Blessing or curse? Sci-fi gadgets I don’t want
14.8.2018
Translation: Jessica Johnson-Ferguson
Science fiction is awash with of all kinds of weird and wonderful gadgets. Some of them you can even buy today. But would you really want to? Here are three gadgets that on second glance aren’t quite as cool as you think.
Science fiction doesn’t just capture our imagination, it also makes us think about social conditions or just unusual, futuristic gadgets. When it comes to literature, films and other creative works, I reckon we’ve got more than enough of these devices to be getting on with. It doesn’t always have to mean a neuralyzer from «Men in Black» or the smallest atom bomb in the world from «MDK». These gadgets could obviously be disastrous if they fell into the wrong hands.
Does the future look cool?
Neuralyzers and the world’s smallest atom bomb are still a long way off. And to be honest, I hope they never see the light of day. Other devices that often only play a minor role have already or are in the process of making their way into our daily lives. Take smart fridges, for instance.
You spot them in some areas of science fiction. Off the top of my head, I can think of «The 6th Day» or the «Total Recall» remake. In the few seconds I saw the devices, I couldn’t give them much thought. The only thing that crossed my mind was: wow, that’s cool.
But now I’m giving it more consideration, they don’t seem as cool as I imagined. Smart fridges are getting increasingly popular. You can even find them on Galaxus. Samsung and LG are the main players pushing these kinds of cool gadgets. (That was the last pun, I promise.)
These fridges don’t just come with touchscreens and features like virtual assistants to rival smartphones. Nope, these also include cameras on the inside of the fridge that can update you on the contents at any time. I’m sceptical about these devices for three reasons.
My first qualm is with the people who push the devices. Their strategy is clear. Develop as many devices as possible and integrate them into smart homes. And to make sure everything is compatible, all of the devices have to be from the same manufacturer – of course.
In any case, that was my experience when I put the Samsung flipchart to the test. You only get full functionality with the corresponding hardware. If so, it looks like we’re definitely accelerating straight into a future that’s dominated by mega corporations.
Secondly, I’m sceptical about what these devices mean for our day-to-day lives. It goes without saying that they should make things easier, but the question is, do we really need them? News, shopping lists, photos and all the other things people paste on their touchscreens I can also have on my smartphone. That’s quite aside from the fact most traditional fridges let you attach plain old bits of paper with magnets.
Transparency alert: I’m dependent on my smartphone. Fortunately, digital amnesia hasn’t set in for me yet. As it happens, the reason I know my smartphone isn’t a crutch yet is because I tried out the totally accurate – cough – test on the digital amnesia researcher’s website. What I mean is, I don’t want to progress any further into dependency by bringing more devices into my life.
I also have security concerns. I’m sure there are much worse things than someone getting access to the inside of my fridge. But all the same, I’d rather not share that stuff with the world. Especially if I haven’t cleaned it in a while. I think your fridge is quite personal. Even though the cameras are supposed to switch off when you open the door, it’s not to say that someone with the right knowledge couldn’t activate them. Gone are the days when I could blithely pad into the kitchen in the buff to grab a drink from the fridge.
Hey, maybe I’m being a tad cynical. I promise I’m not one of those technology refuseniks. I’m sure smart fridges will become established in homes. Perhaps then I’ll even stick a photo of my son up on the home screen of the family hub.
Zooming lethargically into the future?
In spite of the arrival of a few promising products, the hoverboard from «Back to the Future 2» still hasn’t made it into serial production. It’s a shame really, as even though the Fisher Price design for girls isn’t great, it does still look cool. What’s more, Marty McFly had to push with his own feet to make his hoverboard work.
Fast-forward to today and you see these so-called hoverboards on the streets. Not spotted one? This is what they look like.
These bits of kit don’t hover and you don’t need to use your feet. As a person who likes to include movement in my daily life, this sounds like hell… on wheels.
Why do I find it so alarming? In a gif:
Any time I see an electrical device like that, I inevitably think of «Wall-E». When you consider that smartphones can give you digital amnesia, these kinds of devices can cause movement amnesia. As it is, we don’t keep active enough in western society, so for shorter distances we really should be getting there ourselves rather than relying on technology.
If the hoverboard from «Back to the Future 2» does make it into production, hopefully it won’t be electrically powered. Staying active is fun, healthy and it gives you a bit of self-drive in both senses of the word.
The loo of the future
In «The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy», the waste from the spaceship Bistromath simply gets beamed away. We’ve not quite got to that stage yet but our toilets are getting ever «smarter».
Take Kohler’s Numi, for instance. The toilet senses when you’re approaching and automatically opens the lid. You can also control the loo with a touchscreen remote. It has settings for things like seat heating so you can have it at your preferred temperature. It goes without saying that an adjustable bidet is included.
Don’t think you need all of that? Yip, I know, but here we’re talking about comfort and going beyond the essentials. But that could all change. Google has a patent for different sensors in the bathroom. Theoretically, that would mean your poo could be analysed. What might at first sound positive – early diagnosis of diseases – is a huge intrusion into your privacy. And then what happens to all the data? What does it mean for our health care system?
Imagine the exploding health care costs and the people who end up not being able to afford health care. That’s why I’m scared and apprehensive. What if the toilet automatically sent our health details to the health insurance company and then personalised premiums sent prices through the roof. It doesn’t bear thinking about.
Are there any devices that have already become part and parcel of daily life that make you shudder? Let us know in the discussion below.
Header image: Screenshot: Total Recall (2012)
Kevin Hofer
Senior Editor
kevin.hofer@digitecgalaxus.chFrom big data to big brother, Cyborgs to Sci-Fi. All aspects of technology and society fascinate me.
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