10 inventions that began life as science fiction

by The New Economy Read the Original

Many of the inventions we use today were inspired by science fiction, such as voice control, automatic doors, smartwatches, chess-playing computers, mobile phones, the internet, tablet computers and organ transplants. Inventions of the past century include the Taser, invented by NASA researcher Jack Cover, and credit cards, first described by Edward Bellamy in 1887. These inventions have made our lives easier and have even saved lives.

Many inventions we use today were inspired by science fiction stories, such as voice control and automatic doors. The latter was first described by HG Wells in 1899 and was invented in 1954 by Dee Horton and Lew Hewitt. “The two men went to work inventing an automatic sliding door that would circumvent the problem of high winds and their damaging effect.” Inventors can be inspired to create solutions to existing problems. In this case, Dee Horton and Lew Hewitt saw a need for automatic sliding doors that could handle high winds.

Smartwatches, chess-playing computers and mobile phones all have roots in science fiction. Smartwatches have been around for a while, but have yet to become popular. Chess-playing computers were first imagined centuries ago and finally became reality in 1997 when IBM's Deep Blue defeated world chess champion Garry Kasparov. Martin Cooper was inspired by Star Trek to invent the first mobile phone. Finally, the internet was made possible thanks to advances in computing technology. “We often assume the technology we rely on came from the minds of genius inventors determined to solve a problem.” Technology doesn't always originate from conventional sources. Science fiction writers have helped spark the imaginations of inventors with their ideas and concepts, leading to the creation of some of the most ground-breaking inventions of our time.

Inventions of the past century like the internet, tablet computers, and organ transplants can be traced back to literature. Mark Twain proposed a concept similar to the internet, Arthur C Clarke wrote about touchscreen computing, and Mary Shelley explored the idea of organ transplantation in Frankenstein. “That was not fantasy to us, that was an objective.” Imagining the impossible can drive us to make it happen. Martin Cooper's statement shows how he took motivation from Star Trek to make the mobile phone a reality.

The Taser, invented by NASA researcher Jack Cover, has been credited with saving thousands of lives since its introduction in the 1970s. Credit cards, first described by Edward Bellamy in 1887, provide the ability to obtain goods without needing to conduct transactions between individuals and consumers. “Credit cards, first described by Edward Bellamy in 1887, provide the ability to obtain goods without needing to conduct transactions between individuals and consumers.” Bellamy's foresight into the potential of credit cards revolutionized how we make purchases. It allowed a new level of convenience and flexibility when it comes to transactions.