Our everyday lives are getting closer to the possible reality shown in science fiction movies than you might think. While you might not feel that you’re living in a sci-fi world, here are some examples of new and emerging technology that show how far we’ve come.
Games Are Coming to Life and Become More Immersive
2010’s Tron: Legacy is one of the best movies to show us what it would be like to be transported into a game for real. The metaverse promises to give us something similar shortly, as virtual reality blurs the lines between real life and the internet. However, this isn’t the only way that games are starting to become more immersive.
When you enter a casino to play online slots, you’ll see a vast range of themed games including titles based on Sherlock Holmes and other popular characters. These games include varied features including jackpot prizes and free spins. Interestingly, the current options are more advanced than the low-tech gambling games we’ve watched in sci-fi favourites like Star Wars and Star Trek
Even board games and other tabletop games are becoming more advanced. Take a look at the tri-dimensional chess played on Star Trek and compare it to the augmented reality board games we can now play. Back at the end of the 19th century, Ambrose Bierce wrote what appears to have been the first sci-fi story of a chess-playing robot, but artificial intelligence programs beating Grand Masters is now so common that developers are looking to make the bots more beatable by introducing human errors.
Flying Taxis May Be Closer Than You Think
Flying or hovering vehicles are commonly shown in sci-fi movies to suggest hugely advanced future technology where anything is possible. 1997’s The Fifth Element starring Bruce Willis and Milla Jovovich is set in the 23rd century. The flying taxi scene is one of the most memorable moments and it effectively sets the scene for what happens next. 2012’s remake of Total Recall also uses flying cars to show us how far tech has come by the end of the 21st century, but maybe we don’t need to wait that long.
The CES 2024 show in Las Vegas has given us a glimpse of upcoming products that could change how we live, and the Hyundai S-A2 air taxi is one that caught the eye of visitors. The South Korean manufacturer has mentioned vertical take-off and a cruising speed of 120 mph at a height of 460 metres.
This isn’t the first time Hyundai has released designs for a flying vehicle and it isn’t clear when we might finally get the chance to hop on a high-flying taxi like this. It might not even be the first to hit the market, as the VoloCity air taxi and Joby Aviation’s eVTOL are a couple of other models that we should soon be able to spot in the skies above us.
The Robot Companions That Make Life Easier
Robot companions that make life easier are recurring characters in sci-fi movies. Star Wars used the fussy yet amusing C-3PO as a protocol droid to translate and help the user with etiquette and customs. Meanwhile, his friend R2-D2 could carry out a variety of tasks such as repairing and flying spacecraft or recording and projecting holograms. George Lucas has even spoken of the theory that this mechbot is the true narrator of the series, which makes sense because he’s in all the movies and is so often the hero who saves the day.
While these legendary droids are part of popular culture, Samsung Baillie could be even more useful in our every tasks at home. Described as an AI home companion robot, it’s a ball that’s designed to follow us around and help with a huge variety of tasks. It can do everything from running kitchen appliances to projecting video calls and sending you videos when you’re not at home, although it isn’t clear how it would handle flying a starfighter.
All these advances have given us a modern world that in some ways surpasses what we’ve enjoyed watching in sci-fi movies, with further exciting advances to look forward to before long.