Technovelgy
Technovelgy is tracking how science fiction becomes science fact. A common element of science fiction is creative ideas and inventions. Many inventions we take for granted today were thought of first by authors. This blog will reveal several inventions that have their creative roots based in science fiction.
The idea of a credit card was born in Looking Backward by Edward Bellamy. The populace of Bellamy’s story used plastic cards with predetermined values to purchase what they needed. Looking Backward was published in 1888. The first credit card which worked in multiple locations was introduced sixty-two years later.
The idea of harnessing the sun for power was mentioned in Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathon Swift, which was published in 1726. In Gulliver’s Travels there is an eight year project to develop the ability to harness sunshine using cucumbers. The purpose in the story is to store the sunshine to provide sunshine during inclement summers. Solar energy first came into use in the 1860’s when August Mochet of France received funds to research a new power source. Mochet invented a solar powered engine and solar power was invented.
The idea of a world connected by a network, such as the internet, was an idea in When the Sleeper Wakes by H. G. Wells, which was published in 1899. In When the Sleeper Wakes the world is connected by telephone, kinematograph, and phonograph. If a person was not connected he or she was considered a savage. The network had to be used in order to acquire even the base necessities of life. When the Sleeper Wakes also introduced the concept of entertainment players such as dvd players and vcrs. In the story a square device is used to show moving pictures on a flat surface. The device could be opened and cylinders containing different scenes could be changed out. Several other ideas were introduced in When the Sleeper Wakes: the PDA, automatic sliding doors, baggage conveyers, and portable video players.
The concept of a home computer system was first mentioned in A Logic Named Joe by Murray Leinster, published in 1946. Joe is a maintenance man for the Logics Company. Logics Company provides home users a “tank-and integrator set-up” equipped with a vision screen. This tank was also equipped with keys and dials which were used to work the system. The story also mentions the internet. The Logic Company has the Tank Building. The Tank Building is extremely similar to the internet:
“Tank is a big buildin' full of all the facts in creation and all the recorded telecasts that ever was made - an' it's hooked in with all the other Tanks all over the country - an' everything you wann know or see or hear, you punch for it an' you get it. Very convenient.” (Leinster)
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, published in Ray Bradbury, introduced the idea for a walkman. In Bradbury’s story Mildred uses small radios in her ears to listen to music. Head phones are extremely common today. During a casual shopping trip someone will see several people using head phones to listen to a variety of hand held media players.
Several objects used in Star Trek are now part of our daily lives. Throughout the series Captain Kirk signed yeoman’s tablets. We now have tablet PCs which are touch operated. Touch screen technology is used in a variety of devices; cell phones, computers, and video games to name a few. The first publically available tablet pc was released in 1989. Another piece of Trek technology to become reality is Uhura’s communication ear piece. Bluetooth was created in 1998 to become a means for wireless communication. The first Bluetooth headset became commercially available in 2000. Finally Star Trek also introduced the concept of portable memory. Unlabeled square discs were inserted into computers to transfer memory. Portable memory has come a long way. Portable memory began with ten inch floppy discs that held around 1,000 kilobits. A flash drive can hold terabits of memory now.
Throughout the history of science fiction ideas spawned from the imagination of artists have become reality. Ideas once thought to be fantastic impossibilities are now common household items. The trend of science fiction creating inventions of the future does not seem to be a fad that will die any time soon.
Works Cited
<http://www.filmjunk.com/2009/01/21/treknobabble-50-top-10-star-trek-inventions-in-use-today/>
<http://history1900s.about.com/od/1950s/a/firstcreditcard.htm>
<http://www.solarhome.org/infosolarenergyhistory.html>
Very interesting points on science fiction. Good Job
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