wex@ittvax.UUCP (Alan Wexelblat) (08/05/83)
Daniel Dern's mention of Heinlein's novella "Waldo" brought to mind an interesting fact. In that story, a character uses artificial hands that are controlled by glove-like items in which he puts his real hands. This device is now widely used (eg for handling radioactives, and other dangerous items), and they are called "waldoes" after the story. So, in a sense, Heinlein "invented" these things. Can other people find examples of unique items that were first propounded in SF, and were later brought to reality? Are any others named after their SF progenitors? Mail your ideas to me, and I will post a summary. Please include the story where the idea appeared, as well as the author and device (or idea, or theory, or whatever). Mail to: Alan Wexelblat decvax!ittvax!wex or decvax!ittvax!wex@BERKELY
markb@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Mark Biggar) (08/09/83)
In the same story, "Waldo", Heinlein also first describes the water-bed, which is way nobody hold a patent for it. (It was tried but a SF fan in the patent office caught it and it was rejected as being already in the public domain) Mark Biggar
tech@auvax (08/23/83)
The fact Waldoes now exists by that name brings to mind other authors using ideas from previous authors and keep the origional name. I recall reading a book - by Kate Wilhelm (sp?) I beleive - that contained Waldoes with no explanations just like they were as common as bicycles. Then of course hyperspace seems to show up everywhere and I have seen the three laws of robotics in several places. It would be novel if someone developed fast interstellar travel and called it hyperspace don't you think? Thanks Isaac. Richard Loken