
Smart luggage with lithium batteries are facing new travel restrictions - SirLJ
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/12/smart-luggage-with-lithium-batteries-are-facing-new-travel-restrictions.html
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kragen
It's interesting that the article doesn't mention what I think of as the
killer app for smart luggage, especially smart luggage with batteries that are
difficult to remove: phoning you to tell you it's been stolen, with the GPS
coordinates and a bunch of high-resolution photos of the thieves.

~~~
zodPod
"They weigh themselves, _report their locations_ , provide power and Wi-Fi
signals for gadgets, offer rides to the gate and even follow travelers
around." -The article

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kragen
Yup, I missed that part, sure enough.

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zodPod
Glad I could help! It is an insanely awesome use of "smart luggage" though! I
didn't even realize there was such a thing until I read the article! Cool
stuff!

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mtgx
Hopefully this will put pressure on battery makers to research and switch to
(fully) solid-state batteries as soon as possible. I think the technology is
almost ready, but of course it will never come to market unless the whole
industry pretty much decides to switch to it within a span of a couple of
years in order to make it price-competitive with Li-Ion.

~~~
skolos
I don't think it will. Smart luggage market is tiny [1] to put any pressure on
Li-Ion batteries [2].

[1] Projected to be $2b in 2024 -
[https://www.gminsights.com/pressrelease/smart-luggage-
market](https://www.gminsights.com/pressrelease/smart-luggage-market)

[2] Projected to be $67b in 2022 -
[http://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/Global-
Size-f...](http://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/Global-Size-for-
Lithium-Ion-Battery-Market-Growth-Worth-over-USD-67-70-Bn-by-2022Global-
lithium-Ion-battery-market-is-expected-to-grow-at-a-CAGR-
of-13-70-between-2017-and-2022-The-market-revenue-1013089580)

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toomanybeersies
Call me old fashioned, but what's the point of smart luggage? What's wrong
with the dumb luggage that we've been using for decades?

I travel with an army surplus duffel bag, it cost me $20. It's probably 40
years old, and will last another 40 years with any luck. It's so convenient
that it's literally the only luggage I brought with me (apart from my carry
on) when I moved countries. It also has the advantage that it's unlikely to be
stolen, since it looks so cheap.

I do understand why people want nicer suitcases with wheels and hard
exteriors. But do you really need a suitcase that will follow you? It's just
extra weight that you could use for actual luggage.

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exabrial
I thought these "smart suitcases" were sort of gimmicky anyway... If you want
a portable battery, just get an Anker! They work great and they fit in your
carryon.

~~~
philipodonnell
I can see the appeal, if pricey right now. Portable stuff is portable so it
gets 'ported' lots of different places that don't always include being back in
my suitcase when I leave for the airport.

To date I have solved this by buying tons of portable batteries and playing
the averages that one of them will end up in my suitcase at all times. But my
suitcase is probably always going to be in my suitcase, so that does solve a
real problem for me.

~~~
davidgh
Sorry, a bit off topic.

I travel a fair amount and some years ago I came to the conclusion that I
needed to put together a “kit” of adapters, chargers, a portable battery, etc.
that never leaves my travel backpack. While it seems a bit wasteful to have
these things in duplicate, it made the night before travel so much more
peaceful.

I took this concept a bit further and packed up common things like a belt,
workout clothes, underwear, etc. that when not being worn or washed always
stay in my luggage. Again, made the night before a trip much better. Now it’s
only a matter of finding and packing my shirts and pants.

My most recent experiment is a bit more extreme. I visit an office in China
every other month and I packed up an entire bag with everything I need for a
week stay - everything. I’ve made arrangements with the hotel I stay at to do
my laundry when I leave and it’s ready for me to grab when I return the next
time.

There is nothing more convenient than getting ready for a long international
trip when realizing that all you need to do is grab your laptop and go.

~~~
epicide
This is pretty similar to what I've been doing for work travel.

I have a single medium sized backpack that fits a few days worth of clothes as
well as things like laptop, Switch, etc.

The biggest space saver is bringing some travel detergent and washing clothes
in the sink/bath if needed. I also use my after work t-shirts as undershirts
during the day. I generally only carry one or two pair of pants as they are
the largest single item.

For work specifically, having wrinkle-free clothing goes a long way.

I've also done the same thing as you for cables and a few other things by just
always leaving them in the bag. Cables are cheap enough to have dedicated ones
(especially if you consider the cost of buying extra ones anyway when you
forget one).

Not only does packing take me less than 10 minutes, I generally don't feel
like I've forgotten anything.

On top of all that, actually traveling is way less stressful. It's easier
moving around the airport (even just going to the bathroom is annoying when
you're dragging around even the smallest of suitcases). I can also generally
disregard when I board since I do not care about overhead space (my bag fits
under the seat in front of me).

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mynegation
Does anyone know why does checked-in luggage presents more risk than carry on
(presumably). Is it temperature and pressure difference or just visibility and
accessibility for someone with a fire extinguisher?

~~~
davidgh
“...if a laptop [battery] catches fire in the cabin, it will be noticed
immediately and steps can be taken to put it out. And though there are fire
safety systems in the hold of an airplane, they aren't well-equipped to deal
with the type of fire that lithium-ion batteries generate.”

[https://www.consumerreports.org/electronics/problem-with-
sto...](https://www.consumerreports.org/electronics/problem-with-stowing-
lithium-ion-batteries-on-planes/)

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brndnmtthws
"Smart luggage" seems like a dumb idea. If I want a battery I'll just buy a
battery. I don't see what you gain from having your battery physically
attached to your suitcase, aside from the gimmickry. Unfortunately there are a
lot of people who love gimmicks and will probably buy it anyway.

~~~
goda90
They can do more than charge gadgets. from the article: "They weigh
themselves, report their locations, provide power and Wi-Fi signals for
gadgets, offer rides to the gate and even follow travelers around."

~~~
brndnmtthws
Sounds like a terrible idea.

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WalterBright
Why not use NiCads for the luggage?

~~~
vgf
NiMH is probably more reasonable? But still, about half the energy density
compared to Li-ion.

[http://www.epectec.com/images/battery-comparison-energy-
dens...](http://www.epectec.com/images/battery-comparison-energy-density.jpg)

