Any day now we should be able to start ordering our Star Trek food replicators. Okay, for the uninitiated, aka non-Star Trek followers, this is how the food replicator works. You stand in front of the machine and clearly state whatever food you want, such as the classic, “Tea, Earl Gray, hot.” A soft whirring sound begins and a few seconds later, voilà: a cup of steaming hot tea appears.
So how do I know we are one step away from having a Mr. Replicator in every home? The 3D printer. I’m sure you’ve heard about this latest technology, straight from the Star Trek vault. A 3D printer works by dispensing particular materials in small dots and layers, until your desired object is formed. There’s already a home version, The Cube, for only $1299, which allows you to make your own rubber toys, crowns, shoes, and small cathedrals, should you have enough of a need for any of these items that you’re willing to spend $1299 for one. The large replicators printers that make bigger things like cars and boats, are still a bit away, but based on our current use of Star Trek tech, should not be far behind.
As anyone can see, all of our current technology is based on old episodes of Star Trek. The touch screen? Why every machine on the bridge has been operated by touch screen even back when our computers were the size of large rec room. Siri? Star Trek had a sultry voice-operated computer which they addressed simply as “Computer”, which worked much better than our current voice recognizers, way back in the early episodes. Bluetooth? Just tap your communicator on your shirt and you’re Bluetooth connected. Tablets and iPods? “Here’s my report captain” and every Treker would hand a small, touch screen tablet device to the captain. The medical tricorder? Just swallow one when it’s time for your next colonoscopy.Since there are no new Star Trek episodes, our current tech inventors are relying on rewatching old episodes to come up with our latest gadgets. Thus, I’m sure they’re working on the replicator right now.
Okay. I’m ready.I’m getting kind of tired of shopping, cooking, and cleaning up. In the words of Pavel Chekov “now would be a good time Scotty…”
© Huffygirl 2013
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Funny! You’re great at these. I’m not sure I’m ready for one of these, but will take a robot to do the dishes!
Thanks Lisa. Some people would argue that we already have robots to do our dishes, but unfortunately, (or fortunately) they grow up and move out.
Any post with this much ST reference, and I can’t help myself clicking like. I’m ready for the replicators as well – and the transporters!
Thanks for liking to click like Sid. Maybe when we get our transporters and replicators, it will make up for how disappointed we feel about not having jet packs. Or maybe we could replicate one?
On the other hand, just think what’s going to happen when the transporter comes into common use. Every scenic spot in the world, no matter how remote, will be overwhelmed as millions of couch potatoes converge on it instantaneously for a quick look around…actually, that scene at the beginning of the second or third movie where Kirk was mountain climbing? We should have seen a mob up on top staring down at him wondering why he was wasting his time getting there the slow way.
Could be that the transporter may become as annoying as…cell phones. And think how it would mess up the TSA – “You can’t take that through the transporter miss, er never mind.”
As far as Kirk and the mountain climbing – I think he was always arrogant enough that he had to show he could do it, even though the transporter would have been way easier.
Well, yes – besides, somewhere among the crowd who settled for being transported to the tippytop of the mountain, there just had to be a pretty girl who would be awed by his Muscles and Daring and whatever.
Yes, he always was about impressing the ladies.
Interesting! I’ll be waiting for that.
Nice article…just love your writing…
Thanks Tushar. Let me know what you think of your food replicator when you get one. And thanks for stopping by.
Reminds me of my dad, who loved Star Trek. And yes, I could use one too!
Sign up for yours today Suzanne!
Hmm, I couldn’t “like” this post, it clicked through but didn’t record my “like.” I voted instead
Anyhow, I’m with you, HG. Low-cost, low-maintenance food replicators are bound to appear any day now. I’m surprised that it has taken this long. Perhaps all we have to do is pray to St. Gene (Roddenberry) and the technology will be beamed down to us
Thanks for your vote Sandra. And it’s not even an election year
I’m all for beaming technology, especially since I think that will be invented next. No more trips through airline security.
I’m not liking that the “like” didn’t work. Maybe there is something up with WP today.
The future is here…….but it will be better when my house gets cleaned at the touch of a button
I think I would like that even better than the replicator. Good idea Bella.
Wow! Star Trek was scarily prescient.
It was. I’m not sure what’s left for us to emulate, except the transporter system.
Okay, first off, I gotta say “Love Ya!” for using a still from The Animated Series. Now, just to bum you out, I’ll add that I first read about the “home unit” 3D printer in a story that showed how a guy printed out the key parts for an AR-15, then fired 6 shots with it. (Thankfully, it fell apart at that point, though I wish it had blown up a LOT sooner.)
But on a high note, I’ll finish with the fact that the ship’s computer’s voice was played by Majel Barret, “Nurse Chapel”. Who went on to be “Mrs. Great Bird of the Galaxy”. But you already knew that, didn’t you….
Well, you know, I didn’t know that already John. Apparently you are a cornucopia of Star Trek knowledge. Now make sure you’re not making any firearms with your home 3D printer: just stick with medieval castles and gummy shoes.
Sorry, can’t afford a 3D printer. And I already have all the firearms I need. But no worries – they are FAR older than I am! (But they are also still SOMEWHAT dangerous – just like me. :p )
Whew, what a relief. Now I don’t have to worry about your staging any pro-Star Trek revolutions, or cornering the market on 3D printers.
LoL – Great laugh Donna. Star Trek has been built around what Science predicts and often has been overtaken by events. The producers seem to have kept their eye on where science is going and have used the predicted advances to good effect – its why the series has survived when so many other sci-fi programs and series go under. And it has also played its part in humanising the world – something I’m sure Gene Roddenberry will be justly proud of. Would I have married my Wife were it not for the positives of Star Trek – probably not (it has even sought to bridge racial divides).
So – Yes, lets hope that the appliances available to us move on to the levels seen in Star Trek, but lets also try to meet the standards of humanity that the program’s creator espoused
Good point Martin. Even in the early episodes, Star Trek was completely race-blind and in later shows, gender-blind. That is the one part of ST that our culture has been slow to embrace.
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Thanks for the pingback.