Hop! suitcase automatically follows its user

I'm thinking that by trying to get this through airport security is probably gonna be the equivalent of flat-out ASKING for a cavity search

Phone battery dies, case locks itself immediately before customs checkpoint, two hours lost while explaining wanky technology and asking for a charger as yours is in the bag... I'll carry my stuff - I'd have to on the escalators anyway.

Looks about as stable as a peanut butter sandwich on its side.

I'll just pull my wheeled bag by a cord clipped to my belt.

No matter how the technology improves, it will always add unwanted extra-weight... for what? For increasing risks of suitcase robbery... how long before you realise that your luggage is not following you any more? Or security may even consider it to be an unattended luggage just because something blocked the wheels and you kept on walking...

Besides, unless you add big 4x4 wheels to go up and down stairs, you will still need to lift up your luggage, precisely when you wish you would not. Pulling a luggage on flat surface has never been tiring. This is really gadgety to me...

Great to see one of the fruit's of the brilliant Terry Pratchett imagination finally being created.

See:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucidragon/131543057/

http://www.terrypratchett.co.uk/

Reminds me of Terry Pratchetts walking chest in his Disc World series.

I would want one of these with articulated feet.

Hilarious.... what happen if you climb stair... or someone snatch it.....

robotic devices are an obvious security problem, the suitcase must never be farther then 2 mr from its owner, it may not make independent decisions such as locking itself, that must be controled by the owner.

As a disabled traveler myself ,I love this idea.

Frequent flyers everywhere are snickering.

Looks easy to steal.

Also, you'd have to keep looking behind you to make sure no one knocked it over.

I'd rather have a Big Dog.

Old, old idea.

25 years ago (or more) you could get a motorized cart for your golf bag that would follow you on the course.

If somebody steals it, it might start an alarm. Of course, that will only work with a bag that is reasonably stable (this is not) and polished that it will not be able to go around people, animals and structures of different kinds. Nevertheless, I like the idea))

Looks like Hop is going to be a flop. Wait until it falls over. Then what. How about taking no luggage with you. There's a simple idea.

The Three Laws of Robotic Luggage

1. A robot suitcase may not harm its contents or, through inaction, allow its contents to come to harm.

2. A robot suitcase must obey the orders given to it by TSA agents, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.

3. A robot suitcase must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws.

It doesn't look stable when it starts to move and tend to fall. So, which button to press if it topples ?

Somehow I think this would be better marketed at busy salespeople who need to carry a lot. The added weight and metal might not be the best thing for airlines that nickle and dime you to no end because your luggage is over weight.

Scientific experiments are first hypothesized with ideal environment. Just like ideal fluid or gas. Then variables are worked out and studied. Now if we look ideally and all the kinks are removed, this is a very handy and excellent idea. All issues can literally be solved today using current technology, again ideally having the latest cutting edge materials, parts. So this is a great idea.