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New technology connects cities with real-time digital 'portals'

June 07, 2021
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2 min read
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New technology connects cities with real-time digital 'portals'
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While travel is still heavily restricted, the cities of Vilnius, Lithuania, and Lublin, Poland, have become better connected through means of technology. New digital portals allow those in both cities to view a real-time glimpse into each other.

Developed by Portal, the two circular "doors" have been installed in both city centers. Near the main Vilnius train station, Portal's real-time look-in allows Vilnius residents to interact with people on the main square in Lublin, Poland — a city more than 370 miles away. The portal uses a large screen, cameras and a live feed, and the initiators definitely did not hold back on the futuristic design.

The new 'portal' allows you to interact with people in Lublin, Poland. (Photo courtesy of Go Vilnius)

The goal of the project is to encourage people to “rethink the meaning of unity," per the company's press release.

Benediktas Gylys, president of the Benediktas Gylys Foundation and credited with the initial idea, says that the portal symbolizes “a bridge that unifies and an invitation to rise above prejudices and disagreements that belong to the past.”

Vilnius Gediminas Technical University has been developing the portal for the past five years, and the delivery of the project lines up well with the pandemic and allowing people from other cultures to see each other at a time when most have remained at home. The team, together with the Benediktas Gylys Foundation and the Crossroads Centre for Intercultural Creative Initiatives, are planning to install portals in more cities in the future.

According to the U.S. Embassy in Lithuania, the country has imposed a nationwide quarantine until June 30, 2021, and Americans are not allowed in, though there are some exceptions. U.S. nationals are also not permitted to lawfully enter Poland at this time, with a few exceptions.

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Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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  • Solid welcome bonus

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  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
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  • $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.
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  • 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.
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