12 amazing projects from companies like Google, Facebook, and Microsoft that will truly change your world

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The technology your kids use in their everyday lives is going to be drastically different than what we use today.

And we can already see hints of that world today through some of the far-out projects that the big internet companies are currently working on.

Here's a look at the often sci-fi projects that will change the world as we know it.

Space travel beginning in 2018, thanks to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos' rocket company Blue Origin and Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic.

Now that Jeff Bezos' space-flight company, Blue Origin, has had some successful test flights (after a first one didn't go so well in 2015), he's talking openly and excitedly about the company.

If things continue to go well, he expects to start testing manned space flights in 2018. Meanwhile, Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic has sold tickets for its six-passenger, two-pilot SpaceShipTwo for $250,000, and expects to start testing manned flights in 2018, too.

"Blended reality" thanks to Microsoft

Microsoft Hololens projects holograms onto the real world around you. Those are 3D images you can interact with, manipulate, almost as if they were real. Once you try it, you realize the power of this idea.

And organizations like NASA, Saab, and Japan Airlines are already building apps for the device and testing it.

"Virtual reality" thanks to Facebook's Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear, Google Cardboard.

Beyond HoloLens is "virtual reality," where you step into complete imaginary worlds. Turn your body around. Look up. Look down. You have stepped into another place limited only by the imagination of the programmer.

Again, try it once, and you'll see this is the future, not just of video games and interactive movies, but of our work lives.