Fictional technology

Technology existing only in fictional stories

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Fictional technology is technology that does not exist. It may be an idea or design that has not yet been developed, or it may be a fictional device used in a novel.

## Contents

* 1 Non-literary
* 1.1 Emerging technologies
* 1.2 Exploratory engineering
* 1.3 Propaganda
* 1.4 Advertising
* 2 In science fiction
* 3 In fantasy
* 4 References

## Non-literary[edit]

### Emerging technologies[edit]

Main article: List of emerging technologies

Technical innovations which represent progressive developments within a field for competitive advantage.

### Exploratory engineering[edit]

Main article: Exploratory engineering

Seeks to identify if a prospective technology can be designed in detail, and simulated, even if it cannot be built yet - this is often a prerequisite to venture capital funding, or investigation in weapons research.

### Propaganda[edit]

Main article: Propaganda

See also: Militarism, Technological escalation, and Arms race

Often emphasizes a speculative potential of a specific technology in order to stimulate investment in it, or a counter-technology. This is a common motivation in any society dominated by a military-industrial complex.

### Advertising[edit]

Main article: Advertising

See also: Vaporware and Persuasive technology

Emphasizes some amazing potential of some technology that is "under development" (usually without any specific timelines) by a company that is seeking simply to present itself as being competent with technology.

## In science fiction[edit]

Many works of science fiction are centered around the use of fictional future innovations and technologies and their potential uses. This can sometimes result in inventors using these fictional technologies as inspiration for real-life devices and other emerging technologies.

## In fantasy[edit]

Fantasy genres like steampunk and dieselpunk explore the consequences of more advanced technology being developed earlier in history, while not necessarily entering into the realm of science fiction. Magic powered technology, colloquially known as "magitech", is also common in fantasy media, where it can be used as a substitute for modern technology while still giving the setting a fantasy atmosphere. Well-known examples are human-created golems and artificially levitating airships.

## References[edit]

* v
* t
* e

Science fiction

Outline|

* Authors
* Definitions
* Anthropological
* Hard
* Scientific romance
* Soft
* Golden Age
* History
* New Wave
* Timeline

Subgenres|

* Comedy
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* Mecha
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* Christian
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* Utopian and dystopian
* Tech noir
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* Techno-thriller
* Tokusatsu
* Kaiju

Cyberpunk derivatives|

* Cyberpunk
* Japanese
* Biopunk
* Dieselpunk
* Nanopunk
* Solarpunk
* Steampunk

Culture|

* Conventions
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Awards|

| Multimedia|

* Aurora
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* Hugo
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* Spectrum

|

Cinematic|

* Jules Verne
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Literary, art,
and audio|

* Astounding
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* TBD
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* Translation
* Urania
* Vogel
* Writers and Illustrators of the Future
* Zajdel

Media|

| Literature|

* Comics
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* Novels
* Publishers
* Short stories

|

Stage|

* Opera
* Theatre

Film|

* Film history
* Films
* India
* Japanese
* Anime
* Tokusatsu

Television|

* List of TV shows
* Australasian
* British
* Canadian
* European
* Japanese
* Anime
* Live-action
* U.S.

Themes|

| Technological|

* Artificial intelligence
* AI takeover
* Astroengineering
* Holography
* Robots and Cyborgs
* Self-replicating machines
* Simulated reality
* Spacecraft
* Tachyons
* Technomancy
* Weapons

|

Architectural|

* Colonization
* Dyson sphere
* Matrioshka brain
* Space stations and habitats
* Stellar engine
* Terraforming

Biological|

* Biological warfare
* Energy being
* Evolution
* Extraterrestrials
* List
* Gender
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* Group mind
* Invisibility
* Mind uploading
* Memory erasure
* Nanotechnology
* Organ transplantation
* Parasites
* Prosthetics
* Sex and sexuality
* Simulated consciousness
* Superhabitable planet
* Symbiosis

Physical|

* Ansible
* Black holes
* Boom tube
* Force field
* Hyperspace
* Inertialess
* Multiverse
* Parallel universes
* Planets
* Earth
* Portable hole
* Space travel
* Stargate
* Stars and planetary systems
* Teleportation
* Time travel (Viewer)
* Ultrawave
* Warp drive
* Wormhole

Social|

* Africanfuturism
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* Alien invasion
* Alien language
* Ancient astronauts
* Black
* Evil corporation
* First contact
* Frankenstein complex
* Galactic empire
* LGBT
* Message from space
* Political ideas
* Religious ideas
* Transhumanism
* Uplifting
* World government
* Xenoarchaeology

Related|

* Alternate history
* Fantasy
* Fictional astronauts
* Fictional technology
* Future history
* Horror
* Magic realism
* Museum of Science Fiction
* Rubber science
* Science and technology studies
* Sense of wonder
* Speculative fiction
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* Technology and society
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