Device Name |
Book/Story |
Author |
Date |
O-220 Ultralight zeppelin |
Tarzan at the Eath's Core |
Burroughs |
1929 |
Oat-Tropic Circuit A robotic feature that caused electronic animals to move toward offered food. |
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? |
Dick |
1968 |
Object-Finder Beam A unique device that projected a beam that found what you wanted. |
The Conquest of Gola |
Stone |
1931 |
Observation Room Recreation Center A vast internal space in a space station, often used for exercise and amusement. |
The Power Planet |
Leinster |
1931 |
Oceanic Thermal Energy Converter A device that uses the sea to help create electricity. |
Saturn's Race |
Niven (w/S. Barnes) |
2000 |
Odalarm An alarm clock that awakens the sleeper with a selected odor. |
The Dosadi Experiment |
Herbert |
1977 |
Odorophonics A system capable of reproducing selected scents capable of fooling the human nervous system. |
The Illustrated Man |
Bradbury |
1951 |
Office Hand A robotic hand with each finger customized for a different function. |
The Human Blend |
Foster |
2010 |
Off-Planet Away from a planet, towards another or into space. |
Uller Uprising |
Piper |
1952 |
Off-World Not of Earth. |
Judgement Night |
Moore |
1943 |
Oil Lens Oil held in tension in an enclosing force field, used as an optical component. |
Dune |
Herbert |
1965 |
OLED Body Film Attaching or implanting flexible screen material to the body as decoration. |
Waste Tide |
Qiufan |
2019 |
Olfactory Wakeup Call An alarm clock that works by wafting scents your way. |
Altered Carbon |
Morgan |
2003 |
One-Man Car A small transport vehicle. |
The Houses of Iszm |
Vance |
1954 |
One-Man Rocket A small rocket ship with only a pilot. |
Evans of the Earth-Guard |
Hamilton |
1930 |
One-Way Passage A different way to assure permanent egress. |
The Houses of Iszm |
Vance |
1954 |
Onionskin Transparent Jeans See-through pants. |
Super Sad True Love Story |
Shteyngart |
2011 |
Online Employability Profile Testing An online test that determines the best areas in which you might search for a job. |
The Age of The Pussyfoot |
Pohl |
1966 |
Online Job Search Networked assets allow ordinary people to search through nationwide job listings upon providing a short set of qualifications. |
The Age of The Pussyfoot |
Pohl |
1966 |
Ontogenetic Adaptation Immediate genetic-level ability to eat alien plants. |
The End of the Line |
Schmitz |
1951 |
Oort Cloud Processor An alien ship that processes Oort cloud into food. |
Beyond the Blue Event Horizon |
Pohl |
1980 |
Opaque Helmet A spacesuit helmet that has no see-through components at all; fully enclosed metal. |
Wanderer of the Void |
Carr |
1937 |
Open-Air Moving Picture Shows Public news outlets |
The Messiah of the Cylinder |
Rousseau |
1917 |
Operation Cleanup The program that removed space debris in LEO that could harm the space elevator. |
The Fountains of Paradise |
Clarke |
1978 |
Optic Prosthesis A replacement for a damaged eye. |
Changeling |
Zelazny |
1980 |
Optic Television An eye that "sees" more than just its surroundings. |
Twenty Evocations |
Sterling |
1984 |
Optical-Effect Suit An invisibility garment. |
The Hounds of Hell |
Laumer |
1964 |
Opti-Phone Yet another name for a videophone. |
The Impossible World |
Binder |
1939 |
Opton Very early description of an electronic book, with storage media. |
Return from the Stars |
Lem |
1961 |
Optophone (Opto) A video call system. |
Too Many Boards! |
Vincent |
1931 |
Orbital Factory Putting manufacturing in space, orbiting the planet. |
Bind Your Sons To Exile |
Pournelle |
1976 |
Orbital Mirror A huge reflective surface in orbit around a planet or moon, the purpose of which is to focus sunlight onto the surface. |
Completely Automatic |
Sturgeon |
1941 |
Orbital Retirement Hotel A retirement home placed in low earth orbit. |
Contact |
Sagan |
1985 |
Orbital Terminus An airport in space; a terminal for low earth orbit flights. |
Count Zero |
Gibson |
1986 |
Orbital Weapon Lancet (OWL) A kinetic energy weapon placed in Earth orbit. |
Quantico |
Bear |
2007 |
Orbiting Casino Advertising Sign The mightiest billboard in the Solar System! |
One Against The Legion |
Williamson |
1939 |
Orbiting Factories Manufacturing centers in orbit around the Earth. |
The Fountains of Paradise |
Clarke |
1978 |
Orbiting Penal Colony A prison placed in orbit (better than Alcatraz). |
Tekwar |
Shatner |
1989 |
Organic Superlubricant Advanced lube that can "learn" how to be more effective. |
Alpha Centauri |
Meier |
1999 |
Organlegging Technology needed to deal in illicitly obtained body parts. |
The Jigsaw Man |
Niven |
1967 |
Ornithopter Also called a 'thopter, it had adjustable wings and was jet-powered. Describes any plane capable of wing-beat flight in the manner of birds. |
Dune |
Herbert |
1965 |
Orphids Nanomachines replicate theselves from dust - and cover the Earth. |
Postsingular |
Rucker |
2007 |
OSMO (Osmic Mobile Observers) UAV with the ability to "smell" their human quarry. |
Quantico |
Bear |
2007 |
Osmosis Generator (Cziltang Brone) A device that can render a solid permeable to matter. |
Ringworld |
Niven |
1970 |
Osprey Space Armor Space suit you can live in. |
Salvage in Space |
Williamson |
1933 |
Ostler Insulation Beam A beam of energy stretching from one planet to another that protects space craft from radiation. |
The Radium World |
Kelly |
1932 |
Outbound Interplanetary Traffic The rules of the spacelanes. |
One Against The Legion |
Williamson |
1939 |
Out-Worlder A person from another planet. |
A Matter of Size |
Bates |
1934 |
Overdrive A propulsion technology that allows a craft to travel at faster-than-light speed. |
First Contact |
Leinster |
1945 |
Overlay Specs Glasses that provide an additional feature; an overlay that lets you see information and graphics along with the real-world view. |
Halting State |
Stross |
2007 |
Overmind A consciousness that supersedes the minds of many individuals. |
The Chemical Brain |
Flagg |
1929 |
Ovoid 3D Galactic Model A handheld display of a galaxy. |
Second Foundation |
Asimov |
1953 |
Ownership of Machines Who will own the machines that produce material abundance? |
The Revolt of the Machines |
Schachner (w. AL Zagat) |
1931 |
Oxygen Concentrator Gathers oxygen from a thin atmosphere until it is breathable, supporting life. |
Duel on Syrtis |
Anderson |
1951 |
Oxygen Fountain A small factory for making oxygen on the Martian surface. |
War Dogs |
Bear |
2014 |
Oxygen Freshener A device that removed carbon dioxide from air and replaced it with fresh oxygen. |
Lost Rocket |
Wellman |
1941 |
Oxygen Hip Flask A small, portable source of pure oxygen for breathing. |
Earth |
Brin |
1990 |
Oxygen Pill Meets your need for oxygen without additional breathing. |
Get Out Of Our Skies! |
Jarvis |
1957 |
Oxygen Space Flare A flare that burns inside a glass bulb with oxygen. |
Brigands of the Moon |
Cummings |
1930 |
Oxygen Weeds Plants that create oxygen on a planet with little breathable air. |
The Sands of Mars |
Clarke |
1951 |
Ozone Radiation Shield Filling the gap between the inner and outer hull with ozone. |
A Daring Trip To Mars |
Valier |
1931 |