Futurama is a show that encourages one to use their imagination. In addition to amazing new planets, ridiculous robots, and incredible characters, the show provides fans with a look at some potential inventions of the future. Not only are some of the devices in the world of Futurama incredibly cool, but they also happen to be practical and useful as well.
Many other science-fiction properties came up with fanciful ideas before they became a reality, most notably with Star Trek showing things like tablet computers, GPS, and automatic doors. While Futurama is quite a different show from Star Trek, many die-hard fans are hoping to one day see some of the items found in New New York in the real world.
10 Diamondium / Diamondillium / Unbreakable Diamond Tether
An unbreakable tether or barrier has a multitude of uses in the real world, regardless of which silly name it goes by. Using Professor Werstrom’s patented Diamondillium, Earth attempted to barricade itself, in vain, against the sexual advances of Yivo.
The Planet Express Crew also makes use of the Professor’s unbreakable diamond tether during their international waters fishing trip where they ended up finding the lost city of Atlanta. Though NASA, ESA, and SpaceX could probably find some better uses for an unbreakable tether, shield, or coating.
9 Find Out If Anyone is Related to You with the Relative Box
This nifty device actually appears in one of the very first episodes of the franchise as the Professor doesn’t believe that he could possibly have such a distant relative still alive. Fry and Farnsworth simply pop their fingers into this machine and it tells them whether or not they’re related.
Such a device would expedite a lot of custody cases on reality television as well as reunite long-lost families. Instantaneous results directly from the machine are lightyears faster than current DNA testing agencies.
8 Understand Any & All Languages with the Universal Translator
In Futurama, the universal translator is more so used for translating alien dialects. Though in the real world, it would be plenty useful, especially with nearly 6,500 different spoken languages in the world today. Perfecting this technology to the point where it could be portable would be the goal.
Instant communication would be an invaluable asset to the human species. Such a handy device would provide anyone the opportunity to travel to any country and actually carry on a conversation with the denizens, as well as help reduce a lot of misunderstandings between tourists and locals.
7 Fully Functional Humanoid Robots
While many of the robots in Futurama are a burden, there are also plenty of robots that serve specific functions and serve them quite well. The types of service bots that exist include benders, bartenders, shopkeepers, police officers, sound equipment, and there are even a Robot Mafia and Robot Devil.
Artificial Intelligence in vehicles, home appliances, and smart devices is already fairly advanced. Paired with the current status of the robotics industry, robots closer to the ones shown in Futurama could be part of the reality in a relatively short time.
6 Turn Any Animal into a Human-Like Companion with the Electronium Hat
There aren’t many people that wouldn’t jump at the opportunity to have their fur baby fully understand them, respond in English, and even help out with the annual taxes. While it might be difficult to get Rover to wear a hat, the same technology in a collar would be magnificent in the real world.
Being able to help animals transcend to some form of self-awareness may be in a morally gray area, but the outcome would be far too rewarding to care. Pet owner culture can be pretty intense sometimes, so it would be great to hear things from the animal’s perspective to see what Fido actually likes.
5 Fly Above Traffic with Your Brand New Hovercar
While some prototype hover crafts are in development today, the level of hovercar in Futurama is many years away. Though when it finally arrives, being able to speed by gridlocked traffic and never having to stop at a red light again will certainly have its perks.
Hovercars would also likely get much better gas mileage as they don’t have to deal with the friction of the road and wouldn’t really need to go uphill either. However, by the time hovercars exist, one would hope humanity had moved away from fossil fuels as an energy source.
4 Professor Farnsworth’s & Ethan “Bubblegum” Tate’s “Bad-Ass Gravity Pump”
The Professor and the leader of the Globetrotters, Ethan “Bubblegum” Tate, create this bad-ass gravity pump in order to move objects as large and as heavy as stars. Fry even borrows the pump to spell out a message in the cosmos for Leela, unfortunately, it gets swallows by a black hole before she can see it.
An object like this one could explain how aliens helped the ancient Egyptians build the pyramids, or how aliens helped the ancient English build Stone Henge. However, one must assume aliens existed and assisted back then. Going forward, a gravity pump would significantly reduce the cost and safety concerns of building things such as bridges, skyscrapers, and even modules in space.
3 Commercially Available Space Crafts
Humanity has a long way to go if they expect to get current space crafts as modernized and streamlined as the ones seen in Futurama. However, given the latest aviation accomplishments on Mars, a la the man-made helicopter drone being remotely piloted on the red planet from Earth, progress is being made.
The science behind sending a current spacecraft through the atmosphere and into space is absolutely staggering. Earth-shattering breakthroughs in physics, gravity, and propulsion will need to happen before anything like the spaceships seen in Futurama become reality. One might assume that this technology will pick up the pace once settlements have been established on the Moon and Mars, allowing colonists the option of returning home now and again.
2 Instantly Undo Bad Things Or Relive Any Moment with the Time Button
With only a 10 second time limit and a 10 second recharge time, the time button keeps the user from doing anything too crazy or dangerous. However, Fry still manages to get into a serious predicament when he ends up falling off of a building faster than the button. This results in Fry’s gruesome death over and over again until the magnificent Bender saved the day with the help of the Professor’s time-proof shelter.
Imagine being able to undo embarrassing moments at the push of a button, immediately erasing whatever just happened from everyone’s minds. Rewind a car accident moments after it happens, relive the first kiss with a new lover, replay a comet hurtling through the sky. Yes, the potential of such a device in the real world is remarkable.
1 Dr. Flim Flam’s Miracle Cream
While this one isn’t quite an invention per se, being able to topically apply superpowers would be every comic fan’s dream. Fry and Leela are given this mysterious cream from their resident human physician, Dr. Zoidberg. The duo soon comes to realize that they have incurred side effects from the miracle cream. Some of the side effects include flight, invulnerability, super strength, and super speed.
As Peter Parker reminds folks time and time again, with great power comes great responsibility. Vision from the MCU also suggests that powerful beings invite challenge, which breeds conflict, as seen with the New Justice Team’s kerfuffle with the Zookeeper. Being able to induce powers like these by merely applying an ointment would be incredibly reckless and dangerous, but would also fulfill all childhood dreams of becoming a superhero.
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