by JAMES S. KIM | @james_s_kim
editor@charactermedia.com
Travelers rejoice—you may soon never have to worry about lost luggage again.
Travel luggage maker Samsonite is teaming up with Samsung to utilize GPS and computer chips to keep track of your bags the moment they leave your hands, according to the Daily Mail. Samsung will understandably provide the chips while Samsonite figures out a way to build them into their line of bags.
The concept of GPS-tracking chips isn’t original, as most of our smartphones (and now wearable tech) come with one. It was only a matter of time that a company would utilize the well-proven technology with luggage, but this “smart luggage” goes beyond just tracking where the luggage goes.
Through an app, travelers receive alerts when their luggage is unloaded from, say, an airplane and when they are about to appear on the carousel at the airport. Smart bags can also notify their owners when they’re being opened or moved beyond a comfortable distance from the owner.
There’s no release date as of yet, but it can’t be too far off. The Verge noted that NYC-based company Bluesmart unveiled its Indiegogo campaign back in October 2014 with similar “smart luggage” technology that also utilizes Bluetooth technology. The crowdfunding campaign for Bluesmart’s carry-on blasted past its initial $50,000 goal easily, topping the $2 million mark in just a few months. There’s clearly a demand for more smart luggage on the market.
Future iterations may also include smart bags that allow you to skip the check-in line, as they’ll relay their own weight and destination to the airline’s computer system. Samsonite is also exploring the concept of self-propelling smart luggage that follows its owner around, according to the company’s chief executive, Ramesh Tainwala. As of right now, though, the technology is too bulky and heavy for commercial use.
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