Labworx

An innovation exhibition taking place at the Emirates Airlines headquarters last month showcased a raft of new innovations which could be coming soon to a flight near you. The ingenious technologies on display included an AI-powered robot which cleans seats and a face-scanning interface capable of charging customers without the need for card or cash.

The event, named Forsatek, takes place every year to showcase the latest and greatest technologies to come out of the Emirates group ecosystem. With a focus on aviation, travel and tourism, it is dedicated to showcasing new ideas, enhancing collaboration and facilitating access to tomorrow’s technology, today.

Robot cleaners

One of the most interesting inventions on display at Forsatek was an AI-powered robot which is equipped with an arm capable of turning at 90% angles and vacuuming and steaming airline seats. However, that’s just the beginning, according to the boffins behind it.

Eventually, the Technology, Futures & Innovation arm of the Emirates group wants the robot to be able to pull out the tray tables and clean them, before stowing them away again. It will also be able to delve into the seat pocket in front of passengers to ensure that they have not left anything behind. With cameras and sensors installed on the robot, it can detect any jobs or challenges outside of its capabilities and report them to a human member of staff.

Aside from cleaning, the robot is also being developed to be able to perform functionality checks on the tech equipment contained in each Emirates aircraft seat. For example, there are occasionally problems with the TV screen, overhead light or other features. By vetting these gadgets beforehand, the robot could vastly improve the customer experience.

Cash or card? Neither

Another exciting innovation that is ripe for deployment on Emirates flights is the payment platform developed by Popld. Instead of relying on card or cash to pay, people can simply take a selfie of their face and, after having registered with the platform and enabled a one-time activation linked to their bank account, the money can be sent quickly and securely.

This could prove to be invaluable for those forgetful souls who often find they have left home without their wallet. However, it provides good efficiency for everyone. The technology has already been trialled at leading supermarkets in the UAE and has proven to cut transaction times by an incredible 75%.

What’s more, the airtight security protocols baked into the technology mean that it’s much harder for fraudsters to steal your money. Not only is there no physical card for them to pilfer, but even a 2D photograph of your face will not be enough to fool this technology, since two different camera angles are required to verify the transaction. As such, it represents a safer, faster and easier way to pay for your purchases while in flight.

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