We Truly Are Living In The Future

Remember the flying cars from The Fifth Element? How about the self-tying sneakers from Back to the Future? What if I told you these things actually exist and they aren't far away from being fixtures in our everyday lives? Ideas that were planted in fiction are slowly becoming reality. Here are 20 futuristic gadgets you won't believe actually exist. 

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1. Foldable Laptop Screen

You've probably seen phones with foldable screens, but did you know there's also laptops like that? Asus created the world's first foldable laptop screen. This allows you to have a huge 17-inch display that you can use as a dual screen or fold down into a portable format. 

2. Color-Changing Car

Have you ever wished you could change the color of your car with the click of a button? Well, you can! A couple of years ago, BMW unveiled the world's first color-changing car which is coated in microcapsules that turn different shades when they come in contact with electricity. 

3. Self-Tying Shoes

Remember that scene from Back To The Future where Marty's shoes tie themselves? Amazingly, Nike actually made them a reality with their Nike Mags, even designed to look like the shoes from the film. Less than 100 of them were made and all the proceedings from the sales went to the Michael J. Fox Foundation.

3. Exoskeleton

Exoskeletons are devices that can be worn on the body to enhance abilities like speed, endurance, safety, and strength. Countless sci-fi movies and video games have played with the idea, but it's also becoming a reality: Lockheed Martin has developed prototypes for military use and have already delivered dozens to be tested ahead of mass production. 

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4. Smart Glasses

Meta recently unveiled their smart glasses, in partnership with Ray-Ban. These glasses can take photos and videos, make phone calls, and they even have an AI assistant integrated.

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5. Smart Mirrors

Another item that looks straight out of Black Mirror, the smart mirror has touch screen technology and can show you the weather, time, date, and even gives you news updates so you won't miss a beat while you're getting ready in the morning. Some even project clothes onto your image so you don't actually have to try things on.

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6. Hoverboards

No, we're not talking about the two-wheeled devices referred to by the same name. We're talking actual levitating skateboards. Back in 2014 an inventor called Greg Henderson created the first levitating hoverboard based on magnetic technology, selling them for a modest $10,000. 

7. Flying Cars

If you want something that really looks straight out of the movies, a company called Aeromobil has created real-life flying cars. The company's goal is to implement them into cities as self-flying taxis by 2030.

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8. Robots

A robot is one gadget we strongly associate with "the future" and some companies are making major strides towards creating extremely human-like ones. Some of them can make facial expressions, read human emotions, and have AI integration so you can have full conversations with them, bringing us one step closer to Blade Runner every day.

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9. AR Contact Lenses

Augmented reality contact lenses do a lot of the same things as AR goggles or glasses except you wear them right in your eye. They're mainly used in healthcare applications to aid vision impaired people and teach beginner doctors but their uses are likely to expand significantly in the coming years.

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10. Invisibility Cloaks

It may sound more like the stuff of fantasy than of the future, but invisibility cloaks have become a reality. Okay, so they don't actually make you disappear, but they do create a very neat illusion using rings that steer light rays away. 

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11. Brain Chips

Elon Musk's company Neuralink has broken down barriers with their amazing brain computer interfaces that are implanted into the brain and controlled by neurons. Currently, these devices are targeted towards people with quadriplegia, but who knows what the future holds.

Steve Jurvetson on Wikimedia Commons

12. Brain-Controlled Drones

Yup, mind-controlled drones are a thing. They're controlled by brainwaves and head movements. You have to focus very hard to get it to launch, making it a great meditation tool as well. 

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13. Virtual Reality Treadmills

Whether it's gaming or exercising you're into, Infinadeck has got you covered. Their VR treadmill fully immerses your whole body into the metaverse.

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14. Holographic AI Assistants

Are you slammed at work? Sounds like you could use an assistant, but before you put out a "help wanted" ad, check out holographic digital assistants. They have tons of capabilities, including handling your scheduling needs and communicating with clients. 

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15. E-Textiles

You can now communicate with your clothes to make them regulate temperature, monitor your heart rate, and light up in crazy colors. This technology goes far beyond fashion, finding use in medical, military, and athletic sectors as well.

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16. Smart Rings

Smar rings are similar to smart watches except they're phenomenally small and fit on your finger. They track your sleep, health, and activity.

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17. Smart Tattoos

Smart tattoos stick on your body like temporary tattoos. They interact with your devices through touch and monitor your health. What's more, they look pretty cool and even though they currently only last a few days on the body, the technology is improving all the time. 

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18. Pocket Projectors

Travel much? If you like the idea of watching movies on the go, the pocket-sized projector is for you. You can connect your phone to it and stream movies onto any surface and it literally fits in your pocket.

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19. Sleep Headbands

Not all of us want to sleep with a watch on but we still want all our juicy sleep data. Sleep headbands were made to fill that gap. They're super comfortable to wear, designed to lull you into deep sleep, and they'll collect all your data to help you optimize your pillow time.

20. Translation Earbuds

Gone are the days when you have to struggle through Duolingo to communicate with people in other countries. Translator earbuds act as your own personal translator in real time. 

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