Doc Brown and Marty arrive today, October 21, 2015. So where are Jaws 19 and self-tying shoes?
Today is Back to the Future day- meaning todays the day when Marty and Doc Brown arrive on October 21, 2015 and while that imaginary world looked futuristic, the real one is a little different. Amazingly though, some things were predicted accurately. With that in mind, we will take a look at some of the interesting tech and other products based on the popular series that actually exist.
Blake Bevin’s Power Laces shoes can be made by anyone and are featured on the Instructables website.
Some of the more well-known pieces of that were predominantly featured in Back to the Future II include hover-boards (Hendo, Lexus, etc.), self-tying shoes (Blake Bevin’s Power Laces) and AR/VR glasses (Oculus Rift, Vuzix, HTC Vive, etc.). Strangely enough, Universal Studios have even released a trailer for Jaws 19, ‘this time it’s really, really personal’. Sadly, however there are still no Mr. Fusion or pizza hydrators. (Universal source: http://adland.tv/commercials/universal-studios-jaws-19-trailer-2015-90-usa)
Source for Instructables: http://www.instructables.com/id/Power-Laces-the-Auto-lacing-shoe/
Belkin’s WeMo kits can automate everything from lighting to temperature control.
McFly’s 2015 home featured video calling, which is prevalent with apps such as Skype and Google Talk. Keyless entry is also widely available with fingerprint locks and smart locks that are Wi-Fi enabled. Auto-lights and automatic temperature control were also found in Marty’s home and can be found in yours as well with any number of home automation kits that are now widely available.
Source: WeMo Home Automation
Stanford engineers have turned a DeLorean into an electric, self-driving drifting vehicle.
With all of the tech buzz surrounding Back to the Future day, it would only be appropriate to mention the iconic vehicle used in the series. Instead of using the DeLorean to build a time machine, Stanford engineers used one to build an electric, self-driving drifting vehicle in an effort to understand how vehicles perform under extreme conditions. They even named their car MARTY (Multiple Actuator Research Test bed for Yaw control) as a nod to the series.
Source and pic: http://news.stanford.edu/news/2015/october/marty-autonomous-delorean-102015
Nike is also capitalizing on BttFD with gifting the first pair of their Mag self-lacing shoes to Michael J. Fox.
Home-brew self-tying shoes are one thing, getting them directly from the original manufacturer are another. Nike originally made Marty’s iconic shoes from the second installation of the series and now they have made them again, however it’s unclear if they will be available for everyone. Back in 2011, they released 1,500 pairs to eBay in support of the Michael J. Fox Foundation to help battle Parkinson’s disease. Nike is set to present the first new pair of Mags to Michael J. Fox in NYC at some point today and according to Nike designer Tinker Hatfield, the company is working hard to deliver the shoes to the market sometime before the end of this year.
Source: Nike News - The 2015 Nike Mag
Pepsi Perfect, the futuristic beverage is now a reality but you can’t have any.
When Marty enters the futuristic diner, he eschews TAB for a Pepsi, in this case a Pepsi Perfect, which he orders from virtual President Reagan and Iran’s Ayatollah. Back when the movie was released in 1989, Pepsi Perfect didn’t exist but it does now, rather it was available. In celebration for BttFD, Pepsi released 6,500 limited edition bottles that cost $20.15 on both Amazon and Walmart’s websites. They sold-out in seconds, leaving some fans angry that Pepsi didn’t do its homework and being better prepared. Those looking to get their hands on one can head over to eBay, where they are selling in upwards of $500 or you could just hit the gas station and get a regular bottle for about $1.
Source: THE FUTURE IS NOW.
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