The suitcase of the future has finally arrived and this is one smart travel companion. Travelmate – a fully autonomous suitcase powered by artificial intelligence – is the brainchild of Travelmate Robotics, Inc. – a San Francisco-based startup hoping to make its working prototype “the first widely available and affordable robot companion.” Capable of moving vertically or horizontally at speeds up to 6.75 mph, Travelmate is a self-driving suitcase that follows you wherever you go.
Armed with state-of-the-art obstacle avoidance sensors and guided by the latest GPS chip technology, Travelmate moves seamlessly through airport crowds and shows you the way to your final destinations. If you have additional carry-on items or another suitcase in tow, just stack your belongings on top of Travelmate and let your stuff hitch a ride all the way to your airport gate. With a choice of three different suitcase models ranging from carry-on to a large suitcase, you can instantly upgrade the way you travel.
Travelmate’s Follow Me System ensures that your suitcase stays by your side, avoids bumping into people, and points you in the right direction. Equipped with a multi-colored lighting system, Omni-wheels for multi-directional movement and cutting edge machine learning technology, you’ll always know where you’re headed. The LED directional indicators tell you where to go and if you’re interested in hearing directions, just activate the built-in speakers. Whether it’s catching a flight, commuting to work, or simply heading into town, Travelmate is not limited to just airport logistics.
By simply connecting to Travelmate’s intuitive app, you now have a powerful robot companion capable of safeguarding your stuff while traveling to your next adventure. With close to four hours of battery life while in full autonomous mode (up to 100 hours in standby), you can transition from mobile luggage to manually carrying your suitcase by simply connecting to the app. Travelmate comes with three portable GPS chips to not only track your suitcase but for locating other valuables during trips. Think of it like a set of personalized beacons – keeping an eye on your most prized possessions.
Whether it’s the carry-on or the large suitcase, all Travelmate luggage is TSA-compliant. The touch-enabled lock system is an added security feature and can be easily overridden in case security wants to check your suitcase. With a built-in scale that can be calibrated in pounds or kilograms, you’ll never have to guess whether or not your luggage exceeds TSA carry-on limits. No more surprises about paying for checked-in luggage – you have the weight of your suitcase and the specific airline rate prior to showing up at the terminal.
Travelmate Logistics designed its smart suitcase to be way more than just autonomous-luggage-on-wheels. By simply mounting a 360-degree camera, you can transform Travelmate into a photo-opportunity or a live streaming video of your excursions. The San-Francisco robotics company is even considering integrating virtual reality technology – letting family and friends live vicariously through the experiences captured by Travelmate’s mounted camera.
With advancements in machine learning, Travelmate turns into an always-improving, highly-intuitive robot companion. By tracking itinerary information and personalized travel habits, Travelmate will someday be able to “provide travel suggestions, airport information, gate info, etc.” Travelmate is an open-source platform allowing developers to add even more smart features to its already impressive arsenal. From using Travelmate as a guide for the visually impaired to having it patrol your house with a 360-degree camera, the suitcase as we know has evolved into a personal robot assistant.
