The Autonomous Cowarobot Suitcase is Both Ridiculous and Amazing
When people think of robotics specialists, they don't normally think of luggage makers. But San Fransisco-based company Cowarobot is most certainly both of those things.
At CES Asia earlier this year, the brand announced its first flagship product, the Cowarobot R1. Scheduled to ship in November 2016, the product sports minimalistic good looks and a feature your run-of-the-mill Samsonite would faint over — autonomous following with obstacle avoidance. Yeah, that's straight out of The Jetsons.
Seriously, see it in action:
So, how does this thing follow you around? There's an included wristband that looks like a fitness tracker and the R1 locks onto that. The handle packs all the fancy technology, which includes sonar for obstacles avoidance and a depth sensor so it'll never tumble down a set of stairs. Translation: this thing can seriously see and handle anything.
With a follow rate of up to 4.5 mph, it's far from being as fast as Usain Bolt, but it can still hang next to you with ease unless you hit traffic on the way to the airport and find yourself sprinting through the terminal like a mad man. There's even an adaptive handle that lets you switch between autonomous and manual modes. The R1 also has other bells and whistles, like a secondary storage compartment so you can easily grab your Kindle or iPad, and an embedded GPS so you'll never lose your gear.
One of the coolest features included in the R1 is its TSA-approved Co-Smart intelligent locks, where the aforementioned wristband can be used as a keyless remote. The smoothness of it all feels like it's straight out of a James Bond flick. Also included is a portable power bank, a nice feature to have, but it's pretty much standard issue with all modern luggage upstarts nowadays, so no biggie there.
Cowarobot isn't the only one trying to get into the smart luggage game. NUA Robotics, an Israeli robotics company, is producing a similar solution, though they are roughly a year from going to market. Mashable went hands-on with their solution, which looks far less impressive from both a design and maneuvering standpoint than what Cowarobot is up to in Northern California.
Sure, robotic luggage that follows you around is a little ridiculous and you don't really need one of these to travel well, but for anyone who ever hit an airport sans carry-on for a day trip realizes how relaxing it is to go completely hands-free when walking to your gate and snagging some fresh reads at the magazine stand. With the R1, you'll get some strange looks, maybe some impressed glances, but ultimately it'll likely boost your flying experience in unexpected ways.
You can still snag the R1 for a discounted $499 through Cowarobot's Indiegogo campaign. The company has racked up more than $300,000 as of this writing with a November ship date on the calendar. After the pre-order window closes, the price will jump to an MSRP of $699 per bag.
Exciting times we live in. Next stop, levitating luggage?
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.