Do you hate carrying your luggage at the airport? Are you sick of waiting in line and having to pick up your suitcase every minute when the line advances only 4 inches? ‘Tony’ the Robotic Luggage is willing to help with that.
Robotronic.ru have been working on a robotic luggage that will follow you around. This robot, named Tony, has enough power to continuously roll for 2 hours and during an incline. Its different infrared and ultrasound sensors can determine whether it has reached stairs or a balcony edge to require it to stop. These different sensors also help Tony avoid different obstacles and traffic.
This robot follows a card that you may simply place in your pocket. In case this card is stolen, Tony will let you know by an alarm that will go off.
Planned to be released in 2009, Tony has a preliminary price of approximately $2000.
Via: Geekologie
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November 16th, 2007 at 9:36 pm
No one on this Earth is going to let that through customs!
$2000? For luggage that is going to get you strip searched and carted off to Syria for ‘questioning’. lol.
November 16th, 2007 at 10:18 pm
Hi Stu8080, thank you for your visit.
You are right, customs will not let a huge electric box through. It rolls by itself…it will simply freak them out.
It is expensive, but we must remember that when new technology is introduced it usually is. In time, building it will cost less and then the prices will decline. I can see in the future a bunch of “Tonys” rolling around the airports and hotels. That would be a funny picture.
November 16th, 2007 at 10:20 pm
Why call it Tony? What about Carry?
November 16th, 2007 at 10:26 pm
Hi Wayne, good to see you again.
:). Good one…quick and to the point.
Tony does sound a little intimidating, but maybe that is what will get the obstacles out of its way.
November 17th, 2007 at 2:41 am
Sounds like a good idea for the “very lazy people” that cant kick-push their luggage while waiting in line at an airport. But lets be real, a luggage with “battery, wires, plugs, and adapters transformer” is more-likely going to get you randomly selected for a strip-search and possibly a re-direction from your destination - all for one cool low price
November 17th, 2007 at 8:36 pm
“Why call it Tony? What about Carry”
I can see the mis-print now!
Kerry tasered in airport.
November 17th, 2007 at 9:09 pm
Hi Supernu and rcopley, thank you for visiting.
@Supernu: This luggage, whether convenience or laziness, may bring up new problems…
Maybe they will allow the luggage through but require us to take our shoes out of them before!?
@rcopley: I could actually see that :)…but would it be a misprint or premeditated?
November 18th, 2007 at 4:41 am
Wow… that’s cool. But I agree, it should be called Carrie or Carry. That’s too funny! I’m sure it would be stolen though. I know it’s cynical, but it would definitely need something to deter people from stealing it. Schadenfreude and all that.
November 18th, 2007 at 7:54 am
Hi Neece,
With Carry or Carrie, we would not know the gender of the luggage…and we can’t have that happening
.
To deter theft, they make it respond to a card that will be in the owner’s pocket. If that card is removed, Tony will set his alarm off.
November 20th, 2007 at 6:20 pm
OMG what an awesome invention - could I have one for work which would carry my papers and laptop from the car too?
November 20th, 2007 at 10:20 pm
Hi Pete, thank you for your comment.
I am glad you like Tony the robot. People would probably end up modifying Tony to be able to do other things. It may end up like the female Robot from the Jetsons, cleaning, cooking, bringing your drinks to you…and more.
November 21st, 2007 at 5:18 pm
I would be a little worried about how much you could fit in there with all the equipment taking up space… and what about the extra weight?
also i can’t stop thinking about that one episode of red dwarf
“yes hello have you seen my owner, 6ft mousey hair?”
“no”
“oh well thanks anyway…i bet they sent him to the wrong bloody airport again”
November 21st, 2007 at 8:49 pm
Yup..I agree with Jake..how about the weight?..I’m sure it is a little more heavier than the ordinary luggage..especially with those wires and power source.
November 21st, 2007 at 10:55 pm
Hi Jake and Joy, Thanks you both for your visit.
The weight matter is definitely going to be a major issue. In order for it to be able to carry a lot of weight, it must be installed with major hardware.
I wonder how this issue will be tackled.
February 16th, 2008 at 8:30 pm
[...] could always wait for Tony, the robotic luggage to come around and help us or use the RoboPorters in [...]
February 17th, 2008 at 2:13 am
How will the robot know if the card is stolen?
February 17th, 2008 at 8:58 am
Hi Jim, thank you for your visit.
True, there is a security problem in case the card is stolen. But if you keep in your pocket, then you would need to guard it as you would your wallet. It seems it would need the same security measures as we are accustomed to.
February 18th, 2008 at 2:15 am
Isn’t that a bit risky? If you lose your wallet, you lose £40 and have to cancel your credit cards. If you lose your suitcase, you could lose a lot more… Surely a more sensible thing would be to have it on a leash of sorts? A small touch pad, to manoeuvre it. Eliminates the problem of security. You can only lose the suitcase if you physically detach the pad. I would suggest a wrist strap. However, if you pull out your wallet and drop the card, without noticing, you’ll leave the bag, without noticing, before it is too late.
February 18th, 2008 at 2:04 pm
Hi Jim,
The company mentions that an alarm will be provided with the card, in case it is stolen. I am not sure how this will be implemented, but perhaps there will be two “separate” cards. If one is stolen and is apart from the other (for a predetermined distance), then the alarm will sound.
If I find out what they mean by alarm, I will update in a comment.
February 18th, 2008 at 10:06 pm
That makes sense…
Sounds like a good idea then.