There are a number of ‘smart ships’ sailing out there. Laced with all the luxury that one could think of for a fun-packed, utterly comfortable experience on the seas, these cruise ships are also loaded with technology. Take, for instance, MSC Bellissima in which each cabin boasts of a virtual assistant – similar to Apple’s Siri – that can help one navigate the humongous ship. Called ZOE, this virtual assistant can help one with reservations, tell what’s on the menu and in which part of their extensively elaborate restaurant, help plan an excursion, and pay bills. 

Power to the passengers

The pandemic had brought the tourism estate to a standstill, and this gave time to the cruise companies to up their game and provide a better, smoother experience to their customers. ZOE on MSC Bellissima is a cherry on top for on-boarders who now have tech-supported access to know the Bellissima that has a multi-purpose karaoke bar, comedy club, TV studio & Bar, an amusement park, and a sports center, water parks, 12 dining venues, and 20 bars. ZOE has been programmed to keep learning with every interaction, and if she didn’t immediately know a particular question – let’s say, which of the ship’s dining spots serves baked lasagna – she will adapt, learn, and will know next time. The ‘MSC for Me’ app is the platform through which the cruisers can access the facilities of digital technology that literally interconnects the guests, the crew and the ship, your time on board is in your hands. The easy-to-use interactive touchscreens around the ship, the In-Cabin Smart TV, and the app – all take the cruising experience to a whole new level.

Cruise ships are increasingly adopting Internet of Things (IoT) systems to support smart wearables on board. Cell phone connectivity is spotty at sea, and many people keep phones off to avoid expensive data roaming charges, making apps impractical for contact-free interactions, but IoT systems enable fast connections and data sharing even in the middle of the ocean.

Hassle-free modus operandi

As well as enhancing the passenger experience, the latest technology being introduced by the major cruise lines can ease concerns about health issues associated with close contact. Royal Caribbean’s seamless check-in is one example of the touchless boarding experience, allowing passengers to take a selfie and scan their passports. From there, Royal Caribbean’s partnership with Tascent Inc has resulted in a smart door device that can control access to a stateroom or common area using facial recognition. Enabled with a wide-angle camera, the smart device detects a person’s face in its field of view, uses facial recognition algorithms to identify the person, and unlocks the door if the person is authorized to enter. It eliminates the need to constantly carry a key card during a cruise. There’s also a robot-powered Bionic Bar, where robotic arms mix up custom cocktails, along with a skydiving simulator and North Star, a viewing pod that provides 360-degree views from 300 feet above sea level. You’ll also find RFID baggage tracking, state-of-the-art internet connectivity, and USB power ports in every guest room.

Tech-Providers penetrating the cruising business

TraceSafe, a global leader in location-aware Internet of Things (IoT) platforms for large-scale industrial and enterprise operations, were the one behind Royal Caribbean’s custom wearable devices and bands that are equipped with long-lasting batteries and RFID modules. MSC Bellissima’s personalized digital assistant service ‘MSC for Me’ is an innovation partnership with tech giant Samsung. Carnival Corporation — Princess Cruises’ parent company — debuted its latest open seas innovation: the Ocean Medallion, a tiny wearable device that will allow passengers to have a largely hands-free experience. Created with the assistance of the tech whizzes at Nytec, the waterproof device — which can be worn as a bracelet or necklace, on your belt or simply be dropped into your pocket – works a bit like your very own butler.

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It is being called the ‘Concorde of modern commute’. When Elon Musk first conceived the idea of shooting people through tubes at a whopping speed of 700 miles per hours, the chances that we’d be around to see it happen were slim. Until now Hyperloop’s leading start-up which has been renamed as Hyperloop One (formerly Hyperloop Technologies) is showing that it’s not all hype.

The Los-Angeles based start-up first demonstrated its propulsion system yesterday. A day before the company had closed a phenomenal amount of $80 million as its Series B round of funding. The new investors on the bandwagon include 137 Ventures, Khosla Ventures, Fast Digital, Western Technology Investment, SNCF, the French National Rail Company, and GE Ventures.

Hyperloop’s CEO Robb Llyod mentioned in a blog post last December that Hyperloop would have its “kitty hawk moment” in 2016, referencing the North Carolina site of Wright Brothers’ flight. This was a much clearer reference to a full scale , two-mile test, which would happen later this year. Wednesday’s demonstration included a portion of the pod travelling for five seconds at over 300 mph–and crash landing into piles of sand, since the brakes haven’t been built yet.

Either way, the analogy isn’t a far reality, if successful. Hyperloop one’s rail could revolutionise the way people commute. It is said to give a fully functional system of magnetic pods by 2020 with $20 being the cost of a 400-mile journey; San Francisco to Los Angeles.

Hyperloop is imagined to operate in a near-vacuum tube, which will drastically limit air resistance. This would eventually limit air friction enabling the pod to float above the set of powerful magnets travelling at 760 miles per hour, just below the speed of sound.

Video: CNNMoney

Hyperloop’s yesterday announcements included partnering with SYSTRA, a public transportation engineering company. The two will work together to study high-speed systems in France, Russia, and the Middle East, according to a press release. It is said to start working with Nordic company FS Link to create a high-speed rail system between Sweden and Finland. At an event in Las Vegas, the company also presented a handful of other big-name engineering and transportation companies that it’s partnering with, including AECOM, Amberg Group, Arup, Bjarke Ingels Group, Deutsche Bahn, and KPMG.

The $100 million in funding will help, but Musk has said the project will cost $6 billion, and some experts think the final price tag will be far more. There also will be plenty of political glitches to jump through and land to purchase en-route to completing the 400-mile track. Musk called this “the fifth mode” of transportation — after boats, trains, motor vehicles and airplanes.  The Kitty Hawk moment might not be here yet, but it’s coming.

Source: Inc

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