Technology inspired by Star Trek - how much is possible?

JBnaglfar

I have been thinking about this recently ever since I heard that there is a $10 million dollar prize to be offered for developing a medical tricorder*. It got me wondering about Star Trek technologies, and how they have and will inspire real world technologies.

Comparisons have been made between Starfleet communicators and mobile phones, and that may be valid but the possibilities for the future are much more interesting imo. For example, data has been transported 89 miles. While the same technique may not work to transport people or complex objects, could it be considered an important stepping stone to achieving that (if it is even possible)? Researchers in London developed a form of synthetic alcohol last year with the characteristics of, and presumably influenced by, Trek's Synthahol.

Just thought I'd open up a discussion on this. Are there any Trek technologies you would like to see in real life, that you consider probable, possible, or impossible? Any good examples that already exist and can be traced to the show?

*I think it would be great if someone actually developed a medical tricorder-like device. Probably not worth my time to it myself, with my complete lack of knowledge in the area. Besides, it would certainly cost more than $10million to develop.

Cookie_Monster

Fusion power...

Once that's cracked so many things can follow in short order when you have near infinite power

nyarlothothep

I'm wondering, is there any feasibly scientific way to generate the hard light holograms on the ST holodeck without resorting to magic? Technological requirements can be 1000 years off, but is it in anyway possible? Also is beer with all the pros and none of the cons possible to synthetically brew?

Kxiii

http://gizmodo.com/5762119/this-star-trek+style-scanner-tells-if-youre-healthy-or-not[/URL]


Not quite up to Dr. McCoys standard but getting there.

I'd like to see the replicater made into reality but I reckon that and the transporter are a good bit off.

I did see a documentary a couple of years ago about inventions trekkies had come up with. The mp3 and Motorola startac were among them.

Amtmann

Transporter seems impossible to me, since it essentially kills living things.

nyarlothothep

They mention heisenberg coils, don't they just increase the probability of people existing in the selected destination, thereby transporting them? That wouldn't mean making a copy of them.