We have all, at some point of time, faced issues finding our way through an airport. Whether it’s because it was our first time, or there were last-minute cancellations, delays, or gate switches; we have all found ourselves running around in circles forever. To avoid the hassle, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has come up with what could possibly be the world’s cutest blue robot that will help make that trip from security to your boarding gate a little less hectic.

The robot, called Care-E, will meet travellers at the security checkpoint and take them wherever they need to go with the carry-on luggage on its back. Though Care-E is the product of a Dutch airline, you won’t need to speak Dutch, or English, to operate the robot.

To start a trip with the robot, it will prompt travellers to scan their boarding pass through non-verbal sounds and cues on its screen. KLM will launch the device at New York’s JFK and San Francisco’s International airports before the company decides if it will provide the service elsewhere.

From there, according to KLM, the robot can carry up to 85 pounds of luggage and travel alongside at about 3 mph (the average human walking pace), so it’s probably not the best if you’re running late and need to dash through the terminal to catch your flight. However, if you’re early, you can use it for free with a two-day demo trial. KLM expects the robot guide to launch in either July or August.

The technology

The AI technology that Care-E deploys will help it access real-time data. For example, it’ll know if your gate changes and be able to redirect accordingly. The Care-E will be looped into a proprietary API for flight info and have access to a full GPS database of the airport as well. That means that if a traveller’s gate changes, the trolley will know and redirect to that location. A LiDAR sensor array provides collision and obstacle avoidance, while also mapping the environment in 2D. And because KLM wanted to make sure the Care-E is a safe trolley, there are a total of 8 Ultrasonic Rangefinder (five on the front and three on the back) for peripheral collision avoidance. An RGB-D Camera acts as the boarding pass scanner and handles the body detection and tracking. A majority of this tech is located on the front piece or the rear bumper.

Check out how it works-

There have been some companies before KLM who have tried to develop smart airport devices, but have repeatedly failed, mostly due to airport policy changes on batteries. For instance, smart luggage startup Raden announced in May that it had shut down. However, Care-E has an entire airport ready to support the device so it could have an advantage over its past competition.

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Many holiday travellers will go to extreme lengths to ensure their packed luggage is safe and secure – from locks to shrink-wrapping and cable-ties. While there are a plethora of smart locks in the market now, most of them are expensive and may even require WiFi, or at least some form of internet connectivity, to function. However, Australia-based AirBolt, with its new Bluetooth-enabled, remotely-controlled lock, is gradually changing that perception.

The brainchild of Kabir Sidhu, AirBolt does not require Internet, hence is suitable for deployment in many parts of Southeast Asia where Internet may not be the most stable, and in areas ranging from basements, to beaches and even mountains.

For passengers who check in their luggage, a disproportionate amount of their time from the airplane to the exit is often spent at the conveyor belt. According to SITA’s 2016 Passenger IT Trends Survey, while 88% of passengers are okay to wait 10 minutes for bag collection, sometimes these waits extend to 15, 20 or even 50 minutes at airports across Southeast Asia. This usually leads to anxiety and sometimes panic of bags being lost.

AirBolt: The Truly Smart Travel Lock

AirBolt keeps track of the distance between you and the lock to make sure you know where it is or can report its theft immediately. So, passengers will know when luggage is arriving, or if it has arrived already, and has been moved to another location. That range of distance also applies to security. Only the owner’s phone can unlock the baggage, within a specified range of the bag. AirBolt has also anticipated that one might lend out the lock, so it opens up access to an exclusive list of people and even change the settings to open it from abroad.

AirBolt has also anticipated that one might lend out the lock, so it opens up access to an exclusive list of people and even change the settings to open it from abroad.

Moreover, if your phone stops working, the company gives you the option to open it manually as well, with an optional passcode that can be entered by click pattern on the device itself. This also helps prevent unauthorized access to your luggage by someone who might have your phone.

For those worried about battery life amidst their hectic schedules of travelling, the lock is designed to have an eternal shelf life. It only needs to be charged once a year, but will last almost 500 charge cycles.

AirBolt iOS App

Track Log Info

You can see log info and check where and how the lock was opened

Location tracker

Track exact location of lock

Battery Status

Check battery status and play alarm to track AirBolt

And lastly, but most importantly, AirBolt stresses on its affordability factor. The lock works with most zipper sizes and is far cheaper than an entire smart luggage package.

Read more about the conception of AirBolt, here.

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We have seen plenty of smart luggage and smart backpacks and smart whatnot. We really like some of them as they simplify the job, especially when we have started travelling with so many gadgets and devices. However, this time we have learned about something even better. Something that could reduce the number of occasions when you have to use that smart luggage. Meet Unbound Apparel, piece of clothing that would let you go places without having to stuff your bags with lot of clothing.

The smartness of this apparel is what technology goes into developing the fabric. The Merino wool this range of clothing uses is claimed to be superior to cotton and synthetic fabric. It is naturally antibacterial, odour resistant and facilitates evaporation. The fabric is mostly used for high end athletic clothing and is suitable for a wide range of temperatures. It is breathable and light in warm conditions while being warming in low temperatures. To top it all up, it is also wrinkle resistant so you can easily stuff it into your backpack without having to worry about ending up with a wrinkled tee.

While developing the product, the company did a trial by wearing the jerseys for 46 days in a row without a wash in varying temperatures and also wearing them to sauna and gym. The fabric also has a tendency to dry out quickly in case you get caught up in rain. So you can just buy two of the tees and go places without having to carry any check-in luggage.

The tees are available in neutral colours like grey and black to appeal to a wide range of users and early bird prices start at USD 35. The company is raising funds on Indiegogo to go ahead with large scale manufacturing and they have already raised over 3.5 times of the USD 30,000 flexible goal with another 15 days left for the campaign. The team has previously successfully launched a range of socks under the brand name Hitsu. They start fulfilling the orders in September this year. You can find more details on their Indiegogo page.

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Smart luggage options are definitely making lot of news recently and are trying to replace our conventional bags. Most smart luggage options are utilising tech to simplify the life of modern traveller. But then these smart bags come costly and you can’t replace all your old favourite bags right away.

Australian startup Airbolt tries to add tech to those bags and have the essential features of a smart bag. They have developed a smart Bluetooth travel lock that can be used with any luggage and controlled using your smartphone. We spoke with Kabir Sidhu, the founder of Airbolt to learn more about the product:

Please tell us more about the idea, the project, the company

The idea of the AirBolt began with my own frustrations. I was travelling to the U.S. early last year and after a 15-hour flight, I arrived in my hotel room. Tired and just wanting to get some rest, I walked up to my suitcase and tried to unlock my combination lock. It simply wouldn’t unlock! No matter how many times I tried. I had even written my combination down just in case and phoned home as well to check. It was then I realised that the combination had been reset somehow. Oh, the frustration! Now just like most people, I did not have a bolt cutter on me and neither did I want to damage my suitcase to open it. So, I spent the next 45 minutes going through all possible combinations to unlock it. This got me thinking, there has to be a better way. I looked, and found there wasn’t. So I took it upon myself, to solve the problem. Hence, AirBolt was born.

It has now taken 1.5 years to get to the stage we are at now. We have a solid team, each with their own expertise and ideologies. We are dynamic, fun and of all different ages.

How did you fund the project?

I essentially bootstrapped the company. I have worked at another company full-time, plus had some reoccurring income from my previous business. I used the money together plus sold investments in order to put together the capital to ensure this company has solid foundations. Whilst it has been extremely long hours and late nights, so far, it has been rewarding in terms of the challenges and dynamics it brings to the table.

As an entrepreneur, what is your motivation?

I love seeing that the aspect of everyday work I undertake at AirBolt simplifies and enhances people’s lives. If I am making an impact of some sort in a positive way, then I feel a strong sense of satisfaction.  I believe that doing what you like in life, is always the best pathway you should take and this is the pathway I have chosen. It keeps me feeling fulfilled and challenges me to strive further.

How is AirBolt better than the other options on the market?

The AirBolt offers a whole variety of benefits versus other options on the market. It brings innovation both in terms of design and technology.

When you pick up the AirBolt for the very first time, it is nothing like you’ve seen before, yet when start using it, the operation is completely natural and intuitive. We have redesigned and re-imagined what a travel lock looks like and tried to break completely away from any generic designs we currently see out there in the market.

Current travel locks just offer one way of securing your luggage – simply by using the latch as it sits. With AirBolt’s patent pending design as seen below, you choose how to lock your luggage – meaning you can potentially even zip multiple zips with one lock.

When it comes to technology, AirBolt comes packed with many features. We are one of the first to adopt the new Bluetooth 4.2 protocol and new chipsets which offer better battery life and responsiveness. We actually plan to take full advantage of the protocols enhanced security and communication protocols in order to rapidly expand our network especially as it may allow us to create large mesh networks. Keeping with our strategy of reinventing the travel lock we made sure that everything we did aligned with this thought stream. One such example is with TSA. Whilst the TSA barrel still exists and requires a specialised key, it still activates the lock electronically with our new patent pending design. Why does this matter? Well, you can now just turn off TSA access from the app. Meaning that inserting and turning the key won’t activate the lock. Perfect for the times you are travelling to countries that don’t use TSA master keys at Airport security checkpoints.

Are there any advantages over full smart luggage packs?

As compared to other smart luggage packs, we fit all the technology into a small package. This means that you can make anything you secure with the AirBolt smart. Many people love the smart features available these days but have a ton of bags lying around at home ready to use. Well, with the AirBolt there is no need to spend hundreds of dollars on a new bag.

What developments can we look forward to in the future?

This is step 1 and I want to do much more for AirBolt. The climb up is a learning curve but I do believe I am ready for the challenge. Having said this, when I started AirBolt, I wanted to ensure that the technology we develop is versatile and adaptable to a whole set of applications. I can confidently say that we have achieved that. Not only can developers around the world expand the features to their liking, we’ll be expanding the product line as well. Adding “siblings” to AirBolt: The Truly Smart Travel Lock. What “siblings”? Well let’s say we have some really cool ideas but for now, we will have to keep it a surprise.

AirBolt has been raising funds on Kickstarter and will be funded on December 12. You can find more details about AirBolt here.

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With the increasing number of tech savvy travellers, we have recently seen a rise in the number of smart luggage options. Earlier we came across Bluesmart, which comes brimmed with technology, and Trunkster, a travel companion that brings innovation in terms of design. (Read: Meet the iPhones of travel luggage) Now another carry-on bag is making news all over and is raising funds on Kickstarter. This new carry-on is called G-RO and comes with a design suitable for a tech savvy traveller and can take up lot more abuse than the conventional carry-on bags.

Backers have already pledged over USD 1.6 million for this carry-on. This is the most funded luggage on Kickstarter beating Trunkster by a significant margin already. Add Indiegogo to the mix and Bluesmart still takes the crown of most funded crowdfunded project with USD 2.2 million raised but it might change in the 16 more days G-RO has got to raise funds.

G-RO has been designed keeping the modern traveller in mind. It sits within the size limits for airline carry-on luggage and uses the space inside efficiently. It has pockets on the exterior to carry devices like laptop and tablet easily. Just above that you will find the charging station so you can simply plug in your devices and put them in the respective pockets. The top of the bag also doubles up as a stand for laptop or tablet, something that might be useful in the airport waiting area. Inside they have added special pockets that you can use for your personal items.

The most prominent pieces in this bag are the wheels. Conventional bags come with small wheels that are fitted using multiple rivets. The G-RO however comes with large wheels that aren’t mounted at the centre. Instead they are large discs. Large wheels make it easier to pull the bag on rough surfaces and as the centre of gravity is closer to the wheels, it is much less effort. To further ease things for the traveller, it has got a handle significantly longer than the industry standards. To prevent the bottom from scraping on bad surfaces, the belly is arched and has been made of waterproof materials to keep the items in bag safe.

For added security, one can choose to get USD 99 optional electronic module which includes a 23,000 mAh battery, location tracker and proximity detector. This battery pack powers the USB ports included at the top of this bag.

You can find more details about G-RO on the Kickstarter page here. They are raising funds for another 16 days and you can pledge to get your hands on it early. Shipping is estimated to start around August next year.

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Remember the very first iPhones? We were very happy using our Nokias and Blackberrys and didn’t really think that they could possibly get better. Then came in the iPhone which completely redefined our expectations from a mobile device. It was a truly disruptive product and marked the beginning of smartphones as we know them today.

Likewise, there have been many game changing innovations in the travel industry. However, the travellers’ luggage has largely been unchanged barring few micro-enhancements. Apart from better materials and fancy designs, we haven’t seen something really eye-catchy in this space.

This might be a thing of the past, as multiple companies are now working towards changing our luggage to further simplify travel for us. We have picked two interesting products that started off as Indiegogo and Kickstarter projects and surpassed their goals by miles.

Bluesmart

If you are looking for a connected luggage, this could be a great choice. It leverages smart technology and design very well to make it suitable for tech savvy travellers without compromising on functionality of a conventional suitcase.

GPS Tracker

Has your luggage ever been misplaced or delayed by the airlines? With Bluesmart, you can easily keep a track of your luggage with its built in GPS. Bluesmart has partnered with telecom operators to add a SIM card that will allow your mobile phone to communicate with it. The price of SIM is included in the cost of suitcase so there is no monthly fee for you to pay. Thanks to the GPS, it also keeps track of how far the bag has travelled. They have also joined hands with Uber to deliver your bag just in case it arrives late after your flight.

Proximity alerts & Digital lock

Similar to the keyless entry system that you find in modern cars, the luggage can lock itself as soon as you move away from it. You can also manually lock it using the Bluesmart app that is available on iOS and Android. You will also be notified via text message so that you don’t accidently end up leaving your bag at the airport lounge or in your cab.

Weight scale

It also comes with weight sensors built into the handle and it weighs your bag when you lift it up. This helps you to ensure that you are not carrying more than what is allowed on your flight. According to Bluesmart, the system is around 90 percent accurate and they are further fine tuning it.

Power for your gadgets

Now that the bag is meant for tech savvy travellers, Bluesmart expects you to travel with multiple gadgets. That is why it comes with a rechargable battery of 10,000 mAh that can be used to charge your devices. This battery also powers the suitcase itself and it can last 6 months on a single charge.

Smart design

High quality polycarbonate and aluminium has been used in making the Bluesmart so that it remains light without compromising on strength. It also comes with special pocket to hold devices like iPad and laptop.

The Bluesmart is available at an exclusive preorder price of $395 (India is not on the list yet) if you order now. It is expected to retail for around $100 higher than the current price in future.

Trunkster

While Bluesmart tries to simplify travel with itechnologies, Trunkster adds fresh design to the equation. It dumps the conventional zippers that you find on bags and replaces it with a rolltop for easy access.

Zipper free design

Trunkster comes with a rolltop or sliding door. This is very far away from the conventional zipper design that has become the industry norm. They claim that it is very durable and the bag is impact and drop resistant. It is great since luggage is badly handled during flight. Eliminating the zippers also makes it less vulnerable to thefts as the hard rolltop door will make it difficult to break into.

Removable power bank

Similar to Bluesmart, the Trunkster can also power your gadgets. It comes with a power bank of 10,400 mAh that can be removed and used separately as well. You are not limited by the capacity of power bank as you can simply replace it with any other power bank if you need more power.

Weight tracker

Built into the wide grab handle are the weight sensors. So you can simply pick up the bag to see how much it weighs. It is surely going to save you from the extra baggage fees that you end up paying for carrying over the allowed limit.

Full width handles

Conventional telescopic handles usually eat up space from the bag and at times get into the way of packing. The Trunkster comes with full width handle that gives more control and doesn’t interfere with the packing space inside the bag.

Optional GPS

If you choose to pay another $40 over the price of bag, you can have a GPS device that can be added to it. It will allow you to track your luggage wherever it is around the globe. Similar to the Bluesmart, it complies with the airline regulations. In case of Trunkster, the GPS device is removable so you can choose to remove it when you don’t need it or maybe lend it to your friend for using with his bag.

The 22” carry on Trunkster is available for preorder at $325 ($105 peorder priority shipping charges for India). The GPS unit is available for another $40.

Both these bags come with some really fresh features that haven’t been seen in travel luggage until now. While the Bluesmart would be a good option for someone who travels with a lot of gadgets, the Trunkster presents a strong case for itself with the tough waterproof design and slightly lower price. The crowdfunding success of these projects is a clear indicator that there is a potentially growing demand for such products. This is just the beginning and we will see more such products in near future to help the connected traveller.

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