Science Fiction
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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)
1970 Robutler (from The Stainless Steel Rat's Revenge by Harry Harrison)
A robotic butler.
1970 Trumps (from Nine Princes in Amber by Roger Zelazny)
Magical Tarot cards that permitted both communication and transportation.
1970 Flywheel Cycle (from The Stainless Steel Rat's Revenge by Harry Harrison)
A motorcycle powered by a flywheel.
1970 Gaussrifle (from The Stainless Steel Rat's Revenge by Harry Harrison)
Projectiles driven by electromagnetic forces.
1970 Riding Robot (from The Stainless Steel Rat's Revenge by Harry Harrison)
A single person means of bipedal transportation.
1970 Luggage Robot (from The Stainless Steel Rat's Revenge by Harry Harrison)
Perfect helper at robotic hotels.
1970 Killalc Pills (from The Stainless Steel Rat's Revenge by Harry Harrison)
Counteracts the effects of alcohol consumption.
1970 Transparent Overalls (from The Stainless Steel Rat's Revenge by Harry Harrison)
Perfect for prisoners, because nothing can be concealed.
1970 Blackout Gas (from The Stainless Steel Rat's Revenge by Harry Harrison)
Cuts input from the optic nerve.
1970 Nerve Machine (from The Stainless Steel Rat's Revenge by Harry Harrison)
A device that delivers pure pain via neural currents.
1970 Robotnik Automated Hotel (from The Stainless Steel Rat's Revenge by Harry Harrison)
A fully-automated hotel; no human interaction required.
1970 Transmat (from Tower of Glass by Robert Silverberg)
A teleportation device.
1970 Bio-Fabric (from Say Goodby to the Wind by J.G. Ballard)
Living cloth that constantly adapts itself to the personality and needs of its wearer.
1970 Floating Castle (from Ringworld by Larry Niven)
A vast building floating freely above the land surface of Ringworld.
1970 Kemplerer (Klemperer) Rosette (from Ringworld by Larry Niven)
Planets without a sun; they orbit a central point.
1970 Light-Sword (from Ringworld by Larry Niven)
A laser tuned for use as a cutting tool.
1970 Squib (from Our Friends From Frolix 8 by Philip K. Dick)
A simple form of ground transportation.
1970 Slaver Disintegrator (from Ringworld by Larry Niven)
Sometimes used as a digging tool.
1970 Stepping Discs (from Ringworld by Larry Niven)
Open air teleportation pads.
1970 Powdered Alcohol (from The Stainless Steel Rat's Revenge by Harry Harrison)
Alcohol in non-liquid form.
1970 Sleep Set (Sleep Headset) (from Ringworld by Larry Niven)
An electronic device for inducing deep sleep.
1970 Neck Radio (from Our Friends From Frolix 8 by Philip K. Dick)
Commercial radio from an implanted device.
1970 Great Ear (from Our Friends From Frolix 8 by Philip K. Dick)
An electronic telepathic listening device that monitors thousands of people simultaneously.
1970 Unichapel (Robotic Confession Booth) (from THX 1138 by George Lucas)
Automated religious confessional with monotone, programmed responses.
1970 Food Brick (from Ringworld by Larry Niven)
Appropriate manufactured food for any species.
1970 Airmaker (from Ringworld by Larry Niven)
A device that creates a specific breathable mix directly from the atmosphere.
1970 Sound Deadener (from Ringworld by Larry Niven)
Device that acts to damp excessive noise produced by different species.
1970 Holo (from Ringworld by Larry Niven)
Abbreviation of "hologram".
1970 Screamer (from The Stainless Steel Rat's Revenge by Harry Harrison)
An acoustic weapon.
1970 Tower of Glass (from Tower of Glass by Robert Silverberg)
An enormous glass tower built to communicate outside the solar system.
1970 Refrigeration Tape (from Tower of Glass by Robert Silverberg)
A strip of material that can be used to keep large tracts of tundra nicely frozen.
1970 Inert-Wear (from Say Goodby to the Wind by J.G. Ballard)
Clothing made of dead fibers; clothing that is unmoving, static.
1970 Computer Virus (from The Scarred Man by Gregory Benford)
A software program that copies itself to other computers.
1970 Translator Discs (from Ringworld by Larry Niven)
Wearable devices that wirelessly connected to a speech translation computer.
1970 Electromagnetic Cannon (from Ringworld by Larry Niven)
A set of devices on the Ringworld used to land spacecraft safely on the fast-moving rim.
1970 Osmosis Generator (Cziltang Brone) (from Ringworld by Larry Niven)
A device that can render a solid permeable to matter.
1970 Crash Balloons (from Ringworld by Larry Niven)
Inflatable bags that would both cushion and hold a flycycle driver in the event of a crash.
1970 Shadow Square Wire (from Ringworld by Larry Niven)
Very fine, very light, very strong wire.
1970 Shadow Square (from Ringworld by Larry Niven)
An enormous blind that orbits a star.
1970 Sonic Fold (from Ringworld by Larry Niven)
Force field that guides air around an air vehicle.
1970 Tasp (from Ringworld by Larry Niven)
A device that induces a current in the pleasure center of the brain, at a distance.
1970 Ringworld (from Ringworld by Larry Niven)
A 50 foot thick ribbon of matter around a star, a million miles across and as long as Earth's orbital circumference.
1970 Scrith (from Ringworld by Larry Niven)
The material used to build Ringworld; has remarkable tensile strength
1970 Flycycle (from Ringworld by Larry Niven)
Combination flying motorcycle, kitchen and autodoc.
1970 Flashlight Laser (from Ringworld by Larry Niven)
Small cylindrical device that generates a green beam of variable intensity and focal length; can illuminate or cut.
1970 Sigfrid von Shrink (from Gateway by Frederik Pohl)
An automated therapist.
1970 Slaver Stasis Field (from Ringworld by Larry Niven)
A force field that protects everything inside it by creating a space in which time is suspended.
1970 Variable Sword (from Ringworld by Larry Niven)
A sword that could vary in length, and cut through anything.
1970 Jack In (from Tower of Glass by Robert Silverberg)
To open one's nervous system to a computer's virtual world.
1970 Nearleather (from What's Become of Screwloose? by Ron Goulart)
Fake leather.
1970 Brillo (from Brillo by Ben Bova (w/H. Ellison))
A police robot.
1971 Pocket Display Projector (from The Anome by Jack Vance)
A pocketsized projector capable of displaying high resolution images so they can be viewed by a group of people.
1971 Skin Suit (from Dinosaur Beach by Keith Laumer)
A very tight-fighting spacesuit, or disguise.
1971 Robot Pope (from Good News From the Vatican by Robert Silverberg)
An artificially intelligent robotic cardinal ascends to the Throne of St. Peter.
1971 Stalker's Fever (from The Rakehills of Heaven by John Boyd)
A spaceman's malady, in which madness results in a crew member hunting down and murdering a colleague.
1971 Nowhen (from A Feast for the Gods by Poul and Karen Anderson)
At no time.
1971 Impact Suit (from The Flying Sorcerers by David Gerrold (w/L, Niven))
A body suit that is flexible, but upon a hard impact becomes rigid and impenetrable.
1971 Verse Transcriber (from Studio 5, The Stars by J.G. Ballard)
A device that would produce perfect poetry, given the necessary parameters.
1971 Selektrogel (from And All The Stars A Stage by James Blish)
An over-the-counter gel to choose the sex of a child at conception.
1971 Batacitor (from The Fabulous Riverboat by Philip Jose Farmer)
A storage device for electricity that could be charged in a very short time.
1971 Launching Laser (from The Fourth Profession by Larry Niven)
A set of very high-powered lasers used to power spacecraft.
1971 Index Rating (from Gemini Cavendish by Gordon Eklund)
Understanding what you should do (or not do) is part of the test.
1972 Hubrizine (from We Can Build You by Philip K. Dick)
A drug that brings about greater alertness and cheerfulness.
1972 Window-Cleaner Robots (from Rendezvous With Rama by Arthur C. Clarke)
Robots that perform the task of cleaning and polishing transparent surfaces.
1972 Copseyes (from Cloak of Anarchy by Larry Niven)
A small floating "eye-in-the-sky" surveillance drone used by police in an extensive park.
1972 Biot (from Rendezvous With Rama by Arthur C. Clarke)
A biological robot.
1972 Artificial Muscles (from Cyborg by Martin Caidin)
Replacement for organic muscle tissue.
1972 P-Terminal Implant (from The Terminal Man by Michael Crichton)
A device consisting of implanted power pack, control and electrodes placed near pleasure centers of the brain.
1972 Key Club (from Flash Crowd by Larry Niven)
A social club made exclusive by teleportation booth; may be in a chain with other physically identical locations.
1972 Implant-Watch (from Cloak of Anarchy by Larry Niven)
Subcutaneous timepiece; uses patterns of colored lights to show the time.
1972 Filter-Mask (from The Sheep Look Up by John Brunner)
Perfect for dystopian future air pollution.
1972 Newstaper Gear (from Flash Crowd by Larry Niven)
The devices used by a person who serves as a reporter, cameraman and story finder.
1972 Electrofriend (Artificial Friend) (from Automatthew's Friend by Stanislaw Lem)
A tiny electric friend, which nestles in your ear, and provides advice and information.
1972 Hive-Sign (from Hellstrom's Hive by Frank Herbert)
Specialized sign language developed by an offshoot of humanity.
1972 Rotating House (from The Godmakers by Frank Herbert)
A single family home built upon a central pivot; it can be turned at will.
1972 King's Free Park (from Cloak of Anarchy by Larry Niven)
A park in which anarchy reigned; a very long, narrow park.
1972 Spider Tripod Robot (from Rendezvous With Rama by Arthur C. Clarke)
Three-legged alien robot.
1972 The Krang (from The Tar-Aiym Krang by Alan Dean Foster)
An enormous musical instrument (or weapon).
1972 Flash Crowd (Flash Mob) (from Flash Crowd by Larry Niven)
What you call a group of people who suddenly appear at an interesting location.
1972 Selectacol (from The Godmakers by Frank Herbert)
A device that automates the interior design process, providing a choice of color schemes for a roomful of furniture.
1972 Polawindow (from The Godmakers by Frank Herbert)
A window-sized polarizer filter that allows changes in light intensity and color.
1972 Crechepod (from The Godmakers by Frank Herbert)
A small, enclosed medical device providing full life support as well as advanced regrowth technologies.
1972 Ironing Robot (from Iron (утюг) by Mikhail Mikheev)
A robot that smooths the wrinkles out of clothing.
1972 Implanted Tranceiver (from The Godmakers by Frank Herbert)
Device enables two-way communication with needing to carry a device.
1972 Go-Buggy (from The Godmakers by Frank Herbert)
A ground-only vehicle.
1972 Transmit-Paper (from The Godmakers by Frank Herbert)
Paper form with a built-in capability to transmit the information written with a stylus to a remote computer network.
1972 Procreative Stump (from Hellstrom's Hive by Frank Herbert)
A woman's torso, kept alive for the purpose of using the womb as an incubator.
1972 Nightmask (from Hellstrom's Hive by Frank Herbert)
Night vision mask (similar to a diving mask) with an infrared light source.
1972 Mini-Sneaker (from The Godmakers by Brian Herbert)
A small, airborne surveillance device.
1972 Ultraminiature Spy-Circuit (from The Unknown by Christopher Anvil)
Tiny bits of 'smart dust' used as surveillance devices.
1972 Chemical Orders (from Hellstrom's Hive by Frank Herbert)
Use of chemical triggers for behavior and behavior modification.
1972 Displacement Booth (from Flash Crowd by Larry Niven)
A teleportation portal.
1972 Atlotl/Gibiril Regimen (from The Godmakers by Frank Herbert)
A method of altering the flow of energy in the body to aid in regrowth of damaged or missing tissue.
1972 Autobutle (from The Godmakers by Frank Herbert)
An automated servant.
1972 Tickler (from Eurema's Dam by R.A. Lafferty)
Clears smog and saves the residue for later use.
1972 Bionic Legs (from Cyborg by Martin Caidin)
Human legs rebuilt and improved.
1972 Bionic Arm (from Cyborg by Martin Caidin)
An artificial arm that responds in a manner similar to the 'original equipment' item.
1972 Cyborg (from Cyborg by Martin Caidin)
A cybernetic organism - man in union with machine
1972 Stunwand (from Hellstrom's Hive by Frank Herbert)
1972 Ilse (from Long Shot by Vernor Vinge)
The first intelligent ship brain.
1972 City of Glass (from The Godmakers by Frank Herbert)
An entire city made of unique structural glass and ceramic.
1972 Superluminal (from Patterns of Chaos by Colin Kapp)
Faster than the speed of light.
1972 Cryosleep (from Flight of Exiles by Ben Bova)
Use of extreme cold to cause suspended animation.
1972 Dragonfly Sky-Bike (from Rendezvous With Rama by Arthur C. Clarke)
An ultralight human-powered flyer.
1972 WatchdØg (Watchdog) (from WatchdØg by Jack C. Haldeman)
1973 Monopole Mining (from Protector by Larry Niven)
Looking for natural sources of monopoles.
1973 Ultramicrominiature Waldo (from Time Enough For Love by Robert Heinlein)
A device for transforming ordinary human hand movements into extremely small-scale surgical motions.
1973 Implanted Interface With Retinal Nerves (from The Continuous Katherine Mortenhoe (The Unsleeping Eye) by D.G. Compton)
Circuitry that provides a 'look' at what the eye sees.
1973 Slowboat (from Protector by Larry Niven)
Slower than lightspeed spacecraft used for interstellar colonization.
1973 Light-Sculpture (from Light Verse by Isaac Asimov)
A creative work that was both sculpture and light.
1973 Welton Cube (from Time Enough For Love by Robert Heinlein)
High-density storage device.
1973 Ram Field (from Protector by Larry Niven)
A specialized version of the hydrogen-gathering field for a Bussard Ramjet.
1973 Artificial Gravity-Assisted Childbirth (from Time Enough For Love by Robert Heinlein)
Using an artificial gravity field to assist (and accelerate) the process of childbirth.
1973 Gravity Lens (from Protector by Larry Niven)
An optical lens created using the lightbending properties of gravity.
1973 Twing (from Protector by Larry Niven)
Used in the hold of spaceships to keep articles all together, and to prevent them from floating around in free fall, or falling during periods of acceleration.
1973 Decibel Alarms (from A Bridle for Pegasus by Anne McCaffrey)
Alarms that would go off if the noise in public gathering places was rising to riotous levels.
1973 Moon Hopper (from Rider in the Sky by Raymond F. Jones)
A jet-powered single-person vehicle for the Moon.
1973 Hypno-Encyclopedic Techniques (from Time Enough For Love by Robert Heinlein)
If you plan to live for centuries, you need to organize your memories.
1973 Frictionless Cups (from Protector by Larry Niven)
Cups with a special surface to which liquid does not adhere.
1974 Assault Ship (from The Forever War by Joe Haldeman)
A one-way, one-use spacecraft for depositing troops at the scene of a space battle.
1974 Alderson Point (from The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven (w/J. Pournelle))
One end of a tramline, a path between stars that can be traversed using a hyperdrive engine.
1974 Superconductor of Heat (from The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven (w/J. Pournelle))
A light metal that accepts heat applied to its surface, and then dissipates the energy throughout the material, leaving the temperature of the material unchanged.
1974 Talking Pamphlet (from Ellison Wonderland by Harlan Ellison)
An instructional pamphlet that instructs you through ordinary speech.
1974 Flesh Gun (from The Computer Connection by Alfred Bester)
A weapon that burns the skin and meat off the victim.
1974 Skull Bug (from The Computer Connection by Alfred Bester)
A small electronic device implanted in the cranium at birth; used for monitoring and control.
1974 Robot Gas Station (from Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said by Philip K. Dick)
An entirely automated station for dispensing fuel to consumer vehicles.
1974 KR-3 (from Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said by Philip K. Dick)
A drug that breaks down the ability of the brain to perceive space and physical objects properly, or in sequence; a new universe opens.
1974 Floating Building (from Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said by Philip K. Dick)
An apartment building that floats a few feet off the ground.
1974 EEG-Gram Projection (from Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said by Philip K. Dick)
Detection of unique characteristics at a distance.
1974 Phone-Grid Transex Network (from Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said by Philip K. Dick)
Addictive network-enhanced sexuality.
1974 Armor Cloth (from The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven (w/J. Pournelle))
Extremely tough synthetic fabric.
1974 Powered Suit with Trauma Maintenance (from The Forever War by Joe Haldeman)
A powered suit (or powered armor) that is set up to save as much of your body as possible in worse case scenarios.
1974 Collapsar Jump (from The Forever War by Joe Haldeman)
Travel between collapsed stars in no time at all.
1974 Acceleration Shell (from The Forever War by Joe Haldeman)
A special suit designed to help people survive accelerations of up to twenty-five gravities.
1974 Seed Bomb (from Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said by Philip K. Dick)
A tiny explosive that can be embedded under the skin.
1974 Microtransmitter Dot (from Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said by Philip K. Dick)
A tiny transmitter placed on ID cards, used to track ID holders.
1974 Pressor Field (from The Forever War by Joe Haldeman)
A force field that pressed against anything that encountered it.
1974 Laser Finger (from The Forever War by Jack C. Haldeman)
Special powered suit add-on makes you even quicker on the draw.
1974 Metal Paste (from The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven (w/J. Pournelle))
A conductive metal that could be easily squirted from a tube.
1974 Numbitol (from The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven (w/J. Pournelle))
You guessed it, a topical anesthetic.
1974 Picphone (from Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said by Philip K. Dick)
A small telephone that has a screen to show pictures.
1974 Frictionless Toilet (from The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven (w/J. Pournelle))
A toilet bowl that does not require water, because its surface is frictionless.
1974 Dead-Show (from Her Smoke Rose Up Forever by James Tiptree, Jr.)
Forced reliving of memory and experience after death.
1974 Robotrix (from Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said by Philip K. Dick)
A robot, female in appearance.
1974 Testing For Human (from Inhuman Error by Fred Saberhagen)
How can you distinguish the artificial from the real?
1974 C-Plus Cannon (from Inhuman Error by Fred Saberhagen)
Weapon fire that can skip past the speed of light and back.
1974 Projection Commercials (from The Computer Connection by Alfred Bester)
A three-dimensional advertisement that is placed in your path in a public place like a bar.
1974 Time Dingbat (from The Computer Connection by Alfred Bester)
Nickname for a time machine; used for a kind of WPA-like program for the past.
1974 Molemen (from The Computer Connection by Alfred Bester)
1974 Projection (from The Computer Connection by Alfred Bester)
A means of projecting your image to a distant place.
1974 Cryonaut (from The Computer Connection by Alfred Bester)
An astronaut placed in cryonic sleep.
1974 Atmosphere Control (from The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven (w/J. Pournelle))
Recently terraformed planets require constant maintenance.
1974 Fyunch(click) (from The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven (w/J. Pournelle))
An alien assigned to become an expert in just one person.
1974 Acceleration Chair (from The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven (w/J. Pournelle))
A specially-designed chair used to help crew stay mobile during periods of high acceleration.
1974 Home Ad Blocker (from The Computer Connection by Alfred Bester)
Device insulates house against intrusion by 3D advertisements.
1974 Cushion Fence (from The Computer Connection by Alfred Bester)
Gentle force field
1974 Eccentric Projection (from The Girl Who Was Plugged In by James Tiptree, Jr.)
Remote manipulation of a body not your own.
1974 Placental Decanters (from The Girl Who Was Plugged In by James Tiptree, Jr.)
Perfect human bodies with control implants for remote use.
1974 Tramline (from The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven (w/J. Pournelle))
The line along which hyperspace (instantaneous travel) travel is possible.
1974 Langston Field (from The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven (w/J. Pournelle))
A protective energy shield.
1974 Acceleration Couch (from The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven (w/J. Pournelle))
A chair designed for use in during periods of high acceleration (multiple gravities).
1974 Gee Bath (from The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven (w/J. Pournelle))
Essentially a waterbed designed to help older or untrained people cope with high acceleration aboard spacecraft.
1974 Harvesting Saturn's Rings (from The Computer Connection by Alfred Bester)
Mining the rings for industrial purposes.
1974 Cryocapsule (from The Computer Connection by Alfred Bester)
A spaceship capsule that contains astronauts in special coffins, in suspended animation.
1974 Stimtab (from The Forever War by Joe Haldeman)
A drug designed to keep the user awake and alert for long periods.
1974 Pressure Curtain (from The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven (w/J. Pournelle))
A force field that creates a barrier that people can pass through but air cannot - an airlock in a spacecraft.
1974 Handbag Computer (from The Futurological Congress by Stanislaw Lem)
Device capable of carrying on your conversation for you.
1975 Retaliatory Tapeworm (Counter-Worm) (from The Shockwave Rider by John Brunner)
Using computers to deliberately damage another person's reputation and well-being.
1975 Net Shutdown Worm (from The Shockwave Rider by John Brunner)
A tapeworm designed to shut down a nationwide network in the event of national emergency.
1975 Inflatable Church (from The Shockwave Rider by John Brunner)
A church using an inflatable projection screen as an altar.
1975 National Network Surveillance (from The Shockwave Rider by John Brunner)
A system for providing the government with a way to monitor computer network use.
1975 Government Data Transparency (from The Shockwave Rider by John Brunner)
The idea that all of the information available to the government should be posted online and be easily accessible to everyone.
1975 Satellite Search and Destroy (from The Shockwave Rider by John Brunner)
Destroying satellites in orbit.
1975 Coley Group (from The Shockwave Rider by John Brunner)
A musical form that involves dancing in a field of weak microwaves.
1975 Data-Net (from The Shockwave Rider by John Brunner)
An early mention of the idea of a nationwide data network.
1975 Paid Avoidance Zone (from The Shockwave Rider by John Brunner)
An area where the inhabitants agree, for a government-paid fee, to live without sophisticated services.
1975 Hearing Aid (from The Shockwave Rider by John Brunner)
A service that allows people to anonymously talk with another person who only listens.
1975 Autoporter (from The Shockwave Rider by John Brunner)
A device that carries your bag for you at airports.
1975 Electronic Government (from The Shockwave Rider by John Brunner)
Using computer terminals to register votes from citizens on specific propositions.
1975 Tapeworm (Computer Worm) (from The Shockwave Rider by John Brunner)
The first description of a set of computer codes that moves from one computer to another on a network as a coherent entity.
1975 Computer Play Time (from Point of View by Isaac Asimov)
Allowing a computer to take time off from serious problems improves its performance.
1975 Delphi Pool (from The Shockwave Rider by John Brunner)
A large group of people used as a statistical sampling resource; even if the correct answer is not known, responses tend to cluster around the correct answer.
1975 Modded Dog (from The Shockwave Rider by John Brunner)
A canine whose ancestors were genetically modified for higher intelligence; the trait breeds true in offspring.
1975 Tiered Internet (from The Shockwave Rider by John Brunner)
The idea that some forms of Internet network traffic should be given priority over others.
1975 Data-Retrieval Mode (from The Shockwave Rider by John Brunner)
A system for getting the thoughts and images out of a person's mind; recovering the data from a brain storage device.
1975 Personal Smelter (from The Shockwave Rider by John Brunner)
A device used to reduce metallic objects (like coins, pots, cables) to an ingot with known value.
1976 Sensor Arm (from Star Wars by George Lucas)
An extendable multipurpose sensor cluster.
1976 Empty Man (from A World Out of Time by Larry Niven)
A fully-functioning body, the personality of which had been wiped clean.
1976 Automatic Control Car (from Imperial Earth by Arthur C. Clarke)
An autonomous vehicle.
1976 Bubble Car (from A World Out of Time by Larry Niven)
Self-steering, hovering, this is the car of the future.
1976 Vaporator (from Star Wars by George Lucas)
A device which extracted moisture from the air for use in farming.
1976 Sonic Curtain (Sound Lock) (from My Name is Legion by Roger Zelazny)
An undersea sound curtain that keeps larger animals out.
1976 Death Star (from Star Wars by George Lucas)
The logical endpoint of a galactic empire.
1976 Ion Cannon (from Star Wars by George Lucas)
Fires blasts of charged particles.
1976 Supralight Drive (from Star Wars by George Lucas)
A propulsion system that allows a spacecraft to travel faster than light.
1976 Deflector Shield (from Star Wars by George Lucas)
A energy field used to shunt the energy of offensive weapons aside.
1976 Gravity-assisted Subway (from A World Out of Time by Larry Niven)
The fastest way between continents (that does not entail leaving the ground).
1976 R2-D2 (Artoo-Detoo) (from Star Wars by George Lucas)
Now the generic term for a small, maneuverable robot.
1976 RNA Shots (from A World Out of Time by Larry Niven)
An injection prepared from the tissues of a person with knowledge or experience that you need.
1976 Zero-Time Jail (from A World Out of Time by Larry Niven)
A building in which an energy field prevents time from passing.
1976 Womb Room (from A World Out of Time by Larry Niven)
The ultimate ship's bridge.
1976 Young-Forever (from A World Out of Time by Larry Niven)
A very particular formula for human immortality, which solves the most serious attendant problem (population explosion).
1976 Habitable Exoplanet Moon (from Star Wars by George Lucas)
An Earthlike moon that orbits a gas giant.
1976 Poster TV (from A World Out of Time by Larry Niven)
This display gives new meaning to the term "flat screen."
1976 Remote (or Seeker Remote) (from Star Wars by George Lucas)
A training aid for use by Jedi knights.
1976 Bussard Ramjet (from A World Out of Time by Larry Niven)
Propulsion method that scoops hydrogen atoms from space via electromagnetic fields.
1976 Rhennius Machine (from Doorways in the Sand by Roger Zelazny)
Device of alien manufacture, which will reverse, or turn inside out, any object passed through its mobilator.
1976 Star Stone (Speicus) (from Doorways in the Sand by Roger Zelazny)
An artificial intelligence shaped like a rock, which can communicate with living organisms telepathically.
1976 Dog Suit (from Doorways in the Sand by Roger Zelazny)
A disguise worn by an alien detective, allowing him to look just like a domestic canine.
1976 2-1B Medical Droid (from Star Wars by George Lucas)
This robot can do both surgery and rehab.
1976 Sandcrawler (from Star Wars by George Lucas)
A very large mobile home, used by jawas on the deserts of Tatooine.
1976 Lightsaber (from Star Wars by George Lucas)
A sword the blade of which is formed by a beam of visible light which cuts like a laser.
1976 Hangman (from My Name is Legion by Roger Zelazny)
A telefactoring device that also was able to function independently.
1976 RUMOKO (from My Name is Legion by Roger Zelazny)
A project to create additional land surface by deliberate stimulation of undersea volcanoes.
1976 Magnetic Projector (from The Space Beyond by John W. Campbell)
Projects a vortex of magnetic force.
1976 Asymptotic Drive (from Imperial Earth by Arthur C. Clarke)
A propulsion drive that used a tiny black hole to generate energy.
1976 Trans-Space Transmission (from The Moon Moth by Jack Vance)
A curious method of communication between worlds.
1976 Nemourlon (from West of Honor by Jerry Pournelle)
Material for special body armor.
1976 Anabolic Protoplaser (from Spock, Messiah! by Theodore Cogswell (w/C. Spano))
Uses laser light to repair wounds.
1976 Biological Package Probe (from A World Out of Time by Larry Niven)
1976 Droid (Star Wars) (from Star Wars by George Lucas)
A contraction of "android", it actually describes one of a variety of robots.
1976 Comlink (from Star Wars by George Lucas)
Short for communications link; a small portable communicator.
1976 Escape Pod (Life Pod, Boat Pod) (from Star Wars by George Lucas)
A small ship used solely as a "life boat."
1976 Comsole (Home Communications Console) (from Imperial Earth by Arthur C. Clarke)
A home computer, connected to data services.
1976 Restraining Bolt (from Star Wars by George Lucas)
A device that makes sure a robot does what you want (rather than what it wants).
1976 Bubble City (from My Name is Legion by Roger Zelazny)
Underwater domes provide living space for large communities.
1976 Stimic (from The Moon Moth by Jack Vance)
A musical instrument consisting of three flutelike tubes equipped with plungers; thumb and forefinger squeeze a bag to force air across the mouthpieces.
1976 Sandtrout Glove (from Children of Dune by Frank Herbert)
A living glove, formed of live creatures.
1976 Keyboard With Changing Keys (from Imperial Earth by Arthur C. Clarke)
A computer keyboard with keys faced with little displays, so the label could change based on the application or language.
1976 Orbital Factory (from Bind Your Sons To Exile by Jerry Pournelle)
Putting manufacturing in space, orbiting the planet.
1976 Neuristor Brain (from My Name is Legion by Roger Zelazny)
A computer device made up of neuristors.
1976 Environmental Happening (from The Phantom of Kansas by John Varley)
Weather created as a work of art.
1976 Moon Moth (from The Moon Moth by Jack Vance)
A rather plain and timid mask.
1976 Landspeeder (from Star Wars by George Lucas)
A small repulsion-based hovercraft capable of high speeds over flat terrain.
1976 Strakh (from The Moon Moth by Jack Vance)
The prestige or social prominence which serves as a medium of exchange on the planet Sirene.
1976 Skyhook (from West of Honor by Jerry Pournelle)
Part dirigible, part plane.
1976 Ixian Sight Mask (from Children of Dune by Frank Herbert)
Device to allow the blind to see.
1976 Tagalong (from In the Bowl by John Varley)
A backpack with legs; a robot that will carry things for you and match your movements.
1976 3D 'Chess' Game Board (from Star Wars by George Lucas)
A flatbed 3D display which is used to play chess-style board games in three dimensions.
1976 Lunar Disneyland (from The Phantom of Kansas by John Varley)
A vast cavern excavated on the Moon - used for entertainment. Very large scale entertainment.
1976 Minisec (from Imperial Earth by Arthur C. Clarke)
A device like a personal digital assistant (PDA) today.
1976 Smother-Charge (from My Name is Legion by Roger Zelazny)
Molecularly-gimmicked explosive.
1976 T.I.E. Fighter (Tie Fighter) (from Star Wars by George Lucas)
A highly maneuverable fighter spacecraft using an ion drive propulsion system.
1976 Dray-Fish (from The Moon Moth by Jack Vance)
Large fish trained to be harnessed to large houseboats.
1977 Antiholo Generator (from The Ophiuchi Hotline by John Varley)
Dispels intrusive hologram advertisements.
1977 Ghostsmoke (from The Ophiuchi Hotline by John Varley)
An advertisement projected onto a fine mist.
1977 Holo-Printing (from A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick)
Errors introduced in data storage media when recording under improper conditions.
1977 Zoo Fences (from The Dosadi Experiment by Frank Herbert)
Caustic water moat
1977 Holo-Cube (from A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick)
A very large holographic display, that a person could walk into.
1977 Network Monitoring Detection (from The Dosadi Experiment by Frank Herbert)
Detection of someone monitoring your computer workstation
1977 Genoprinter (from The Ophiuchi Hotline by John Varley)
A device that does a 'live capture' of a biometric skin sample.
1977 Cephalochromoscope (Cephscope) (from A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick)
A brain-scan device with a screen to display neural patterns.
1977 Taprisiot (from The Dosadi Experiment by Frank Herbert)
A kind of symbiote, which attuned itself to the user, allowing an expansion of consciousness - telepathic communication anywhere in the galaxy in real time.
1977 Sonabarrier (from The Dosadi Experiment by Frank Herbert)
A type of energy fence, used to keep birds away from particular areas.
1977 Javelin (from The Ophiuchi Hotline by John Varley)
A spacer who modified herself to more easily live in space.
1977 Uniflesh (from The Dosadi Experiment by Frank Herbert)
A type of artificial skin and underlying flesh.
1977 Briefcase Computer (from Inherit the Stars by James P. Hogan)
A portable computer workstation.
1977 Holo-Scanner (from A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick)
A small portable device that acquired holographic surveillance images.
1977 Scramble Suit (from A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick)
A superthin membrane upon which are projected the characteristics of a million different people, it confers instant anonymity.
1977 Bedog (from The Dosadi Experiment by Frank Herbert)
A sentient creature designed to be a bed.
1977 Holomist (from The Ophiuchi Hotline by John Varley)
A means of projecting a commercial message onto a fine spray.
1977 Transmitter Eyes (from The Dosadi Experiment by Frank Herbert)
Closed circuit cameras that provided sight and sound to remote viewers of the Courtarena who wish to remain anonymous.
1977 Centrifuge Room (from The Ophiuchi Hotline by John Varley)
A small room on a planetoid that is spun to create artificial gravity.
1977 Caleban Contact (from The Dosadi Experiment by Frank Herbert)
A form of telepathy based on the use of unimaginably enormous amounts of energy.
1977 Daily Schedule (DS) (from The Dosadi Experiment by Frank Herbert)
The DS was an artificially intelligent day planner, a schedule keeper with voice recognition features; it also talked back when necessary.
1977 Taprisiot Monitor Bead (from The Dosadi Experiment by Frank Herbert)
A small bead to be swallowed that allowed the thoughts of a person to be transmitted and recorded during a specified interval.
1977 Skitter (from The Dosadi Experiment by Frank Herbert)
A small passenger vehicle, for two beings, which uses a steering bar. It is parked in a structure that parks and releases vehicles automatically.
1977 Personality Simulator (from The Dosadi Experiment by Frank Herbert)
A device which, when fed enough data about a person, simulated their personality allowing the user to predict behavior in stated circumstances.
1977 Tracked Vehicle (from The Dosadi Experiment by Frank Herbert)
A heavily armored vehicle, typical of those in use, with a remarkable agility.
1977 Swimming Tubes (from The Dosadi Experiment by Frank Herbert)
Used to connect buildings for use by amphibious species.
1977 Armored Clothing (from The Dosadi Experiment by Frank Herbert)
Ordinary apparel that contained both armor and muscle amplification devices.
1977 Grapple Tracks (from The Dosadi Experiment by Frank Herbert)
A means of automating the process of parking and releasing passenger vehicles from a parking garage.
1977 Odalarm (from The Dosadi Experiment by Frank Herbert)
An alarm clock that awakens the sleeper with a selected odor.
1977 Trimagniscope (from Inherit the Stars by James P. Hogan)
A device that produced a usable cross-sectional image of any part of an object.
1977 High Kavalaan Aircar (from Dying of the Light by George RR Martin)
Flying SUV equipped with laser weapons.
1977 Alien Zoo (from The Dosadi Experiment by Frank Herbert)
A zoo that brings together plants and animals from many planets.
1977 Glowstone (from Dying of the Light by George RR Martin)
A mineral that absorbs light by day and emits it by night.
1977 Sky-Scoot (from Dying of the Light by George RR Martin)
A patch of antigravity foil used for flying.
1977 Life Bank (from The Ophiuchi Hotline by John Varley)
A storage facility with the genetic material that was produced by Earth's ecosystem.
1977 Null-Suit (from The Ophiuchi Hotline by John Varley)
A device that projects a field of force that acts like a space suit.
1977 Chameleon Cloth (from Dying of the Light by George RR Martin)
Clothing that changes color and pattern to match its surroundings.
1977 Pork Tree (from The Ophiuchi Hotline by John Varley)
A plant that produces an analog to animal meat.
1977 Flexible Sprung Boots (from Inherit the Stars by James P. Hogan)
Boots designed to be flexible when walking, but upon a hard step, will have a spring characteristic.
1977 Nullfield (from The Ophiuchi Hotline by John Varley)
A field of energy that creates a barrier.
1977 Substance D (from A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick)
An addictive, psychoactive drug.
1977 Memory Recording (from The Ophiuchi Hotline by John Varley)
A means of recording the entirety of a person's experience and personality.
1977 Symb (from The Ophiuchi Hotline by John Varley)
A symbiont life form that provides its human with life-giving energy.
1977 Graluz (from The Dosadi Experiment by Frank Herbert)
A contained, concealed breeding pond for the frog-like Gowachin.
1977 Rogue World (from Dying of the Light by George RR Martin)
A celestial nomad, a planetary body that is not tied to a particular sun.
1977 Gravity Train (from The Ophiuchi Hotline by John Varley)
An underground railway system that utilizes gravity for acceleration.
1977 Darkdawn City (from Dying of the Light by George RR Martin)
An entire city that is tuned to be played by the winds.
1978 Space Elevator (Orbital Tower) (from The Fountains of Paradise by Arthur C. Clarke)
A physical link between a point on the surface of the Earth and a satellite in geosynchronous orbit.
1978 Spider Space Elevator Test Vehicle (from The Fountains of Paradise by Arthur C. Clarke)
A robotic testing device for the cables of a space elevator.
1978 Holopad (from The Fountains of Paradise by Arthur C. Clarke)
A small display like an iPad that shows 3D images.
1978 Orbiting Factories (from The Fountains of Paradise by Arthur C. Clarke)
Manufacturing centers in orbit around the Earth.
1978 Hyperfilament (from The Fountains of Paradise by Arthur C. Clarke)
A very high tensile strength material structured as a long thin line or ribbon.
1978 Personal Interest Profile (PIP) (from The Fountains of Paradise by Arthur C. Clarke)
A set of topics about which you would like to hear the latest news; known today as Google News Alerts.
1978 CORA - Coronary Alarm (from The Fountains of Paradise by Arthur C. Clarke)
An implanted (or worn) ECG monitor that warns the user of coronary events.
1978 Spinnerettes (from The Fountains of Paradise by Arthur C. Clarke)
A device that will unspool a nanowire filament and then pull it back in.
1978 1D Diamond Crystal (from The Fountains of Paradise by Arthur C. Clarke)
A continuous pseudo-one dimensional diamond crystal- maybe a nanotube?
1978 Operation Cleanup (from The Fountains of Paradise by Arthur C. Clarke)
The program that removed space debris in LEO that could harm the space elevator.
1978 Structural Scanning (from Assassin by James P. Hogan)
Essentially, a whole-object camera, that would take a detailed picture of the structure of an object.
1978 Deposition (3D Printing) (from Assassin by James P. Hogan)
A method for creating any object, molecule by molecule.
1979 Receptor Tape (from The Face by Jack Vance)
A thin, flexible material that can pick up sounds.
1979 Chirpsithra Supercomputer (from The Schumann Computer by Larry Niven)
An alien race thoughtfully provides mankind with blueprints for the most intelligent computer ever made.
1979 Electronic Book (from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams)
An early reference and description of electronic book hardware and operation.
1979 Minovsky Particles (from Mobile Suit Gundam by Yoshiyuki Tomino)
A custom-generated subatomic particle with many technological applications.
1979 Powergun (from Hammer's Slammers by David Drake)
A directed energy weapon.
1979 Conductive Film (from The Face by Jack Vance)
A spray-on conductor capable of carrying a signal.
1979 Marvin the Robot (from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams)
Another fine robot from the marketing division of the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation
1979 Whoopee Drive (from Space Angel by John Maddox Roberts)
Spacecraft propulsion.
1979 Deep Thought (from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams)
The second-largest computer ever made.
1979 Needles (Chocolate and Vanilla) (from Sundiver by David Brin)
Inflated towers reaching 20 miles out of Earth's atmosphere.
1979 Nutri-Matic (from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams)
A drink dispenser that scans the person to determine what might go down well.
1979 GPP Genuine People Personalities (from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams)
Giving mechanisms their own unique affect.
1979 Coal Mole (from The Web Between the Worlds by Charles Sheffield)
Robotic device for asteroid mining chews through the interior, preparing raw materials for use
1979 Gesture-Controlled Device (from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams)
An electronic device that is controlled by hand gestures.
1979 Supertank (from Hammer's Slammers by David Drake)
An air-cushioned armored combat vehicle powered by a fusion generator.
1979 Joo Janta 200 Super-Chromatic Peril Sensitive Sunglasses (from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams)
Sunglasses that darken at the sight of danger.
1979 Service Drones (from The Two Faces of Tomorrow by James P. Hogan)
Small flying construction and repair robots.
1979 Bulerite (from Macrolife by George Zebrowski)
A building material, too good to be true, with hidden properties.
1979 Infinite Improbability Drive (from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams)
Generates a field in which anything, no mater how improbable, can exist.
1979 Spider (from The Web Between the Worlds by Charles Sheffield)
A robotic device that both extruded cable and climbed along it; a space construction robot.
1979 Gundarium (from Mobile Suit Gundam by Yoshiyuki Tomino)
A very sturdy, high-tensile composite.
1979 Mobile Suit (from Mobile Suit Gundam by Yoshiyuki Tomino)
A giant (typically 18 meters tall) humanoid-shaped armored combat vehicle.
1979 Whale Waldo (from Sundiver by David Brin)
An electromechanical whale "suit" that obeys and amplifies your body's motions.
1979 Solar Flare System (from Mobile Suit Gundam by Yoshiyuki Tomino)
Space-based parabolic reflector that focuses light for destructive purposes.
1979 Computer Generated DigItal Music (from The Moon Goddess and the Son by Donald Kingsbury)
A computer composes music with a few simple inputs from the user.
1979 Mobile Armor (from Mobile Suit Gundam by Yoshiyuki Tomino)
Heavilly armed spacecraft with limbs.
1979 Sparkers (from The Schumann Computer by Larry Niven)
A device used to deliver small amounts of electric current to chirpsithra, who use it for the same reason humans use alcohol.
1979 Self-Satisfied Door (from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams)
A door that is much more satisfied with its functionality than it has any right to be.
1979 Babel Fish (from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams)
A living fish which, when placed in your ear, will live there and translate any form of language for you.
1979 Sub-Etha Sens-O-Matic (from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams)
A device which senses passing spacecraft; essential tool of interstellar hitchhikers
1979 Towel (from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams)
A simple scrap of cloth with surprisingly many uses.
1979 Wire-Gun (from Mobile Suit Gundam by Yoshiyuki Tomino)
Device that aids movement in microgravity.

1600-1899  1900-1949  1950's  1960's  1970's  1980's  1990's  2000's

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SF in the News

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Sleeper Drones Lie in Wait
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Warfare Goes Underground In Ukraine
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Robot Bees 3D Printed By Festo
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3D Printed Organs From Space
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How To Settle An Argument Between Two Robots
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The Wind Phone Calls Those Who Have Passed On
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Light Society: Simulates Earth-Scale Society With A Billion AI Agents
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When Colds Threaten You Can't Do This - Or Can You?
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Beautiful Visualization of Dawn Spacecraft
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Biological War: A Scenario
re: HG Wells
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(See More Science Fiction in the News)

 

 

 
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