Time Capsule

Prompt: You must pack a time capsule to be opened 100 years from today.  What would be in it?  Also, leave a note to the recipient telling them something they wouldn't already know.

I have one thing that I would LOVE to put in this time capsule.  However, this item was not a piece that our society would eventually benefit from.

Dear Capsule Holder,

During my time, technology has evolved to a level where our daily lives have become one with it.

We rely on our Android & iPhones everyday - to tell us when and where we will be; to guide us to where we should be; to provide us a reminder of days past and present; and, to keep in touch with those we love and cherish in our lives.  We have televisions that we call "smart;" virtual reality ("VR") that can give us an experience that we could never imagine we would ever experience; and we have printers that can take an image on paper and make it real.

I can't imagine how many of these have been enhanced or even still exist in 2116.  Some may be in a continuous series (i.e., iPhone 200, possibly?); others may be extinct.  Whatever it may be, technology cannot always be successful.

Here is one of our most recent technology fail:

Hoverboard

The concept was great!  As a child, I enjoyed the idea of the "floating skateboard" that Marty McFly utilized in his 1950s adventure in "Back to The Future."  However, the thought of a product that I myself, or even my nephew, would use to maneuver around in, and then spontaneously combust, just doesn't fly.

It was an innovated product that foresaw the future.  People dreamt of "floating transportation" in 2010.  When this product came about, everyone was excited that this ingenious item was introduced.  The "Back to the Future" craze was discussed with the possibilities as to what our future may bring.  Despite that, our society never may be a feasible reality.

The Hoverboard brought on many problems.  One was the issue with the spontaneous combustion.  There were issues with the lithium ion batteries used to power these boards.  The issue here?  Nobody knew exactly what caused these fires.  Several of the instances occurred when using the device or even just plugged in, charging, at a mall kiosk.

Another problem was the design itself.  As you can see, it doesn't necessarily "hover" as the name implies.  The "self-balancing electric scooter" is considered a motor vehicle, just like a motorcycle (at least here in California).  There are many safety regulations and precautions that one must follow.  In addition, if you look at the design, it is very similar to a product that was popular a few years earlier, the Segway, but minus the handles used to move around.  Segway actually filed a patent lawsuit against Hoverboard (and other several companies that have similar designs).

Your generation may have bettered this product.  In the end, though, it isn't about what the Hoverboard has brought on for our society.  It is the need to understand that failures do happen.  Take this on as something to learn from.  Continue to dream the dream of making technology at its finest, but learn that failure often brings a lesson.  Take this on and succeed.

From 2016,
Marissa