© 2014 BOB SKIDMORE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
BOB SKIDMORE
CORRESPONDENT
How often have you lost your
luggage while traveling? On a recent trip to Europe I did, and not just once,
but twice. It sure would have been nice if I could have been alerted to the
situation and know the destiny of my bags.
Vanguard ID Systems may have
solved the problem for both the traveler and the transportation industry. They
have developed the World’s first “battery free permanent luggage tag”. Known as
the VIEW TAG, the tag looks much like an ID tag commonly used to identify the
owner of the bag. What’s different is, it’s E-INK based. E-Link is a specific
type of electronic paper used in E-readers and various other mobile devices
with an ultra-low power consumption. The tag works like a digital license plate
that allows the user to control the process of checking in their bag at home
with their cell phone and the tag’s QR code or the embedded NFC (Near Field Communication) module in the tag.
NFC is a set of standards used in 80% of smartphones and similar devices to
establish radio communications with each other by touching them together or
bringing them into a, 3 to 4 inch proximity. In other words while your
downloading your boarding pass or QR code for the flight you will also activate
the tag by replicating the same information to it. When you arrive at the
airport you proceed to the express line, weigh the bags, show your ID and your
done. Theses tags are backwards compatible thus allowing old technology, namely
bar codes, to catch up with this new technology.
The user receives text
messages and alerts at various points of the journey depending on what level of
service the airline offers or makes available, or you subscribe to. Different
levels, different possible fees if the carrier opts to charge for this feature.
In any case it’s a way for the carrier to communicate directly with its
customers. If the bags are not with you at your final destination a text would
advise that they are delayed, their location and when you could expect them and
might even ask you what hotel you are staying at so they could be delivered.
This eliminates wasted time at the baggage carrousel only to find out your
luggage is lost, and for the airline to avoid angry customers at the lost
baggage office. This could be a big time saver and a saving grace for the
airline!
Richard Warther, Vangard’s
President, advises that these tags will quite likely be in use in a very big
way some time in 2014. They are IATA (International Air Transport Association)
certified and meet all their current standards. If the carrier’s computer is
down it will still show the final destination. The user will either purchase
the tag, buy luggage with the tag embedded in it or be given the tag by the
carrier as part of a frequent flyer incentive or the transfer of frequent flyer
miles. While he would offer no cost figures, he did agree that it should be
less than $100. He says the marketing possibilities are endless and his company
is exploring all of them. Furthermore, the travel industry sees this as a
win-win solution that solves one of their biggest headaches. He underscores
that the tag uses no batteries so the average traveler could easily expect more
than five years of use with wear and tear being the biggest contributing
factor. Currently compatibility is with all the Android phones, but they are
working on iPhones as well. As far as a service fee is concerned it would be up
to the airlines. Seems to THE GADGETEER that it could be
another revenue stream for them since they nickel and dime you for everything
else.
While I’ve not had the
opportunity to personally test these tags I look forward to their availability
and would certainly give it five stars if they work.
Bob Skidmore is a freelance
writer, who may be contacted at bob.thegadgeteer.skidmore@gmail.com, or followed at twitter.com/bskidmore for the latest gadget industry news. He does not represent,
or endorse any of the products he reviews and his opinions are solely his
points of view and not those of the manufacturer. The manufacturer generally
supplies products at no cost for the articles and no other compensation is
received. THE GADGETEER is highly selective as to products he feels worthy of
review so as not to waste the reader’s time, thus the reason for many superior
ratings.
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