Classic Sci-Fi writers old and new have been dreaming up technologies for their future worlds for ages. Real technology is fast approaching and sometimes even surpassing these writers’ imaginations nearly every day. But there are still a few gadgets out there to master. Ever come across a piece of fictional tech you wish was a reality? Here are some top-rated entries from our community:
- The Tardis
- Appearing in: Doctor Who (TV series)
- “A properly maintained and piloted TARDIS can transport its occupants to any point in time and space. The interior of a TARDIS is much larger than its exterior. It can blend in with its surroundings using the ship’s “chameleon circuit”. TARDISes also possess a degree of sapience…and provide their users with additional tools and abilities including a universal translation system based on telepathy.” –Wikipedia.org
- Wand
- Appearing in: The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
- I’m not sure what sort of science would be involved with wands and wizardry a la Harry Potter universe, but as a muggle, who am I to say? And it would still be really cool.
- Lightsaber
- Appearing in: Star Wars series (Film)
- “A typical lightsaber usually consists of a metal hilt that projects a brightly-lit energy blade. The lightsaber is the signature weapon of the Jedi Order and their Sith counterparts, both of whom can use them for close combat, or to deflect blaster bolts.” –Wikipedia.org
- Cyborg
- Appearing in: The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
- Cinder had a tough time getting through life as a cyborg in her story, but it would be totally different if we could have cyborgs in our universe, right?
- Portal Gun
- Appearing in: Portal (Video Game series)
- “Portal features an Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device or the ASHPD or simply the portal gun. The ASHPD shoots Portals, or linked gateways illustrated as Orange and Blue holes on flat surfaces. Portals effectively function as holes in space. Portals have a unique effect on the laws of physics, allowing the player to fling themselves out of one portal by jumping into its twin from a great height. Infinite hallways and bottomless fall loops are also possible.” –Wikipedia.org
- Mecha-suit
- Appearing in: The Lego Movie (Film)
- On the one hand, a mecha-suit itself would be pretty awesome tech to have in everyday life. On the other, fully customizable functioning machinery made up of standard-sized, reusable building materials would be a dream come true. I’m all for life-size legos.
- Replicator
- Appearing in: Star Trek (TV Series)
- “A replicator is a machine capable of creating (and recycling) objects. Replicators were originally seen used to synthesize meals on demand, but in later series they took on many other uses.” –Wikipedia.org
- Brain-Machine Interface
- Appearing in: The Matrix (Film series)
- Who needs a computer when your brain can download all the information it needs? This one is a bit scary for fictional tech, and could be a reality, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.
- Aeroblade
- Appearing in: Lego Ninjago (TV series)
- “The Aeroblades resemble a shuriken-like weapon that are usually dull and non-colored. The Aeroblades are circular in shape with three sharp points on their sides. The Aeroblades can be used for battling enemies that are not ghosts, being used as regular weapons.” –Wikia.com
- Gravity Gun
- Appearing in Half-Life 2 (Video Game Series)
- “A gravity gun is a type of device in video games, particularly first-person shooters using an advanced physics engine, whereby players can directly manipulate objects in the world, often allowing them to be used as projectiles against hostile characters.” –Wikipedia.org
Can you imagine the effect even one of these technologies would have if it were introduced into current society? Don’t forget to contemplate your fiction every once in a while!