Iron Man 3

We live in a world full of incredible technology. It’s almost hard to believe that none of us had an iPhone before 2007, and you don’t need 20/20 vision to see that everything around us is continuing to become more and more advanced. Unfortunately, regardless of how good it seems to get, our favourite pieces of movie tech still don’t seem anywhere close to becoming a reality.

Some are perhaps closer than others, while many still seem like an impossibility. However, with numerous examples in so many different movies, we’ve managed to narrow it down to ten of our favourite examples. We’re sure that you all have your own ideas, so as soon as you’ve clicked through the list below, be sure to let us know what you think in the comment section.

10. Marty McFly’s Power Laces (Back to the Future)

Back to the Future

Marty McFly’s iconic self-lacing trainers have made headlines recently thanks to an apparent confirmation from Nike that they will finally be released in 2015. Despite the fact that it was only really a throwaway comment from designer Tinker Hatfield, the obsession with the shoes (which first appeared on the feet of Michael J. Fox in Back to the Future) remains.

2015 was a crucial year for the “Nike Mags” due to the fact that it was the year visited by Marty in the classic movie, sadly the shoe designers didn’t manufacture these for retail, they actually created 1,500 pairs which were later auctioned with the proceeds going to  the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.

 

9. Teleportation (Star Trek)

Star Trek

Scientists have made it clear that we shouldn’t get our hopes up for teleportation any time soon (something about the body needing to be destroyed before it can then be reformed elsewhere…), but that won’t stop us from dreaming! Regardless of whether you face daily traffic jams or are sick of bumping face first into the sweaty armpit of someone on a packed out tube, teleportation holds the key to all annoying travelling issues.

Fed up of getting up at the crack of dawn for work? Jump in the shower at 8.55 and be there on time! Want to visit Australia, but horrified at the thought of having your seat kicked by an annoying 8 year old for 24 hours? Teleport! Star Trek’s transporters are one of the best versions of this tech, and one can only hope those scientists figure it out.

 

8. Aston Martin DB5 (James Bond)

James Bond

For anyone who loves cars, driving James Bond’s classically cool Aston Martin DB5 (which recently made a return in Sam Mendes’ Skyfall) would be a dream come true. Now, add all of 007’s gadgets to it, and you’re left with an even more impressive four wheeled beast!

Thanks to Q, this model comes machine guns behind the headlights and countless rear defences (including bulletproof glass, smoke screens, oil slicks and a revolving license plate for confusing any pursuers), making the car just about perfect in every single way. Of course, it’s hard to imagine how any of those would come in handy during rush hour – though I suppose the guns could be useful for getting rid of annoying cyclists – but the same can’t be said of the passenger-side ejection seat.

Who here at one time or another hasn’t fantasised about getting rid of an annoying passenger with the press of just a single button? Exactly…

7. Face Masks (Mission Impossible)

Mission Impossible

The Mission Impossible movies are full of incredible gadgets, but the ability to use ultra realistic masks to take on the appearance and voice of anyone you please has a certain devilish appeal! As with many of the other suggestions listed here, the potential for it to be abused somehow is obvious, but that wouldn’t make it any less fun.

On the other hand, it would be hard to agree with that statement if someone were to use your face to, say, rob a bank! Even so, in the right hands, a lot of good could actually be done with technology such as this. If nothing else, there’s no denying that it would certainly make Halloween a lot more fun anyway.

6. Hyperspace (Star Wars)

Star Wars

Unfortunately, anyone reading this is unlikely to ever see any real sort of space travel (unless you’re in some sort of well-deserved HeyUGuys museum a couple of hundred years from now), but the prospect of lifting the concept of hyperspace out of Star Wars would make exploring our own Galaxy much easier.

This is another suggestion which scientists have more than likely thoroughly debunked, but just imagine being able to travel through space at the speed of light! As of right now, it takes close to a year to get to Mars, but this would turn that journey into a matter of seconds, not to mention just how far astronauts could travel into the unknown. Popping to another galaxy in the time it takes to get from London to Cardiff? Enjoy great, great, great grandkids…

5. Fighting Robots (Real Steel)

REAL STEEL

Are you a fan of boxing? UFC? Wrestling? If the answer is yes to all or any of those, then it seems likely that the prospect of robots fighting each other will excite you beyond belief. Real Steel is a heart-warming tale about the relationship between a father and his son, but it’s also packed full of exciting bouts between the likes of Atom and Midas.

Many are quick to write off WWE as being fake, but concussions and various other health issues have recently become a major issue even in “sports entertainment”. Pitting robots against each other would not only take the strain of some of our favourite athletes, but would also generally just be downright amazing to watch. There’s no downside to this one…until some dumb human inevitably challenges a robot to a fight of course!

4. Time Travel (Looper)

Looper

Time travel has been featured in so many movies, it was difficult to narrow this option down to one. The prospect of finding out that you grow up to be Bruce Willis as Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s character did in Rian Johnson’s superb Looper gives this movie the edge however. Also, the method of travelling back in time is a relatively simple one. All you have to do is jump in, choose where (or should that be when?) you want to go, and you’ll get there!

The benefits – and problems – with time travel have been explored many times, while the prospect that you may one day be sent back in time to be killed by your past self is fairly worrying. Ultimately, this time machine may be best suited to prospective hit men, and if that’s the line of work you’re in…keep your fingers crossed!

3. The Neuralyzer (Men in Black)

Men in Black

In the Men in Black universe, The Neuralyzer is a handy tool for Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones’ Agent J and Agent K when they need to wipe the memory of aliens from any unsuspecting onlookers. However, in the real world, there are some even more interesting possibilities for such a device if it were to become a reality.

When you play a video game and make a silly mistake, it’s easy to simply hit the “Start” button and go back to the last checkpoint, and it’s THAT which The Neuralyzer offers. Ever said something to a friend or loved one in error you wish they’d forget? What about a hard day at the office? This gives you the chance to wipe all of those out!

The best part? A pair of very cool sunglasses would likely come included for no extra charge!

2. Advanced Operating Systems (Her)

Her

Spike Jonze’s Her is at its core a rather wonderful love story, but it also features a somewhat likely and occasionally frightening glimpse at what the future might hold for us.

Everyone in this Los Angeles seems isolated and alone, with their computers being the centrepiece of their lives. However, despite the disturbing prospect of a world where being in love with an operating system is perfectly normal, there’s no denying the appeal of such a friendly and helpful A.I.

For anyone who often gets frustrated with the hit and miss Siri or could do with a helping hand keeping their email inbox in check, a “Samantha” would be welcome addition. This does of course lead to us wondering just how advanced A.I. should ever be…do you really want your laptop falling for you?

1. Tony Stark’s Iron Man Armour (The Avengers)

Iron Man

Who doesn’t want an Iron Man suit? Well, while we’re unlikely to see any billionaire playboy philanthropists jetting around in them any time soon, the military are apparently one step closer to making it a reality.

It doesn’t resemble the comic book version in the least, but the Americans are working on an enhanced suit which includes features such as 360-degree cameras with night vision capabilities, bulletproof armour and sensors that can detect injuries. Putting an Iron Man-like suit in the hands of the Army is an effective way of ensuring that less lives are lost, but putting them in the hands of the public would more than likely have the opposite effect!

Whether they’ll one day resemble Tony Stark’s superhero suit is an interesting, if somewhat unlikely, prospect.

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