Top 10 Technologies and Ideas From Science Fiction That Became Reality

Science fiction has always captured our imagination with its futuristic visions and technological wonders. From books to movies, we have been enthralled by the possibilities depicted on the screen or in the pages of our favorite stories. However, what might have seemed far-fetched or purely imaginary in the past has a way of seeping into our reality.

It’s fascinating to see how science fiction has influenced our world. From ‘Star Trek’ envisioning mobile phones and sliding doors to Douglas Adams’ ‘Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’ inspiring internet search engines, and ‘Back to the Future’ showcasing futuristic technology, the line between fiction and reality is blurring. As we indulge in these sci-fi wonders, we can’t help but wonder: which fictional technologies will soon become our reality? Well, the truth is, some of them already have.

In this piece, we will explore some remarkable instances where science fiction technologies have transcended the realm of fiction and become a tangible part of our lives today. Collated by our partner at Distrelec, below is a list of the top 10 technologies from science fiction that are already here.

Top 10 Technologies From Science Fiction That Are Already Here

Who among us hasn’t dreamt of flying cars? Although the technology is still evolving, companies such as Uber are already contemplating the development of Aerial ridesharing, somewhat reminiscent of flying taxis present in ‘The Fifth Element’. At present, we have unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) which have become increasingly popular for aerial photography, surveillance, and delivery services.

The Audi RSQ in ‘I, Robot’ included technology enabling it to predict traffic patterns, automatically adjust routes, drive, and park itself. Now autopilot and advanced sensor coverage is becoming more widely utilized within the automotive sector.

Automated robots have been around for almost a century now, especially common now in Industry 4.0, where they help humans with automated tasks through a cyber-physical human intelligence system. Volvo, in collaboration with Chalmers University of Technology, Mälardalen University, Penn State University, and recycling company Renova, have created ROAR.

While 2004’s ‘Wall-E’ features a robot left to clean up an uninhabitable planet Earth in 2805, the Robot-based Autonomous Refuse uses a drone to scan the area and select certain bins, then deploys a robot to empty each bin into the back of the lorry truck.

Although there are some more obvious technologies frequently used around the world including Smartwatches, Avatars, and Intelligent OS such as Siri and Alexa, others are surprising; such as healthcare robots similar to Baymax from ‘Big Hero 6’. Today, healthcare robots care for patients and help them receive suggested diagnoses, drugs, and treatment plans based on a patient’s specific medical records, history, and present symptoms.

‘Blade Runner 2049’ saw Replicants, fictional bioengineered humanoids, which were AI systems with advanced bioengineered bodies, designed to replicate human physical and mental capabilities. Today, we cannot replace or replicate a human, but, we can create 3D-bioprinted human tissue.

Science fiction, both in books and on screen, has a knack for predicting tomorrow’s tech. And while today’s robots don’t quite experience empathy like Samantha or emotion like Wall-E, thanks to fiction, it’s not hard to imagine a future where they do.

You can read the full study here Distrelec website.