We’ve all seen it. Squashed suitcases bottlenecking at the source of an overcrowded baggage carousel. Everyone in a Darwinian battle to be closest to the conveyor belt, if not the source. A tiny women trying to retrieve her oversized suitcase over two other oversized bags, all three moving rapidly away from her. She has to “excuse me!” herself down a crowded line of people who have their eyes glued only to the source. And then there are ten clones of this passenger, simultaneously struggling their way around the rest of the carousel.

What if there were an improved technology system for baggage distribution on those carousels? This system would present a two key features:

1. A camera right in front of the source and monitors placed strategically around the carousel, so that everyone can feel just as close (and prepared to strike) as those standing at the origin. This would alleviate some of the crowding and level the playing field for those who aren’t big enough or pushy enough to get in front.2. A sensor and gate where the source belt meets the carousel belt: the sensor would detect patches on the passing carousel belt where too many bags are already piled up and momentarily stop the source belt. The gate would trap the bags on the source belt and release when the source belt started moving again.

In particular, international airports could implement the system for their carousels dedicated to international flights, as everyone usually checks baggage on those flights.

What do you think of this idea or comment?
(You can change your vote at any time)

I agree

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I disagree