If you are a fan of the original “Star Trek” television series, you may remember the “communicator” they used. It was a handheld device that allowed them to talk back and forth from almost anywhere. It sort of looked like our early flip-phone cell devices.

Fast forward to today and just a few years ago and most of us have cell phones we hold in our hands to call work, home or wherever we need.

Not only that, we can even get on the internet and do research, read news or play games on this small handheld device.

This is just one thing that was considered science fiction not that long ago and has now become a reality.

If you watch the national and world news, you will see that robots are being built by many companies. A couple recently “ran” in the New York Marathon. These robots can do work and some are already being used in factories. Some of you may have a mini-robot in your house in the small round vacuum cleaners that motor and roll around your home picking up lint and dust. But full-size robots are just around the corner for those who can afford them.

This reminds me of the robot on the cartoon show “The Jetsons.” They had their maid Rosie who did the housework, cooked and more.

I am not sure if my wife or I are ready for a robot-controlled by artificial intelligence in our home. But as we get older, who knows. Maybe it can clean house, do yard work and cook dinner – we may be all in.

Of course they had flying cars on that show. Well, those are being designed and prototypes have been built in Japan. There are other countries and companies working toward this invention. Some are in the United States. I am not sure if I will be alive when this comes to fruition, but it sure would be cool. Talk about avoiding heavy traffic or not having to dodge the huge potholes we have in this area – it would simply be fantastic!

We may not have an abundance of flying cars, but there are self-driving cars in some cities. I am not sure I like this or would get into one. I want to be in control. The vehicle may decide to go rogue and not let me out or take me somewhere I did not want to go.

Companies like Tesla and Apple are turning this sci-fi gadget into a real-world device. Using a mix of sensors, artificial intelligence and real-time data processing, these cars can drive themselves.

Another thing on the Jetsons was an automatic oven where they pushed a button and the meal was ready. Well of course our technology came up with the microwave oven many years ago. Now we can pop a frozen item in, press the timer, and in just a few minutes have a hot meal. We can warm up tea or coffee in a matter of seconds.

Of course, now we have video phone calls, where you can see who you are talking to. Many businesses have video meetings with several employees who are working from home or in separate offices. This is the kind of thing we only saw on a sci-fi movie or show a few years ago. But now, with home computers, laptops and smartphones, this is a common practice.

Families can even get together like this on holidays if they can’t be with each other in person. It’s not the same as getting a hug and communicating in person, but I guess it is a nice convenience if you want or need to use it.

Drones, once seen only in the imaginations of science fiction writers, are now a common part of modern life. Sci-fi movies envisioned flying machines used for surveillance, delivery and transportation. Fast-forward to today and drones are doing everything from package delivery and aerial photography (watch your local news) to disaster response.

Then there is 3D printing, which is a technology that feels pulled straight from the pages of a sci-fi novel. The concept of creating physical objects from digital files has been a fixture in science fiction, from replicators in Star Trek.

I did a story on this at the local community college a few years back when they were teaching this to a group of middle school kids during a summer program. The instructor demonstrated it for me and it blew my mind. Now you are hearing that they can make various items via 3D printing machines.

Of course there are now watches people can wear to monitor body functions like blood pressure and oxygen levels for our human bodies. This is something that can be good for medical purposes.

The doctor on Star Trek had a device that looked like the size of a small tape recorder. The Tricorder from the futuristic show was a handheld device for scanning, diagnosing and recording medical data. While it seemed like a far-off concept when first introduced, today’s medical technology is rapidly catching up.

Virtual reality was once a basic of futuristic gadgets seen in science fiction movies and literature. But now it is a reality for video games and movies. And this idea is advancing fast. This technology is being used in training pilots and the military.

I am waiting for the device that can beam you from one place to the other. Remember on Star Trek and the “transporter.” We can remember the line, “Beam me up Scotty.” There are places around the country and world my wife and I would like to visit. If we could do this we would probably give it a shot.

The dream of science fiction tech to reality is far from over. Our children and grandchildren have already been raised in a time where there are so many things we never had growing up. So it is hard to say what will develop in the future.

Until next time.

(Kyle Lovern is a longtime journalist in the Tug Valley. He is now a retired freelance writer and columnist for the Mountain Citizen.)