Imagined in the 1910s

No prize. It names what space does to the body, a condition and not a product anyone makes or sells.

Who is paid. Nothing is sold, so nobody pays and no seller collects.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is fairly sure of this one.

A small prize. A machine opponent for a board game is an amusement.

Who is paid. Players would pay a little, and once one exists it is easy to copy, so no seller keeps much.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is fairly sure of this one.

A small prize. Talking to a machine or hearing it talk is a handy way to use a computer, not a new thing to do with one.

Who is paid. Firms build it into what they sell, and many can make it, so no seller keeps much.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is fairly sure of this one.

A large prize. Letting any two people talk and read across languages opens up travel, trade and work, which is worth an industry of its own.

Who is paid. Travellers, migrants and other ordinary people buy it to use themselves, firms buy it too, and once it works many can offer it, so no seller keeps much.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is fairly sure of this one.

A large prize. News sorted to each reader's interests changes how the news trade reaches people.

Who is paid. Readers pay by subscription; the sorting is easy to copy, so those who already hold the reporting and the audience collect.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is not very sure of this one.

A large prize. Sending a copy of a written page down a wire in moments saved offices days of post and was worth an industry.

Who is paid. Offices buy the machines, and since many firms can make them and all must work together, no seller keeps much.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is fairly sure of this one.

A large prize. Seeing the person you are talking to is something most people now use, and it is worth an industry.

Who is paid. Ordinary people pay for the device and the line, and since many can make the device, the firms that already own the phone networks and handset brands collect.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is fairly sure of this one.

A vast prize. A phone carried everywhere changes how most people live and work.

Who is paid. Ordinary people buy it; handsets are easy to copy, so the firms that own the networks and airwaves collect.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is fairly sure of this one.

A large prize. Letting a scattered group meet by sound and picture saves firms a great deal of travel and is worth an industry.

Who is paid. Unlike a call between two people, a group meeting is mostly bought by firms for work, and as it is easy to copy, those that already own the networks and office software collect.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is fairly sure of this one.

A small prize. Outdoor screens showing news to crowds are a public convenience.

Who is paid. I assumed advertisers pay for the audience; screens are easy to copy, so the owners of the busy sites collect.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is not very sure of this one.

A large prize. Seeing the person you are talking to is something most people now use, and it is worth an industry.

Who is paid. Ordinary people pay for the device and the line, and since many can make the device, the firms that already own the phone networks and handset brands collect.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is fairly sure of this one.

A small prize. A fixed loudspeaker system for speaking to people in public places is an ordinary piece of public equipment.

Who is paid. The authorities pay to install it in streets and squares, and since it is easy to make, the firms that already hold such supply contracts collect.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is fairly sure of this one.

A large prize. Seeing the person you talk to changes how families keep in touch and how firms meet.

Who is paid. Ordinary people buy it; the screens and cameras are easy to copy, so the firms that own the networks collect.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is fairly sure of this one.

A large prize. Packing odd-shaped goods with no human hands would cut costs across warehousing and shipping.

Who is paid. Shippers and warehouses buy it, and as it can be copied the firms that already equip warehouses collect.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is fairly sure of this one.

A large prize. Serving guests with no staff would change the costs of the whole trade.

Who is paid. Restaurant operators buy the machinery, and since many could build it the catering-equipment makers with service networks collect.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is fairly sure of this one.

A large prize. Learning during sleep would add to schooling rather than replace it, which is worth an industry but not a new way of life; unlike the knowledge-loading machines it teaches at the ordinary pace.

Who is paid. Learners would buy it for themselves, and a player and recordings are easy for anyone to make, so no seller keeps much.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is not very sure of this one.

A small prize. Writing by thought is a convenience, since keyboards and speech already do the job.

Who is paid. Ordinary people would get it inside gadgets they buy, and once it works it is easy to copy, so no seller keeps much.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is fairly sure of this one.

A large prize. Hired flight across a city, working as promised, would be an industry of its own beside road cabs.

Who is paid. The carrier or fleet operator that runs the air cab buys it and charges riders, and since several firms could build it, the makers that already build and service such craft collect.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is not very sure of this one.

A small prize. Balancing on fewer wheels makes a vehicle narrower but does nothing an ordinary car cannot already do.

Who is paid. Drivers buy it, and a gyroscope is easy to copy, so the car makers that already own the factories and dealers collect.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is fairly sure of this one.

A large prize. A tunnel under the ocean would link continents by land, which changes the cost of travel and trade between them.

Who is paid. Governments pay for a public way of this size, and the large builders that already hold such contracts collect.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is not very sure of this one.

A small prize. Skates with motors are a toy and a way round town for a few riders.

Who is paid. People buy it for themselves, and many workshops could build it once it is shown to work, so no seller keeps much.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is fairly sure of this one.

A large prize. Scheduled flights across a city for many passengers at once would be an industry of its own beside buses and trains.

Who is paid. The carrier or fleet operator that runs the air bus buys it and charges riders, and since several firms could build it, the makers that already build and service such craft collect.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is not very sure of this one.

A small prize. A lift without cables is a better lift, useful in very tall buildings but a part of the building and not a new industry.

Who is paid. Building owners pay for it, and the lift makers that already fit and service lifts collect.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is fairly sure of this one.

A large prize. Electricity straight from sunlight with no fuel would change what power costs.

Who is paid. Power firms and building owners buy panels, and since many factories can make them no seller keeps much.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is fairly sure of this one.

A small prize. Streets as bright as day after dark are a convenience on top of ordinary street lighting.

Who is paid. City governments pay because nobody can be charged street by street, and any lamp maker can supply them so no seller keeps much.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is fairly sure of this one.

A large prize. Plentiful power from a little fuel would change what electricity and heavy transport cost.

Who is paid. Power and transport firms buy it, and because governments let only a few hands hold nuclear fuel, the few permitted makers keep what is left.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is fairly sure of this one.

A large prize. Catching sunlight and holding it for later makes solar power usable at night, which changes what power costs.

Who is paid. Power firms and building owners buy it, and assuming it is a simple tank many can build, no seller keeps much.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is not very sure of this one.

A large prize. The description stresses explosive force, so it is judged as the heart of a weapon, which is worth a great deal to the state that holds it.

Who is paid. A government pays for it as a weapon, which is the difference from the power plants, and the firms that already hold its arms contracts collect.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is not very sure of this one.

A large prize. A strong metal lighter than any other would cut the weight and running cost of aircraft, ships and vehicles.

Who is paid. Vehicle and building firms buy it, and a metal recipe gets copied, so the established metal makers with furnaces and customers collect.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is fairly sure of this one.

A vast prize. Cloth made without plants or animals clothes most of humanity cheaply, which is a basic need.

Who is paid. People pay for it in the clothes they buy, and so many mills can spin such fibre that buyers keep nearly all the gain.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is fairly sure of this one.

A large prize. Steel that never rusts would end much of the upkeep of bridges, ships and pipes.

Who is paid. Builders and shipyards buy it, and a metal recipe gets copied, so the established steel makers with furnaces and customers collect.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is fairly sure of this one.

A large prize. Judged as if it worked, a beam that makes steel crumble would leave steel ships, vehicles and guns useless, which would change how wars are fought.

Who is paid. Armies buy it with public money, and assuming rival makers learn to copy it the established arms suppliers with standing army contracts collect.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is not very sure of this one.

A small prize. The description promises only a gun that fires an electric discharge, not a sure and harmless knock-out, so it is one more kind of gun and a niche police tool.

Who is paid. Assuming police are the main buyers, it is simple to copy and the suppliers police already use collect.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is not very sure of this one.

A large prize. A weapon that can end a war or prevent one is worth a great deal to the state that holds it.

Who is paid. Only governments pay for it, and only the handful of builders a state allows near the material may make it.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is fairly sure of this one.

No prize. Land poisoned for generations is a harm left by war and not a thing anyone would pay for.

Who is paid. Nothing is sold, so there is no payer and no seller.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is fairly sure of this one.

A small prize. Assuming a soldier carries it, it does much the same job as a gun, so the gain over a gun is modest.

Who is paid. Armies buy it with public money, and since rival makers can copy it the established arms suppliers with standing army contracts collect.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is not very sure of this one.

A large prize. Measuring and mapping what cannot be seen by eye changes the costs of travel, mapping and digging, an industry of its own.

Who is paid. Transport, mapping and mining firms buy it, and it can be copied, so established instrument makers with factories and customers collect.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is fairly sure of this one.

A vast prize. Food made without fields would free the feeding of people from land and weather, which touches nearly everyone.

Who is paid. Households buy it as ordinary groceries, and since the method can be copied, the food makers who already own plants, brands and shop space collect.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is not very sure of this one.

A large prize. Judged as if it worked, a tablet that stands in for a whole day of meals would be an industry of its own and would change how armies, travellers and the hungry are fed, though I assumed most people would still eat ordinary meals for pleasure.

Who is paid. Households buy it, and I assumed the recipe can be copied once it is known, so the food and pharmacy brands with shop space collect.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is not very sure of this one.

A large prize. Cancelling weight at will would cut the cost of lifting, carrying and launching, which changes transport and building more than it changes how most people live.

Who is paid. Carriers, builders and launch firms would pay, and since the trick could be copied once shown, the firms that already build vehicles and craft would collect.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is fairly sure of this one.

No prize. A deadly cloud in space is a natural disaster, not a technology.

Who is paid. Nothing is sold, so nobody pays and no seller collects.

A model's judgement, not a reading, of the idea as if it worked the way its story promises. The model is fairly sure of this one.