Robots...
Rosie, the maid, is a robot and robots are regularly used on the
show to complete daily tasks, such as cook & clean and help the
characters get dressed.
...In 2012
Honda's Asimo is the
most advanced robot to date, as it can walk, talk and interact with
humans. Such devices are becoming more popular when it comes to
housekeeping too, particularly with robotic vaccums such as the
iRobot Roomba.
Short workdays ...
George Jetson would regularly complain about his three-hour
workdays at Spacely Sprockets, where his main responsibility was to
repeatedly push one button on a large computer.
...In 2012
In the U.S. especially, workers are toiling longer than ever,
prompting the American Journal of Epidemiology to report the
findings of a
study that showed the effects can mean premature
heart problems. Many European countries have banned working for
more than 48 hours a week.
Trips to the moon...
Jetting off to the moon is no big thing, and in one episode Little
Elroy travels there on a Cub Scout trip.
...In 2012
Richard Branson is set to start offering "suborbital flights" via
Virgin Galactic, with several successful test flights completed,
while NASA is partnering with Elon Musk's SpaceX for commercial
missions. There's also a Spaceport in New Mexico, which is just
about complete and ready to host tourists who want to go into
space.
Flying cars ...
In the future, we wouldn't drive on roads, but in the air, the show
predicted -- in little aerocars with see-through bubble tops.
...In 2012
Engineers have been trying to get there for several decades, but as
we're closer than ever. The latest model is the Terrafugia
Transition, which can get up to 62 mph on the road, with its rear
wheels driven by a horizontally opposed four-cylinder Rotax 100-hp
engine. Of course the price tag is steep, somewhere around
$230,000. And
Popular Mechanics notes that the
"limitations remain enormous."
Video chat...
Rather than simple phone calls, the characters are regularly seen
using video chat, whether it be Jane speaking with her family or
George getting an unwelcome call from Mr. Spacely.
...In 2012
In this area, we seem to have already surpassed the expectations of
the Jetsons. Video chat tools such as Skype, Google voice, Facetime
and Logitech are regularly used in business and at home. And what's
more, their use isn't confined to a single monitor but can be used
from mobile devices. For many, it would be difficult to imagine
life without seeing colleagues or loved ones speak to you in real
time.
Pop star "Jet Screamer"...
In probably the best-known episode of the show, Judy wins a date
with her heartthrob, singer Jet Screamer, after a contest.
...In 2012
Pop idols are just as relevant as ever today. Women's lifestyle
blog ChipChic made
an
awesome comparison to our very own Justin Bieber. "There will
always be a need for teen idols, something Jet Screamer was more
than happy to provide in one of the early episodes. This was an
example of innovation in the real world, too -- the brief music
video for 'Eep, Opp, Ork, Ah Ah,' which is mostly made up of
graphics of the lyrics flashing on screen along with Screamer
dancing and singing, was an early version of the modern music
video, long before MTV even existed. Also, the catchphrase ('Baby,
baby, baby!') and the name makes Jet Screamer almost prophetic in
yet another way."