It may be difficult to imagine what the world will be like in the future. In the world of science fiction, writers and movie makers do it all the time. In many cases, some of their innovative gadgets and products have led the way to real inventions that we use every day. Cell phones, tablets, and smartwatches are just examples of what was once imagined that have since become reality. Here is a look at some of the recent sci-fi entries that are not far off in becoming part of our real future.
1 – Self-Healing Materials
Think of this as the process that your skin goes through to repair itself after getting cut or scratched. Now imagine what it would be like if your smartphone had a cracked or broken screen and could heal itself back to normal like your scratched or cut skin. Self-healing materials are either artificially or synthetically created but can react similarly to biological substances.
Where Self-Healing Materials Would Be Used
In addition to the cracked or broken phone screen example, self-healing materials could be used in other gadgets and household appliances. It would also be effective if incorporated in the construction phase of buildings and bridges. Imagine these structures never breaking down or needing repair as the age as they could repair themselves thanks to self-healing material.
2 – DNA Storage
Blame it on Microsoft who claimed at one point that they could store 200MB of data on a DNA strand that had been synthetically created. That got the ball rolling and now scientists have managed to increase that storage limit by 100 times. This became possible through the development of a new coding strategy identified as DNA Fountain which holds 215 PetaBytes.
Where DNA Storage Would Be Used
DNA storage is going to become vital when massive amounts of data need to be kept on file and all other storage options can’t measure up. DNA storage is ultra-portable and highly reliable as it can hold data for thousands of years without degradation. The extremely high volume of storage space available makes DNA storage much more secure than electronic storage devices.
3 – Flying Automobiles
C’mon, you’ve seen The Jetsons and imagined what it would be like, haven’t you? Well, it took some time but finally, a Dutch company called Pal-V has created the Liberty. It uses a Rotax engine-based dual-propulsion drivetrain which gives it the ability to drive or fly. Depending on which mode you choose, wheels or propellers fold up inside the body.
Where Flying Cars Would Be Used
Late for work or that important meeting across town? Just hop into your flying car and zip on over. Sure, gridlock and road rage could become things of the past when you reach a maximum speed of 100 mpH but since you can cruise at an altitude of up to 11,480 feet, you won’t see much traffic to slow you down. Pal-V is currently taking orders on its website.
4 – Light Fidelity (Li-Fi)
There’s Hi-Fi, Wi-Fi now Li-Fi? This is a relatively new invention that was first revealed in 2011 by Professor Harald Haas of Edinburgh. The technology sounds simple enough, it uses the power of regular LEDs (Light Emitted Diode) to transfer data from one point to another or receive it. The data travels with lightning speed, up to 100 times faster than current transfer speeds.
Where Light Fidelity Would Be Used
Any high-speed data transfer system will find use in today’s computerized world. The process used by Li-Fi would make it extremely beneficial in high volume data transfer settings. It permits transfer and device charging at the same time but – get this – you don’t need cords or cables for connectivity. Expect Li-Fi to be a common “portable” option in various industries.
5 – AI Integrated Surveillance Systems
We all know that the Bad Guys are usually caught because of footage captured by electronic surveillance. CCTV (Closed-Circuit Television) is the most reliable means to build a security system around but with AI (Artificial Intelligence) tossed into the mix, that security system becomes one that learns habits and will actually do some thinking of its own.
Where AI Integrated Surveillance Systems Would Be Used
Because anything with AI will become smart and intelligent, a security system could operate easily without human intervention. It could predict vulnerabilities of the area being watched and focus on that, track certain people or objects, identify those who do not have proper access, and provide a fast response. In other words, it would be a super security system.
6 – Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality
These two innovations are already making an impact in various industries but are both very different from one another. Virtual Reality is where you can be taken into a completely new, computer-generated world. Augmented Reality is where computer-generated information or objects are brought into the existing real world. Both have changed many processes.
Where AR and VR Would Be Used
Augmented Reality could be an effective modeling tool used where prototyping would be far too expensive otherwise. The data collected from this would speed up innovation. As for Virtual Reality, it has enabled production changes in so many industries that cost savings are tremendous and will likely show us even better examples as the technology improves.
In Conclusion
The next time you watch a futuristic movie or read a sci-fi novel, make note of some of the objects and technologies that appear. To get you started, you will find some of the best sci-fi books of 2022 here. We have the imaginations of science fiction writers and moviemakers to thank for some of today’s inventions. Even when they first conceived, it was thought to be highly unlikely that our world would need such things as watches that count your steps or track your pulse. However, reality has a way of catching up to where sci-fi leads it and we all end up benefiting from that. You just never know what the future holds.
