Live Luggage is a small UK company that has invented a
power-assisted (PA) suitcase that promises to make wheeling your suitcase
around a breeze. Set for its global launch this Thursday (that is, tomorrow),
the mid-range suitcase packs a gamut of innovations in its 94-liter capacity.
Motors are built into the pancake wheels of the suitcase –
one in each wheel. However, the motors do not power up automatically but
instead use “force sensors” to detect a pulling motion, for example, when you
are twisting the handle, and then kicks into gear. This means that should you
accidentally drop or let go of your suitcase, it will not take off and zoom
away.
Another innovation is an adjustable anti-gravity handle that
diverts as much as 85 percent of the weight away from your arm and onto the
wheels, like a wheelbarrow. This reduces the risk of spinal injuries incurred
due to uneven load distribution, especially on ‘rough’ terrain like pebbled
sidewalks and steep gradients.
At 10.6 kg, an empty PA suitcase weighs 3 kg (or 6.6 pounds)
more than a standard luggage of similar capacity, but the company says a 30 kg
payload will probably feel like 3 kg when the motors kick into action.
Powered by a 12V NiMH (nickel metal hydride) battery pack,
that can be recharged in the same way you charge your mobile phone, the PA
suitcase can cover 2.4 km (or 1.5 miles) on a full charge of approximately 2.5
hours.
Each PA case comes with a unique registration code that lets
you locate your bag in the scenario of baggage loss, unless the person who
finds your bag is a keeper. There are instructions on the handle that directs
finders to a website, where they will be asked to enter the registration code,
and an automated email is sent to notify the owner of the luggage.
All these innovations come at a price though, and it’s yours
for ₤700 (or slightly over
US$1,300). On the positive side, everyone in your family can use the same case
on their travels – from your 6-year-old son to your 86-year-old grandma.
en.liveluggage.com
via Computer World