Awesome Tech of Today (not the Future)

Back To The Future Was Wrong, But the Future (today) is Ohh So Right!

Just about a month after Back To The Future Day (October 21, 2015) we want to reflect on the things that the movie got wrong, but science has gotten so right.

The song 'Dear Science' by Seth Sentry pretty much sums it up: 'I've been patient, I really have, I've been reasonable... but where's my hoverboard?' Many of us feel the same way. Back to the Future II promised us 80s kids many things (including some truly terrible fashion – they sent that to the 90s instead). Although, Lexus has done a pretty good job of changing our perspective with the first working hoverboard. Anyway, it's not mainstream yet so we can get away with saying it's just not good enough!

Let's compare it to some of the things the future has come through on, things Back to the Future II never dreamed of. Marty McFly was easily impressed by shoes that tied themselves onto his feet in 2015, flying cars and excessive Jaws sequels. Pfah. Reality can do so much better.

Robotic legs

A British soldier wounded in Afghanistan is learning how to walk again, thanks to some robotic legs. The robotic legs are an exoskeleton which fits to his existing legs, helping them to retrain. This technology has been used with a number of people and is available on the open market for those who can afford it.

Bionic hands

If a robot leg isn't enough for you (and come on, it's only an exoskeleton) then how about a completely bionic hand? This hand reacts to the electrical impulses sent through the brain and bends paralysed flesh to its will.

3D printed bridges

3D printing is pretty awesome, we're not saying it isn't. So far, though, there haven't been that many impressive things printed... until someone decided to print an entire, structurally sound bridge in Amsterdam. That's pretty cool.

Hoverbike

So fully functioning hoverboards are still on the way, but in the meantime the science guys are taking the time to experiment with other interesting personal flying devices, such as this flying bike invented in Prague.

Robot fish

Perhaps not as personally useful as many things on this list, but these marine robots have been designed to mimic the organisms that surround them in the sea. Could be useful when we end up killing everything that is actually alive in the sea.

Mind-controlled cockroaches

They're referred to as cockroach robots, but really what they are is real cockroaches with mind control devices. It's something out of a horror movie. Cockroaches are taken alive and ipanted with devices that can control their physical movement. These decidedly not cute little critters have a slightly less horrific purpose, according to reports. Apparently they could be useful in finding people alive in disaster areas.

Penguins reflecting images

There are some inspiring things on this list, but perhaps none so inspiring as this: 450 mechanical penguins programmed to reflect the image of the person looking at them. It's art, yes, but it's technological art. And if we could have our own troupe of mechanical penguins reflecting art at us, we would.