Hi! managers: A trek to discovery inspired by science fiction

If you're under 20 or have been living in a different galaxy for the last 40 years, you might not know that Star Trek is a series of American science-fiction television shows and movies set in the 22nd century.

What has impressed me about this bit of science fiction is how it either predicted or encouraged innovations. I am sure a "Trekkie" would be able to amend this list, but there are a number of innovations featured in the 1966-1969 Star Trek series that seem to have boldly inspired some products widely used today. For example, Bluetooth receivers (conceived in the mid 1990s) which look and function remarkably like Lt Uhura's in-ear communication headset. Or how about LCD and Plasma flat-screen television receivers, introduced in the early 1990s? They certainly seem to be the technology series creator Gene Roddenberry had in mind for "The Screen" in front of the Starship Enterprise's bridge, which was, well, a large, flat colour panel. Doctor McCoy's sick bay was replete with scanning equipment similar to today's magnetic resonance imaging machines, which first appeared in the late 1970s. The Newton (1992) and Palm Pilot (1997) surely emerged from Star Trek's "tricorder", and "clamshell" mobile phones (1996), most notably the Motorola Startac, were most certainly inspired by the handheld "communicators" which no Star Trek "landing party" could be without.

So what's next?

While we anxiously await teleportation, we're likely to see some of the following technologies hit the mainstream: wearable mobile communicators like the ones worn on the breast of Captain Kirk's uniform, video phones, voice recognition elevator interfaces, perhaps even a comeback of mod boots and miniskirts…

The real point of all of this is of course that innovation comes from active, well-rounded imaginations. Star Trek is only one instance of fiction inspiring reality. Jules Verne, Ray Bradbury and (let's hope) Douglas Adams have all invented on their pages what has or might end up chiselled from silicon or plastic.

If members of your innovation team need some inspiration beamed up, encourage them to curl up with a good sci-fi book or movie, or to listen to some of their kids' music. Nothing inspires cool science like exploring strange, new and optimistic art and literature. A good place to start might be the May 8, 2009 release of Paramount Pictures' latest Star Trek movie.

Live long, and prosper in 2009.

Paul Acito is managing director of 3M Thailand. Follow his articles every fourth Wednesday of the month.