Skin implants, flying cars most desired

Smart skin implants that monitor health and flying cars are among the technologies Britons most want to see become reality, a new study has shown.

Space tourism accessible to the average consumer and virtual holidays undertaken in virtual reality (VR) also featured among the most desired innovations list.

The research was part of a report by futurologist Dr Ian Pearson to celebrate the launch of Channel 4's new science fiction series Electric Dreams, which brings to life the work of writer Philip K. Dick.

Dr Pearson identified technological advances expected over the next 50 years, and asked consumers which they were most excited by.

Forty per cent of those surveyed said they would like to see smart health implants become routine - so that aliments could be automatically detected and diagnosed, while 28 per cent said they want to see flying, driverless pods eventually replace cars.

However, fears about some aspects of technology also remain.

Nearly a third of those surveyed said they were worried about a future zombie-style virus, while robot armies and never-ending lives trapped in virtual bodies were also cited as concerns.