Have any of the scientific gadgets in Star Trek actually become reality?
by 
wickedwillie
ANSWERS: 9
-
The computer - Computers were in their infancy during the creation of the show. Now we have "super computers" that help us if we get lost, give us information, translations, drive our cars (basically), even recognize our voice. Communicators - While we don't have the ones used in The Next Generation does the cell phone look familiar? Much like the flip communicators from the Original Series, they can even hone in on you. Tricorders - Pocket PC and Palm Pilots store massive amounts of information at ones fingertips using modems as well. They can't scan things . . . yet.
-
The Bio-Beds used in sick bay are also in use in a similar fashion by the US Navy as well as some of the upper crust hospitals as well. They have also developed a kind of "tractor beam". They used sound waves to suspend and move a drop of water in a lab. They have also managed to "transport" a single atom of matter in the lab. And, just as a side note, Roddenberry based "Anti Matter" on actual fact. They have created a single atom of "anti hydrogen" in the lab several years before the show aired.
-
The hypo spray. Censors prevented Dr. McCoy from sticking folks with needles on TV, so the hypo spray was created to get around it. Real hypo injection devices are not quite that small but still do the same job in the same way.
-
Tricorders have been invented, at least partially. Vital Technologies Corp has invented a device that scans for electromagnetic radiation, temperature, barometric pressure, and light and color levels in the immediate area. It has been designated the Mark I (Roddenberry's Tricorder is the Mark VII), though I'm not sure if it's actually called a "Tricorder" or not. Source: http://www.snn-rdr.ca/snn/old/jan2000/jan2000/warpspeed.html
-
Many of the Star Trek gadgets are now reality or son will be: Communicator: What is this but today's cellphone. Diagnostic Couch: Many hospitals and other medical facilities now how such a device where a number of readings of vital body functions can be done at one time simply by lying down on this device. Talking Computers: Have been with us now for a couple of decades Ion Drive: Is now being researched and developed by NASA and various other private aerospace industries as a means of propulsion for spacecraft. Flat-Pannel Monitors: Once a fantasy of Star Trek but now a reality more and more people use with their computers and as replacements for their old cathod ray picture tube TVs. Holodeck: The US Military is now starting to use the first practical holodecks which place soldiers inside a dome where images are generated on the inside of the dome and the soldier can move in any directly via a multi-directional rollerbearing floor. And I'm sure that others can come up with a number of other gadgets from Star Trek that are now or soon will be reality.
-
One could say that todays lasers even though not actually used for weapons resemble the ships and the handheald phasers.
-
I can think of several. Computers you can talk to, think of programs like dragn dictate and you can open up programs and type by speaking. Communicators, i think early mobiles like the motorola startac ( i had one) where based on the communicator. Needle-less injections, i believe there are air pressurised injections available for certain things at the moment. Plastic surgery, like when they changed a human to a vulcan and of course the transporter, this is used by the British Military - ooops i've said too much.
-
William Shatners Belly!
-
O Man.. dozens and dozens of things.. just think about it.. Heres a few off the top: Uhura's Earpiece = Bluetooth Cellular & Satellite phones Spocks's data/recording "blocks" = Compact Flash/Flash Drive Nella Darren's roll-up piano used in TNG: "Lessons" Voice/Data recognition in computers. Global positioning/locating (GPS) Palm Pilots & PDA's Windows Live Messenger/Webcams & Video Call Wireless Technology/WiFi
Pointeman1 RELATED QUESTIONS
Copyright 2023, Wired Ivy, LLC