Things time-travelling movie predicted
‘‘Back to the Future Day’’ has generated comment over recent years as technological marvels predicted by the movie are gradually borne out in reality. Here are some Back to the Future predictions that have come true (more or less). HOVERBOARD Lexus recently revealed the Lexus SLIDE, although it requires metal rails beneath the ground over which to hover. VIDEO GLASSES Google Glass’s features include the ability to record video, read text messages and search the web. SELF-TYING SHOES Nike released a few hundred replica pairs of
the Nike MAGs in 2011, sans power laces. SMART CLOTHING OMsignal makes a shirt which incorporates built-in biometrics, health monitoring, in addition to odour and moisture control. DEHYDRATED FOOD While Pizza Hut has yet to adopt dehydrated food as in the movie, the process has been in practice for years, especially among astronauts who take dehydrated food with them to space. AUTOMATED RESTAURANT SERVERS The move toward automation in restaurants is already under way. Chili’s Bar & Grill has installed touch screen Ziosk tablets at more than 45,000 tables in the US, allowing patrons to order food, place drink orders and even pay their bill without ever interacting with their server. GAMES THAT DON’T USE YOUR HANDS While most video games today still use handheld controllers, more immersive technology has been incorporated. Microsoft’s Xbox One, for example, allows users to control various aspects of their games with both motion and voice controls, through its Kinect sensor. FLYING CARS Today, flying cars still aren’t a reality, although some companies, like Terrafugia, are working on airplanes that can become as compact as a car, with mass production slated to occur within the next decade.