12 Unbelievable Gadgets From The Future You Can Buy Today

It’s really amazing to see how many science fiction stories from the past have become our reality in the present. In The Machine Stops, E M Forster presented a world that looks very similar to that lived by Facebook users.

Or take the seashells (earbuds) from Fahrenheit 451, or video chat from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Those stories aren’t even a century old and, yet, those technologies would have seemed impossible to imagine being part of our real lives just a couple of decades ago.

Fast forward to the present and we now not only have this advanced technology readily at our fingertips, but we’re using artificial intelligence (AI) to drive much of our daily lives.

There are, however, many world-renowned scientists who continue to speak out openly against AI and the dangers of giving it so much power. Elon Musk told a crowd at MIT that, “With artificial intelligence, we are summoning the demon. In all those stories where there’s the guy with the pentagram and the holy water, it’s like — yeah, he’s sure he can control the demon. Doesn’t work out.”

Stephen Hawking has similar reservations: “The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race.”

But this isn’t a matter of famous scientists telling us not to use AI; after all, Hawking himself relies on machine learning technology in order to communicate with others. What this boils down to is control and moderation — and that’s exactly what we’re seeing in the latest forms of automation and sci-fi gadgetry.

Without embracing these new forms of technology, we’d be missing out on the major strides they afford us in terms of connectivity, productivity, and basic improvements to our overall quality of life. Then there are those sci-fi gadgets that are so new that we know there will be amazing benefits to come from using them once the general population adopts them. We just haven’t quite figured out how to do so yet. Only time will tell what these new gadgets will do to revolutionize our lives.

Below we introduce you to 12 gadgets that would have been unheard of just a few years ago. And now, it isn’t just a matter of them existing; we can buy them! The future really is today.

12 Cool Sci-Fi Gadgets That You Can Buy Today

In a world where watches monitor your heart rate, and phones convert your voice to text, anything can seem possible. But even though technology continues to defy boundaries, many people wonder what ever happened to the gadgets they saw in science fiction as kids. Well, many of them exist – and are for sale!

Flow by Plume

• A wearable connected mobile accessory that tracks the levels of pollution in the air around you
• It tracks humidity, temperature, particulate matter (PM2.5), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), ozone, and nitrogen dioxide
• LED interface, which provides air quality alerts
• Connected to mobile devices to guide users towards less polluted areas
• Designed for people who live in highly polluted areas
• Small clip for your clothes or any accessory

Haier Ubot

• A household robot designed to be your very own little helper
• Controls a range of household devices, including washing machines, fans, lights, and heaters
• Senses water, gas, and electrical leakages as well as fire incidents
• Alerts homeowners to intruders through an audio and visual feed
• Acts as a companion for the elderly and a playmate for children
  • It can even tell them stories!

PowerVision PowerRay

• An underwater drone, which can be submerged to a depth of up to 30 meters (98 feet)
• Streams and records 4K video to your phone
• Navigated through your phone
• Detects fish up to 40 meters (131 feet) away by using its Fishfinder sonar (an add-on that also comes complete with a blue light, which lures fish in)
• Available with VR goggles that allows you to move the drone around with your head

Proof

• Worn around your wrist, the device tracks your blood alcohol level for 12-plus hours
• Provides a discreet solution to breathalysers
• Can be synced to a smartphone for customizable, real-time notifications
• Relies on a cartridge (which is disposable) that’s attached to the underside of the band by a magnet
  • This converts perspired alcohol to provide the level of alcohol in your system
• Once the levels reach a preselected limit, it vibrates and lights up to alert you

LEGO® Boost

• Makes Lego come to life using three different modules, which work with existing bricks
• Allows you to program Lego to make noises, flash, roll, and walk
• Connects wirelessly to a tablet app where it can be programmed
• Offers a great way for kids to learn logic and computer programming skills
  • Plus it makes it much more fun for adults!
• Designed for children aged 7 and up

Robird

• A drone that’s been designed to mimic a raptor in order to scare other birds away
• Designed to help at airports to keep aviation safe, or on farms where birds eat seeds and crops
• Flies using its flapping wings and its two tail fins, which help it to steer
• Glides through the air like a bird of prey would
• Available as a service, rather than a product

Martin Jetpack

• Remember The Jetsons? Well, now’s your chance to own your very own jetpack!
• Unlike traditional jetpacks which are operated by propelling water, this is powered by two large fans which run on aircraft fuel
• Holds up to 260 pounds
• Has 210 horsepower
• Includes self-balancing technology, so users don’t need to be expert pilots to steer it
• Contains a parachute in case you get into trouble

A Paper-Thin OLED Display

• An 18-inch OLED display that’s as thin as paper
• Created by LG
• Can be rolled up like a newspaper because of its flexibility
• Has a 1200 x 810 ppi resolution
• Offers the potential for a futuristic paper-like experience for e-readers

Numi Smart Toilet

• An intelligent toilet
• Opens and closes automatically
• Includes an air dryer, foot warmers, a heated seat, and a deodorizer
• Available with a customizable bidet
• Features integrated speakers for you to play your favorite music
• A touch-screen remote allows you to control the toilet and set it up to include presets for different users

EHang 184

• An autonomous passenger drone
• Holds up to 220 pounds
• Can fly up to a height of 11,500 feet
• On its electrical battery, it can fly for 30 to 40 miles
• The flight is tracked and managed at Ehang’s control centers so passengers don’t have to do anything
• Folds up to sit in a parking space
• In the future, it may be offered as a service like Uber

Speakerless TV

• A1E Bravia Series by Sony
• A 4K HDR OLED TV, which sits directly on the ground (or a table) using a ledge at the back to rest on
• Doesn’t have speakers as these are integrated directly in the screen, which vibrates to create sound
• Uses X1-Extreme processing to show fine details of an image, regardless of how dark the scene is

Voice-Controlled Fridge

• Powered by Amazon’s Alexa
• Allows you to buy goods or play music by using your voice as a command
• Includes a 73.7cm (29in) touch screen, which shows you what’s inside the fridge
• Warns you when something’s near its expiration date
• The panoramic camera on the inside also allows you to see what’s in your fridge when you’re not at home
• Reminds you about anniversaries or birthdays of friends and family

Many of the sci-fi gadgets we dreamed about as children are a reality today. If you have the money and the courage, you can make them part of your life. Are you ready for the future?

Sources: techcrunch.com, telegraph.co.uk, wheelsandchips.com, cnet.com, pcmag.com, wired.com, wsj.com, mashable.com, pcworld.com, dailymail.co.uk, bbc.co.uk

Sources

• 10 of the Coolest Gadgets We Saw at CES 2017
• Best (and Weirdest) Gadgets of 2016
• Haier Ubot, the Robot Nanny — Gadget of the Week
• All the Cool New Gadgets at CES 2017
• Proof Wearable Tracks Alcohol Levels
• Best of CES 2017: This Year’s Most Interesting Gadgets
• Lego Boost Brings Robotics to a Younger Audience
• This Flappy Bird-Drone Keeps Airports Safe
• 13 Crazy Pricy Gadgets You Wish You Could Afford
• The Ehang 184 Personal Drone Is Ready to Fly
• Sony Unveils “Speakerless” OLED 4K TV and High-Resolution Camera
• CES 2017: LG Fridge Is Powered by Amazon’s Alexa
• Plume Labs — Flow