In 1989, Back to the Future came out in theaters and changed society's perceptions of technology and the possibilities for the future. Last year on October 21st, people around the world celebrated the day that Marty, Jenifer, and Doc "time traveled" to in Back to the Future 2. There existed quite a few unique technology predictions in the 1989 movie, but most of them weren't too far off. From 3D printers to eye-recognition security, here are eleven futuristic technologies that exist today.
1. Hoverboard
In Back to the Future, the hoverboard Marty rides has the ability to go over water, and is completely without wheels. The commercially available and common "hoverboard" today has wheels, however there are several hoverboards close to the production stage that are completely wheel-less and may be seen within the next few years.
2. Flying Cars and Self-Driving Cars
Self-driving cars have hit the streets around the globe and are not too far away from becoming commonplace. Their safety rates and predictability abilities are unbelievably high, with the ability to eliminate human error. Just a few years ago, it was unthinkable to have a car without a driver.
Like the flying car in Back to the Future, flying cars are being tested and one will be available to purchase next year in 2017. Now that is crazy.
3. Nissan ProPILOT Chairs
Nissan has released a technology that takes waiting in line to a whole new level. These chairs automatically move and adjust to allow waiting customers to sit and arrive at the front of the line when their turn comes. The front chairs loop to the back once customers have gone in to make room for more customers to enter the line. This invention takes laziness to a whole new level.
4. NimaSensor
Named one of TIME's 25 best inventions of 2015, this unique device has the ability to detect gluten in both liquids and solids in under 2 minutes. Gluten-free eating is a modern social and health movement in which 77% of participants report having difficulty finding gluten-free foods. This sensor is a modern solution solved with technology, a futuristic model for more widely pronounced problems in the world.
5. TZOA Air Quality Monitor
Global warming is the largest environmental problem we face today, and possibly the only one that most people know of. There are so many micro-factors that control an environment that the general population is unaware of. In a world where the environment is growing increasingly important to protect each day, and there is not widespread access to air quality monitors, these little devices are the future of the environment.
6. Lockitron
Locking a door is one of the most basic things to do. However, it is something that people tend to forget and when gone, it can be an inconvenience to turn around just to do this simple thing. No need to worry about losing your keys anymore when this technology can allow you to lock your door remotely with a click of a button!
7. EyeLock Myris
In addition to remote door locks, completely automated security systems are taking over the market. A more futuristic example of automated security are government-grade iris scanners. EyeLock Myris is just one of the many highly protected security devices designed to use an extremely unique "password" to log in to accounts and computers. 
Eye scanners are no longer just for top-secret government operations, they are now available for use on your home computer.
8. C-Pen Digital Highlighter
Highlighting is made easy with this pen that takes writing and automatically uploads it to your personal computer. There are similar pens made as portable dictionaries, to record voice memos, and one made specifically for users struggling with dyslexia or learning a language. These pens change the future with the ability to make easier the life of those with a disability, making student's live's more convenient, and connecting the world with language-teaching configurations.
9. Prosthetic Arm Controlled By Thought
"Back to the future has begun!" - Johnny Matheny, the first man to use a prosthetic arm controlled by thought. By attaching his nerve endings to a robotic device and programming the device to respond to his thoughts, Johns Hopkins researchers have developed and implemented the first thought-controlled prosthetic limb.
10. 3D printers
3D printers are a mind-blowing, perception altering device that can print lots of things from food, to clothes, to plastic products. 3D printers have become common in universities and companies around the world, creating the future (literally) each day.
11. Virtual Reality Headsets
Virtual reality is software that bring a real or imaginary setting to you through generating images, sounds, and even smells to replicate the environment. By wearing a headset, users can "transport" to another place and time and use their bodies to move around in the environment. A similar technology is X-Box Kinect and other similar video game consoles that capture a player's movements and use them to control gameplay. So long, remote controllers!
Technology is continuing to make lives easier and better, and more creative inventions are being made each day that shape the future. The exponential growth of the tech world makes ideas thought unrealistic not long ago, everyday realities.The future is now! With flying cars and hoverboards, featured as futuristic and impossible things in just 1989, becoming realities now, who knows what the world will be like in another 25 years!
