Valerie Tate Williams » Sci-Fi Made Real (Digigirl.us)

15 Things You Didn’t Know About The Brain

Digigirl — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 15:14:03 +0000

Augmented Sight

Digigirl — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 18:10:06 +0000

Coming soon – heads up display eyeballs (well, okay, contact lenses) just like the Terminator.

Fiction: Terminator

Original Image Source: Unknown
All rights reserved by MGM

The Terminator android which, in addition to its relentless imperative to kill, has cool “heads-up” displays built right into its eye. Anything the android looks at is overlayed with important data about what it is seeing – distance, composition, etc.

Fact: Augmented Lenses

Augmented Reality contactsare underway that will show images, graphs and words without disorienting the wearer. Uses may include translations, navigation and bio-monitoring.

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Combat Robots

Digigirl — Mon, 31 May 2010 20:53:35 +0000

Real battlefield robots are much more intimidating than Johnny 5 could ever have hoped to be.

Fiction: Short Circuit

In the 1986 film Short Circuit, Johnny 5 was a robot programmed for military use who, after being struck by lightning, achieved sentience. The movie then follows his interactions with humans and his continuous quest for “more input.”

Despite the silly premise, this film correctly predicted probably the most obvious use of robotics – combat.

Fact: Talon Sword Robots

Talon Sword Robot

Real battlefield robots are much more intimidating than Johnny 5 could ever have hoped to be, and are currently operated via remote control. So while they are in use, they aren’t quite as sophisticated as the robots depicted in the movie.

However, intelligent robots capable of making the decision to kill on their own are apparently in the works, prompting worries about Terminator-like killing machines that make no distinction between soldiers and civilians. And even if sophisticated software is created to handle these decisions ethically, there’s always the problem of hackers.

Sounds like time for a little reading…

How to Survive a Robot Uprising

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Genetic Profiling

Digigirl — Sat, 15 May 2010 20:24:12 +0000

Genetic testing is already being used to identify potential spouses, as well as health problems within yourself, your unborn children and even your pets.
(Image credit: National Library of Medicine)

Fiction: Gattaca

GattacaCopyright Columbia Pictures

In 1997, the film Gattaca was released, depicting a somewhat depressing future in which all citizens are separated into the “haves” and the “have-nots.” Only in this case, the “haves” are those with superior genes and the “have-nots” are those with inferior ones.

Genetic profiling is so prevalent in society, that in order to keep the chaff from the wheat, employees are screened each day as they enter the building with fingertip testers to make sure that only the “right” people are allowed to enter.

To thwart the system and pursue his dreams despite his “inferior” genes, the hero is forced to enact an elaborate identity swap.

Fact: Genetic Profiling

DNA TestingImage Credit:

Now, just over 20 years later, we are learning more about our DNA every day. As genes are identified, we learn which ones control health, characteristics, life span and more. Businesses are being created to utilize this knowledge in ways never before considered – dating, for instance.

Genetic testing is already being used to identify potential spouses, as well as health problems within yourself, your unborn children and even your pets.

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Reality TV

Digigirl — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 20:05:43 +0000

Competitive reality shows abound, today, for everything from supermodels to chefs.
(Image: Copyright Braveworld Productions / Lions Gate)

Fiction: Running Man

The Running Man Copyright Braveworld Productions / Lions Gate. Image credit: Photo Credit: Rex Features

1987′s The Running Man portrays a future where prisoners attempt to survive in a cutthroat competition televised for the entertainment of the masses. Of course, little do they know that there’s no way to actually win.

You might think this has no bearing on reality – but look again. While our prisoners still stay locked up tight, competitive reality television is now a major entertainment player.

Fact: Reality TV

American Gladiators Copyright Samuel Goldwyn/MGM

Skip forward just a couple of years, and along comes American Gladiators – a “reality” television show in which amateur athletes competed in strength and agility games against the show’s “gladiators.” The gladiators sported names like Zap, Nitro, Laser and Titan. The show lasted for six seasons before it was cut, only to be recreated in 2008.

But it certainly doesn’t stop there. Today, competitive reality shows abound for everything from supermodels to chefs. But the undisputed King of the pack is Survivor – a show where contestants attempt to survive in a cutthroat competition that is televised for the entertainment of the masses. . .

Hey, wait a minute. . .!!