Previously fictional technologies such as flying automobiles, rail guns, cellphones, and jet packs are now common place in everyday life.
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| Flying cars and other futuristic technologies are no longer solely in our imaginations. (Image credit: Adventtr via Getty Images) |
Science fiction, whether it takes the form of a novel, film, video game, or comic book, is frequently a rich source of ideas for future technological developments or clues about where already-existing technology may go. You might be shocked to learn, though, that a sizable portion of what appears to be science fiction is, in fact, still around today.
Humans into hyperspace or programme robots to fulfill all of our desires, but just a few years ago, most of the technology that exists today would have appeared like the wildest fantasy of a passionate science fiction writer.
These 25+ science fiction inventions are real today, and many of them are available for experimentation.
3D PRINTING
Science fiction viewers were first introduced to the idea of rapidly generating objects out of mysterious energy or genetic material by Star Trek's replicator, which featured Captain Jean-Luc Picard yelling, "Tea, Earl Grey, hot."
It was previously impossible, but 3D printers have made it feasible to 3D print food and create large quantities of base polymers. In a couple of hours, modern 3D printers can produce a wide range of goods from toys, firearms, models, and automobile and vacuum cleaner parts to metal, resin, and polymers. Furthermore, food can also be 3D printed by using paste-like ingredients like doughs and gels.
ELECTRIC CARS
With 1910's Tom Swift and His Electric Runabout; Or, The Speediest Car on the Road imagining an electric car that could travel 300 to 400 miles (480 to 640 kilometres) on a single charge and hit speeds of 100 mph (160 km/h), the idea of cars powered by anything other than petrol — and steam in the late 19th century — used to feel like a fantasy. But what was unthinkable more than a century ago is now unavoidable.
Modern electric automobiles, driven by companies like Tesla, can travel hundreds of miles on a single charge and reach top speeds well over 100 mph. Battery-powered motors provide rapid torque and provide a significant acceleration boost. The only true barriers to EV adoption are the developing infrastructure for charging them and worries about the short lifespan of lithium-ion batteries.
VIDEO CALLS AND CONFERENCES
Sci-fi has continuously supported the concept of long-distance visual communications, perhaps best exemplified by Star Trek's stern order to "go on screen," which causes a ship's forward window to display a video feed of an alien that is frequently irate. After a few decades, video calling has grown widespread in a variety of professions where it is no longer necessary to work in an office or at a fixed location.
Amidst lockdowns and stay-at-home orders, the popularity of apps like Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams skyrocketed during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. These apps not only made remote working possible but also gave isolated individuals a way to socialise.
Video calling had, of course, already become somewhat of a new with the emergence of smartphones and Apple's FaceTime. Other phone companies and tech giants quickly followed suit, democratising video communication and conferencing for almost anyone with an internet connection and even a simple smartphone.
CREATIVE AI AND VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS
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| (Image credit: Klaus Vedfelt via Getty Images) |
The concept of AI-powered virtual assistants that can help their users in daily life—whether it's by generating a new element or just being available to talk about one's love life in natural, spoken language—was solidified by JARVIS from Marvel's Iron Man and Samantha from Her.
Now that we have multimodal generative AI systems like ChatGPT, Claude 3, Google Gemini, and others, we have intelligent tools that can generate things instead of only looking for information already in existence. This can be demonstrated by giving straightforward instructions to ChatGPT in plain language, such as asking it to generate a haiku based on alliteration or to draw pictures of a dog on a moon. Even while these AIs aren't perfect, they offer a whole new way to create material without the need for Photoshop or artistic talent, and they can even act as a virtual friend when someone is feeling lonely.
4D MOVIES
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| An empty cinema with water spraying from the walls and ceiling. |
Aldous Huxley's 1932 Brave New World's eerie 'Feelies' gave rise to the concept of films that are not only seen and heard, but also felt and smelt thanks to a 'Scent-Organ' that emits scents that correspond with what is on screen and tactile feedback from the arms of a seat.
After 52 years, The Sensorium, which employed bodysonic seats to create some physical sensations and discharged scents into the theatre, became the first 4D film. Though more realistic thanks to advancements in haptics, lighting, and sound, 4D films and theatres haven't replaced more conventional 3D experiences. Additionally, immersive cinema experiences like those offered by Secret Cinema can bring viewers into a movie scene through a combination of live action and film, giving the viewing experience still another level.
DRIVERLESS CARS
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| The interior of a Waymo self-driving car that is navigating through traffic. (Image credit: Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images) |
A self-driving taxi with a robotic driver was featured in the first Total Recall. In the 1990s, it appeared impossible, but now it's a reality. No, driverless automobiles exist, but there are still no robot taxi drivers. Some of these are at the experimental stage and are only utilised for fully autonomous driving in designated places. Some provide autonomous driving, but only if a human is present to handle unforeseen human errors while operating the vehicle.
The biggest obstacle to a future with driverless cars is legalisation and insurance issues. However, the concept of an enthusiastic driver may become extinct in the future of cars due to the amount of work being done on everything from fully autonomous systems to assistance for autonomous drivers.
JETPACKS
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| (Image credit: Jetpack Aviation) |
The scene where Sean Connery's Bond uses the Bell Rocket Belt to break out of a villain's chateau and reach his Aston Martin DB5 is a famous one from the James Bond movie Thunderball. While real-world jetpacks that use clusters of small-scale turbo jet engines that can be vectored to achieve some sort of flight are still uncommon, such tiny jetpacks are also common in many far-future science fiction works. Their main drawback is that they can only fly for a few minutes at a time due to fuel usage.
There are jetpacks like the JetLev for people who have a thing for the sea; these create flight by sucking up high-pressure water jets from the sea. Though they don't exactly look like the kind of equipment one would want on hand to escape a building full of mercenaries who are out to kill people, they demonstrate that jetpacks aren't only a sci-fi invention.
CLONING
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| A picture of Dolly the sheep in the lab. |
Science fiction has frequently included clones or cloned humans, from A Brave New World to Blade Runner and beyond. Although it hasn't happened before, it is very much possible to clone animals; Dolly the sheep was the first to be cloned in 1996.
Reproductive cloning—which involves 270 experiments before Dolly was obtained—remains a science fiction, and many countries forbid even the study of methods for doing so because to ethical and technical issues. On the other hand, therapeutic cloning—in which donor-derived stem cells are produced to support regenerative medicine, including bone marrow transplants—remains an active field of study and is being investigated in countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, and China.
HUMANOID ROBOTS
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| An artificial intelligence powered Ameca robot that looks uncannily human. (Image credit: Angel Garcia/Bloomberg via Getty Images) |
An Ameca robot with artificial intelligence that remarkably resembles a human.
Robots have been used in the manufacturing sector for many years, but until recently, humanoid robots—like the ones in the 2004 film I, Robot—were confined to the domain of science fiction.
Currently, there is a humanoid robot that can interact with people in a — mostly — near-natural manner and pull convincing facial expressions thanks to Engineering Arts' Ameca, the so-called "world's most advanced robot" powered by generative AI. Ameca has intricately articulated joints and a flexible, skin-like coating on a robotic skeleton. Observing Ameca in action, one can almost believe that the robot can mimic human facial emotions.
ROBOTIC LIMBS
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| A metallic robotic carm stretched out against a white background. (Image credit: Ociacia via Shutterstock) |
A white backdrop showcases a robotic car made of metal that is extended out.
The notion of cybernetic limbs as a kind of human enhancement has been addressed in numerous cyberpunk books, comics, and video games. In particular, the Deus Ex games are notable for their usage of robotic limbs for both elective replacement of inferior flesh and bone body parts and curative surgery.
Although human modification hasn't quite reached cyberpunk proportions, robotic hands and arms are now capable of significantly more intricate movements than prostheses from a few decades ago. We may witness robotic limbs becoming as capable as, if not more so than, their biological counterparts as medical science and robotics develop.
HOLODECKS VIA VIRTUAL REALITY
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| A man wearing a VR headsets stands in a virtual environment of skyscrapers and helicopters. (Image credit: filrom via Getty Images) |
A man standing in a virtual world of skyscrapers and helicopters wears a virtual reality headgear.
The USS Enterprise crew could enter a large chamber that would realistically reproduce a variety of settings on a Holodeck, as depicted in Star Trek: The Next Generation. However, the crew would typically travel back in time to the 20th century or earlier. The Immersive VR Lab at University College London allows users to explore a virtual environment without donning a virtual reality headset, even though actual Holodecks have not yet been developed.
However, that was more of an experiment. Virtual reality headsets, such as the Valve Index and PlayStation VR 2, are examples of consumer-grade Holodecks. They can deliver high-fidelity virtual reality games, complete with room-scale VR, eye-tracking, and sophisticated haptic feedback to simulate things like climbing a mountain or the tension of a taut bowstring. Simpler headsets, like the Meta Quest 3, use mobile-grade chipsets to provide virtual experiences and games. These headsets have the ability to transform a space into a Holodeck, albeit there are certain restrictions, such the need for wires.
TALKING CARS
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| "K.I.T.T", Pontiac Trans Am Knight Rider Replica car photographed on a lawn. (Image credit: "K.I.T.T", Pontiac Trans Am Knight Rider Replica, Brands Hatch, 8th May 2016; (CC BY 2.0 Deed)) |
When you think about talking automobiles, KITT from Knight Rider will undoubtedly come to mind. However, talking automobiles are a thing—sort of.
The ability to use virtual assistants like Siri and Google Assistant to respond to voice commands in natural language is made possible by the integration of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto into many modern cars. While some car infotainment systems offer voice control, they aren't as advanced as the dedicated assistants found in iPhones and Android phones. In the meantime, chipmaker Qualcomm has developed the Snapdragon Digital Chassis platform, which aims to integrate generative AI into automobiles and enable users to consult an AI about local restaurants and the nature of warning lights on dashboards.
REBREATHERS
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| Underwater view of two technical divers using rebreathers device to locate shipwreck. (Image credit: Steve Woods Photography via Getty Images) |
Another famous scene from Thunderball was when Bond was tossed into a shark tank and used two small oxygen tanks attached to a mouthpiece to help him escape. Additionally, Jedis Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi utilise such tools to descend into the Gungan underwater city in the much-maligned Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.
It is unlikely that such small tanks and rebreathers could supply much more than a few breaths in a practical application, therefore they remain a work of fiction. However, in the event that a SCUBA aqualung malfunctions or runs out of air, small oxygen tanks with an attached mouthpiece are utilised as emergency backups. Moreover, the International Space Station and the spacesuits worn by Space Shuttle astronauts during spacewalks can both use air cleansing and recycling as a kind of rebreather.
VIRTUAL WORLDS
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Virtual worlds, like the simulated Earth in The Matrix, are an extension of the Holodeck concept. We certainly have some quite sophisticated virtual simulations, but thankfully we haven't developed AIs that use humans as biological batteries and control them in a virtual version of the late 20th century.
Virtual communities are made available by games like Second Life, which allow users to explore them with avatars and engage with actual people. At its peak, Second Like was home to almost a million users, and during that time, users fostered genuine friendships and even relationships that ended in real-life weddings.
In some places, massively multiplayer online science fiction games such as Eve: Online have developed into virtual economies that have a monetary worth comparable to real life. These have witnessed massive-scale corporate conflicts, heists, and thefts that have cost thousands of dollars in virtual assets. Additionally, players can explore a big and dynamic fantasy world with intertwined quests and storylines in the renowned World of Warcraft.
FOOD IN PILLS
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| A digitally created image of food items flying into a capsule. (Image credit: Lightspring via Shutterstock) |
Space-based science fiction has always included food in pill form, but even Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory included a gum that could replicate the tastes and atmosphere of a roast supper.
The real-world analogies are in food supplements and the ability to make meals by merely adding hot water to a dried food mix; that degree of technology is still the stuff of fiction. Furthermore, taking appetite suppressants is undoubtedly one approach to make people feel satisfied without actually eating anything substantial.
EXO-SKELETONS
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| An engineer demonstrates Lockheed Martin's exoskeleton at the SXSW Trade Show in Texas. (Image credit: SUZANNE CORDEIRO/AFP via Getty Images) |
Sci-fi has long used powered exo-skeletons. Two well-known examples are the exo-skeleton fighting suits in Edge of Tomorrow and Elysium, and the P-5000 Powered Work Loader that Ellen Ripley uses to fight a Xenomorph queen in Alien.
However, they are also real in the world. Notably, exoskeleton prototypes were created by the US Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency's Warrior Web programme to allow soldiers to lift large objects. Additionally, soldiers may carry loads up to 200 pounds (91 kilogrammes) with Lockheed Martin's Human Universal Load Carrier since it has titanium legs and onboard computers that simulate human movements.
NUCLEAR-POWERED VEHICLES
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| The British nuclear warhead-carrying submarine HMS Vigilant is docked at HM Naval Base Clyde in Scotland. (Image credit: JAMES GLOSSOP/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) |
H.G. Wells' 1914 novel The World Set Free imagined automobiles powered by atomic energy, and more recently, the Fallout video game and television series used this concept, depicting an alternate history in which the Atomic V-8 car was propelled by a nuclear fusion engine.
Although cars powered by nuclear fusion are theoretically feasible, safely downsizing a reactor to the size of a car engine remains an unmet technical hurdle. On the other hand, nuclear ships and submarines are examples of our nuclear-powered vehicles. For instance, the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise, which was in service until 2012, was propelled by an unparalleled eight nuclear reactors. Moreover, a Rolls-Royce PWR 2 reactor powers the Vanguard Class submarines of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom. These maritime reactors, in contrast to their land-based counterparts, employ a metal-zirconium alloy as fuel instead of ceramic uranium dioxide in an effort to extend their core life, requiring refuelling only after ten years or longer.
RAILGUNS
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| An electromagnetic railgun displayed is a long-range weapon that fires projectiles using electricity instead of chemical propellants. (Image credit: Stocktrek Images, Inc. / Alamy Stock Photo) |
Railguns are frequently seen in so-called hard science fiction, appearing on spacecraft like as the Daedalus in Stargate and The Expanse's Rocinante, among many others. Railguns, also referred to as gauss guns or mass drivers, operate on the principle of employing electromagnetism to accelerate a slug over twin rails, obviating the necessity for a flammable accelerant like gunpowder. Examples of these guns are the mass accelerator firearms in BioWare's space opera games Mass Effect. These fictional weapons are usually line-of-sight and fire tungsten projectiles without guidance at targets that are close enough to be difficult to dodge.
Functional railguns were initially imagined in 1879 as an electric cannon, but they weren't made available until 2010 when BAE Systems created one that could fire a 7 lb (3.2 kg) projectile at 3,390 m/s. Similar in concept to their science fiction counterparts, the U.S. Navy toyed with the idea of developing railguns until shelving the project in 2021.
Japan and other countries are also investigating the development of railguns. But the greatest disadvantage is the enormous amount of energy required to accelerate a slug. For close-quarters ship combat, big calibre cannons and gunpowder-based projectiles are still employed. Conversely, some consumer railguns accelerate tiny metal discs using electromagnets. Once more, the charge they produce renders them more of specialised weapons for recreational target practice than effective fighting weapons.
LIVING IN SPACE
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| An image of the International Space Station with Earth's atmosphere lit un in the background. (Image credit: NASA) |
Okay, so the thought of living in space under massive domes or in gigantic space stations like Star Trek's Deep Space Nine is a pipe dream. However, humans have been living in space for decades, most famously aboard the International Space Station.
The International Space Station (ISS), a collaboration of space organisations from the United States, Russia, Japan, Europe, and Canada, can support astronauts and scientists living in zero gravity while circling the Earth. Solar panels generate energy, and supply runs by space shuttles and unmanned rockets keep astronauts on the ISS alive. Resistance training is required to keep muscles from atrophying in zero gravity, and while the space station is far from self-sufficient, it does serve as a doorway to life in space.
WORLD WIDE WEB
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| A digitally created image of a nighttime cityscape connected to a globe and a web. (Image credit: Summit Art Creations via Shutterstock) |
While the internet existed prior to William Gibson's 1984 novel Neuromancer, the novel is credited with popularising the term "cyberspace" and depicting a global network of connected computers sharing information via a graphical interface. If this seems familiar, it's because it's the principle of today's World Wide Web; but, in the 1980s, when personal computers were a novel idea, the concept of such linked technologies and information highways was science fiction.
That began to change in the 1990s, when the Web became accessible to the general public. It has since grown into a site where one may access nearly all of human knowledge, as well as a plethora of entertainment, both pure and filthy content, and much more. Tim Berners-Lee's creation may have appeared to be science fiction, but it has revolutionised the way information is consumed, and businesses and even societies are being influenced on an unprecedented scale and velocity; frequently for the better, but sometimes for the worst.
FLYING CARS
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| A flying car photographed in the air against a bright blue sky in Tokyo, Japan. (Image credit: Tomohiro Ohsumi via Getty Images) |
The Jetsons popularised the idea that flying cars are the future, but while electrification of power trains has been studied in recent decades, the concept of flying automobiles has appeared speculative.
However, in recent years, numerous proposals for short-range electric vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) taxis and cars have emerged, with several appearing to become a reality this decade. We now have the technology for certain efficient flying cars, but safety, legal, and insurance barriers remain, however governments such as the United States and China are working on developing criteria for safe, legal flying automobiles over the next decade.
WIRELESS EARBUDS AND COMMUNICATION
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| A woman in workout clothes runs in a city wearing wireless headphones. (Image credit: FG Trade via Getty Images) |
From Star Trek's ComBadge to James Bond gadgets, the concept of wireless communication via a wearable device, primarily earbuds, pervades much of science fiction. However, the release of Apple's AirPods wireless earbuds revolutionised not only cable-free listening, but also wireless, hands-free conversation.
The most recent wireless earbuds and headphones include a variety of smart technologies, such as active noise suppression, touch-sensitive controls, and movement recognition. And now there's bone conduction audio, which allows you to hear audio through devices like smart glasses without the need for in- or over-ear headphones.
TARGETED ADVERTISING
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| A modified image shows a person using a phone with ads popping up above it. (Image credit: The KonG via Shutterstock) |
In 2002, Minority Report proposed customised advertising that would dynamically change to your interests. About a decade later, it became a reality. As you read this post, you've most certainly encountered so-called cookies, which can scrape what you've searched for on your computer or phone's browser and display ads that are (or should be) related to your browsing.
This has grown, with apps like Google Maps suggesting areas you might want to visit based on your travels and wanderings, and algorithms in streaming services like Netflix and Spotify identifying content that they believe is relevant to your tastes.
Today's targeted advertising might be unsettling at times, as if a conversation you had with friends about a vacation suddenly results in ads for vacation services appearing on Instagram. However, there is no proof that such apps are that advanced—and users may, happily, opt out of targeted advertising.
SPACE TOURISM
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Many people who have seen a star-studded sky on a clear night have probably fantasised about exploring the heavens. However, without an effective fusion engine or faster-than-light travel, the sci-fi concept of space tourism — journeys to spa facilities on Titan or the joys of Starfield's Neon metropolis — remains fiction.
However, Virgin Galactic offers a sort of space tourism in which a specially engineered ship transports a small group of passengers to a sub-orbit of Earth, complete with low gravity. Just keep in mind that you'll need $450,000 and, most likely, a direct connection to Sir Richard Branson.
HOUSEHOLD ROBOTS
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| A robot vacuum cleaner cleans a tiled floor while people sit on couches in the background. (Image credit: JOHN MACDOUGALL/AFP via Getty Images) |
Robot butlers and house-based bots are common in science fiction; one contemporary example is the Codsworth robot from the Fallout TV programme and games. While we have yet to see humanoid robots serve us martinis at leisure, many of us now have robots in our homes.
Typically, they take the form of robot vacuum cleaners and lawn mowers, many of which have advanced tracking and automation systems that allow you to just leave them to their tasks. However, there are also robot pets, most notably Sony's AIBO robot dog, which can respond to spoken commands and detect when it is being touched. Amazon's Astro wants to be an autonomous home surveillance robot, with Alexa built-in to respond to natural language.
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