10 Fictional Technologies You Didn't Know Existed

23/8/2018 10 Fictional Technologies You Didn't Know Existed - Listverse
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10 Fictional Technologies You Didn’t Know

Existed
ALEX SAKDNER AUGUST 21, 2018
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We’ve all seen Star Wars, Star Trek, and Doctor Who. Consequently, we’ve all wished we could
have a hoverboard, laser gun, lightsaber, and, well, everything else. Inevitably, the reality set in
that our cars won’t fly, the doors at the supermarket only open because of motion sensors, and
we’ll never be able to vaporize our bosses.
What you may not have realized, however, is that many “sci-fi” technologies already exist in some
form or are being developed. We’re not saying you’re a year away from beaming up to a starship
for a quick cruise over to Mars for your semiweekly Djem So class. Nevertheless, you might
recognize the following ten technologies.
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A Real-Life Adamantium
10
Photo credit: 20th Century Fox/Marvel Entertainment
Seattle-based company Modumetal has successfully harnessed the process of nanolamination,

in which the electric field which moves metallic ions into place can be controlled to determine
exact placement of said ions. Researchers have been able to use this system to deposit layers of
metal upon each other. This helps to account for any microscopic faults in the metal, making
corrosion and cracking nearly impossible.
Using this technique, Modumetal has successfully created a new class of metal both low in cost
and extraordinarily strong. Metals such as steel, known for their strength and resilience to
corrosion, bending, and cracking, can be made as much as ten times stronger.[1]
This metal will likely see use in oil rigs, bridges, armor, building infrastructure, and other
applications where steel is typically chosen. Due to its resistance to corrosion, oil rigs exposed to
many corrosive chemicals will become safer, cheaper, and longer-lasting. Bridges, buildings, and
other structures will also employ this new type of metal.
Tricorders (Sort Of)

9
Photo credit: Paramount Pictures/CBS Studios
In 2011, the X Prize Foundation, sponsored by Qualcomm, announced that it would award $7
million to any team that could develop a real-life tricorder, the scanning device prominently
featured in the Star Trek franchise. Specifically, Qualcomm is interested in replicating the
tricorder’s medical diagnostic abilities. A winning device would have to weigh less than 2.3
kilograms (5 lb), continuously record and show the body’s five main vital signs, and be able to
diagnose 12 ailments as well as the absence of any medical problems.
No team managed to create a tricorder that met all of the above requirements, but in April 2017,
two were awarded $2.6 million and $1 million for their devices, which came close. Both tricorders
are capable of monitoring vital signs and aim to diagnose nine medical problems or a lack of
health issues.[2] Even if they didn’t get their makers the grand prize, they still offer capabilities
previously only seen in hospital rooms or ambulances in a much more accessible format.
The idea behind the tricorder contest was not to produce a medical instrument intended for the
hands of first responders or doctors but rather a consumer-grade device, meant to be used in
one’s home, vehicle, or office. By being constantly aware of one’s health status, any condition
which may arise can be treated much more promptly. This implies that these tricorders have the
potential to save millions of lives.
Exoskeletons
8
Photo credit: U.S. Bionics
Exoskeletons are just what they sound like—machines attached to the exterior of one’s person to
provide additional strength, speed, and functionality. You may have seen them in video games
and films, sometimes labeled “power suits” or “exosuits.”
Exoskeletons have come a long way. In the 1960s, the first true powered exoskeleton was made
by General Electric and driven by hydraulics and electric power. However, the machine was very
large and deemed impractical for military use.
Decades later, exoskeletons are no longer fictitious. Globally, exoskeletons see usage by a number
of wealthy warehouse and manufacturing companies, especially in cutting-edge nations such as
South Korea. In 2017, it was estimated that several hundred were in operation for various
purposes around the world.[3]
Modern exoskeletons can enable one person to achieve what several previously couldn’t. They
have allowed disabled individuals to find abilities beyond what they could ever have imagined.
Looking forward, institutions such as the police, EMS, military, and medical clinics hope to employ
the power of exoskeletons in their ranks.
Stealth Suits
7
Photo credit: Adam Harvey
From Harry Potter to Lord of the Rings to cutting-edge military technology, the concept of
invisibility has been a topic of interest for decades. The idea that one could be rendered
indiscernible or even unseen to the eye or surveillance is one that has spawned much discussion.
Adam R. Harvey’s startup, Stealth Wear, presents itself as an answer to the rising surveillance
and invasion of privacy in the modern world. Using both cutting-edge technology and traditional
Islamic fashion, Stealth Wear promises to hide the identity of an individual from thermal
cameras. The garments are crafted from a synthetic fabric capable of reflecting thermal energy,
reducing the wearer’s chances of being identified by thermal seeking devices.[4]
In tests using FLIR (Forward Looking InfraRed) cameras, it was found that individuals wearing the
clothing emitted little to no thermal signature and that their faces became entirely indiscernible.
Is this the future of privacy, or is it just what criminals are looking for?
Real-Time Language Translation Devices

6
Photo credit: TechCrunch
Imagine that you plan to journey to a foreign country, but you don’t have the time to learn a
complicated, difficult language. Rather than investing lots of money and time into learning a
language, consider a device such as Waverly Labs’s Pilot Earbuds. These earbuds come from a
startup which raised more than $4 million in crowdfunding.[5]
The premise is simple—the devices hear incoming words, detect the language, translate them,
and relay them into your ear via computerized speech. This allows you to communicate in real
time using your native language, especially if the other person knows yours.
The devices are available for $249. Given the investment of time and money necessitated by a
traditional language course, this price could be worth considering. However, the devices compete
with Google’s Pixel Buds, which cost $149. (Some claim the Pixel Buds aren’t as effective.)
Cryonics
5
Photo credit: Insight
The ability to cryogenically freeze organisms and organs is still one of the most complicated
technologies known to man, but it has been successfully done.
The process of cryopreservation, according to NASDAQ News, involves transporting a body,

immediately after being pronounced dead, to a location where it is drained of fluids, filled with
medical-grade antifreeze, and placed in a tank of liquid nitrogen. Shockingly, this is covered by
many life insurance companies. Simply designate the cryonics company as the beneficiary.[6]
The Alcor Life Extension Foundation provides such a service for $200,000. For $80,000, you can
have just your brain frozen and preserved. Some wealthy individuals have signed themselves up
to be cryogenically preserved, placing their faith in a very volatile yet potentially useful
technology.
The success rate of this technology is currently unknown. This technique mostly relies on the idea
that, in the future, we will have the ability to revive a cryogenically preserved body or place a
frozen brain in a younger body.
‘Solid Light’ (Think Lightsabers)

4
Photo credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures/Lucasfilm
If you’ve seen Star Wars, you know of the signature Jedi weapon—the lightsaber. The weapon
could be described is a solid beam of light capable of cutting through nearly any object.
While such a controlled version of this technology hasn’t been created, a study published in
Physical Review X revealed that electrical engineers at Princeton have managed to lock photons
together to act as a solid, rather than light as we know it.[7] This was achieved by a complex setup
that essentially caused photons to behave more like atoms. This has been done only on a very
small scale, but the scientists say that the technology does exist and can be utilized on a larger
scale.
The scientists also hope to fashion the light so that it behaves like materials that “do not exist.”
Due to the vastly unknown nature of how this reaction occurs, scientists look forward to seeing
how the material reacts with various substances and elements.
Laser Weapons
3
Photo credit: Lockheed Martin Corporation
Yet another traditionally fictional technology, laser weaponry has been real for many decades. It
has yet to be created on a mass-production, practical level, but it has been applied to take down
small boats, drones, and missiles.[8]
The benefits of laser technology over traditional ballistics are evident. Lasers are, of course, light,
which means that the beams travel at the speed of light. For comparison, a Barrett .50 caliber
sniper rifle reaches projectile speeds of approximately 853 meters (2,799 feet) per second,
whereas the speed of light is known to be approximately 300,000 kilometers (186,000 mi) per
second.
Additionally, laser weapons could be infinitely more accurate than traditional ballistics.
Traditional firearms need to consider wind resistance, barrel length, and user error. Laser
weaponry systems ignore nearly all of these factors, omitting human error by the use of
coordinated computers.
The United States Navy is currently developing a device capable of shooting missiles out of the
sky. This has been perceived as one of the next steps in the global nuclear arms race—the ability
to detonate nuclear weapons before they strike.
Force Fields
2
Photo credit: Paramount Pictures/CBS Studios
Boeing, one of the largest aviation companies in existence, has officially patented a concept for
force field technology. Imagine the shields of the ships in Star Trek or Wakanda’s barrier.
The technology works like this: A computer sensor detects shock waves nearby, instantly
informing the defense system of its presence. Immediately following, the device would heat the
air in the explosion’s direction, creating a plasma field that would act as a sort of barrier between
the explosion and the vehicle or building. This temporary shield would absorb, reflect, or divert the
force of the explosion, protecting the target from damage.[9]
However, the technology hasn’t been directly applied to anything yet. Furthermore, it has limited
functionality—direct projectiles, such as bullets and rockets, will be unstoppable. However,
explosions detonated near the target (say a hospital) could potentially be defended against.
Cybernetic Implants
1
Photo credit: Cyborg Nest
Finally, we come to cybernetic implants. These come in thousands of shapes and sizes, but the
concept boils down to this: machinery implemented within an organism, allowing additional
functionality.
Cybernetic startups have skyrocketed in quality and quantity over the past decade. From the
development of devices that enhance hearing, eyesight, and sense of smell to ones that negate
diseases such as Parkinson’s, implants have seen a lot of attention—and rightfully so.
The first type of cybernetic implant was, of course, the pacemaker. This device is inserted into a
patient’s body, intended to regulate their heartbeat. Since the first implementation decades ago,
the devices have gone from bulky and unreliable to near perfection in a package the size of a pill.
Cutting-edge cybernetic implants are even more exciting. The North Sense device, created by a
company called Cyborg Nest, allows one to feel the Earth’s magnetic poles, dictating which
direction they are facing.[10] The device relies on internal magnets, and the manufactures state
that it should be under 2.5 centimeters (1 in).
It gets even more exciting, however. An individual named Neil Harbisson, an artist and one of the
co-founders of Cyborg Nest, has an antenna on his head that allows him to “hear” colors. As an
artist, this device could be extremely advantageous.
Scientists are currently developing products meant to increase people’s cognitive abilities,
physical abilities, and even powers in the realm of telekinesis. For now, we’ll have to settle for
hearing colors.
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23/8/2018 10 Fictional Technologies You Didn't Know Existed - Listverse