Weird Science

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For nearly a century, Hollywood’s been teasing us with jet packs, talking cars and sexy androids. Thanks to a combination of advances in science, leaps in technology and an overabundance of nerds with free time, we’re finally just a whisker away from getting the high-tech movie toys we so richly deserve.

Jet Pack

Commuting to work via jet pack like George Jetson did in The Jetsons, will soon be a reality. The Martin Jetpack – 34 years in the making – is just two years away from hitting the shelves at a price of US$150,000. The V-4 two-stroke engine can fly for 30 minutes with a top speed of 74 kilometres an hour and an altitude of 1,000 heart-stopping metres. www.martinjetpack.com

Flying Car

Scaramanga eluded James Bond in The Man With the Golden Gun, by duct-taping a pair of wings onto an AMC Matador. The AeroMobil 3.0 takes a more holistic approach by building its flying car from the ground up, resulting in a flashy roadster that dramatically transforms into a flashy jet with a push of a button. www.aeromobil.com

Hoverboards

When Marty McFly leapt onto a levitating wheel-less skateboard to escape Biff Tannen and his gang of neon-clad punks in Back to the Future Part II, millions of minds were collectively blown. Carmaker Lexus makes this future a realty with the Slide, a hover- board that uses magnets and semiconductors to defy physics and mock the gods. www.lexus-int.com/amazinginmotion/slide

Self-Driving Cars

The Google Self-Driving Car isn’t as cool as Knight Rider’s KITT, but you’re no David Hasselhoff, either. Google aims to eliminate the No. 1 cause of fatal car accidents – us – with these electric cars outfit- ted with lasers, radar and cameras that continuously analyze the environment and conditions, and react to them faster than our feeble brains ever could. www. google.com/selfdrivingcar

Lust-Worthy Female Robot

The flirty robot in Metropolis looked like a female version of C-3PO. The Realbotix, from the makers of the super-realistic RealDoll, is a sexier, anatomically correct version equipped with artificial intelligence to follow commands and engage in conversation. Drop US$60,000 on this, and you’ll never hear “Not tonight. I have a headache” ever again. www.realdoll.com