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
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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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| Date | Device Name (Novel Author) |
| 2000 | Floating Island (from Saturn's Race by Larry Niven (w/S. Barnes)) Large artificial islands floating on Earth's seas. |
| 2000 | Blurbflies (Sing. Blurbfly) (from Nymphomation by Jeff Noon) Small robotic/organic advertisers. |
| 2000 | Randominoes (from Nymphomation by Jeff Noon) Dominoes that randomly generate new numbers. |
| 2000 | Anti-Virus Design Software (from Super-Cannes: A Novel by J.G. Ballard) Create a living space such that the spread of disease is less likely. |
| 2000 | Provigil-C (from A Hymn Before Battle by John Ringo) A special drug that promotes wakefulness in troops. |
| 2000 | Artificial Intelligence Device (AID) (from A Hymn Before Battle by John Ringo) Hand-held device responds intelligently to military intelligence requests. |
| 2000 | Napcap Induction Cap (from Saturn's Race by Larry Niven (w/S. Barnes)) A device that aids sleep and relaxation by working with the subject's brain waves. |
| 2000 | Beetle (from Saturn's Race by Larry Niven (w/S. Barnes)) A hard-shelled dirigible. |
| 2000 | Bubble (from Saturn's Race by Larry Niven (w/S. Barnes)) An undersea elevator. |
| 2000 | Oceanic Thermal Energy Converter (from Saturn's Race by Larry Niven (w/S. Barnes)) A device that uses the sea to help create electricity. |
| 2000 | Napcap Capsule (from Saturn's Race by Larry Niven (w/S. Barnes)) A handy refuge for travelers in busy terminals; a sleep aid when you really need one. |
| 2001 | Wearables (from Fast Times At Fairmont High by Vernor Vinge) Slang for 'wearable computer.' |
| 2001 | Smart Contact Lenses (from Fast Times At Fairmont High by Vernor Vinge) Contact lenses that have a built-in computer display. |
| 2001 | Inertial Bracelet (from Psychohistorical Crisis by Donald Kingsbury) Device to still hand tremors. |
| 2001 | Datapack (from Dune: House Harkonnen by Brian Herbert) A compact device for carrying data. |
| 2001 | Human Leather (from The Dog Said Bow-Wow by Michael Swanwick) Leather from cloned human skin. |
| 2001 | Multiple-Brain Computer (from The Dog Said Bow-Wow by Michael Swanwick) Person augmented with multiple implanted brains. |
| 2001 | Utopian End-Times (from The Dog Said Bow-Wow by Michael Swanwick) The annihilation of technological culture. |
| 2001 | Weather Pod (from Dune: House Harkonnen by Brian Herbert) Imperial technology available to planetologists only. |
| 2002 | Precrime Sleeve Communicator (from Minority Report (Movie) by Steven Spielberg) A device for communication worn as part of the uniform jacket. |
| 2002 | Pocket Dome (from Chindi by Jack McDevitt) Handy easy-to-set-up shelter. |
| 2002 | Gravity Tube (from Chindi by Jack McDevitt) A special passage way that eases the movement of material within a ship. |
| 2002 | Workplace Distancing (from Manna by Marshall Brain) A computer application that arranges that workers never encounter each other, to reduce gossiping and wasted time. |
| 2002 | Vagus Nerve Bio-Chip (from Diplomatic Immunity by Lois McMaster Bujold) Relief from nausea without drugs. |
| 2002 | Poppins (from Kiln People by David Brin) An android body imprinted with the personality of a Master Nanny. |
| 2002 | Photo-Voltaic Robes (from Snow in the Desert by Neal Asher) Outerwear made from material that absorbs sunlight and outputs electricity. |
| 2002 | Minority Report Ads (Biometric Personalized Ads) (from Minority Report (Movie) by Steven Spielberg) Advertisements that speak directly to the consumer in public settings. |
| 2002 | Ditto Blank (from Kiln People by David Brin) A mentally unformed android, upon which a personality could be impressed. |
| 2002 | Recon Spiders (from Minority Report (Movie) by Steven Spielberg) Tiny spider-sized robots that are able to search buildings and identify occupants. |
| 2002 | Durachrome (from Honor of the Regiment by Keith Laumer) Very hard alloy for tanks. |
| 2002 | Manna (from Manna by Marshall Brain) A software program that autonomously manages restaurants or other service industry businesses. |
| 2002 | Hyperpig (from Redemption Ark by Alastair Reynolds) A genetic chimera of pig and human. |
| 2002 | Maelstrom (from Maelstrom by Peter Watts) A description of the next generation Internet |
| 2002 | Provigil (from When the Devil Dances by John Ringo) A medication that makes the user 'untired' - not just more awake. |
| 2002 | Imprint (A Ditto Blank) (from Kiln People by David Brin) Impress one's personality upon a 'ditto blank' android. |
| 2002 | Public Iris Scanner (from Minority Report (Movie) by Steven Spielberg) A device that uses iris-scanning for identification, and does not require subject awareness. |
| 2002 | Mobile Persocom (from Chobits by Manga Clamp) A personal computer in human form. |
| 2002 | Data Tiles (from Minority Report (Movie) by Steven Spielberg) Transparent panes that contain data and programs. |
| 2002 | Halo (from Minority Report (Movie) by Steven Spielberg) Device that incapacitates a person by inducing unconsciousness. |
| 2002 | Sick Stick (from Minority Report (Movie) by Steven Spielberg) Baton that induces vomiting upon contact. |
| 2002 | Wired Glove Interface Display (from Minority Report (Movie) by Steven Spielberg) A large screen display that uses a wired glove interface. |
| 2002 | E-paper Newspaper (from Minority Report (Movie) by Steven Spielberg) A paper-thin, flexible LCD-style display that is large enough to display a full newspaper page. |
| 2002 | Robofish (Mitsubishi Robot Turbot) (from Slow Life by Michael Swanwick) A powerful, meter-long robotic fish used to take samples from liquid lakes on other worlds (like Titan). |
| 2002 | Fishcam (from Slow Life by Michael Swanwick) Seeing through the eyes of a robotic fish. |
| 2002 | Reggie the Bartending Machine (from The Outpost by Mike Resnick) A mechanism able to mix drinks; a robot bartender. |
| 2002 | Bullet-guard Overalls (from Kiln People by David Brin) Very tough fabric. |
| 2002 | Immersive Home Video (from Minority Report (Movie) by Steven Spielberg) Technology lets users interact with home videos. |
| 2002 | Terrafoam Dorm Building (from Manna by Marshall Brain) Maximum people in minimum space. |
| 2002 | Folding Computer Terminal (from The Merchants of Souls by John Barnes) A foldable pocket computer. |
| 2002 | E-Suit (Environmental Suit) (from Chindi by Jack McDevitt) A forcefield that encloses air and heat around the body, but does not repel objects or radiation. |
| 2002 | AI-Based Hiring and Firing (from Manna by Marshall Brain) Letting a computer system handle the hiring and firing of employees. |
| 2003 | Municipal Darwinism (from Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve) The process by which smaller towns were eaten by larger ones. |
| 2003 | Traction City Gut (from Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve) The area of a Traction City used for taking apart and consuming captured prey cities. |
| 2003 | Autosurgeon (from Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan) A mechanical aid to physicians, performing surgical procedures with surgeons present. |
| 2003 | Spray-on Surgical Gloves (from Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan) Effective glove for surgeons that is skin tight. |
| 2003 | Pigoon (from Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood) A transgenic pig, bred to grow replacement organs for humans. |
| 2003 | Cortical Stack (from Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan) Implanted hardware device that contains a backup copy of your mental self. |
| 2003 | Automated Sentry (from Darwin's Children by Greg Bear) A biometric device that scans facial features for identification. |
| 2003 | Illuminum (from Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan) A metal that glows with its own light. |
| 2003 | Slow Gun (from Singularity Sky by Charles Stross) Device shoots slow projectiles that use neurotoxin. |
| 2003 | Automatic Hotel (Hotel Hendrix) (from Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan) A fully automated hotel; complete services provided from check-in to check-out. |
| 2003 | Synthetic Sleeve (from Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan) An artificial body, into which a person can be downloaded. |
| 2003 | Self-Cleaning Gym Suit (from Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood) Removes the source of odor. |
| 2003 | Touch Tablet (from Darwin's Children by Greg Bear) Another name for a wireless Tablet PC. |
| 2003 | E-paper Hologram (from Darwin's Children by Greg Bear) A cover image that really pops out at the viewer. |
| 2003 | Speaker Chips (from Darwin's Children by Greg Bear) Integrated circuit chips placed in books; they could read the book and advertise it. |
| 2003 | Philips Squeeze Gun (from Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan) A handheld railgun |
| 2003 | Ideator (from Darwin's Children by Greg Bear) A computer device specifically made to help model genes and proteins for identification. |
| 2003 | Handipad (from Wyrmhole by Jay Caselberg) An electronic tablet for information browsing. |
| 2003 | Specimen Track (from Darwin's Children by Greg Bear) A means for transporting laboratory specimens from one workstation to another in an automated lab. |
| 2003 | Little Bird (from Darwin's Children by Greg Bear) A remote-control "eye-in-the-sky" miniature drone plane (UAV). |
| 2003 | Companion Implant (from Hominids (Neanderthal Parallax) by Robert J. Sawyer) Electronic device placed within the body; it has a wide variety of uses. |
| 2003 | Alibi Archive (from Hominids (Neanderthal Parallax) by Robert J. Sawyer) A recording made of transmissions from a personal implant that perceived everything that happened to that individual. |
| 2003 | E-Sheet (from Darwin's Children by Greg Bear) A disposable medium for reading electronic messages. |
| 2003 | Whuffie (from Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom by Cory Doctorow) A system in which one's actions, as perceived by others, directly procure the necessities of life; reputation-based currency. |
| 2003 | Needlecast (from Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan) A tightbeam transmission of your very being. |
| 2003 | ChickieNobs (from Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood) Chicken meat sliced from a transgenic organism. |
| 2003 | Email Shirt (from Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood) See your email on your shirt. |
| 2003 | Traction City (from Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve) Cities re-engineered as enormous, lumbering machines. |
| 2003 | Alien Tarantula (from Engine City by Ken MacLeod) Interesting illustration of an animal with gecko-like manipulative capabilities. |
| 2003 | Interway (from The Tels by Paul Black) Computer-controlled highway. |
| 2003 | Biolution (from The Tels by Paul Black) The revolution in biological manufacturing techniques. |
| 2003 | Causality-violation Device (or Weapon) (from Singularity Sky by Charles Stross) Any of a variety of technologies intended to exploit time travel as a weapon. |
| 2003 | Mandroid (from Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan) A humanoid robot; a robot in the shape of a person. |
| 2003 | External Eyelenses (from Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan) Way retro means of correcting vision problems in human beings. |
| 2003 | Smart Wallpaper (from Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood) Wallpaper that can sense your mood and provide an appropriate color scheme. |
| 2003 | Olfactory Wakeup Call (from Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan) An alarm clock that works by wafting scents your way. |
| 2003 | Happicuppa Coffee Bush (from Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood) A species of coffee bush designed for ease of harvesting. |
| 2003 | Goat/Spider Silk (from Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood) High tensile strength fibers from - goats. |
| 2003 | Tuned-Laser Decontamination (from Hybrids (Neanderthal Parallax) by Robert J. Sawyer) Process to destroy foreign biomolecules within the body. |
| 2004 | Bee Cam (from City of Pearl by Karen Traviss) Small, airborne, self-guided personal camcorder. |
| 2004 | Emissarial Projection (from The Algebraist by Iain M Banks) An expert system able to converse and act in the capacity of ambassador. |
| 2004 | Swiss (from City of Pearl by Karen Traviss) A small piece of personal gear that combines a great many items in a single device. |
| 2004 | Perpetual Train (from Iron Council by China Mieville) A vast machine that lays its own tracks as it moves forward. |
| 2004 | Waveform Hypothesis (from Backbeat - A Novel of Physics by J. Frederick Arment) |
| 2004 | Muscle Sensor Interface (from The Algebraist by Iain M Banks) Interface senses muscle movements to control display. |
| 2004 | Quantum Communications Hub (from Defeated by Sean McKee) A communications satellite that permits immediate communication between planets and ships in the solar system. |
| 2004 | Implanted Comlink (from Savior by Nancy Kress) Transceiver inserted below the skin. |
| 2004 | Memory Diamond (from Iron Sunrise by Charles Stross) Very dense memory storage. |
| 2004 | Arteria Portal (from The Algebraist by Iain M Banks) A wormhole entrance. |
| 2004 | Loiter-Drone (from The Algebraist by Iain M Banks) A autonomous flying device that hovers protectively over a defined area. |
| 2004 | Tacspace (from The Algebraist by Iain M Banks) An augmented representation of space battles. |
| 2004 | Signal Skin (from The Algebraist by Iain M Banks) Natural communication form for this species; skin that can spell out text. |
| 2004 | CTC Computer (Closed-Timeline-Curve Time-Travel) (from Exultant by Stephen Baxter) A device that used time travel to perform computations. |
| 2004 | Gillfluid (from The Algebraist by Iain M Banks) Breathable fluid that provides oxygen to the lungs, allowing greater pressure on the body. |
| 2005 | Computational Textile (from Pushing Ice by Alastair Reynolds) Wearable computer sensors. |
| 2005 | Kink-Spring (from The Calorie Man by Paolo Bacigalupi) A device that stores energy with near-perfect efficiency. |
| 2005 | Hyper-Developed Mulies (from The Calorie Man by Paolo Bacigalupi) Bioengineered animals that optimally transform vegetable matter into usable mechanical energy. |
| 2005 | Sprayrock (from Pushing Ice by Alastair Reynolds) Special compound that can be sprayed onto a surface, that hardens into rock. |
| 2005 | KloraDerm (from Old Man's War by John Scalzi) Human skin variant that contains chlorophyll to provide energy. |
| 2005 | BrainPal (from Old Man's War by John Scalzi) A neural implant. |
| 2005 | Lobster AI (from Accelerando by Charles Stross) Scan a lobster brain, get a learning machine. |
| 2005 | Starwisp (from Accelerando by Charles Stross) An small interstellar probe using a light-sail for propulsion. |
| 2005 | Computronium (from Accelerando by Charles Stross) Intelligent matter; nanocomputing processors masquerading as ordinary material. |
| 2005 | Motorized Combat Boots (from Accelerando by Charles Stross) Russian army-surplus self-propelled footgear. |
| 2005 | Megadont (from The Calorie Man by Paolo Bacigalupi) An engineered mastodon, used to convert vegetable matter into energy. |
| 2005 | Flexy (or Flexies) (from Pushing Ice by Alastair Reynolds) A flexible, quasi-living computer. |
| 2005 | Dumb Matter (from Accelerando by Charles Stross) Ordinary matter, with no nano-value added. |
| 2005 | Sterile Seeds (from The Calorie Man by Paolo Bacigalupi) Seeds that are bioengineered to grow, but not to produce fertile seeds. |
| 2005 | Virtual Panopticon (from The Traveler by John Twelve Hawks) A method that gathers information from many sources to effectively surveil any citizen as effectively as if he was in a glass cell. |
| 2006 | Razorback (from Daemon by Daniel Suarez) Autonomous motorcycle weapons platform. |
| 2006 | Pocket-Sized Ad-Blocker (from Sagramanda by Alan Dean Foster) A device that prevented targeted advertisements from reaching you. |
| 2006 | Microwave Pistol (from Blindsight by Peter Watts) Device designed to cause internal injury. |
| 2006 | AutoM8 (from Daemon by Daniel Suarez) A remote-controlled automobile. |
| 2006 | Traffic Lane Discharger (from Sagramanda by Alan Dean Foster) A device that electrically shocked vehicles whose drivers attempted to evade traffic control devices. |
| 2006 | Stopper Bubble (from Red Lightning by John Varley) Device that halts time within its boundaries. |
| 2006 | Wearables (Wearable Computers) (from Rainbows End by Vernor Vinge) Computers and peripherals that use textiles for electronic circuitry. |
| 2006 | Librareome Project (from Rainbows End by Vernor Vinge) Blasting libraries into bits to create a library of perfect digitized electronic books. |
| 2006 | Automated Taxi (from Sagramanda by Alan Dean Foster) A driverless taxicab. |
| 2006 | Answerboard (from Rainbows End by Vernor Vinge) A forum or computer meeting location with experts on a particular topic. |
| 2006 | Voxcoder (from Storm Thief by Chris Wooding) Device for secure communication. |
| 2006 | Persuader (from Storm Thief by Chris Wooding) Device secured to a person that ensures compliant behavior by threat of force. |
| 2006 | Coder (from Storm Thief by Chris Wooding) Specialized humans who excel at engineering tasks. |
| 2006 | Disperser (from Sagramanda by Alan Dean Foster) Device that gives an electric shock to anyone who touches a vehicle. |
| 2006 | Browser Paper (from Rainbows End by Vernor Vinge) A paper-thin computer display. |
| 2006 | Clothing Size Scanner (from Sagramanda by Alan Dean Foster) A device that scanned a living person to determine clothing sizes. |
| 2006 | Mind-Reading with MRI (from Daemon by Daniel Suarez) Making use of direct brain imaging to discern a person's thoughts. |
| 2006 | Magnetic Ram (from Storm Thief by Chris Wooding) A device that fires pulses of magnetic energy. |
| 2006 | Navicloud Custom Debinder (from Rainbows End by Vernor Vinge) A machine that pulls books apart and scans the contents. |
| 2006 | Mobile Advertisements (from Sagramanda by Alan Dean Foster) Advertisements presented in mid-air in public spaces. |
| 2006 | Pocket Scanner (from Sagramanda by Alan Dean Foster) A device that scans for the codes that will open a vehicle's door on command. |
| 2006 | Command Bracelet (from Sagramanda by Alan Dean Foster) A wrist-borne device with a variety of capabilities. |
| 2006 | Distributed Assembly Plant (from Daemon by Daniel Suarez) Bringing parts together for assembly in a crowd anonymously. |
| 2006 | Laser-Induced Plasma (from Daemon by Daniel Suarez) Shoots lightning from your fingertips. |
| 2006 | Third Eye (from Daemon by Daniel Suarez) An output device that uses the skin of the user. |
| 2006 | A-Som (Antisomnolence Drugs) (from Shuteye for the Timebroker by Paul Di Filippo) One simple pill removes the need for sleep. |
| 2006 | Timebroker (from Shuteye for the Timebroker by Paul Di Filippo) A person who traded in the commodity of other people's time. |
| 2006 | HUD Glasses (from Daemon by Daniel Suarez) Integrated glasses and projector provides a portable heads-up display for augmented reality. |
| 2006 | Controllable Drone Army (from Daemon by Daniel Suarez) Darknet sorcerer uses gestures to control a network of drone servants. |
| 2006 | House-of-Cards Construction (from Rainbows End by Vernor Vinge) Architectural technique that uses computers to help buildings maintain their balance during earthquakes. |
| 2006 | Amphibious Skimmer (from Storm Thief by Chris Wooding) Amphibious drone with blades. |
| 2006 | Aether Cannon (from Storm Thief by Chris Wooding) A hand-held energy weapon. |
| 2006 | Camera Tunnel (from Rainbows End by Vernor Vinge) A device that captures images of shredded documents from all sides for reassembly. |
| 2006 | Digital Ink License Plate (from Daemon by Daniel Suarez) License tags that can change both state and number in the blink of an eye. |
| 2006 | Municipal Cattle Remover (from Sagramanda by Alan Dean Foster) A device to pick cattle up and place them in a truck for later dispersion in the countryside. |
| 2007 | Orbital Weapon Lancet (OWL) (from Quantico by Greg Bear) A kinetic energy weapon placed in Earth orbit. |
| 2007 | Cop Block (from Quantico by Greg Bear) A device that allows law enforcement officers to shut down the engine of a suspect's car or truck. |
| 2007 | Midge (from Quantico by Greg Bear) A very small flapping wing UAV that can be carried by a larger flying device. |
| 2007 | WAGD Germ Detector (from Quantico by Greg Bear) A hand-held biohazard analyzer. |
| 2007 | Tongue Mouse (from Quantico by Greg Bear) A pointing device using input from the tongue. |
| 2007 | OSMO (Osmic Mobile Observers) (from Quantico by Greg Bear) UAV with the ability to "smell" their human quarry. |
| 2007 | Lifelog (from Halting State by Charles Stross) A life record made constantly. |
| 2007 | DC Mini (from Paprika by Satoshi Kon) A therapy tool that allows a psychotherapist to enter a patient's dreams. |
| 2007 | Digital Paper Pad (from KOP by Warren Hammond) Just one molecule thick, it flips bits by flipping molecules. |
| 2007 | Scanner Palm (from KOP by Warren Hammond) A document scanner implanted in the palm of the hand. |
| 2007 | Weapon Sound Tracker (from Quantico by Greg Bear) Locate an enemy by the sound of gunfire. |
| 2007 | Remotely Operated Auto-targeting Gun (ROAG) (from Quantico by Greg Bear) A weapon able to pick out its own targets; it's action can be remotely initiated. |
| 2007 | Virtual World Theft (from Halting State by Charles Stross) A method of stealing or reassigning ownership to items of value in virtual worlds. |
| 2007 | Driverless Drones (from Halting State by Charles Stross) One remote supervisor can drive a half-dozen drones, with some computer assistance. |
| 2007 | Magnetic Levitating Bed (from Spook Country by William Gibson) A bed that hovers above the floor, with no visible means of suport. |
| 2007 | Overlay Specs (from Halting State by Charles Stross) Glasses that provide an additional feature; an overlay that lets you see information and graphics along with the real-world view. |
| 2007 | Max Detention (Virtual Counsel) (from Quantico by Greg Bear) A software implementation of a lawyer; an artificially intelligent legal advisor. |
| 2007 | SPOOKS (from Halting State by Charles Stross) A live-action role playing (LARP) game that lets ordinary people play at being secret agents. |
| 2007 | Airboarding (from Halting State by Charles Stross) Typing in thin air to input characters into a computer. |
| 2007 | Blacknet (from Halting State by Charles Stross) An antisocial networking site. |
| 2007 | Bubble-Gum Pylon (from Quantico by Greg Bear) Device used to capture entire vehicles in car chases. |
| 2007 | Anemopter (from Finisterra by David Moles) Special craft for journeys through the atmosphere of a gas giant planet. |
| 2007 | Orphids (from Postsingular by Rudy Rucker) Nanomachines replicate theselves from dust - and cover the Earth. |
| 2007 | CopSpace (from Halting State by Charles Stross) A virtual location for police lifelogs, official communications, paperwork, informational databases and evidence of all kinds. |
| 2007 | Tongueprint Verification (from Fleet of Worlds by Larry Niven (w/E.M. Lerner)) A device that verifies the unique print of the tongue against a a database for identification purposes. |
| 2008 | Fuel Tree (from Anathem by Neal Stephenson) Plants raised as fuel. |
| 2008 | ParanoidLinux (from Little Brother by Cory Doctorow) A computer operating system that deliberately obscures the activities of the user. |
| 2008 | SchoolBook (from Little Brother by Cory Doctorow) A standard-issue laptop computer for school use. |
| 2008 | Photonomous (from Little Brother by Cory Doctorow) A program that strips out the digital noise signature from a picture file. |
| 2008 | Gait-Cam (from Little Brother by Cory Doctorow) A surveillance camera system that analyzes the unique way in which people walk, to identify them. |
| 2008 | Sky-Bike (from The Last Theorem by Arthur C. Clarke (w/Pohl)) A human-powered floating bicycle built for use in lunar sports. |
| 2008 | Homing Butterflies (from Moxyland by Lauren Beukes) Butterflies modified to accompany a purchased bouquet. |
| 2008 | Defuser (from Moxyland by Lauren Beukes) Electroshock cellphones to keep unruly individuals under control. |
| 2008 | Spine-Clamp (from Anathem by Neal Stephenson) A device that constrains the movements of convicted criminals. |
| 2008 | Kinagram (from Anathem by Neal Stephenson) Small print-size icons that presented a moving image. |
| 2008 | Allswell (from Anathem by Neal Stephenson) An organic compound found (or placed) in food that calms and mellows those who partake of it. |
| 2008 | Blithe (from Anathem by Neal Stephenson) A plant engineered to produce a substance that brought out compliant behavior in those who consumed it. |
| 2008 | Ultimate Football League (UFL) (from The Sun Also Explodes by Chris Nakashima-Brown) A football league without restrictions on human modification. |
| 2008 | Angel Music Player (from Flood by Stephen Baxter) A device that beams music directly into your brain, without wires. |
| 2008 | Headspace (from Flood by Stephen Baxter) A virtual world in which a person could raise a virtual baby with full haptic realism. |
| 2008 | Photomnemonic Tablet (from Anathem by Neal Stephenson) A device that both records and displays images with the same element. |
| 2009 | Websight (from WWW: Wake by Robert J. Sawyer) A way of visualizing the Internet internally. |
| 2009 | Dattoo (from Mariposa by Greg Bear) A data exchange device worn on the skin like a tattoo. |
| 2009 | Skin Computer (from Mariposa by Greg Bear) A computer that looks like a tattoo, on a stretchable base. |
| 2009 | Zip Paper (from Mariposa by Greg Bear) Very thin display like a single sheet of paper. |
| 2009 | Robot Snake Spy (from Mariposa by Greg Bear) A small robot in the shape of a snake, used for field work by spies. |
| 2009 | EPR Phone (from Mariposa by Greg Bear) Telephony that uses quantum effects for transmission - and is therefore the ultimate in anti-eavesdropping technology. |
| 2009 | EyePod (from WWW: Wake by Robert J. Sawyer) A generic term for the external computing processing unit needed for eye implants. |
| 2009 | Robobug (from The Golden City by John Twelve Hawks) A cyborg insect. |
| 2009 | Exfection (from The Caryatids by Bruce Sterling) Tailored microbes to repair human flesh. |
| 2010 | Ugly T-Shirt (from Zero History by William Gibson) Uses disruptive patterning to make the wearer invisible to computerized surveillance techniques. |
| 2010 | Darknet Farm (from Freedom by Daniel Suarez) A farm that uses computer networked information systems to achieve sustainable agriculture in a community. |
| 2010 | Desubstantiation Effect (from Death's End by Cixin Liu) In interstellar space, the ship seems like the only material entity in the universe, leading to loneliness and anxiety. |
| 2010 | Angel Teeth (from Freedom by Daniel Suarez) Essentially a spear dropped from a great height (or from orbit) with a guidance system. |
| 2010 | Aeromuse Pillow (from The Human Blend by Alan Dean Foster) A pillow that doubles as a music player. |
| 2010 | Millenniaire (from The Quantum Thief by Hannu Rajaniemi) A person with much more Time than an ordinary person. |
| 2010 | Metallic Display Scroll (from Freedom by Daniel Suarez) A rollable video screen. |
| 2010 | Rocket Pine (from The Human Blend by Alan Dean Foster) Genetically engineered trees for wood pulp. |
| 2010 | Necap (from The Human Blend by Alan Dean Foster) A device that burns out neural connections. |
| 2010 | Office Hand (from The Human Blend by Alan Dean Foster) A robotic hand with each finger customized for a different function. |
| 2010 | Alien Trojan (from Out of the Dark by David Webber) Malware from another world! |
| 2010 | Nutrient Extractor and Maximizer (NEM) (from The Human Blend by Alan Dean Foster) Device that replaces and extends the capabilities of the human digestive system. |
| 2010 | Power Stilts (from The Human Blend by Alan Dean Foster) Platforms that push inundated cities ever higher. |
| 2010 | Humeld (from The Human Blend by Alan Dean Foster) A human being with augmented body parts. |
| 2010 | Neural Lace (from Surface Detail by Iain M Banks) An interface between the brain and computer facilities. |
| 2010 | Barker (from The Human Blend by Alan Dean Foster) A device that scans for nearby medical implants, and allows the operator to take control. |
| 2010 | Spherical Display (from Surface Detail by Iain M Banks) An arbitrarily large display that is a perfect sphere. |
| 2010 | Disabler (from The Human Blend by Alan Dean Foster) A device that drains power quickly from an electric vehicle. |
| 2011 | Virtual Punishment (from Complete Sentence by Joe Haldeman) It seems like decades in prison. |
| 2011 | DNA Publishing (from Spiral by Paul McEuen) Encode a poem or story in DNA, then multiply. |
| 2011 | Onionskin Transparent Jeans (from Super Sad True Love Story by Gary Shteyngart) See-through pants. |
| 2012 | Autonomous Assassination Drone (from Kill Decision by Daniel Suarez) A flying UAV that is self-guided to a target, destroys the target, and is capable of destroying itself after mission completion. |
| 2012 | Wildcode (from The Fractal Prince by Hannu Rajaniemi) A vast, actual desert comprised of nanites, nanomachines. |
| 2012 | Eel Operator (from Re:Set by Susan Beetlestone) A surgically modified human being able to operate a robotic eel |
| 2012 | Robotic Eel (from Re:Set by Susan Beetlestone) A five-foot long artificial eel, controlled by an operator. |
| 2012 | Parent Drone (from Kill Decision by Daniel Suarez) A drone platform that launches smaller drones. |
| 2012 | Brain-Jacking (from Kill Decision by Daniel Suarez) Using insects for surveillance. |
| 2012 | DNA Music Storage (from Year Zero by Rob Reid) Encoding music in junk DNA. |
| 2014 | Freedom ID (from Spark by John Twelve Hawks) A chip inserted into the hand for identification (and surveillance) purposes. |
| 2014 | Oxygen Fountain (from War Dogs by Greg Bear) A small factory for making oxygen on the Martian surface. |
| 2014 | Replaced Worker Benefits (from Spark by John Twelve Hawks) Compensation for people whose jobs are taken by robots. |
| 2014 | Nubot (from Spark by John Twelve Hawks) An android that directly replaces a human at their job. |
| 2014 | Cosmoline (Warm Sleep) (from War Dogs by Greg Bear) Special gel that offers healing and hibernation for space travelers. |
| 2014 | EYE Program (from Spark by John Twelve Hawks) A massive government database on civilians. |
| 2014 | Timeout (from War Dogs by Greg Bear) The part of a Skyrene's life that is spent in Warm Sleep travel between Earth and the destination planet. |
| 2014 | Norm-All Program (from Spark by John Twelve Hawks) A set of algorithms that determine a reasonable location for every citizen. |
| 2014 | Puff (Puff Balls) (from War Dogs by Greg Bear) Material that is used to help Skyrines dropped to the surface of Mars get rid of some of that excess velocity. |
| 2014 | Skintight (from War Dogs by Greg Bear) Specialized space suit for low atmospheric pressure environments like Mars. |
| 2015 | Vehicle Seeds (from Killing Titan by Greg Bear) A matrix of materials and instructions that allow vehicles to grow themselves when placed in an environment of plentiful materials. |
| 2015 | Face Recognition Sunglasses (from The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi) Sunglasses that connect with a remote database to perform face recognition. |
| 2015 | Clearsac (from The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi) A simple device that filters water perfectly for reuse. |
| 2015 | Cranial Amplified Programming CAP (from Killing Titan by Greg Bear) An aid to learning, which you apply directly to your skull. |
| 2015 | Centipede (from Killing Titan by Greg Bear) Perfect craft for crawling through slushy, frozen lakes - on Titan. |
| 2015 | Jonnytruck (from The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi) A movable bathroom for hire; cost is offset by reclamation. |
| 2015 | Public Urine Collection (from The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi) Arcologies offer public latrines, then collect for reclamation. |
| 2016 | Crowdcutter (from Infomocracy by Malka Older) A device worn to part crowds. |
| 2016 | Logical Pathogen (from The Medusa Chronicles by Alastair Reynolds (w/S. Baxter)) Malware concealed in DNA. |
| 2017 | Hotello (from New York 2140 by Kim Stanley Robinson) A portable room within a room. |
| 2017 | Superscraper (from New York 2140 by Kim Stanley Robinson) Buildings that are hundreds of stories tall. |
| 2019 | Edit Stream (from Fall; or, Dodge in Hell: A Novel by Neal Stephenson) Internet content curated by a single person or service, then streamed to those who pay for the service. |
| 2019 | PURDAH (from Fall; or, Dodge in Hell: A Novel by Neal Stephenson) A method of ensuring that a given text was created by its putative author, while masking the identity of the author. |
| 2019 | Forward Warehousing (from Stealing Worlds by Karl Schroeder) Using the trunks of cars as little warehouses. |
| 2019 | OLED Body Film (from Waste Tide by Chen Qiufan) Attaching or implanting flexible screen material to the body as decoration. |
| 2019 | VEIL (from Fall; or, Dodge in Hell: A Novel by Neal Stephenson) A wearable device used to foil facial recognition systems. |
| 2020 | DNA Swab Palate (from The Breach by M.T. Hill) Adheres to the palate, and provides false material for DNA swabs. |
| 2020 | Bio-Implant (Compensator Chip) (from Hella by David Gerrold) A neural implant that helps an autistic child to live a more complete and useful life. |
| 2020 | Scuttle-bot (from Hella by David Gerrold) An all-purpose surveillance robot that climbed rather than flew. |
| 2020 | Pacification Drones (from The Breach by M.T. Hill) Surveillance drones that emit calming notes. |
| 2020 | Sloth Pill (from The Breach by M.T. Hill) A medication to induce a kind of somnolence like short-term hibernation; used in air travel. |
| 2020 | Burner Modem (from The Breach by M.T. Hill) A connection device that can be thrown away if necessary. |
| 2021 | Astrophage (from Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir) Literally, "star-eating" organism. |
| 2021 | Earthsuit (from Termination Shock by Neal Stephenson) Like a spacesuit, but protects you from the Earth. |
| 2021 | Artificial Friend (from Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro) An android companion for a child. |
| 2021 | Pina2bo (from Termination Shock by Neal Stephenson) A huge cannon that shot shells filled with sulfur high into the atmosphere for the purpose of geoengineering a change in climate. |
| 2021 | Machine Birds (from Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro) Flock of mechanical winged birds. |
| 2021 | Oblong (from Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro) A smartphone. |
| 2022 | Solar Glass (from Efficiency by Paolo Bacigalupi) See-through solar panels. |
| 2022 | Large Utility Calibrated Yield (LUCY) (from Efficiency by Paolo Bacigalupi) Storage of solar and wind power as potential energy. |
| 2022 | Abglanz (from The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Naylor) A mask that hides identity. |
| 2022 | Folding Terminal (from The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Naylor) A computer that unfolds itself for use. |
| 2022 | Maintenance Drone (Holon) (from The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Naylor) A semi-autonomous flying device used to perform repairs. |
| 2022 | Autotrawler Autonomous Fishing Factory Ship (from The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Naylor) An entirely autonomous vessel with imprisoned labor that scrapes the sea for protein and off-loads it to other ships. |
| 2022 | Maritime Robots (from Mare Nostrum by Bruce Sterling) Robots designed to perform every aspect of maintenance for a ship. |
| 2022 | Palimpscreen (from The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Naylor) A thin piece of digital paper. |
| 2022 | Autofreighter (from The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Naylor) An autonomous vessel carrying trade materials. |
| 2022 | Prosthetic Yachting Gloves (from Mare Nostrum by Bruce Sterling) Robotic gloves for sailors. |
| 2022 | Point-Five Construct (Pseudo-Relationship) (from The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Naylor) An artificial intelligence person, serving as a companion for a human person not capable of forming real relationships. |
| 2022 | Subcutaneous Overlay (from The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Naylor) An implanted chip that provides a continuous drug experience for months. |
| 2022 | Automonk (from The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Naylor) A robot with an AI trained on an individual monk. |
| 2022 | AI Control Portal (from The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Naylor) A special window into an artificial intelligence, to allow an operator to take control of it if necessary. |
| 2023 | Science Chair (from Titanium Noir by Nick Harkaway) Grown from your DNA for extra comfort. |
| 2023 | Flesh Putty (from Titanium Noir by Nick Harkaway) A flesh replacement, good for putting in bullet holes. |
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Grok And The City Fathers From 'Cities In Flight' By James Blish
re: James Blish
(5/11/2026)
Why Not Move A Warehouse District?
re: Jane Webb Loudon
(5/9/2026)
Will An AI Found A New Religion?
re: Frank Herbert
(5/7/2026)
Terraformer Industries Make Methane
re: Jack Williamson
(5/5/2026)
I Need An Outdoor Spherical Display
re: Iain M. Banks
(5/3/2026)
Worm Disrupts Physics Simulations Undetected For A Decade
re: Philip K. Dick
(5/1/2026)
Muxcard Redditor's DIY Credit Card-Sized Computer
re: Various
(4/29/2026)
'Soft Assembly' Fashions That Fashion Themselves On The Wearer
re: JG Ballard
(4/27/2026)
Orwell's Nightmare Of AI-Written Novels Comes To Pass
re: George Orwell
(4/25/2026)
ISS Plagued By Leak - Again!
re: Robert Heinlein
(4/23/2026)
Ridiculous 'Ghost Murmur' Tech Still Science Fiction
re: Roger Zelazny
(4/21/2026)
Outdoor Video Screens Can Be Arbitrarily Large
re: HG Wells
(4/19/2026)
Infrared Contact Lenses To See In The Dark
re: William Gibson
(4/17/2026)
What'll You Have? Extinct Animals Returned, Or Synthetic Eggshells?
re: Michael Crichton
(4/15/2026)
Sunbird Pulsar Fusion Like Leinster's Space Tug
re: Murray Leinster
(4/13/2026)
RentAHuman App Lets AI Agents Hire Humans
re: Amitav Ghosh
(4/11/2026)
Unitree CEO Wang Xingxing Runs With His G1 Robot Army
re: Various
(4/9/2026)
AIs Turn Marxist Under Bad Management
re: Harl VIncent
(4/7/2026)
Moscow Attacked By Hundreds Of Drones
re: Hal K Wells
(4/5/2026)
Nifty Folding Electric Bicycles!
re: George Parsons Lathrop
(4/3/2026)
FTC: Says Ring Employees Illegally Surveilled Customers
re: Pournelle and Niven
(4/1/2026)
Switzerland May Cap Population At Ten Million
re: Jack Vance
(3/29/2026)
Project Silica Offers 'Long-Term' Digital Storage
re: EE 'Doc' Smith
(3/27/2026)
Can 'Tactical Umbrellas' Shield One From Drones
re: Frank Herbert
(3/25/2026)
Crystalline Structures In Space, You Say?
re: Gene Roddenberry
(3/23/2026)
Garçon! A Menu For Artemis II, S'il Vous Plaît
re: Jules Verne
(3/21/2026)
Amazing Photonic Crystal Light Sail
re: Cordwainer Smith
(3/19/2026)
Blue Collar AI Goes To Work To Mine Its Own Crypto
re: Harry Harrison
(3/17/2026)
Rogue AI Replicated Itself
re: Gregory Benford
(3/15/2026)
HandelBot Helps Two-Handed Robots Learn Piano
re: Herbert Goldstone
(3/13/2026)
Woven Fiber Electronic Skin For Robots
re: Harl VIncent
(2/11/2026)
When AI Takes Its First Breath
re: Various
(2/9/2026)
(See More Science Fiction in the News)
