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Photo via Cowarobot

Robotic suitcase will follow you wherever you go

Traveling is now less tiresome.

 

Jam Kotenko

Tech

Posted on Jul 23, 2016   Updated on May 26, 2021, 10:03 am CDT

Going on a trip this weekend? Here’s a cool thing every vacationer should definitely have on their wish list: a travel bag that (almost literally) has a mind of its own.

The “Cowarobot R1” is a piece of luggage that uses a robot motion control algorithm to follow its owner wherever it goes. Equipped with advanced sensors that can calculate the best route for the bag to traverse and with the ability to move at a speed of 4.5 miles per hour, the Cowarobot R1 can actually out-walk the average person at a crowded airport.

Apart from being able to unburden your shoulders and hands from heavy baggage, the Cowarobot R1 has a lengthy list of other useful bells and whistles: You can charge your devices through the bag’s removable power source and then put them away in a hidden pocket big enough to store a laptop, among other things.

Cowarobot

You can safeguard your belongings using the bag’s GPS and proximity alarm, as well as an electronic lock that can be controlled via app. It even has a “find me” function that ensures your bag is always located where you can see it.

The travel case comes in four colors. The standard 20-inch carry-on size makes it the perfect bag to bring on the plane. It comes with a custom bracelet for its user that the bag auto-detects, ensuring that it moves within the bag owner’s immediate vicinity. It also has wheels that automatically retract when you touch the handle, as well as the ability to avoid running into dangerous obstacles while in motion. You can rest assured that your smartbag won’t topple over stairs or run over fellow travelers.

Of course, with travel convenience comes a pretty hefty price tag. The Cowarobot R1’s retail price is slated at $699. For the first 200 lucky customers who decide to pre-order a bag and pay $50 upfront, the smartbag is theirs for $399 instead. The pre-order discount will become available once the company launches its Indiegogo campaign for the bag on July 26th, and orders will be shipped out in October.

H/T designboom

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*First Published: Jul 23, 2016, 9:00 am CDT