Airbus keeps an eye on you right up to the toilet
Airbus will continue test flights on its new A350-900 this year. The European giant's latest aircraft will carry a host of sensors that will track passengers in order to make flights even more personal, according to the aircraft manufacturer.
Everyone has heard of the Internet of Things and home automation, concepts that are still in vogue and booming. Connected speakers, smart doorbells with integrated cameras and much more are finding their way into more and more homes. Now it's Airbus' turn to announce the next step and take the Internet of Things to the next level: on board the new A350-900, everything will be monitored, including the toilets.
Above the clouds...
Again this year, Airbus plans to test its latest aircraft. It's packed with tracking devices to monitor all passenger activity on board. The aim? Improve safety on the one hand, optimise passenger comfort on the other.
Passengers will be monitored very closely, even in the lavatory, thanks to a gigantic data collector in the air that will provide unprecedented information to crew members. At first glance, the fact that the toilets will also be scrutinised seems like a clear invasion of privacy. But according to Airbus, it's to inform the crew that the soap and paper dispensers are empty and the air quality is poor.
Don't panic: there won't be any cameras, just sensors showing, for example, how many times passengers open and close the toilet door during a flight, how long a passenger stays in the toilet, how often the toilet is flushed or how the temperature inside has changed.
A freedom that will reach its limits
Other aspects will also be monitored: trolleys for meal service or luggage racks. All this data will then be loaded into the Skywise system - the Airbus intranet of sorts - for trend analysis and crew information purposes.
In addition, sensors will also be found in seat armrests and backrests, as well as in tablets. According to Airbus, monitoring luggage racks, for example, will enable free space to be located more quickly. According to Ingo Wuggetzer, Vice President In-Flight Marketing at Airbus, this is neither a concept nor the future, but reality.
Of course, there is a commercial aspect behind all this: it is highly likely that we will soon no longer have to pay only for our seat, but also for the cabin bag.
When I'm not stuffing my face with sweets, you'll catch me running around in the gym hall. I’m a passionate floorball player and coach. On rainy days, I tinker with my homebuilt PCs, robots or other gadgets. Music is always my trusted companion. I also enjoy tackling hilly terrain on my road bike and criss-crossing the country on my cross-country skis.