# Which fictional technologies do you wish existed? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** star-trek-paramount\ **Created:** [January 2, 2026, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fictional-technologies-do-you-wish-existed/1026276 "2026-01-02T16:34:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2026, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fictional-technologies-do-you-wish-existed/1026276/61 "2026-01-04T17:47:03Z")
> [@Tzigone](#): > > I’d love a good “youthiify” tech - they almost always make you slim and toned and reverse damage done to the body - but offhand I cannot think of single fiction that had them without making them parasitic or destructive. “Elysium” had the medical beds that seemed perfect. But of course, only the elite could have them. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2026, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fictional-technologies-do-you-wish-existed/1026276/62 "2026-01-04T18:08:02Z")
I want lab grown body organs. Like yesterday. Hurry, Science…I’m running out of time. That time machine might help me buy some time. The Med-bed would be cool. As well. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2026, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fictional-technologies-do-you-wish-existed/1026276/63 "2026-01-04T19:24:22Z")
I’d worry if the Med-beds were programmed to treat “mental illness” like the auto-docs in Larry Niven’s Known Space series. Because it would be up to the machine’s creators and programmers to define what constitutes mental illness. Of course suspecting them of conspiracy would cause a diagnosis of paranoid delusion which the machine would “treat”. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2026, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fictional-technologies-do-you-wish-existed/1026276/64 "2026-01-04T19:25:51Z")
> [@Dandan](#): > > Prayer I can pray and in fact- due to the placebo effect, and the caregiver effect- it can even work. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2026, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fictional-technologies-do-you-wish-existed/1026276/65 "2026-01-04T20:15:22Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Cheap, clean, safe energy is far more useful than any wizz-bang techno-toys. This. What would be scarce in a world with replicators and teleporters? The energy to run them. Besides that, at my age I’d go to a lot of places if I didn’t have to drive or fly many hours to get there, so teleporters would be second. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2026, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fictional-technologies-do-you-wish-existed/1026276/66 "2026-01-04T20:36:49Z")
You win this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2026, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fictional-technologies-do-you-wish-existed/1026276/67 "2026-01-04T20:46:15Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > That would be useful (I mentioned “at least weakly-godlike AI” in my wish list. A top-class Mind fits that description.) > “Never forget I am not this silver body, Mahrai. I am not an animal brain, I am not even some attempt to produce an AI through software running on a computer. I am a Culture Mind. We are close to gods, and on the far side." (Part of) a favorite and relevant quote from _Look to Windward_. Note that at no point is it considered be be even boasting, much less exaggerating…just stating a fact. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2026, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fictional-technologies-do-you-wish-existed/1026276/68 "2026-01-04T20:48:29Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > We are close to gods, and on the far side. So, they have cow tools? ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2026, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fictional-technologies-do-you-wish-existed/1026276/69 "2026-01-04T20:57:00Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > So, they have cow tools? Tell them the joke and they’ll probably make some just to play into it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fictional-technologies-do-you-wish-existed/1026276.md?page=3)