How to Make a Real Luggage
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Written by terrypratchettbooks.org
Tuesday, 29 August 2006 |
This is part of an article where some guys talk about constructing a working Luggage that follows you wherever you go...
So, FooCamp. It's a bit like being at a conference where only the speakers have turned up, with no formal schedule and more foyer space than seating for sessions. In other words, it's just exactly what you want it to be: a chance for a damn good conversation. Or several.
And I did have several damn good conversations. Michael Sparks ran a session, which was far too sparsely attended in my opinion, on how to use scifi to do brainstorming. He explained the basic principle, which is that you name a bunch of authors, ask what thing they have invented in their fiction, and then assume that it's actually real (so long as it doesn't require breaking the laws of physics). You then ask how things would be different if you had this thing, and what aspects of it you could actually make within a year.
We ended up taking Terry Pratchett's Luggage (which has legs and follows its owner round), and working out how to make one... basically you take a Roomba, add a suitcase to it and include additional sensors to follow a beacon implanted in your shoes. You could also add GPS, and Google Maps so that it can find out where you are (you must also transmit your geolocation to it), and then figure out an optimal route to get to you. You could also add a webcam so you could see where your luggage was, and with a bit of AI you pretty much have the Soomba. Or is that a Luggoomba?
How does this change things? Well, in the context of TV programmes, (Michael works at the Beeb), you could have Holiday, shown from the luggage's point of view. Or LOST, where the luggage lands on the other side of the island and has to fight its way through the jungle until it's reunited with its owner. Or Airport, all about how the luggage coped with being routed via Minsk. The opportunities are endless!
Source: strange.corante.com
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