Introducing Geo, the airport experience of the future
DUBAI – An innovative UK consortium aiming to bring back the joy of air travel for passengers with reduced has unveiled its kerbside to gate mobility service in front of the chief executive of Emirates airline.
Team Geo has reimagined the customer journey for all travellers with mobility problems, whether it’s the ageing population or those who use wheelchairs on a daily basis. It will allow these travellers to browse, shop and dine, creating an inclusive experience, and open potential revenue opportunities for airlines and airports through this approach.
The consortium is a finalist in the Aviation X Lab challenge, an aviation-specific incubator programme that brings together five global aviation giants: Emirates airline, Thales, Collins Aerospace, GE Aviation and Airbus.
The Moonshot project for Aviation X Lab concluded in Dubai with a presentation attended by His Highness Sheik Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chair, chief executive of Emirates, Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates and Adel Ahmad Al Redha, the airline’s chief operating officer.
Design consultancy PriestmanGoode, Centaur Robotics, developers of the revolutionary self-balancing Centaur, and Naurt, world leaders in location technology, created the Team Geo concept. The consortium also includes future mobility expert Robin Brownsell.
At the heart of the project is the Geo, which fits into the space of a dining chair. It has integrated tracking and navigation technology and enables level four autonomy where the vehicle performs all of the functions, but the user retains control.
PriestmanGoode adapted the Centaur, a two-wheeled personal electric vehicle, for airport use. It includes an on-board personal assistant which provides a virtual world at passengers’ fingertips, on both phone or onboard screen. Location, navigation and timely reminders ensure passengers get the most from their time at the airport.
The concept is timely. In the UK, campaigns by Paralympian Tanni Grey-Thompson and TV presenter Sophie Morgan have highlighted the need to improve the passenger experience for passengers with reduced mobility and the handling of wheelchairs. The issue, however, is universal.
“Our goal is to create better airport and cabin experiences for a wide range of passengers; providing greater passenger mobility, empowerment and accessibility, and opportunities to create moments of delight,” said Chris Parker, director of PriestmanGoode. “Alongside a host of passenger benefits, our collective idea also provides major benefits for the airport operator and airlines through greater efficiencies in processing and the possibility to include those passengers who select not to travel at all today due to the barriers they face.”
Eric Kihlstrom, chairman of Centaur Robotics, said: “Thanks to Aviation X Lab we’ve had amazing access to the top people at Emirates airline and Dubai airport. I’m impressed. The Geo has been really well received and I’m very optimistic about its prospects for the future.”
Through workshops and anecdotal evidence, the Geo customer experience design team considered the full airport experience, highlighting challenges and pain points for travellers with restricted mobility. The team is also exploring augmented reality navigation, autonomous vehicles and airport services.
“We have used the insights gathered to define the ideal scenario for the future,” added Jo Rowan, associate director for strategy and customer experience at PriestmanGoode. “We’ve also analysed the functions of the existing product to limit moving parts, ensure seamless design detailing, eliminating places where items can get left or lost and to facilitate easy cleaning. Other considerations were that luggage and personal items are accessible, and comfort to ensure the user feels safe and protected, but not hidden by the chair.”
Team Geo also considered the infrastructure needed to support the service – such as charging docks, collection points, help points and the digital experience, which enables passengers to navigate the airport and ensure they are in the right place at the right time. PriestmanGoode’s visualisation team created a series of renders and animations to bring together the expertise of the consortium showcasing it at various touch points throughout the journey.
“It seems fitting to bring the Geo to Dubai as part of Aviation X Lab, as we see it as an obvious fit with the brand of Dubai, a place that is facing the future with such positivity,” said Rowan.
“The consortium is very excited about the opportunity to extend the Geo experience to include shopping centres, cruise ships and other communities.”
The Team Geo mobility service could be in Dubai airport within two years.
The article Introducing Geo, the airport experience of the future first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.