The robotic suitcase – the future of baggage?


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The ‘Hop’ suitcase uses triangulation between its three sensors and the user’s mobile phone to follow its owner around the airport.

If you’re tired of carrying or pulling your luggage around the airport, a novel solution could soon be available. ‘Hop’ is a suitcase that is currently under development and automatically follows its owner around thanks to three receivers that use triangulation to follow the signal of the owner’s mobile phone.

If the connection between the suitcase and the mobile phone signal is lost, the user is alerted by a vibration on their phone.

The developer’s website even goes as far as saying that as the suitcases can be programmed to follow one another, they could make baggage carts and conveyor belts redundant in the future!

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3 Comments

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  1. anthony

    The inventors are clever but not practical. The video is showing an empty space with one bag and one person, the reality of a jam packed airport with people practically banging into each other. The bag would be on its side in a minute. Furthermore, security remains an issue so a tether would still be needed to allow more than one sense monitor. At this risk of saying ‘who would need a personal computer’ I do not see this working anytime soon.

    • Brian

      Anthony, great points re: feasibility.
      However, innovations should be based on their ability to modify or transform experiences, behaviors, etc. for the better. This invention is great proof of what is possible and will excite others to build off of it. It will especially inspire some young people.

  2. patrick

    I like the idea, but what is the extra weight of the aparatus? As passengers we are ever so constrained with weight.