Great Scott! The Future is Here!
30 years ago, Back to the Future took us on a ride to the past.
4 years later: Back to the Future part II took us to 2015.
But how accurate was it? How close was 1989’s vision of 2015 to reality?
The Hoverboard
Movie 2015:
Marty McFly picked one of these up on his trip to 2015
Real World 2015:
There are currently two competitors for working Hoverboards:
Lexus and their “Slide”
the Hendo Hoverboard.
How do they work? Essentially, magnets.
Accuracy: 6/10
Flying Cars
Movie 2015:
Marty’s introduction to 2015 consisted of cruising down a superhighway amidst a legion of flying cars.
Real World 2015:
A disappointment. The real world just doesn’t hold up to the movies. The good news is that there are protoypes for flying cars in the works from at least two different companies. They won’t be affordable for the average household, but it is progress.
Accuracy: 4/10
Self-Tying Shoes
Movie 2015:
Doc gives Marty a pair of these to help him blend in in 2015
Real World 2015:
In 2011 there was a limited edition run of the Nike MAGs, similar to the shoes from the movie, with one exception… they didn’t self-lace.
Nike to release a self-tying version in 2015 to coincide with the 30th anniversary of Back to the Future.
Accuracy: 9/10
Holograms:
Movie 2015:
Marty stares down a massive holographic shark.
Real World 2015:
Fairy Lights: Imaging experts from the University of Tokyo and the Nagoya Institute of Technology have created tiny holograms (1cm cubed) that humans can interact with, which they’ve dubbed “Fairy Lights”
Accuracy: 4/10
We’re getting there. Slowly but surely.
Flat Screen TV
Movie 2015:
The McFly household in 2015 was a treasure trove of future tech, including a large flat screen TV which Marty’s son uses to watch many channels at once.
Real World 2015:
Flat screen TV’s are commonplace today. LG recently showed off their OLED Wallpaper TV, which is 0.97 millimeters thick, weighs 1.9kg (4.1 lbs), and can bend.
Accuracy: 10/10
Tablets
Movie 2015:
Marty is approached by a man who hold out a tablet and asks him to donate $100 to save the Clock Tower.
Real World 2015:
The last few years have been all about tablets.
Accuracy:
10/10
Automated Menus and Waiters
Movie 2015:
Marty goes into Café 80’s: a monitor equipped with a digital version of Ronald Reagan tries to take his order. Other patrons order from computer monitors.
Real World 2015:
Automation in restaurants has taken off. Chili’s (for example) uses a tablet based ordering system.
Accuracy: 6/10
We haven’t eliminated servers from the workforce (just yet).
Sources:
http://www.wired.com/2015/06/lexus-hoverboard-slide/
http://www.wired.com/2014/10/physics-hendo-hoverboard/
http://www.cnbc.com/2015/01/12/ms-back-to-the-future-2-shoe-release.html
http://www.inquisitr.com/1749972/nikes-back-to-the-future-self-tying-shoes-confirmed-for-2015/
http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2015-07/03/haptic-japanese-holograms
http://mashable.com/2015/08/03/generate-3d-hologram-smartphone/#DLtqm76ejsqg
http://www.lg.com/us/experience-tvs/oled-tv
http://www.theverge.com/2015/5/20/8628861/wallpaper-oled-lg-display
http://www.foodservicewarehouse.com/blog/importance-point-sale-pos-system/
http://www.computerworld.com/article/2837810/automation-arrives-at-restaurants-but-dont-blame-rising-minimum-wages.html