10 Sci-Fi Predicted Inventions That Actually Made it to Market

It’s hard to look at my flip phone without thinking of the communications device on Star Trek.  There are many examples of inventions that used to be thought of as just science fiction that have now become a reality.  The flip phone is just one of them.  Here are some of my favorite inventions that came from science fiction:

1. As mentioned, flip phones were very similar to the transporter on Star Trek.
2. TV video phones have been seen in a lot of different movies and shows. Back to the Future featured these as well as a lot of other inventions that made it to market.  Click here to see the others.  Remember Marty’s cool shoe laces?  Yep. . . they have arrived.
3. Earbud headphones were predicted in Fahrenheit 451.  Mashable has this example as well as many other very unusual things that have made it to market.  See that list of astounding prediction by clicking here.
4. The Jetsons had a number of product predictions come to fruition.  One of those things is the tanning bed.  Check out a techvert.com article by clicking here to see a list of some more Jetsons inspired inventions.
5. Remember the Jetsons’ robotic vacuum?  We now have the Roomba.
6. Virtual reality was seen in many movies including Tron and the Matrix.  Cracked.com includes virtual reality on their list of seemingly awesome inventions that came to light in not so awesome ways. 
7. Television surveillance was just a future possibility in Orwell’s 1984 classic.  Anyone who watches CSI knows that there are cameras keeping an eye on us from just about everywhere these days.
8. Online Newspapers were shown in 2001: A Space Odyssey.  With RSS feeds, we can create our own online newspapers tailored to our unique interests.
9. Credit Cards were envisioned in Edward Bellamy’s 1888 novel, Looking Backward.
10. H. G. Wells wrote about automatic doors in his 1899 novel, The Sleeper.

Related Articles

• Star Trek Computer Now a Reality (escapistmagazine.com)
• 11 Astounding Sci-Fi Predictions That Came True (mashable.com)