Image via Complex Original
You don’t have to wear a mask or a cape to save the world—just ask James Bond. So if 007 won’t sacrifice style for substance, why should you? With the new LG G Watch R smart watch on our minds, this got us thinking: What are the best wearable tech devices from movies that we wish were real? While they may not be as stylish as the wristwear that LG is bringing to the table, they did spark our imaginations when we first saw them.
Power Morpher
From: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie
Year: 1995
What child hasn’t dreamed of having his or her own Power Morpher? First of all, they are the coolest belt buckles, by far. But truly, the cherry on top of the cake is that the Morpher could transform a Ranger into his monster-fighting costume, and provide extra speed and strength—something a lot of us could’ve used on the playground.
Gadget Copter
From: Inspector Gadget
Year: 1999
Despite having to wear a pretty unfashionable hat all the time, the Gadget Copter could come in handy. Imagine any embarrassing situation, then scream “Go, go Gadget Copter!,” and get whisked way instantly by a helicopter hidden in your fedora. Late for a meeting? “Go, go Gadget Copter.” Want to impress your science teacher who said you’d never invent anything worthwhile? You know the drill.
Liquid Breathing Apparatus
From: The Abyss
Year: 1989
James Cameron’s films always have interesting elements, like becoming an Alien race through science in Avatar or falling in love with a poor boy in Titanic. The Abyss is about scientists using a liquid breathing apparatus to dive deeper than ever before. The substance that the diver takes in is an oxygen-rich liquid (like fluorocarbon) instead of air. The idea of using this has inspired scientists for not only underwater exploration, but for space exploration as well. Wearing one of these bad boys seems pretty uncomfortable, but being able to see the monsters of the deep seems like a thrilling adventure.
Glove-Controlled Touch Screen
From: Minority Report
Year: 2002
It may seem outdated now, but in 2002 this was the future, my friend. It’s like an interactive tablet times 1000, and with cool flashy gloves. Yes, we live in a wonderful time with innovative technology. Our phones are touchscreen, our laptops are touchscreen; if something isn’t touchscreen we still tap it and are embarrassed when nothing happens. We guess that we just thought there would be more flashy clothes to go with our computers? Light-up gloves? Some hoverboards? No?
Grappling Hook Watch
From: The World is Not Enough
Year: 1999
Grappling hooks are real, but this is 2014, so we demand a watch that shoots it out and attaches itself to a secure surface. Then, it has to lift us, as we cannot simply climb a rope to the top of a building—we couldn’t even do that in gym class.
Jetpack
From: Jingle All the Way
Year: 1996
People have been promised jetpacks since the invention of the science-fiction genre. Where are they, science? This should be the number one item on LG’s Cyber Monday deals next year. It can’t be that hard to just strap some highly explosive materials to the back of a person to project them into the air.
TV Glasses
From: Back to the Future
Year: 1985
You have to sit at the dinner table with the family, but your favorite program is on? TV glasses. You can wear them anywhere: church, school, on the bus. It’s like a cooler version of Google Glass where you don’t have the option to look someone in their eyes. They’re a kid’s dream.
Scramble Suit
From: A Scanner Darkly
Year: 2006
A scramble suits creates an ever-changing image of a person. It flies between men, women, children, with every hair color, eye color, race, and voice, so you could never pinpoint who, exactly, you were talking to. In the movie, set in a police state, they’re used by higher officials, so people cannot recognize them as they attack.
In real life, they’re basically the trolls of the Internet, commenting without a care, because no one knows who they are. The scramble suit could be used for good, but most likely, it’d be used for the annoying or evil.
Memory Cloth Cape
From: Batman Begins; The Dark Knight; The Dark Knight Rises
Year: 2005; 2008; 2012
Batman has a lot of gadgets that most would be happy to get their hands on. However, his cape isn’t often referenced. A lot of people assume that it’s just a fashion point—the highlight to his ensemble. Except, when an electrical charge from his right glove runs through it, it becomes a shield, and it can become so sturdy that he can glide without a care.
Iron Man’s Suit
From: Iron Man
Year: 2008
Is this cheating? Nah, it counts as a wearable technology, right? It’s custom-fitted robot armor. It can fly, shoot lasers, and take on a crazy amount of blunt force. It’s the perfect gift, really. Who has one of these besides the richest man in the world, Tony Stark? “Dear Santa, this year I want…”