We’ve recently discovered that hoverboards didn’t first burst onto our screens courtesy of Marty McFly and his time travelling hijinks – we know, it was a surprise to us, too! Actually, hoverboards have been a science fiction staple since the mid-twentieth century, with one appearing in the Transformers film in 1986! 

This got us thinking. Since hoverboards were first dreamed up so long ago, they have essentially become a reality in the form of Swegways. While this futuristic bit of tech is now a must have item, there are other sci-fi devices made famous on film that haven’t (yet) become a mainstream reality!

Here are some that we wish we had in our everyday lives:

Jet Packs

Jet packs have been the real star of lots of films, such as The Running Man, (which combined it with a flamethrower, of all things), Thunderball and The Rocketeer. We love the idea of using one in daily life – just for the fun of being able to actually fly, or to cut our commutes right down. No more getting stuck in traffic for us!

Makeup Gun

This is one for anyone who wants to look great but doesn’t have much time. If you’ve dashed out to work not feeling polished, the makeup gun from The Fifth Element could give you a stunning look in just a couple of seconds.

 Pocket Watch

No, not a normal one! Alright, this is a bit more magic than tech – but we’ve been wishing we could stop time with Bernard’s Watch for years. Imagine how useful that would be! Of course, if EVERYONE had one then nothing would ever get done, but we can dream...

Shrink Ray

Honey, I Shrunk the Kids was a massive hit film that made us all imagine what it might be like to be ourselves, just in miniature. If this were really possible, we’d love to have tiny adventures, exploring our houses from the point of view of a mouse, riding in pockets, and seeing the world in a whole new way. As long as no one stepped on you, you’d be fine...

Neuralyzer

The neuralyzer from Men in Black is used to wipe people’s memories. We can’t help but think this would be really useful in embarrassing situations. Say if you happened to trip over in the street in front of a crowd of people, or spilled coffee all over your desk at work. You probably wouldn’t want to use it too often, though. Or have it used on you!

Are there any sci-fi starring gadgets that you wish you could just buy? Don’t forget to connect with us and tell us what you think!