As we begin the New Year many entrepreneurs are hoping to discover the next big thing that will make them rich. It is interesting to see how some innovative and forward-thinking designers have become in a world of rapid technology change. About 25 years ago the popular family feature film, “Back to the Future Part II” made some daring predictions about what life would look like in 2015. “Back to the Future Part II” sends the protagonist Marty McFly from 1985 to 2015, where technology has made everyday tasks easier. It looks like paradise especially for some of us gadget gurus. Most of the film’s predictions actually came true, which is a credit to the director, Robert Zemeckis and his team of gifted writers. Although the film was meant to be fictional and a light-hearted comedy, it had the surprising effect of challenging creative and tech-savvy people to make the film a reality and gave them a timeline of twenty years in which to achieve this goal.
The most extraordinary prediction was the one about flying cars. While it may have seemed an outrageous idea, especially back in 1985, we are actually getting closer to the unveiling of a flying car. The AeroMobil 3.0 is the core product of the Slovakia-based company AeroMobil and is close to completion. Another product, the Mr. Fusion Home Energy Reactor, a power source used by the DeLorean time machine in the Back to the Future trilogy, which is fuelled by garbage, also inspired change in the bioenergy field. Cellulosic ethanol made from organic garbage is a biofuel that is currently being developed for mass usage. Other products featured in the movie that we have nowadays are video conferencing, multi-screen TVs and self-lacing sneakers (produced by Nike). We still have some way to go to perfectly match the world that Zemekis and his team created. Hover-boards were the main feature of the movie but nobody has taken up this challenge. We would also like to see self-adjusting and drying jackets, holographic movies and fingerprint payments.
At a time when every businessperson is competing to come up with cutting-edge technology that will stand out from the crowd, it is good to take note of all we have achieved so far and see how we can build on it for the future. It is amazing to see all the things technology has created such as smart phones, GPS systems and MAC computers while also considerably improving the food industry and the healthcare system. The Back to the Future trilogy has inspired some incredible inventions but a good idea can come from anywhere and from people of any age or background. My advice is to courageously be open to the endless possibilities. Nothing is impossible.
