The Internet of Moving Things

When I worked in my last role, I had the opportunity to attend a meeting with a guest speaker discussing virtual and augmented reality and their uses in the retail space. The commercial real estate team at the time were very keen on the idea of technology platforms to sell projects - they had just piloted a smart building sustainability project in Paris - and were dreaming of the possibilities of virtual showrooms that clients could experience.

In a fantastic article by Dan Saffer of Fast Company, it now appears to me how old fashioned the whole idea was: our experiences moving forward won't be in physical locations, even if they are enhanced with clever digital services, they'll be travelling with us in our wearable technology and smart devices at our beck and call. As Dan says, our connected devices will not only talk to us, they'll talk to each other to make our lives easier.

When we first discussed the idea of "moving through space with things" the idea that immediately came to mind was that of smart luggage. Not the kind of luggage that obediently tells you where it is and charges your power hungry phone.. no, i'm talking about luggage that knows more about your travel plans than you do.

Luggage that can not only help you pack it - have you remembered your toothbrush? your boarding pass? are you within your weight restriction? are you really going to wear that?! - but also provide travel information, weather updates for your destination, flight statuses, and even take itself off to the airport should you wish.

This wouldn't be your usual nondescript black suitcase on wheels either. This luggage would be expressive - lights, sounds, wraparound moving images - and invite curiosity and communication with other travellers. It would be socially augmented luggage.

Of course the purpose of luggage until now has been to safely carry your private possessions from A to B. Such an expressive piece of kit raises questions about privacy and security. Do you really want your luggage advertising your destination? Would you be happy sharing your flight details and boarding pass with a movable object? and are you going to feel completely secure loading it up with all your holiday clothes and sending it on its merry way down the street?

Maybe, while your enjoying your in-flight meal, your luggage is down there in the hold swapping cringeworthy gossip about your holiday with all the other travel bags..