Yesterday’s sci-fi is today’s gadget

If the future is about the production of more consumer electronics, we are already in it

THE future is a somewhat tricky concept to discuss in terms of technology. Will we know when it has arrived with the launch of a definitive device? Or is it a constantly shifting signifier, simply referring to the perpetually intangible and fantastical?

While reading through the reports from the latest conferences on future technology, I was reminded of a poster I saw bemoaning the intangibility of the future. “They lied to us,” it read. “This was supposed to be the future. Where is my jet pack, where is my robotic companion, where is my dinner in pill form, where is my hydrogen-fuelled automobile, where is my nuclear-powered levitating house?”

I’m not sure when exactly this poster was created, but it has proved to be somewhat prophetic. Since its creation we have witnessed the rise of robotic pets in Japan, the unchecked expansion of the dieting industry with nutrition available in a variety of forms, including pills, and though not yet widely available, BMW has a working CleanEnergy 7 Series sedan that runs solely on hydrogen.

Does that mean we are living in the future at this very moment? The answer depends largely on what informs your concept of the future. The Star Trek generation is holding out for a Holodeck, a simulated reality facility, while some are waiting for a cheap, public-access teleportation device before they will concede that yes, this is the future. As far as my old man is concerned, the future is something as simple as Google Earth.

A key thing to remember is that as consumers, we guide the direction technology takes. This is a powerful realisation and a terrifying proposition, as the moneyed market for these gadgets are not known for their taste and practicality.

So for some, the answer would be an assured “yes”. But for others, there is growing frustration with the frivolity of it all. As Tim O’Reilly — the man who coined the phrase “Web 2.0” — said in his keynote address at the recent ETech conference in San Diego: “There’s a certain way that the technology industry, particularly in its focus on consumer electronics, is missing something. It is focusing on consumption, on advertising, on selling people things they don’t really need.”

Fittingly, the poster ended on a sombre note, asking simply; “Where is my cure for this disease?” But there is no cure for always wanting more. The trick is simply to want the right things, to want the cure over the jet pack.

Here are some practical new technologies we’re likely to see more of in the next year.

High definition displays

New to the market is OLED (organic light emitting diode) displays that are smaller, more flexible and use 90percent less materials than current LCD displays. Look out for curved displays and thin, foldable screens that can be viewed in direct sunlight.

SeeReal Technologies has developed a three dimensional monitor with cameras for tracking eye movement and positioning the image at exactly the right angle. It is being touted for use in highly specialised activities such as surgery, military exercises and video gaming.

Interactive interfaces

A touch screen is one thing, but new technology will do away with the screen entirely. Microsoft recently demonstrated a projection system that makes use of various hand movements to interact with applications, much like Tom Cruise in the film Minority Report For the time being, expect to see touch screen interfaces on everything from TVs to vending machines.

Solar Technologies

Samsung has launched the Blue Earth handset, the first mobile phone to feature solar power panels. One hour of direct sunlight equates to about 20 minutes of talk time. As thin-film solar power panels rapidly become cheaper, we can expect to see it incorporated into more devices.

Cordless Chargers

By magnetic induction, devices like the Powermat Wireless Induction Charger sends an electric charge to a device’s battery without the need for plugging in cables. In future, work surfaces may be made from these materials, putting an end to plug points and cables.

Sci-Fi Gadget discussion

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