Technology from The Jetsons That’s Real Now

Once upon a time, the Jetsons television show gave us a glimpse of future technology. From flying cars, moving sidewalks, and robot maids, there is no question that the 1960s age of the Jetsons was a hopeful look at how our lives would improve with technology. 

By 1962, The Jetsons was a household name, and George, Jane, Judy, and Elroy’s lives in Orbit City in 2062 looked fantastic. While much of the technology featured on the Jetsons has come to reality, there are still things we’re waiting to see happen. 

20. Not Yet: Teeth Brushing

As part of his morning process, George Jetson has his teeth brushed by two robotic arms. Unfortunately, this technology has not yet arrived, so these menial tasks must still be completed under our own power. 

19. Not Yet: Space Rocket Helmets

In one Jetson episode, Jane and George spend time together using space rocket helmets to enjoy a night on the town. Unfortunately, this technology has yet to arrive in any meaningful way. We have rocket propulsion that can propel you underwater, but nothing above water. 

18. On The Way: Smart Shoes

During one episode, George tries on a pair of smart shoes that seemingly have a mind of their own. While smart shoes aren’t this smart (yet), Nike and other brands have installed sensors to help athletes improve their athletic training. 

17. On The Way: 3D-Printed Food

If there is one Jetsons technology the world would love to duplicate as soon as possible, it’s 3D-printed food. Ideally, the world would have the “replicators” straight out of Star Trek, where you say a food and it appears. However, 3D-printed food is likely our next step, but this tech still seems a long way off for now. 

16. On The Way: Flying Cars

Unfortunately, the idea of flying cars, while a work-in-progress, has yet to arrive. In The Jetsons’ world, flying cars were commonplace and felt as normal as vehicles with wheels do now. Still, the hope is that flying cars will arrive in the not-so-distant future to allow us to travel further in safer and more environmentally friendly ways. 

15. On The Way: Vertical Cities

Jetson’s Orbit City is raised high above the ground and is home to both homes and businesses. Today, giant skyscrapers are a part of cityscapes worldwide, but the idea of entire cities climbing high into the sky has not yet arrived. However, given the world’s overpopulation concerns, this reality might arrive sooner rather than later. 

14. On The Way: Kids Spaceships

In the show’s opening credits, George Jetsons sends his kids off to school in floating crafts that feel very much like drones. Modern technology hasn’t entirely made this happen with individual transport, but the idea of drones is very real, and there is hope that this technology will be the next step. 

13. Real: Digital Newspapers

One of George Jetson’s most important daily tasks was reading his digital newspaper. In many ways, this feels exactly like what the internet provides to people worldwide today. 

12. Real: Holograms

The Jetson family loved to welcome the holiday season with a holographic tree, a technology that at the time felt incredibly futuristic. Today, we have seen Michael Jackson and Tupac Shakur perform posthumously in holographic form. 

11. Real: Treadmills

In many ways, the treadmill is a technology that has been around for a while and it’s a concept the Jetsons put to good use. Without a lawn to walk the family dog, Astro, they would walk the dog on a treadmill floating in the sky just outside their family home. In addition, the family is often seen using moving walkways, something airports use all over the world. 

10. Real: Space Travel

In The Jetsons world, space travel wasn’t just a fantasy, it was a reality, and the Moon was a tourist attraction. In today’s world, space travel is in its infancy, but between Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, this idea is starting to become a reality, as long as you have the money to make it one. Alternatively, you can ask Dennis Tito, who funded his own trip on a spacecraft in 2001. 

9. Real: Smart Alarms

“George Jetson! George Jetson! It’s time to wake up!” was something viewers saw on the television show more than once. While the idea of a talking smart alarm might have seemed out of the ordinary in the 1960s, today, between Alexa and Google Assistant smart home products, you have more than enough options to get a smart alarm clock to wake you up with obnoxious noises. 

8. Real: Virtual Doctors

In one of the show’s episodes, Jane and Elroy have a virtual doctor appointment using a drop-down appliance from a wall. Telehealth visits are all the rage these days. This technology only accelerated in use during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially for older patients who were more at risk of illness upon leaving the house. 

7. Real(ish): Jet Packs

The Jetsons gave the world a glimpse at what jet packs could look like, at least in cartoon form. While this technology has yet to become cost-effective for everyday people to own, the concept is alive and well. Dozens of companies, including Martin Aircraft Company, are out there looking to perfect a mass-produced jetpack that will meet local laws.  

6. Real: Camera Pills

In one of the Jetson episodes, Test Pilot, George receives a command from his boss to be checked out by a doctor, which includes swallowing a pill with a camera. Today, medical technology, including products from brands like PillCam, offers similar technology that can provide pictures inside the digestive system. 

5. Real: Roombas

While Rosie did a fantastic job helping keep the Jetson family house in order, the family’s robotic vacuum did much of the heavy lifting. Jane activated this technology with just a button, and voila, a clean floor. In 2025, millions of Roombas will be in households worldwide, following a pre-determined path and keeping the floors clean every day. 

4. Real: Smartwatches

In the 1960s, the smartwatch concept, where you could call someone through a gadget on your wrist, was a wild idea that was just another far-fetched concept. Smartwatches have been around since the 1980s but came into their own with the April 2015 launch of the Apple Watch and later the Pebble. Since then, technology has only accelerated. 

3. Real: Video Chat

All too often on the show, we see George and his boss or Jane and George talking via video chat, which seemed nearly impossible with the technology at the time. Fast-forward to today, and you can find Zoom, Microsoft Teams, FaceTime, Google Meet, and dozens of other video chatting platforms available for any number of purposes, including both work and personal conversations. 

2. Real: Flat-Screen Televisions

During the television era of The Jetsons, televisions were large, had antennas, and took up plenty of room, all while having small screens. Today, flat-screen televisions, like those the world saw in the 1960s on the show, are a reality and the most common type of television. 

1. Real(ish): Robot Help

One of the best characters on the Jetsons was Rosie, the family’s housekeeper who takes care of every task the rest of the home’s technology can’t. There is a good chance that Rosie is one of the most remembered characters from the show for her quippy comments. While a robot with Rosie’s personality has yet to arrive, robot help in some capacity has been around since the early 1980s.

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