Futuristic renting – a classic sci-fi film wish list
There’s already an app for pretty much everything, cleverly making even the dullest of duties like banking, paying for utilities and grocery shopping swishily efficient, so what’s next? There is more clever technology in our lives than ever, from the touchscreen devices we all now take for granted to driverless cars and nanocopters, but where are all the cool gadgets and systems promised us by all the classic futuristic films? Seriously, how can hoverboards, robot assistants and space food not have caught on?!
Moving home is one of the most stressful things we do, so harnessing future technologies to make the whole process easier, smoother and more fun could have a massive effect happymaking effect on society.
Sit back, suspend your disbelief and and picture the scene:
You’re searching for a new place to rent, so you log in to a central system where all available local properties are listed clearly and removed the second they are rented. Estate agents have been replaced by WALL-E-esque robot representatives who you upload your renting requirements to. They’ll never forget them and will always be polite and truthful – no condescension, lies or playing you off against other potential tenants and they’re so darn cute that dealing with them is a pleasure every time.
Take advantage of the complementary driverless vans that landlords are required to provide for their new tenants, complete with a fleet of robotic removal drones. They’ll keep moving day spirits up by blaring out your favourite music and boogying along between lifting boxes while you relax with a calming cuppa.
Once delivered to your new apartment, your personal robot butler will set up your new bed for the night and fetch some dinner, either a delicious rehydrated pizza or something a little more healthy, delivered by robocopters. The video walls can deliver any film or TV channel you’d like (or just some pretty visuals for an exciting view) and the apartment’s central computer can change the colours of walls, floors and ceilings in a second (just don’t call it HAL…).
In this brave new world, no-one owns their own vehicles. It’s cheaper and easier to hail an air taxi, arriving at your destination via a multi-level superhighway. Just pay via your multi pass (actually coming soon to London and Glasgow!)
You do have to be careful not to let all this computer wizardry ruin the best bits of life – human relationships. Flatsharing can still be fraught with emotion but new-fangled self-cleaning windows and floors and your aforementioned robotic butler on hand for washing up, ironing and such really helps smooth the way to a calm home life. If things still go badly at least Lacuna are on hand to erase the worst memories, but we don’t recommend more than a couple of visits.
Your fitness levels might take a beating as you adjust to this comfortable new way of living, but optional moving floor sections give that gym bunny treadmill effect right in your own home (handy for dogs, too!).
Can I have my hoverboard now please?
Image via JL Watkins.
