TheStar Trekseries is one of the most popular and influential franchises of all time, not just inscience fictionbut in general. It premiered in 1966 and ever since then led to the creation of multiple series, movies, many novels as well as games and other forms of media. However,Star Trekhad an even more practical impact on the world as it influenced its actual technology.
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Many inventions seen inStar Trekthat were once considered science fiction are now part of the society and many people use them without realizing they originated from the series, in some cases many years ago. Some inventions scientists and other experts work on that are based onStar Trekaren’t yet in everyday use, but others are available to many people or at the very least have been tested in practice and proved to be functioning.
5Phasers
Even though the Starfleet prides itself on being a peaceful organization that explores the universe and isn’t out there to conquer it,that doesn’t mean that every alien species the heroes come across is as friendly. Sometimes they attack, and the only viable choice is for the protagonists to defend themselves. Phasers are a good way how to achieve that in a possibly non-lethal way, as the weapon has two settings - stun and kill.
The audience mostly sees the heroes using the milder setting that knocks others out but doesn’t take their lives. Even though actual phasers don’t yet exist, similar technologies have existed since the 1970s, after the originalStar Trekseries premiered. Both tasers and stun guns work similarly, and are capable of stunning a hostile individual. It’s required, however, to use them at a closer distance than the phasers.
4Tablets
While not everybody is unfortunate enough to have to use a taser or a stun gun to defend themselves, a lot of people own a tablet. They’re lighter than computers and notebooks, so it’s possible to use them when somebody’s traveling. Once again,Star Trekdid it first asthe ships' crews used the so-called Personal Access Display Devicesaka PADDs.
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While small, these devices had many functions and were both practical and efficient. The design is similar as well, and while it’s possible that inventing the tablets would have been a natural progression anyway,Star Trekwas one of the first shows that showed that personal computers didn’t have to be huge and fixed to one location.
3The Optical Visor
In the future,people can work in Starfleeteven if they’re blind. That’s the case of Geordi La Forge who could see thanks to his visor. While there isn’t yet a device that would look exactly like Geordi’s visor, another invention fulfills a similar purpose. In an experiment taking place in2005, scientists from Stanford University managed to implant a small chip to blind rats. Afterward, the rats successfully underwent a vision recognition test.
This is relevant because the implant works similarly to the visor. As a result, a blind person with the implant could regain a 20/80 sight. So even though they wouldn’t be able to get a driving license, they would be able to do everyday things without the need for an assistance, such as in the form of a companion dog. Of course, as the technology develops, it’s likely it’ll become even more efficient in the future.
2Telepresence
In the increasingly more digital world, being able to communicate with people over a large distance is important. It became even more vital during the pandemic when a lot of people were working from their homes. The telepresence allows connecting people, making it even more complex and progressive than a mere video conference. The most advanced example is the Cisco’s TelePresence that combines audio, video and lighting, and makes it seem like images shown on a screen are in the same room as the attendees of the call.
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Of course, it’s not necessary to go as far. In the original series, Captain Kirk and other Enterprise crew members regularly communicate via computers with people who are light years away from them. Services and technologies such as Skype, Zoom, and others also allow people from opposite sides of the world to call each other and talk in real time, without any delay.
1Communicators
One of the most notableStar Trekgadgets that influenced real-life technology is the communicator. The name speaks for itself - the Starfleet members use their communicators to communicate with each other, usually on missions outside the ship but sometimes inside the ship as well, depending on the circumstances. Anybody who ever used a mobile phone can say thank you toStar Treksince it’s an official fact that their invention was inspired by the series.
More specifically, Martin Cooper, the inventor of the first handheld phones in the 1970s, said thatStar Trekinspired his invention. Of all the mobile phones, the flip phone is probably most similar to the communicators fromStar Trek: The Original Seriesbut all current phones have their inspiration source in the franchise.
