A recent email I received from Avatar Polymorph:
MINORITY REPORT - TECH CRITIQUE
I have just seen the movie finally and found it of interest. Disregarding
the merits of the short story, the notion that sf must always focus on one
idea at a time and the central idea of precognition and the precogs, I
thought a few comments on the tech background might be of interest.
- The "ironic" reference in the newspaper headline to the breakthrough in
molecular nanotechnology in the particular year of the movie (in the 2050s)
sidesteps too much speculative tech in this area in terms of the movie. Of
course, molecular nanotech already exists so we presume the writer is really
referening to intelligent or programmable molecular nanotech including
supercomputers and self-replicating nanotech and assembler nanotech.
- Much of the tech is standard off-the-shelf notions that already exist.
Digital paper (for posters) is in existence, jetpacks are around (including
in different forms to the 1960s-style backpacks), genetically engineered
plants are in existence and the eye-reading devices that enable ad-response
are here now.
- There is a lack of understanding of the import of some of these things. It
is unlikely that the newspaper will still be paper and delivered as featured
in the movie. The moving digital magazine cover in the movie is presented as
though the magazine itself were fixed. The notion of the blank
book/newspaper which is downloadable is not there.
- The computing industry is almost not present in any sense, despite the
silly computer screens and supposed holographic effects. Apart from some VR
games and implied car guidance, there is not indication of real computing
power. For example, the jet packs are not shown to be computer assisted.
- The robotics/automata industry is almost not present in any sense, despite
the outdated scene in the car factory and the spider-identifier machines.
- The health industry is almost not present in any sense, despite the silly
computer-assisted eye transfer operation (rejection is not a problem). For
example, there is no reference to grow-your-own organs... There are
neurological interfaces (?) of some sort - "brain readers" - but the
implications of these are not fleshed out. Wrinkled skin is ever-present!
There is a reference to there being no cure for the common cold - a bit sad
really considering there has been one for some time now and it is actually
on the market (flu viral blocker) and has been on the tv news.
- The MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) industry is almost not present
in any sense - unless of course the "impact" guns are MEMS derived... more
probably they are special-effects derived [still, in reality there will be
lots of MEMS weapons applications]
Conclusion: Regarding background tech, this is a movie addressed to
suburbia, to make them come to terms with what was happening in 1990.
