9 cool gadgets that will revolutionize the way you travel
In the next 10 years the technology that
surrounds us will not only become part of our lives, but it will also impact
our future travels.
As our report on the Future of Travel explains, in 10 years’
time we’re very likely to have a “Digital Travel Buddy,” a high-tech companion
that goes everywhere with us and knows what we want and desire, thanks to
Artificial Intelligence. These buddies could very well take the shape of a
smart watch or a small piece of jewelry. And they’ll personalize our travel
experiences.
The cool thing is we don’t have to wait a whole decade to see
the future of travel. There are currently plenty of futuristic gadgets you can
try out – and more that are being tested or designed right now. These are the
10 gadgets that will help make the Future of Travel an entirely new experience
for all of us.
1. DESTI
DESTI’s a conversational travel app from the SRI research
institute. That name might sound familiar to some folks out there because
they’re the team that developed Apple’s Siri system. This app will be able to
track down relevant online travel reviews and comments based on past
preferences and searches of its user. That basically means if you’re more apt
to travel with your family, then you’ll get a selection of reviews on
family-friendly hotels or activities for everyone to do at your selected
destination.
2. GOOGLE GLASS
These camera-enabled smart glasses from Google are set to hit
the mass market and will be shipping 6.6 million models a year by 2016. They’ve
begun to show us how to see the world through another lens, and while there
aren’t many apps to be used on them at the moment, there’s no denying the
potential. Maybe 10 years down the line we’ll use them to enhance our travel
experience in whole new way. Some even say that microscopic bendable circuits,
like the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology developed, could be implanted
into a contact lens by the end of this decade.
3. SAMI
Samsung’s Interactive Artificial Intelligence (SAMI) will
monitor the lifestyle and health needs of its user automatically by plugging
into the aggregated knowledge of smartphones and wearable devices that will
exist by 2020.
4. CORTANA
Fans of the “Halo” video games have been waiting for this one.
Microsoft’s currently developing Cortana, a voice-activated personal assistant
that might bring up memories of Master Chief’s partner in crime or Samantha
from Spike Jonze’s film “Her.” The interface will be human-sounding as it scans
our online searches, cross-reference our food, travel and hotel searches and
then use some predictive algorithms to make suggestions that are tailored to
our needs, likes and price range.
5. I-FREE’S ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
I-free is a Russian innovation brand that’s designed an
artificial intelligence system that will process a listener’s question and give
appropriate verbal answers in a split second, allowing their bio-robot Frank to
hold a meaningful conversation with a person.
6. SMART WATCHES
The first generation of smart watches is already here for us to
enjoy. The most popular versions being the Sony Smart watch, Samsun Galaxy Gear
and the Pebble. All of them are wristwatches that boast smartphone
functionality to check your email, send messages and more. Oh, and they can
still tell the time.
Hewlett Packard is currently developing a next generation smart
watch that will understand its user’s hand gestures and allow him to project
and manipulate 3D holographic displays like Tom Cruise did in "Minority
Report."
And be sure to stay tuned for the much rumored i-watch from
Apple…
7. REALSENSE 3D CAMERA
The REALSENSE 3D camera by Intel is a perfect example of how
technology can recognize and respond to human emotions, which is expected to be
common in travel gadgets in a few years. This smart gadget identifies the mood
of users through their facial expressions and body posture. It’s also able to
understand and respond to spoken requests.
8. VIRTUAL REALITY HEADSETS
Headsets like the Oculus Rift VR from US start-up Oculus VR is
the predecessor of Virtual Reality devices travelers will use at home to sample
experiences from a wide range of vacation choices in stunning 3D. It combines
smartphone tech and motion sensors to give users an experience that is quite
similar to watching something on a never-ending IMAX screen.
A device designed by a team at the Vienna University of
Technology has allowed users to walk through labyrinth that seems to go on
forever, but they’re just walking around in circles in a small room.
Researchers are aiming to have multiple users experience it at the same time
without bumping into each other by adding motion and proximity-sensing
technology to the device.
9. SENSORIAL TECHNOLOGY
Haptic technologies have given a sense of touch in some devices
we use today. But they’re going to add another layer of realism to the Virtual
Reality experience. Several brands are developing touchscreens that will let
you feel virtual 3D objects or fabrics – Disney’s REVEL touchscreen and Lapan’s
Tachi Lab’s TECHTILE toolkit are just two examples. Just imagine the ability to
feel the sand between your toes with these devices.
These are just a few of the innovations we can already begin
trying out that will evolve and make our travels in the future dramatically
different. And many more will be coming along soon.
Any future devices you’d like
to make your future vacations better? Sound off below.
