This document is a conceptual study of how the classics of world science fiction (before 2000) designed a system of automatic supply, freeing people from the kitchen routine and creating communal food networks.
⬅️ White Paper of the project | 📊 Economy | 👨🍳 Production | 🇨🇳 Asia | 🌍 Global
1. What is the “Delivery Line” of the Strugatsky brothers (Full description of the system)
In the World of Noon (XXII century) by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky «Delivery Line» is not just a courier service, but global automated utility and transport infrastructure, standing on a par with plumbing, electricity and “Zero-Communication”
1. Домашний терминал («Окно Линии Доставки»)
Встроенный в стену кухни/столовой люк с кодовой панелью (набор шифров блюд) и световым индикатором готовности («зеленая лампа: заказ исполнен»). Внутри расположена приемная камера с выдвижным кубическим ящиком, куда готовые блюда поступают в одноразовой экологичной посуде (картонные тарелки) прямо к столу.
2. Производственно-логистический контур
Централизованные перерабатывающие комбинаты и районные кухни соединены с автоматизированными агрофермами. Производство сырья и заготовок непрерывно замкнуто на сеть снабжения города, исключая дефицит и перепроизводство.
3. Периферия: «Доставка на Дом» и киберкухни (УКМ)
Для загородных домов и временных экспедиций, куда еще не дотянулась физическая подземная магистраль Линии Доставки, действует экспресс-авиаслужба «Доставка на Дом» (грузовые вертолеты и дроны), либо устанавливаются локальные автоматические комбайны (УКМ).
From an offline interview with Boris Strugatsky (1998): Answering the question why science fiction writers did not describe the modern Internet in its current form, Boris Natanovich explained:
“We had the idea of a Delivery Line. We had the idea of the Null Link. All this together replaced us, and in abundance, with the current idea of the Network. For me, this is a completely natural continuation of the dual installation of telephones and computerization that began not yesterday...”
2. Key scenes and descriptions of the system’s operation by the Strugatskys
“The navigator trudged into the dining room and drank another glass of Narzan. Maybe have lunch? The idea is not bad; you can dine thoroughly and tastefully. I just don’t feel like eating... He went to the Delivery Line window, typed in the code at random and waited with curiosity to see what would happen. A green lamp flashed above the window: the order was completed. The navigator moved the lid with some apprehension. At the bottom of the spacious cubic box was a cardboard plate. The navigator took it and put it on the table. On the plate were two strong lightly salted cucumbers. Such cucumbers would be good for “Taimyr”, by the end of the second year...”
“..The UKM-207 Krasnoyarsk car looked very impressive. Zhenya read with expression:
— “The universal kitchen machine UKM-207 “Krasnoyarsk” is easy to use and is a cybernetic machine designed for sixteen interchangeable programs. UKM-207 combines a mechanism for processing raw materials and semi-finished products with a mechanism for washing and drying tableware. UKM-207 is capable of preparing two three-course lunches at the same time, including soups and various borschts, broths, okroshkas for the first course...”
- Zhenya! - Sheila laughed. “This is advertising for cafes and canteens!”
3. Ray Bradbury: Smart Home and Automatic Table (1950)
“The clock continued to tick and repeated, repeated itself into emptiness: nine minutes past seven, everything is ready for breakfast, nine minutes past eight! In the kitchen, the stove sighed hoarsely and expelled from its hot belly eight perfectly toasted toasts, four fried eggs, sixteen slices of bacon, two cups of coffee and two glasses of cold milk.
“A concerned George Hadley watched as the automatic table spewed hot dishes from its mechanical depths.
“We forgot the ketchup,” he said.
“Sorry,” said a thin voice from inside the table, and ketchup appeared...
— Like many others—too many—comfort became the main thing for you. Yes, if something breaks in the kitchen tomorrow, you will die of hunger. You won’t be able to break the eggs yourself!”
4. Stanisław Lem: Automatic Manufacturers and Distribution Network (1955)
“A machine connected to a trion via radio will produce the product the subscriber needs and thus be able to satisfy the most intricate whims... If the role of trions were reduced only to displacing the obsolete ancient form of accumulation of knowledge, to ensuring that everyone could use all the treasuries of world culture, and finally, to simplifying the system of distribution of consumer goods, and then it would be exceptionally great.
- But during an excursion or in the mountains we often cook food ourselves, but it can be cooked using a heating machine...
— On excursions we do things that are good for health, refresh the psyche, and make people happy. But in ordinary life it is indecent for a person to do work that can be done by automatic machines.”
5 Edward Bellamy: Community Kitchens (1888)
“There’s nothing left of the homework,” said Mrs. Leet. “We wash everything in public laundries at extremely low prices, and all our food is prepared in public kitchens.” The making and mending of our clothing is done outside the home in community workshops. Electricity, of course, replaces both heating and lighting... Home kitchen hard labor is a thing of the past forever.”
6. Kir Bulychev: City “Product Pipeline” and food vending machines (1965)
“Alice, go to sleep immediately, otherwise...
- What “otherwise”, dad?
- Otherwise I’ll provide a videophone to Baba Yaga.
-Who is Baba Yaga?
- Scary, evil grandmother who eats little children.
- Why?
- Well, because she is angry and hungry.
- Why are you hungry?
— Because she doesn’t have a food pipeline in her hut.
- Why not?
“Because her hut is old, old and stands far in the forest.”
7. Result: From fantastic utopias to reality “Kitchens in the area”
All the classics of science fiction agreed on one thing: spending 2 hours of your life every day washing pans and peeling potatoes is unnatural for a developed civilization. Food must arrive on time, be affordable, fresh and healthy. Our project takes from science fiction writers the precision of supply chains and the simplicity of the interface, preserving the skill of living chefs and the natural taste of real home cooking.