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October 19, 2016

 

While many advances have been made in air travel, there is always a feeling of dread when at the baggage carousel. Your bag hasn’t tumbled out of the chute and you start thinking about the items in your suitcase that should have been packed in your carry on.

Technological advances are slowly entering the airspace that can track your luggage and help lessen your anxiety. Some airlines have integrated a baggage feature into their apps that allows you to track your bag throughout your journey. This helps somewhat but the old technology of scanning the barcode only works if the label is not smudged, ripped or destroyed.

Delta Airlines has updated the technology in the actual baggage label by using embedded radio frequency identification (RFID). These chips are common and used by many shipping companies. The labels do not need to be individually scanned and can simply pass by a reader and be accounted for, helping to better locate lost luggage.

For travelers who prefer to carry on, there are still some new tech frills. A San Francisco company has developed a new robot that will follow you around the airport, controlled by a wristband. The suitcase has sonar so it can avoid obstacles and a sensor so it doesn’t fall down the stairs. It even has a special lock that interacts with the wristband to open your suitcase. These advancements in bag tracking technology help literally lift the burden of lost belongings, improving the overall travel experience.

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