The future of travel encompasses a lot of exciting new changes for the industry.
From passport-free security to artificial intelligence vehicles, a lot could change in the next decade.
However, one airline has taken the next steps to improve the way passengers fly.
Yet there is a catch.
Air New Zealand is trialling the new check-in robot for five days this week.
Whilst only at Sydney airport, it is hoped that one day it can be rolled out as a permanent feature.
The robot is part of a collaboration with Commbank, with the companies robot Chip Candroid.
Chip, whilst looking slightly unnerving with two eyes and no mouth, as well as two hands and no legs, is able to read passengers boarding passes through its eyes to help the check in as well as wave goodbye as they board the plane.
Tiziana Bianco, general manager at Innovation Labs said: “It is a wonderful opportunity to explore the possibilities of a horizon technology such as social robotics, and what it might enable in the future.
“Social robots can bring to life information that is not particularly engaging when delivered by a screen. People interact with them in a very social and sometimes emotional way, which means they can enhance experiences in ways that other technologies are unable to.”
Avi Golan, chief digital officer, Air New Zealand, also commented on the exciting new prospect: “This partnership and experiment with CommBank and Chip is another way we are pushing the boundaries to ensure we remain at the forefront of technology.
“We are also experimenting with potential enhancements of the future, including the idea of our cabin crew one day using Microsoft’s HoloLens augmented reality viewers on board our aircraft.”
