The Tech Of Red Dwarf - Future Tech- Part 4

To most Sci-fi fans, Red Dwarf is in there top 5 of favourite shows of all time. It is my number 1 as I grew up watching the smegging thing. The show is set 3 million years in the future and through all 11 seasons so far we see some really cool technology,
with season 12 about to start in less than 2 weeks, I wanted to take a look at some tech we see on the small rouge one and see how close to it we are today.

1 – The Holly Watch;- Holly who has an IQ of 6000, well that's what he tells himself. Is the onboard computer of red dwarf. After the crew discover a small moon that was red dwarf before little nanites got hold of it. They discover a watch with holly on the screen.
Today, smart watches are starting to become common place that do just about everything a smart phone can and even talk back to you. Did red dwarf really predict the future in the show?

2 – The Psi-Scanner;- The Psi-scan has been seen in the show many times, it could detect radiation, how toxic the air is, if its breathable, details about individuals and detect any vindaloo creature lurking behind a corner.
In the 21st century however, we have the next best thing which is a smart phone. Even though when we get a new phone its functions are limited but with the play and app stores we can download apps so it can do more. Though it wont be able to tell you if the food will be any good in that vending machine that looks like its eyeing you up.

3 – AR Better Than Life;- in a couple of episodes, we see the crew use the artificial reality room. In one episode they get a new game called 'better than life' where what you want will come true. Even if that means being married, with 7 kids, with a mortgage and debts an all, even getting your knees smashed by the bailiffs if you so desired.
In real life its quite different, we are only just exploring virtual reality. In Australia there is a company called Euclideon which boasts the worlds first holodeck called Holoverse, where you can play games in a virtual environment. If you want to bed.... say.... Jeri Ryan (aka Seven of nine) You would have to ask really, really, really nicely and be very good looking toboot. (I think that's why I have a signed autograph on a restraining order)

4 – Escort Boots;- when the crew visit a prison ship where Smeg head himself was convicted. They had to wear escort boots to take them to a specific destination and keep them from wandering off.
The closest thing we are going to get to boots like this is military exo-suits that can be programmed to move unconscious solders and bionic prosthetics that restore a persons mobility. Another type of 'control' would be criminal tagging. If you are under house arrest. You will be fitted with a GPS tracker so the old bill can keep an eye on your exact location at all times.

5 – DNA Modifier;- yup. The episode where Dave was turned into tiny super Dave by Kryten. After he was turned back from poultry because the cat pressed random buttons on the DNA Machine. AND where Kryten became a ''real boy''.
Imagine, criminals on death row being turned into food to feed the starving? It would eliminate world hunger and reduce the population. All at the same time. But alls, the closest thing we would get to a DNA machine is eating Genetically modified foods and the odd sheep or fish that have been cloned.

Who would of thought that red dwarf pictured a smart watch nearly 20 years before the first one was released. I wonder if a DNA machine is in the works now.....

Thanks for reading and remember October the 12th on Dave UKTV, the new season XII starts.

Stu @TechMojo

Image Source – The Crew
Image Source – Holly Watch
Image Source - Psi-Scanner
Image Source - Better Than Life
Image Source - Escort Boots
Image Source – DNA Machine