Hollywood sci-fi technology that 5G could make a reality
If merely a decade ago, you’d envisioned the year 2020 characterized by floating cities and flying cars à la “The Jetsons,” you’re certainly not alone.
The people of the past had big dreams for the technological advancements we might’ve achieved by now — and yet, the best we have to offer so far are iPhones and electric cars, which are closer to the dreams of our ancestors then, say, can openers, but still a far cry from teleportation devices or robot maids.
But, with the power of Verizon’s ultra-fast 5G wideband — which is a whopping 25-times faster than today’s 4G networks in the U.S. — we might be inching closer and closer to the Hollywood depictions of futuristic technologies we’ve been dreaming of for decades.
Here are a few to keep a lookout for over the next few years.
1. Augmented Reality, “Terminator 2: Judgement Day“(1991)
In “Terminator 2: Judgement Day,” the titular character, depicted by none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger, scans and assesses the world around him through his augmented reality (AR) capabilities.
Although a lot of the AR “technologies” depicted in the film were the result of careful editing and layering in post-production, the previously mind-bending science-fiction concept doesn’t seem so futuristic anymore.
While you and I will likely not ever use AR technology to seek and destroy bad guys like the Terminator, certain retail stores are already beginning to use augmented reality to set up “virtual dressing rooms” to help customers envision what products might look like on them without ever needing to set foot in the store. Definitely sounds a bit more our style than terminating, eh, pal?
In fact, big brands like Sephora, Warby Parker and Amazon have all implemented AR to help customers sample their goods — and the applications of such technology when combined with 5G’s lightning-fast speed verge on limitless.
2. Sophisticated Holograms, “Iron Man 2” (2010)
It’s hard to single out a piece of the mind-bending technology from the “Iron Man” franchise that I’d most like to try out in real life. But, a definite top contender — second to the Iron Man suit itself, of course — would have to be the holographic interface that Tony Stark, played by Robert Downey Jr., moves and manipulates with simple hand gestures and voice commands.
As unfathomable as the futuristic display may seem to us, companies like zSpace have already implemented similar tech into their laptops.
Using a special pair of glasses and a stylus, zSpace customers can make 3D-designs pop right out of their screens and into real life. Sure, the capacity is somewhat limited when compared to that of Stark Enterprise, but with 5G, anything is possible.
3. Immersive Gaming, “Ready Player One” (2018)
While “Ready Player One” takes immersive gaming to the absolute extreme, the virtual reality aspect of the hit film could be much closer than we think.
Playstation’s VR headset offers one of the most immersive gaming experiences available to-date, including 360-degree vision wherever you turn, stunningly vivid visuals, 3D audio and a built-in microphone.
The tech can more or less take you anywhere and make you anything — even Iron Man (!!!) — and it only continues to be improved upon as networks get faster and faster.
4. Automated Cars, “Total Recall” (1990)
The 1990 movie “Total Recall” is full of automated hover cars — among, you know, a ton of other absolutely wild technologies like memory implantation.
Although we’re already half of the way there, thanks to Tesla’s self-driving capabilities, 5G speed only serves to improve the accuracy and safety of this type of technology. The hover part, however, remains TBD. Your move, Elon.
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