Travel has never been easier with smart devices, autonomous luggage and electronic bleeps to the brain
Technology is cutting the hassle of travel, from wristbands countering nausea to multilingual smartphones, sophisticated headphones and connected and autonomous luggage
Globetrotters know that behind the glamour of travel, there is always the fear of something bad happening when you are overseas … getting sick, losing your luggage or just having to deal with queues. But technology is increasingly allowing hassle-free travels.
First, a couple of things before leaving home.
The wearable Reliefband 2.0 is said to help travellers ease motion sickness without using drugs.
For those whose holidays are hampered by motion sickness, the newest wearable from Reliefband Technologies brings fresh hope. The wrist-worn Reliefband 2.0 was developed as a drug-free solution for controlling motion-related nausea and vomiting, so that sufferers can fly and cruise without feeling unwell, and also enjoy popular travel activities such as fishing, amusement rides, or VR gaming. It works by sending signals generated by the device through the body’s central nervous system to the higher emetic centre of the brain.
The wearable Reliefband 2.0 device is said to counter motion sickness by sending signals through the body’s central nervous system to the higher emetic centre of the brain.
Now, some tech to help while away that downtime at the airport. Unless you have access to an airline lounge, finding a charging point for your devices can be hit and miss. Smart luggage with chargers built-in sounds like a great idea, but be aware that, for safety reasons, certain models might be refused by certain airports or airlines.
Since January this year, the International Air Transport Association has ordered its 275 member airlines around the world – accounting for about 83 per cent of total air traffic – to only accept carriage of smart luggage when it’s equipped with a lithium battery that can be removed from the bag. Restrictions also apply to GPS tracking devices.
Smart luggage brands with removable batteries include Away, Barracuda, G-Ro, Raden and Travelpro – and if design matters, it’s hard to go past Arlo Skye, a start-up founded in 2016 by three Louis Vuitton
Arlo Skye’s Carry On travel bag offers charging ports for smartphones and Macbooks.
and Tumi alums. Arlo Skye’s new Carry-On model (shipping from May 2018) is a lightweight polycarbonate bag featuring two US Transportation Security Administration-approved combination locks, with no outer zips and two fast-charging ports, one of them a new USB-C for Macbooks. The portable charger is easily removed from the exterior, and the brand will offer upgrades to it over time.
Samsonite also has a handy new piece of smart travel kit in its new Spinner Underseater with a removable battery and USB port. Charge your devices and hold your on-board travel essentials in a stylish carry-all designed to fit under an aircraft seat.
Robotic suitcases such as the Travelmate are expected to be launched soon with navigation and voice-command electronics.
Sick of carrying all that luggage? Developers of robotic suitcases are working on that, too. Californian company Travelmate is taking pre-orders on Indiegogo for a suitcase that, it says, can follow its owner around autonomously, using sensors to navigate through crowds and obstacles “and other complex situations”. The luggage will eventually respond to voice commands and is compliant with airport safety requirements, according to the company.
