Technology

Sci-Fi Gadgets Which are Now a Reality

Watch any old sci-fi show or film and you will no doubt see a whole range of gadgets and gizmos which were once just a dream. However, there are many things which we take for granted nowadays which can be seen in these old films and shows. Let’s take a look at some of them now.

iPads

iPads, or any other tablet computer, are changing the way we access technology. Whereas we once needed a desktop computer and an ethernet cable to access the Internet, we can now do it from anywhere if we have a tablet and a Wi-Fi connection.

One of the first places where we saw tablets such as this was in Star Trek. In the reboot, Star Trek: Next Generation, characters frequently walked about the Enterprise with “electronic clipboards” or what we would now recognise as tablet computers.

Robots

Old sci-fi films are filled with robots. From the iconic silver creation in Fritz Lang’s 1927 masterpiece Metropolis to the helpful Robby the Robot in the 1956 epic Forbidden Planet, we have had a long affinity for creating metal men capable of complex thought.

While we are a long way away from creations like those mentioned above, we do have robots living alongside us in the form of Roombas and household assistants like Amazon’s Alexa. We can even work towards designing intelligent electronics for ourselves thanks to PCB design software like Altium. This isn’t the same as writing an AI program, but it can still be extremely challenging and is a hobby worth investigating for anyone on the hunt for something which offers difficulty and plenty of chance to grow.

Self-Driving Cars

Total Recall and iRobot both featured self-driving cars which allowed their passengers to sit back and enjoy the ride. While the technology for a complete driverless experience isn’t quite there yet, you can still buy cars with an autopilot function.

Some of the latest generations of Tesla are designed to help you out while driving and they are very popular in places like LA which can have some very busy traffic. The Tesla can even change lanes on the freeway completely automatically. It won’t be long before we see this sort of technology rolled out amongst other car brands.

Video Calls

Nearly every sci-fi film will feature some sort of video phone at some point. One of the most luxurious booths is featured in 2001: A Space Odyssey from 1968. It is none too different from phone booths we used to use before mobile phones took off.

Nowadays, you can also find a video phone feature on any smartphone out there. From Apple’s Facetime to Skype, talking face to face with your loved ones is just the press of a button away.

Technology is improving by the day and we are using it to find out more and more about our universe. How long will it be before we are capable of teleporting and interstellar travel? The possibilities are truly endless and there is still plenty for us to discover and develop!

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