Sci-Fi Civilian Vehicles, Equipment and Technology

Is it, though?

We've had the capability to recreate the human form with varying levels of accuracy for literally millennia (hello, Classical statuary) and yet the most popular shape/size of dildo/vibrator has remained virtually unchanged since literally pre-history. 'Cause convenience trumps verisimilitude every time.

Yeah, but the people who buy them are creeps. That's not me trying to kink shame either.

People who buy realdolls or similar 'lifelike' sex dolls could put the insane amount of money they spend on them towards something like, you know, a regular sex toy or, better yet, sex with an actual human being (even in areas where prostitution is technically illegal, it still, you know, exists and dating is even cheaper), but instead they forgo that human contact for something that, with a lot of imagination, feels human... Except with no ability to reject or refuse them.

They may be a bigger market than we expect or like to think about, but they're still very, very, very niche.

I'm guessing that the cultural climate makes them fear dating actual girls out of fear of rape accusations.

Or maybe they find the idea of using a Fleshlight (shudder) just a bit offputting.

Imagine the clean up and maintenance...

What about the girls who are shut ins and creeps who want hunky male sexbots?

Don't be silly. There's obviously no such thing.

Seriously though, there's plenty of things we take for granted today that used to be expensive, impractical and "very very niche" too, and sometimes the cause of a moral panic or two on top of that. But Technology Marches On, and if history is anything to go by, our social norms will often follow.

I also thought that being considered a "creep" in this day and age would involve something a bit more serious than just buying weird or expensive sex toys or whatever, but I guess not.

It goes a little beyond 'weird' and 'expensive'. A blow-up sheep is 'weird' (not really that weird, given it's usually a gag item... Usually.) and a latex-and-foam sex doll is expensive, but a $6000+ PVC, Steel and Silicone reproduction of a human body with changeable faces and dishwasher safe genitals is taking the piss.

But ultimately I suppose whether or not you find all Realdoll (Robrecht is not associated with Abyss Creations, LCC. Other brands are available.) users creeps or just the ones you see in the documentaries is down to whether you consider the product to be on the edge or right down at the bottom of the Uncanny Valley. Personally, and I repeat this is my personal opinion, I view them as the silicone and PVC recreations of a corpse and the people who use them as, at best, wilfully ignorant of this.

By contrast, sexbots make a lot more sense since they, at least, simulate some form of life. (But, generally speaking, I still think people would sooner invest in a 'domestic servant'-type android with a built in or after market 'fully functional and anatomically correct' upgrade than an android solely for sex alone.)

Edited by Robrecht on Jul 26th 2018 at 11:52:50 AM

The ones I've seen do have a lot of Uncanny Valley-ness going on, but that doesn't affect my judgment of their users, and I fail to see why it should. I usually try to take a "you do you, just don't be an asshole" sort of approach to things.

Anyway, to get back on topic, that last part reminds me of Real Humans, where the household "hubots" could get what was basically a "sex DLC" of sorts. There was this whole angsty "should I install it or not" subplot going on with one of the characters, if I remember correctly.

The definition of a creep is someone who is attracted to something another finds creepy? Seems pretty arbitrary to me. I suppose it would depend on how realistic the robots are, but an obvious case of YMMV.

So how about sci-fi fire fighting? These days we are seeing some interesting tech change such as the development of drones, an increase in hand tossed and other projectile like fire fighting equipment. There is even a proposal to use old US Military Howitzers to help fight fires. I have even seen a proposal what amounts to a relatively simple fire fighting bomb containing dry extinguishing agent.

What do you folks think?

Linkies, we want linkies!

For which one? The hand tossed fire fighting bombs are commercially avaialble and there are several variations. Boeing of all companies patented fire retardant filled artillery shell. The fire fighting droppable bomb I would have to dig around for where I saw it as it was a unexpected one off find.

I saw the video of the Swiss fighter jets dropping bombs on a forest fire in the other thread. Impressive.

There was a variant that popped up that was a dry chemical bomb that could be dropped from racks carried by firefighting helicopters or other craft.

Yeah, the Swiss using the guided bomb to snuff a fire out was pretty cool.

Edited by TuefelHundenIV on Jul 27th 2018 at 6:34:35 AM

Generally speaking I'd say that as far as firefighters themselves are concerned, the coolest sci-fi development would probably be something like space exploration leading to the production of comfortable airtight protective suits and good old exo-skeletons.

As well as whatever equipment they develop for space-based EM Ts and Firefighters to put living accident casualties into to keep them protected from things like decompression (probably something resembling an airtight protective bodybag with an internal air supply).

I had forgotten about the exo-skeleton angle. I should have remembered because we have brought it up before. That would make hauling the heavy gear around a world easier and you could possibly fit their prying and prodding tools to the device.

You know I'm wondering, one of the biggest problems for long transit times is boredom.

Say you have a minimal crew, or in my case, a universe where everyone can own a FTL capable ship so 1 man crews aren't even uncommon. How do you prevent boredom, especially when the trip is long but cryonics is considered inefficient or downright impractical to deal with. Say like a boring transit time between point A to Point B but it won't take long enough to even make being frozen worth the effort.

What would you do to help alleviate boredom?

And yes for the FTL universe, there is a intergalactic internet.

If you can access the internet while flying FTL you have your answer. Otherwise, download movies/shows before you begin your trip and/or pack in a bunch of books. Also, Video Games

@tuefel

Powered exoskeletons are awesome, we know this to be true.

I actually wanted to create a cop drama based on powered armor a la Patlabor but someone pointed out it was easier to just shoot the criminals with rifle rounds.

What if you're aiming to take the criminals alive?

Also, many things are "easier", doesn't mean they always entertaining to read.

Interaction with other people is essential to avoid cabin fever.

Yeah, most places frown on just outright shooting criminals on sight.

Yeah, but my test audience wasn't buying it.

Maybe I'll try again.

Sounds like your beta readers arent very sophisticated. Make sure that your readers actually do represent the audience you want to reach.

Make it clear the cops are meant to take the criminals in non lethally and need the protection for doing so.

Arguably do it Jin Roh style where the Power Armor is explicitly for protection.