (from Breakfast at Twilight by Philip K. Dick) A long thin truck like a snake, with a boring tip. |
| 1955 | Electronic Analogue of Living Brain (from The Tunnel Under The World by Frederik Pohl) Imposing the abilities of a human brain into a computer |
| 1955 | Guard Robot (from The Hood Maker ('Immunity') by Philip K. Dick) Early reference to a robot performing the functions of a security guard. |
| 1955 | Chest-Lens (from War Veteran by Philip K. Dick) Part of an automatic photograph-and-send system. |
| 1955 | Robot Gardener (from War Veteran by Philip K. Dick) An autonomous gardening robot, taking care of plants in parks or fields. |
| 1955 | Robot Surgeon-Hand (from War Veteran by Philip K. Dick) A skilled surgical robot that attaches at the end of the surgeon's arm. |
| 1955 | Water Brain Fountain (from War Veteran by Philip K. Dick) A drinking fountain that locates your mouth, rather than you having to lean down to the spout. |
| 1955 | Network Repair Team (from Autofac by Philip K. Dick) Dispatched to collect remains of destroyed machines. |
| 1955 | Artibase (from War Veteran by Philip K. Dick) An artificial asteroid base between planets. |
| 1955 | Machines Colonize Universe (from Autofac by Philip K. Dick) A brief description of a how automated machines might spread. |
| 1955 | Search-Bug (from Autofac by Philip K. Dick) An exploratory robot. |
| 1955 | Automatic Factory (from Autofac by Philip K. Dick) Manufacturing facility that functions entirely autonomously. |
| 1955 | Stiletto Beam (from Earthlight by Arthur C. Clarke) A beam of molten metal, projected electromagnetically. |
| 1955 | Bore-Pellets (from Foster, You're Dead by Philip K. Dick) Anti-underground bomb shelter ordinance. |
| 1955 | Grill-Screen Adaptor (from Foster, You're Dead by Philip K. Dick) Approved General Electronics Corporation solution for bomb shelters, in response to Soviet bore-pellets. |
| 1955 | Finely Divided Dust Propellant (from Earthlight by Arthur C. Clarke) Reaction mass to drive spacecraft. |
| 1955 | Cold-Beam (from War Veteran by Philip K. Dick) Puts a cloud of extreme cold around the target. |
| 1955 | Probe Screen Hood (from The Hood Maker ('Immunity') by Philip K. Dick) A device that blocks attempts to see into the contents of the brain mind. |
| 1955 | Dashboard TV (from The Chromium Fence by Philip K. Dick) A television placed in the dashboard of your car or similar vehicle. |
| 1955 | Unit Analyst Robot (from The Chromium Fence by Philip K. Dick) A robotic psychoanalyst. |
| 1955 | Robus (from Terror in the Stars by John A. Sentry) A robotic bus. |
| 1955 | Automatic Ore Cart (from Autofac by Philip K. Dick) An autonomous truck for raw ore processing. |
| 1955 | Pizzled (Semantic Garble) (from Autofac by Philip K. Dick) Use of nonsensical statements to deliberately confuse an artificial intelligence. |
| 1955 | Synthetic Milk (from Autofac by Philip K. Dick) Milk made without cows. |
| 1955 | Robot Factory Representative (from Autofac by Philip K. Dick) An ambulatory agent of an automatic factory. |
| 1955 | Raw Material-Tropic (from Autofac by Philip K. Dick) Moves towards desirable raw materials. |
| 1955 | Autonomous Truck (from Autofac by Philip K. Dick) A truck that drives itself and unloads itself. |
| 1955 | Slide Rule w/Radio Attachment (from Mission to the Stars by A.E. van Vogt) Slide rule communicates results immediately with computer. |
| 1955 | Monocab (from Earthlight by Arthur C. Clarke) A single compartment monorail car. |
| 1955 | Hand Wave Control (from Solar Lottery by Philip K. Dick) Control an electronic or other device with gestures. |
| 1955 | Agile Recording Robot (from Solar Lottery by Philip K. Dick) A recording machine that moves toward its subject. |
| 1955 | Lunar Monorail (from Earthlight by Arthur C. Clarke) A monorail constructed above the surface of the Moon. |
| 1955 | Scout-Base (from Diabologic by Eric Frank Russell) Artificial sphere functions as a frontier outpost. |
| 1955 | Schrieber Analyzer (from Diabologic by Eric Frank Russell) Superior automatic air testing - for the discriminating space traveler. |
| 1955 | Landing-Grid (from Sand Doom by Murray Leinster) A constructed landing area on a planetary surface for space craft. |
| 1955 | Diabological Armory (from Diabologic by Eric Frank Russell) A set of verbal tools based on a higher form of reasoning. |
| 1955 | Synthimeat (Crop Protein) (from Lazarus by Margaret St. Clair) A more general name for synthetic meat |
| 1955 | Commute Disk (from The Chromium Fence by Philip K. Dick) Flying autonomous commuter vehicle. |
| 1955 | Juiciveal (from Lazarus by Margaret St. Clair) Artificially grown veal. |
| 1955 | Inflatable Lunar Resort (from Solar Lottery by Philip K. Dick) An inflatable structure on the moon, intended to provide rest and relaxation to lunar residents. |
| 1955 | Simulacrum Window (from Tunnel in the Sky by Robert Heinlein) A 'window' that provides a realistic outdoor view in an interior room. |
| 1955 | Production Prescription (from The Magellanic Cloud by Stanislaw Lem) A file that can be used to reproduce an object. |
| 1955 | Pocket Receiver (from The Magellanic Cloud by Stanislaw Lem) An early visualization of the smartphone. |
| 1955 | Trion Library (from The Magellanic Cloud by Stanislaw Lem) An early visualization of the Internet. |
| 1955 | Central City (Lunar Habitat) (from Earthlight by Arthur C. Clarke) An early example of a non-military lunar habitat. |
| 1955 | Autofac (Nanorobots) (from Autofac by Philip K. Dick) Very small robots working on self-replication |
| 1955 | Nanny Robot (from Nanny by Philip K. Dick) A child-care robot with a surprisingly competitive side. |
| 1955 | Mechavalet (from The Angry House by Richard R. Smith) An entirely automated dressing assistant. |
| 1955 | Anti-Burglar Installations (from The Angry House by Richard R. Smith) Every electronic house should have automated defenses. |
| 1955 | Heat-Suit (from Sand Doom by Murray Leinster) Perfect for those incredibly hot planets with breathable atmospheres. |
| 1955 | Space Craft Rope Ladder (from Diabologic by Eric Frank Russell) Equipment used for debarking from a space craft. |
| 1955 | Human Habit Pattern Machines (from The Tunnel Under The World by Frederik Pohl) Imposing human habits onto machines. |
| 1955 | Ramsbotham Gate (from Tunnel in the Sky by Robert Heinlein) A means of getting from point A to point B without traversing the space in-between. |
| 1955 | Neck-Phone (from The Chromium Fence by Philip K. Dick) An implanted telecommunications device. |
| 1955 | Swibble (from Service Call by Philip K. Dick) An artificially evolved telepathic metazoan-based mind control device. |
| 1955 | Light-Absorbing Paint (from Earthlight by Arthur C. Clarke) Space stealth! |
| 1955 | Artigraft (from Solar Lottery by Philip K. Dick) Artificial skin graft. |
| 1955 | Automatized Factory (from The Tunnel Under The World by Frederik Pohl) A factory consisting of machines with imposed human abilities. |
| 1955 | Generation Ship (from Star Ship by E.C. Tubb) A spacecraft that carries a complete social group over many years. |
| 1955 | Mechanical Newsmachine (from Foster, You're Dead by Philip K. Dick) An automated device that delivers on-the-spot news. |
| 1955 | Visual Report Screen (from Nanny by Philip K. Dick) A device that allows a robot nanny to let the owners view what the robot sees from a remote location. |
| 1955 | Robot Taxi (from Solar Lottery by Philip K. Dick) A taxicab with a robotic driver. |
| 1955 | Magnetic Grapple-Beams (from Solar Lottery by Philip K. Dick) Short range magnetic field to guide flying cars and park them properly. |
| 1955 | Multivac (from Franchise by Isaac Asimov) A computer with millions of facts. |
| 1955 | Protine (from Solar Lottery by Philip K. Dick) A mutant algae that can be engineered to look and taste similar to normal food. |
| 1955 | Caterwheel (from Sand Doom by Murray Leinster) A uniquely styled ground vehicle with fat, splayed out tires. |
| 1956 | Vulcan 3 (from Vulcan's Hammer by Philip K. Dick) Artificially intelligent self-modifying supercomputer. |
| 1956 | Interactive Blackboard (from Vulcan's Hammer by Philip K. Dick) Early description of an interactive display device for lectures and demonstrations. |
| 1956 | Transdermal Drug Capsule (from Vulcan's Hammer by Philip K. Dick) A drug capsule that delivers medication by being placed on the skin. |
| 1956 | Eager Beaver (from The Door Into Summer by Robert Heinlein) Your friendly robot helper. |
| 1956 | Maximum-security Booth (from Double Star by Robert Heinlein) A special phone booth for receiving high-security, scrambled telephone calls, calls which included 3D visuals. |
| 1956 | Universal Checkbook (from The Door Into Summer by Robert Heinlein) Fully electronic banking system, which allows easy withdrawal of funds from any bank. |
| 1956 | Window-Willie (from The Door Into Summer by Robert Heinlein) A robot that cleaned windows by electrostatic repulsion of dust and grime. |
| 1956 | Drafting Dan (from The Door Into Summer by Robert Heinlein) The first computer software drafting program (Computer Aided Design - CAD). |
| 1956 | Life Wand (from Double Star by Robert Heinlein) Shoots a powerful ray of energy. |
| 1956 | Robot Tracking Device (from Vulcan's Hammer by Philip K. Dick) Small UAV robot remotely operated by an artificially intelligent computer. |
| 1956 | Bard (from Someday by Isaac Asimov) A machine that invents randomized stories and can read them out loud or animate them for viewing. |
| 1956 | Hired Girl Robot (from The Door Into Summer by Robert Heinlein) The amazing floor-cleaning robot! |
| 1956 | Precrime Analytical Wing (from The Minority Report by Philip K. Dick) Contains the precognitives and the machinery need to hear and analyze their predictions of future crimes. |
| 1956 | Saga (from The City and the Stars by Arthur C. Clarke) You become a part of the great adventures of history. |
| 1956 | Boxing Robot (from Steel by Richard Matheson) Robots that fight in exhibitions, in the ring, for spectators. |
| 1956 | Stasis (Cold Sleep, Hibernation) (from The Door Into Summer by Robert Heinlein) Hibernation for human beings, lasting for many years. |
| 1956 | Robot Row - Robots For Consumers (from The Instigators by Raymond E. Banks) The adoption curve for personal robots will accelerate like the curve for automobiles. |
| 1956 | Robots Learn With Cameras (from The Instigators by Raymond E. Banks) Robots learn new actions by recording them with a camera, doing away with expensive programming. |
| 1956 | Bounce Tube (from Double Star by Robert Heinlein) A people-sized pneumatic tube system used for short, quick trips in the vertical dimension. |
| 1956 | Precrime (from The Minority Report by Philip K. Dick) A system by which criminal acts are known before they occur. |
| 1956 | Robot Bartender (from The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester) An automated, mechanical bar tending robot. |
| 1956 | PyrE (from The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester) A thermonuclear explosive that is detonated by thought alone. |
| 1956 | Diaspar Memory (from The City and the Stars by Arthur C. Clarke) The city's memory could store works of art, and reproduce them upon request. |
| 1956 | Sargasso Asteroid (from The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester) A planetoid built from natural rock and the salvaged wreckage of space craft. |
| 1956 | Sympathetic Block (from The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester) A way to keep certain mental contents from being spoken or revealed. |
| 1956 | Teakettle (from Double Star by Robert Heinlein) A standard rocket (uses hydrogen as a booster to leave the atmosphere). |
| 1956 | Hush Corner (from Double Star by Robert Heinlein) A space made private by canceling sound waves in that area. |
| 1956 | Refurbished Nervous System (from The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester) Your nerves are rewired for 5-10 times the speed of a normal person. |
| 1956 | Matter Organizer (from The City and the Stars by Arthur C. Clarke) A device that could cause a computer-generated image to be constructed as a real object. |
| 1956 | Central Computer (from The City and the Stars by Arthur C. Clarke) A computer capable of running an entire city. |
| 1956 | Dental Switchboard (from The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester) A control device tied in with teeth and nerve endings. |
| 1956 | Internal Body Power Pack (from The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester) A tiny battery used to power implants. |
| 1956 | Jaunte Stage (from The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester) A cleared space that existed to serve the needs of people who would jaunte (teleport) into that space. |
| 1956 | Planet-Busting Bomb (from Testing by J.J. Ferrat) A munition with sufficient power to destroy an entire planet. |
| 1956 | Vacutubes (from Double Star by Robert Heinlein) A system of public transportation that used partially evacuated tubes and capsules big enough for passengers. |
| 1956 | Cider Press (from Double Star by Robert Heinlein) Device used to make acceleration above 1 gravity more tolerable for groundhogs. |
| 1956 | Analogue (from The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester) A combination of a drug and a particular mental state allow a person to devolve to an animal level of their choice. |
| 1956 | Space-Boat (Rocket Boat) (from Exploration Team by Murray Leinster) Small craft designed for descent and then take-off from a planetary surface. |
| 1956 | Alcoholic Reliever (from Bad Medicine by Robert Sheckley) Mechanized relief from alcoholism. |
| 1956 | Eagle With Camera (from Exploration Team by Murray Leinster) A live bald eagle equipped with a transmitting camera. |
| 1956 | Fusion Power (from The Judas Valley by Gerald Vance) Creating energy from nuclear fusion reactions. |
| 1956 | Blue Collar Robot (Self-Repairing) (from The Velvet Glove by Harry Harrison) An autonomous robot required to find its own work. |
| 1956 | Mechanotherapy (from Bad Medicine by Robert Sheckley) A mechanism or device-based therapy that cures (or palliates) alcoholism. |
| 1956 | Bendix Anxiety Reducer (from Bad Medicine by Robert Sheckley) Machine-based psychotherapy. |
| 1956 | Hammer (from Vulcan's Hammer by Philip K. Dick) Flying blunt trauma weapon remote-controlled by an artificially intelligent computer. |
| 1956 | Living Advertising Character (from The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester) Modifying an ordinary person to create a living likeness of a company's brand symbol or character. |
| 1956 | Trolling Tether Cable (from Atom Drive by Charles Fontenay) Simple fishing technique applied to moving cargo off-planet. |
| 1956 | Space-Beacon (from Exploration Team by Murray Leinster) Device used to guide a space craft into finding an inhabited planet or colony on a planet. |
| 1956 | Robot Fish (Metal Fish) (from Atom Drive by Charles Fontenay) Fake flounders for sport fishermen on Martian canals. |
| 1956 | Mutated Kodiak Bears (from Exploration Team by Murray Leinster) Animals modified for increased intelligence for defense and companionship. |
| 1956 | Disposal-Safe (from Exploration Team by Murray Leinster) Device to store and, if necessary, destroy documents. |
| 1956 | Anti-Heptant (from To Live Forever by Jack Vance) A compound that erases specific areas of the brain. |
| 1956 | Fottengill Process (from Gypped by Lloyd Biggle, Jr.) An early mention of the idea that energy can be derived from random noise. |
| 1956 | Juvenile (from The Man Who Japed by Philip K. Dick) A robot designed to sneak around and spy on people. |
| 1956 | Thorsen Memory Tube (from The Door Into Summer by Robert Heinlein) Computer component that allows a machine to learn through experience. |
| 1956 | Biltong Life Form (from Pay for the Printer by Philip K. Dick) Remarkable organic manufacturing aliens, probably indigenous to the Centaurus system. |
| 1956 | Home Therapy Appliances, Inc. (from Bad Medicine by Robert Sheckley) A store at which a variety of therapy devices are made available |
| 1956 | Rex Regenerator (Mechanotherapist) (from Bad Medicine by Robert Sheckley) Mechanotherapy device cures homicidal urges. |
| 1956 | Radioactive Coding for Checks (from The Door Into Summer by Robert Heinlein) Special coding system to easily recognize checks. |
| 1956 | Virtual Immortality (from The City and the Stars by Arthur C. Clarke) A method for storing the mind and memories of a person, and recalling and reconstituting them at will. |
| 1956 | Infiltrators (from Vulcan's Hammer by Philip K. Dick) Surveillance devices, small and insectile. |
| 1956 | Invulnerable Wall (from Jackpot by Clifford Simak) A material created by insects that grew stronger as it was compressed. |
| 1956 | Vehicle Sleep Sensor (from The Velvet Glove by Harry Harrison) Better stay awake, the machines know if you're sleeping. |
| 1956 | Slug (from Dragon in the Sea by Frank Herbert) An underwater "barge", consisting of a giant tube for transporting oil. |
| 1956 | Pencil Beam (from Vulcan's Hammer by Philip K. Dick) A thin tube-like laser beam weapon. |
| 1956 | Puddinged (from Pay for the Printer by Philip K. Dick) A poorly formed 3D printed copy, with an interior that was a mass of malformed material. |
| 1956 | Electrotruck (from The Corkscrew of Space by Poul Anderson) An autonomous, electric truck. |
| 1956 | Bug (from Brightside Crossing by Alan E. Nourse) A compact vehicle for planetary surfaces - like Mercury. |
| 1956 | Landing Pit (Drydock and Construction) (from The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester) A cylindrical hole with anti-gravity screens for use in spacecraft landings and repair. |
| 1956 | Retinal Light (from The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester) An internal flashlight. |
| 1956 | Planet Rules (from Drop Dead by Clifford Simak) Regulations governing the behavior of the away team on a new planet. |
| 1956 | Fluid Metal Letters (from Vulcan's Hammer by Philip K. Dick) A smooth metal display able to display words. |
| 1956 | Hand Computer (from The Dead Past by Isaac Asimov) A small pocket-sized computing device. |
| 1956 | Chronoscopy (from The Dead Past by Isaac Asimov) Using a device to view different points in time. |
| 1956 | Regen-Buds (from The Velvet Glove by Harry Harrison) Small collection of cells that can regrow into human limbs. |
| 1956 | Whisper Line (from The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester) A means of communication between prisoners held in wide separation. |
| 1956 | Mechanical Jokester (from Jokester by Isaac Asimov) A vast computer system learns about humor. |
| 1956 | Metal BIrds (from Vulcan's Hammer by Philip K. Dick) Surveillance robots that carried weapons, in addition to using their metal bodies. |
| 1956 | Floating Lunar Dust (from Dust Rag by Hal Clement) Electrostatically charged particles that float above the surface of the Moon. |
| 1956 | Underwater Robot (from The Velvet Glove by Harry Harrison) An autonomous mechanical for use underwater. |
| 1956 | Hypersee (from The Best of Fences by Gordon Randall Garrett) Faster than light. |
| 1956 | Robotic Hand (from The Door Into Summer by Robert Heinlein) A dexterous manipulator for robots. |
| 1956 | Flexible Frank (from The Door Into Summer by Robert Heinlein) An all-purpose household robot. |
| 1956 | Solido (from Chance of a Lifetime by Milton Lesser) Abbr. for solidograph; a device that produced a solid three dimensional image. |
| 1956 | Lethe-Mirror (from The World Jones Made by Philip K. Dick) Induces sleepy mindedness. |
| 1956 | Undercover Detective Robot (from The Velvet Glove by Harry Harrison) Specialized robot masquerades as different robot types to spy on criminals. |
| 1956 | Robot Interception Aerial Mines (from The World Jones Made by Philip K. Dick) Loitering explosives overhead. |
| 1956 | Empath (from Empath by J.T. McIntosh) A being capable of telepathic empathy with others. |
| 1956 | Post-Crime (from The Minority Report by Philip K. Dick) Criminal activities after they have actually happened. |
| 1956 | Precog (from The Minority Report by Philip K. Dick) A person with precognitive ability (can predict the future). |
| 1956 | Tune-Maker (from The World Jones Made by Philip K. Dick) Automated music production. |
| 1957 | Police Detection Robot (from The Unreconstructed M by Philip K. Dick) An automated evidence-gathering robot. |
| 1957 | The Machine (M) (from The Unreconstructed M by Philip K. Dick) An autonomous robot able to alter its appearance and functionality at will. |
| 1957 | Gravity-Polarized Explosive (TDX) (from Cities in Flight by James Blish) A chemical explosive that acts at an angle to the local gravitational field. |
| 1957 | Fight Machine (Boxing Robot) (from Jingle in the Jungle by Aldo Giunta) An autonomous boxer. |
| 1957 | Robot-Referee (from Jingle in the Jungle by Aldo Giunta) An autonomous robot judge at athletic events. |
| 1957 | Robot Situation Neurosis (from The Unreconstructed M by Philip K. Dick) Robots go mad when given competing instructions. |
| 1957 | Flying Cone (from Fugitive of the Stars by Edmond Hamilton) A vehicle for 1-3 persons that hovers and has mechanical arms. |
| 1957 | Neural Door Lock (from The Unreconstructed M by Philip K. Dick) A device that provides access based on neurological data. |
| 1957 | Teleoperated Beetle Car (from Cities in Flight by James Blish) A remotely-operated robotic vehicle that permitted telepresence. |
| 1957 | Storer-Gulls Wings (from The Menace From Earth by Robert Heinlein) Recreational aid for lunar colonists; lightweight wings for cave flying. |
| 1957 | Magnetic Control of Nebulae (from The Black Cloud by Fred Hoyle) Controlling the structure and shape of nebulae using magnetic fields. |
| 1957 | Fenton Silencer (from Tales from the White Hart by Arthur C. Clarke) A device to cancel noise over a broad area. |
| 1957 | Prosthetic Robotic Arm (Thought-Attuned) (from Bleekman's Planet by Ivar Jorgensen) A detachable robotic arm, controlled directly through neural linkage. |
| 1957 | Bats' Cave (from The Menace From Earth by Robert Heinlein) A natural cavern used by moon colonists for air storage - and entertainment. |
| 1957 | Automated Factories (from The Peacemongers by Poul Anderson) Manufacturing facilities that do not require human workers. |
| 1957 | Dropshaft (from Deeper Than the Darkness by Harlan Ellison) An elevator shaft with no elevator - the "lift" is from gravity or suppressed inertia. |
| 1957 | Prime Command (from Robots Are Nice? by Gordon R. Dickson) A universal order or principle carried out by every robotic device. |
| 1957 | Robocide (from Robots Are Nice? by Gordon R. Dickson) Deliberate destruction of robots. |
| 1957 | Robobus (from Robots Are Nice? by Gordon R. Dickson) An autonomous vehicle for picking up some number of passengers. |
| 1957 | Stellar Analog Computers (from The Lady Was A Tramp by Rose Sharon) Special systems used to calculate safe "jumps" for interstellar trips. |
| 1957 | Jump-Along (from The Lady Was A Tramp by Rose Sharon) Computer used for calculating jumps between stars. |
| 1957 | Lunar Advertisement (from Watch This Space by Arthur C. Clarke) An 'ad' on the lunar surface that can be seen by its audience on Earth. |
| 1957 | Spindizzy (from Cities in Flight by James Blish) A device that made use of a relationship between electron spin, electromagnetism and gravity allowed any object to leave the Earth's surface. |
| 1957 | City Fathers (from Cities in Flight by James Blish) A set of computer systems which run every mechanical system in a city. |
| 1957 | Remote Control Taxicab (from The Unreconstructed M by Philip K. Dick) A cab that is piloted by a remote operator. |
| 1957 | Jumpship (from The Lady Was A Tramp by Rose Sharon) A spaceship capable of making interstellar jumps, that is, it could move over vast distances instantaneously. |
| 1957 | Mechanical Cleaning Device (from The Unreconstructed M by Philip K. Dick) A small, ground-based autonomous robot doing basic janitorial work. |
| 1957 | Phymech (from Wanted in Surgery by Harlan Ellison) A robotic physician. |
| 1957 | Robocop (from Wanted in Surgery by Harlan Ellison) A robotic police officer. |
| 1957 | Jurymech (from Wanted in Surgery by Harlan Ellison) A robotic entity serving the function of a trial jury. |
| 1957 | Bethé blasters (from Cities in Flight by James Blish) Powerful enough to destroy a flying city. |
| 1957 | Gravity Well (from Life Cycle by Poul Anderson) If you visualize spacetime as a flat, elastic plane, a planet will deform it, and it sits at the bottom of its own hole. |
| 1957 | Oxygen Pill (from Get Out Of Our Skies! by E.K. Jarvis) Meets your need for oxygen without additional breathing. |
| 1957 | Galactovue (from Citizen of the Galaxy by Robert Heinlein) Star display. |
| 1957 | Death-Rattle (from The Unreconstructed M by Philip K. Dick) A device that sends a signal upon brain death of the user. |
| 1957 | Anti-agathic drugs (from Cities in Flight by James Blish) Drugs that indefinitely postpone death from old age. |
| 1957 | Spacefaring (from Citizen of the Galaxy by Robert Heinlein) A nation or people who explore and trade in space. |
| 1957 | Toposcope (from Cities in Flight by James Blish) A special helmet used in a form of sleep teaching. |
| 1957 | Eavesdropper (from Cities in Flight by James Blish) Device to detect the presence of recording devices. |
| 1957 | Battle Tank Display (from Cities in Flight by James Blish) Three-dimensional display showing tactical information for space battles. |
| 1957 | Manshonyagger (from Mark Elf by Cordwainer Smith) An autonomous fighting robot. |
| 1957 | Inter-Universal Messenger (from Cities in Flight by James Blish) A device intended to travel to another dimension. |
| 1957 | Machine Psychologist (from Cities in Flight by James Blish) A computer that understands and uses its knowledge of human psychology to benefit human users. |
| 1957 | Launching Cradle (from Needler by Gordon Randall Garrett) A place for a spherical space craft to sit in gravity. |
| 1957 | Machine Surveillance (from Cities in Flight by James Blish) The use of artificially intelligent computer systems to learn by monitoring all human interaction within a city. |
| 1957 | Roller (from Shadow World by Clifford Simak) Two passenger vehicle designed for off-road use on alien planets. |
| 1957 | Space Armor (from Cities in Flight by James Blish) Armored space suits for use in vacuum. |
| 1957 | Accelerated Schooling (from Cities in Flight by James Blish) Knowledge force-fed directly into the brain. |
| 1957 | Tin Cabby (Flying Robotic Taxi) (from Cities in Flight by James Blish) An autonomously controlled flying taxi cab. |
| 1957 | Crop Algae (from Cities in Flight by James Blish) Growing algae in tanks as a source of basic food stock. |
| 1957 | Project X (from Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand) A device that produces sound rays that are intolerable to living things. |
| 1957 | Teleoperated Lab Robot (from Cities in Flight by James Blish) A robot is used to conduct experiments in an environment too extreme for humans. |
| 1957 | Proselytizing Robot (from Cities in Flight by James Blish) A robotic preacher; designed for use where believers are unwelcome. |
| 1957 | Glass Bees (from The Glass Bees by Ernst Junger) Walnut-sized flying automata. |
| 1957 | Peeper (from Shadow World by Clifford Simak) A device that unlocked the dreams and fantasies inherent in the user's brain. |
| 1957 | Molecular Sieve (from Tales from the White Hart by Arthur C. Clarke) A device that can extract any element from seawater. |
| 1957 | Accelerated Schooling Helmet (from Cities in Flight by James Blish) A device that stimulates the brain and imparts knowledge directly. |
| 1957 | Dirac Transmitter (also Tranceiver or Communicator) (from Cities in Flight by James Blish) A device that provides instantaneous communication anywhere in the galaxy. |
| 1957 | Brood Assembly (from Cities in Flight by James Blish) Artificially intelligent computers that can replicate themselves. |
| 1957 | Planetary Computer Network (from Dialogues by Stanislaw Lem) A global data net. |
| 1958 | Nose Gun (from Arm of the Law by Harry Harrison) Weapon system located up high. |
| 1958 | Predictable Crime (from All the Troubles in the World by Isaac Asimov) A criminal act that computers were able to foresee in advance. |
| 1958 | Police Robot (from Arm of the Law by Harry Harrison) A fully autonomous, man-shaped robotic police officer. |
| 1958 | Chin Plates (from Have Space Suit - Will Travel by Robert Heinlein) A means of control within a space suit helmet; switching between options with the chin. |
| 1958 | Firebulance (from Vector by Margaret St. Clair) An ambulance equipped to sterilize by fire. |
| 1958 | Pocket Computer (from The Feeling of Power by Isaac Asimov) A pocket-sized computer. |
| 1958 | The Hub (from Worlds of Origin by Jack Vance) A large space resort consisting of inhabitable bubbles in a metal framework. |
| 1958 | Magnetic Pinions (from Worlds of Origin by Jack Vance) Remote control electromagnetic handcuffs. |
| 1958 | Farside (from We Have Fed Our Sea by Poul Anderson) The portion of the Moon's surface that faces away from Earth. |
| 1958 | Walking Mill (from Bread Overhead! by Fritz Leiber) The ultimate combine - giant metal centipede walks through fields, harvesting wheat, threshing, grinding and finally baking bread right in the field. |
| 1958 | Pressurized Penthouse (from Bread Overhead! by Fritz Leiber) A stratospheric perch - if buildings are tall enough, you'll need this. |
| 1958 | Venus Cities Float In Atmosphere (from Bread Overhead! by Fritz Leiber) Cloud cities on Venus. |
| 1958 | Robot Snake (from Bait for the Tiger by Lee Chaytor) A mechanical reptile, with no legs. |
| 1958 | Robot Brother (from Brother Robot by Henry Slesar) A roboticist brings home a robot brother for his natural son. |
| 1958 | Plastotek (from Menace From Vega by Robert Randall) False skin disguise. |
| 1958 | Thought-Record Helmet (from Menace From Vega by Robert Randall) A wearable history book. |
| 1958 | Lunar Observatory (from We Have Fed Our Sea by Poul Anderson) Putting an observatory on the far side of the Moon could have advantages. |
| 1958 | Cone of Silence (from Cease Fire by Frank Herbert) Distortion field that limits the carrying power of voice or other vibration; it accomplishes noise reduction with an image-vibration 180 degrees out of phase. |
| 1958 | Build A Planet With Asteroids (from And Then the Town Took Off by Richard Wilson) The idea that it is possible to gather up enough of the asteroids in the solar system to "build" a planet out of the scraps. |
| 1958 | Chin Window (from Have Space Suit - Will Travel by Robert Heinlein) An aperture that allows an astronaut to see his own feet (greater field of view). |
| 1958 | Palm Plate (from The Mechanical Monarch by E.C. Tubb) A device that scanned for a palm print prior to opening a door. |
| 1958 | Ethical Suicide Parlor (from Welcome to the Monkey House by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.) A comfy environment in which you might commit ethical suicide, and thereby serve society. |
| 1958 | Tik-Talker (from The Sign of the Tiger by Alan Nourse (w/Meyer)) A method of scrambling spoken speech for encoded transmission. |
| 1958 | Impactor Determines Composition (from The Mechanical Monarch by E.C. Tubb) The use of an impactor to smash into a small celestial body; watching the impact can determine the composition of the small body. |
| 1958 | Machine Suicide (from All the Troubles in the World by Isaac Asimov) A self-aware computer system wants to destroy itself. |
| 1958 | Celestial Atlas (from No Planet Is Safe by Harlan Ellison) Planet-by-planet descriptions throughout known space. |
| 1958 | Edge Controls (from The Feeling of Power by Isaac Asimov) A pocket-sized device using controls on the edge of the device, leaving the face for display purposes only. |
| 1958 | Skew-Flip Turnover (from Have Space Suit - Will Travel by Robert Heinlein) Used halfway to the destination by torch ships to slow for one's destination. |
| 1958 | Espionage Machine (from No, No, Not Rogov! by Cordwainer Smith) A machine that makes it possible to experience the sensations of another person at a distance. |
| 1958 | Space Suit Helmet Rearview Mirror (from Have Space Suit - Will Travel by Robert Heinlein) Having a way to easily see behind you while wearing a spacesuit. |
| 1958 | Self-Service Cafeteria (from The Mechanical Monarch by E.C. Tubb) Food on demand. |
| 1958 | Para-Beam (from The Mechanical Monarch by E.C. Tubb) A beam of energy that paralyzes the victim. |
| 1958 | Field-Minder (from But Who Can Replace A Man by Brian Aldiss) An agricultural robot. |
| 1958 | Life Detector (from Cease Fire by Frank Herbert) A device that was capable of detecting living tissue within a set radius. |
| 1958 | Life Detector Shield (from Cease Fire by Frank Herbert) An electronic field that is intended to shield living tissue from a Life Detector. |
| 1958 | Flexible Wall Sheet Display (from The Mechanical Monarch by E.C. Tubb) A large clear sheet that displays information. |
| 1958 | Asteroid-Metal (from The Mechanical Monarch by E.C. Tubb) Metal mined from asteroids. |
| 1958 | Computers Improve Computers (from The Feeling of Power by Isaac Asimov) The idea that it will be possible for computers to design more advanced computers. |
| 1958 | Gyro Two-Wheeled Truck (from The Sign of the Tiger by Alan Nourse (w/Meyer)) A gyroscopically-stabilized truck with just two wheels. |
| 1958 | Neutronic Shielding (from The Sign of the Tiger by Alan Nourse (w/Meyer)) Very high density monomolecular shielding |
| 1958 | Circuit Inhibiting Destructiveness (from To Please The Master by Margaret St. Clair) Ensuring that robots take on the responsibility of pleasing their masters, and obeying their orders. |
| 1958 | Hypo Arm (from Simulated Trainer by Harry Harrison) A robotic arm used to autonomously deliver pharmaceuticals to patients. |
| 1958 | Photosight (from The Sign of the Tiger by Alan Nourse (w/Meyer)) An automotive device that automatically follows a painted white line on the roadway, letting the car drive itself. |
| 1958 | Robot Conductor (from The Woman You Wanted by Robert Silverberg) A robot that serves as the conductor on a bus. |
| 1958 | Landing Legs (from No Planet Is Safe by Harlan Ellison) Projections from the base of a space craft that allow it to land upright in gravity. |
| 1958 | Metamen (from The Mechanical Monarch by E.C. Tubb) A human brain placed in a purely mechanical, robotic body. |
| 1959 | Talking Bomb (from Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein) A psychological warfare weapon that talks to the enemy. |
| 1959 | Magnetically Floating Furniture (from The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.) Furniture that is suspended at the proper height using magnetic forces. |
| 1959 | Memo-Voice (from War Game by Philip K. Dick) Paper memos that read themselves out loud. |
| 1959 | Metallic Marx (from The Robots Strike by Harry Harrison) A robot who strikes for better working conditions. |
| 1959 | Sentenced Man (from Robot Justice by Harry Harrison) A person who commits asocial actions and lives in society, but in reduced circumstances. |
| 1959 | Human Object Recognition (from Robot Justice by Harry Harrison) System uses human beings as an aid to robotic object recognition. |
| 1959 | Mark IV Door Keeping Robot (from The Man Who Could Not Stop by A. Bertram Chandler) A robotic device for responding (and scanning) people who come to your door. |
| 1959 | Powered Armor (or Powered Suit) (from Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein) An armored suit that magnifies the power of the soldier's muscles, along with other weapons. |
| 1959 | Grass Carpet (from The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.) An indoor home or office floor covering - living grass. |
| 1959 | Robot Trash Collectors (from Robot Justice by Harry Harrison) Robots that drive and operate garbage trucks. |
| 1959 | Flying Eye (from The Repairman by Harry Harrison) A remote-controlled device for surveillance overflight. |
| 1959 | Robot Judge (from Robot Justice by Harry Harrison) Artificially intelligent legal machine - robes and all. |
| 1959 | Saddle (from The Big Front Yard by Clifford Simak) A comfortable riding saddle - minus the horse. |
| 1959 | Hands Free Helmet (from Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein) The helmet of a powered suit has controls activated by head movements. |
| 1959 | Electromechanical Educator (from The Fourth R by George O. Smith) An automated teaching machine. |
| 1959 | Robotic Trash Can (from Robot Justice by Harry Harrison) A sensor-equipped waste can capable of autonomous cleaning - and legal judgement. |
| 1959 | Robot Spectra Analyzer (from The Repairman by Harry Harrison) Device used to find ones position in real space. |
| 1959 | Personality Death (from Robot Justice by Harry Harrison) Punishment leaves the body intact. |
| 1959 | Hyperspace Beacon (from The Repairman by Harry Harrison) Located in real space, these devices provide reference points in hyperspace to make navigation possible. |
| 1959 | Clone (from The Clone by Theodore L Thomas) The aggregate of individual organisms descended by asexual reproduction from a single sexually produced individual. |
| 1959 | Neodog (from Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein) Canine-derived animal, genetically engineered for increased intelligence and speech. |
| 1959 | Intelligent Trash Sorting (from Robot Justice by Harry Harrison) Robots sort the garbage - almost completely. |
| 1959 | Toy Testing Dummy (from War Game by Philip K. Dick) A child-sized device used to test suspect toys. |
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(See More Science Fiction in the News)
