One of the best parts of going on holiday is getting to explore new cities and towns, but staring at Google Maps on your phone as you wander around can cause you to miss the sights.
To solve this problem, easyJet has designed a pair of prototype smart shoes called ‘Sneakairs‘ with sensors that connect to a smartphone app via Bluetooth.
It uses the phone’s GPS to navigate and will vibrate the relevant shoe to tell wearers to turn left or right.
The airline said the technology could see tourists being able to experience the sights without having to refer to a map or their phones for directions.
The Sneakair prototype has been tested during the Barcelona Street Project event with testers walking to landmarks such as Gaudi’s Casa La Pedrera and Casa Batllo’ in the Gracia area, without having to keep checking the map to navigate the city.
Peter Duffy, easyJet’s Marketing Director said: ‘We are looking at making this technology available for purchase on-board in the future, offering a practical solution to those passengers who want to relax visiting a new place without the need of a map and enjoy every moment while they explore a new city.’
Mobile Host technology
Since last year the airline has been helping its passengers through the airport with its Mobile Host technology.
It provides directions to the gate and information on gate numbers and luggage belts.
Wearable technologies are also not new to easyJet.
To coincide with its 20th birthday last November, the airline unveiled airline uniforms by demonstrating wearable technology into cabin crew and engineers’ uniforms to improve communication and passenger safety procedures.
Other companies have taken a similar approach to helping people navigate.
Vibrating handlebar
Last year, a firm unveiled vibrating handlebar devices and grips that buzz to tell riders which way to turn.
Called smrtGRiPS, the device is designed to fit any bike and can be paired with a smartphone app to provide directions.
To fit the smrtGRiPS, a cyclist slots the devices inside the metal tube of the bike’s handlebars and a rubber grip fits on top.
Before setting off, a cyclist will choose whether they would like audio as well as haptic – or vibrating – alerts in the dedicated app for Android and Apple phones, before entering the destination in their chosen mapping app.
Read more here.
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