Top 7 science fiction movie gadgets engineers are developing today

The article highlights seven iconic science fiction movie gadgets that engineers and researchers are actively developing today, bridging the gap between fiction and reality through advances in AI, robotics, material science, and computing. Among these is Iron Man’s powered exoskeleton, inspiring battery-powered suits by companies like Sarcos and Lockheed Martin that enhance human strength for industrial and military use, though sustained flight remains experimental. Similarly, Star Trek’s tricorder has motivated the creation of compact, multifunctional diagnostic devices for healthcare, with support from NASA and companies like Butterfly Network producing portable ultrasound scanners connected to smartphones. Other notable developments include prototypes of Back to the Future’s hoverboard using magnetic levitation technology, though practical everyday use is still limited. Star Wars’ holographic displays have spurred volumetric and light-field display research, enabling life-size 3D telepresence without screens. The Babel Fish universal translator concept has materialized into AI-powered real-time translation earbuds by Google and Timekettle, facilitating near-instant language conversion