Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 20/12/2016 (1984 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Imagine travelling, but your suitcase is carrying itself. And it knows where it’s going. And it’s taking all your candid trip selfies for you.
Toronto-based CEO of Travelmate Robotics, David Near, imagined it, and along with a team of robotics specialists in San Francisco, turned it into reality. The product is called Travelmate, and it’s the first fully autonomous robot suitcase companion.
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Travelmate Robotics plans to make lugging awkward suitcases through crowded airports a thing of the past with its new GPS-guided robot suitcase. It also has the ability to take pictures and charge electronic devices.
Travelmate is an all-purpose robot helper, says Near. It drives and follows you at a maximum speed of 10.8 km/h, navigating through crowds while staying by your side. It can function as an operator for your camera, a desk for your laptop or a charger for your phone. Like a car, it signals left or right when you’re about to make a turn.
The suitcase has a removable GPS chip that prevents it from getting lost or being picked up by a stranger. If it does end up following behind someone else, its wheels will lock as part of Travelmate’s security feature. You can also turn on a security alarm.
Its operating system is similar to what Siri is for iPhone, allowing the suitcase to respond to simple voice commands.
"Artifical intelligence as a vague term sounds very out there," said Near. "But it’s everywhere in technology. It’s just machine learning. So it basically looks at how Travelmate interacts with its user."
Near said he simply looked for a practical way to put an autonomous robot in people’s everyday lives. The idea of a robot is appealing, he said. But the challenge was making a robot with technology that is applicable to the lives of average consumers.
"(Travelmate) started because I travel a lot, and I know how much of a hassle it can be," Near said. "Especially if you have a family."
Near explains Travelmate as "a utilitarian envisioning of the all-purpose robot helper," that is often depicted in science fiction stories, but without the humanoid form.
So, why a suitcase?
"The suitcase could fit all the components into roughly five per cent of the total value," said Near.
"If you are maybe elderly or disabled, it’s great for carrying. Also, just, it’s a robot. But it carries all your stuff."
As it turned out, that was more than enough to win the support of online consumers. The Travelmate Robotics team started an Indiegogo campaign to fund the project, and reached its $5,325 goal on its first day. As of a couple of weeks ago, Travelmate had exceeded its fundraising goal by 604 per cent.
Near said he has seen four or five interested investors and has received requests from distributors in more than 30 countries.
Travelmate comes in three sizes: small (carry-on), medium and large. The prices range from approximately $530 for the carry-on to $795 for the largest. People who preorder a Travelmate on the company’s Indiegogo page by the end of the year can expect to receive their suitcase by June 2017. After that, Travelmates will only be available through distributors.
rebecca.dahl@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @rebeccadaahl
