Arguably one of the worst parts of traveling is lugging heavy luggage around the airport if travelers decide not to check their bag while also running late for their flight. Then, once their flight lands, the jet-lagged passenger has to drag their belongings slowly around to reach the exit, only to wait in a long line to catch a cab.
However, now, lazy or tired travelers no longer have to worry about getting around the airport with their luggage. That's because there is now a rideable piece of carry-on luggage that will get the traveler to their gate on time and have them out in the city they land in quicker than ever.
Introducing Modobag, the smart piece of luggage that features motorized technology so that the traveler can actually ride it around the airport.
Modobag can be used as a normal piece of luggage, complete with wheels and an expandable handle to roll around as the customer walks.
However, if a traveler wants to ride on the Modobag, they can do so by laying the luggage flat on its side. They can then sit on the memory foam seat scooter-style and put their feet up on the quick-release footpads. In this mode, the smart bag has telescoping handlebars with thumb action throttle for navigating around with indoor and outdoor settings, along with a brake for sudden stops.
The Modobag is equipped with a belt-driven, high torque 150-watt electric motor that allows the luggage to go up to eight miles per hour, which helps people get to their destination three times faster than simply walking.
This is ideal for people off all ages, including business travelers in a rush, older people whose bodies may be too tired to carry their bag and walk to their gate, or even college students who want to speed off to class when running late.
The Modobag can go over six miles on a single charge, with the ability to reach 80 percent full battery in just 15 minutes when plugged into any standard outlet. The bag features a digital battery capacity gauge so the user knows when it's time to charge the lithium batteries, as well as illuminated dual-USB charging ports so that the traveler can charge their smartphone and other devices before boarding the plane or during layovers. The Modobag includes stow pockets to hold tablets and smartphones when charging on its side, along with a crush-proof laptop compartment.
The bag itself only weights 19 pounds and can hold the weight of a rider at the max of 260 pounds. It's the perfect size to be placed in overhead bins in an aircraft and is compliant with TSA, FAA and IATA regulations.
The Modobag also has an accompanying app — which uses its GPRS-GSM, tracking and proximity features — that allows the traveler to help track it so that they don't lose their bag while traveling.
This motorized piece of smart luggage is the brilliant idea of Chicago entrepreneur Kevin O'Donnell. However, he is asking the public to help fund this invention, launching a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo.
The Modobag has already reached its goal of $50,000, with almost $150,000 raised with one month more still to go. The smart luggage is available for the super early bird price of $995 plus shipping and is expected to start shipping in January 2017.
Source: Indiegogo
