Science Fiction Influences Technology Development

Check out this awesome photo slideshow from Smithsonian.com highlighting technological developments inspired by science fiction films, books and television shows.

In a way, this is a perfect example of the social construct of technology theory of technology and culture influencing each other.  In a nutshell, social construct of technology theory, or SCOT, argues that human action shapes technology.  Science fiction writers, or writing in general is a human activity inspiring the development of technology.

Some of the items on Smithsonian's list could definitely be debated, as can SCOT theory in general (which is the basic argument among modern media theorists) but in general, the article points out an interesting link between entertainment culture and technological development.

I bet you could find a million references to a small, square, touch-screen computer in science fiction books and shows from the pre-iPad era. :)

I wonder what the next one will be.

Motorola DynaTAC 8000 series cellphone from approx 1986.  Photo courtesy of Flickr user egdc32.