AI & AIR
CARGO
Conscious cargo
Artificial intelligence is no longer the stuff of
science-fiction, declares David Smith.
Not many people feel
sorry for air cargo. But
Dheeraj Kohli, Unisys’
Vice President of Travel and
Transportation, laments that
cargo has been the stepchild
of the aviation industry for
too long, as airlines have
tended to focus more on
their passengers. One of the
problems for cargo, Kohli
believes, is that when it’s
delayed – as it often is – it
can’t communicate its pain.
Passengers complain loudly
and are placed on alternative
routes, whereas cargo just
sits like an orphaned child
in the warehouse. Kohli believes that the key to redressing
the imbalance is “adding emotions to cargo”, a strategy made
possible by artificial intelligence (AI) and modern computing.
Kohli’s concept of “adding emotions” involves installing
monitoring devices that provide ongoing feedback on the status
of the cargo, wherever it happens to be on its journey. In effect,
if the cargo has a problem, it now has a way of conveying its
anxiety. A recent example was the development of the Unisys
Digi-Pet solution, which enables pet owners to monitor and
even talk to their pets during the flights. Internet of Things (IoT)
devices are attached to their kennels, or containers. Families
can monitor the well-being of their dogs, or other pets, on their
smartphones; similarly, breeders can ensure their prize-winning
horses have enough water and light.
Pet promise
Digi-Pet is a boon. Pet lovers have long been worried that their
animals might be distressed in the belly of an aircraft and that
Oxbotica has already trialled its AI
potential at Heathrow airport
no-one would be able to
hear their cries. On arrival,
the animals might sit on the
tarmac for ages, waiting to
be picked up, irrespective of
how cold or wet the weather
might be. With such poor
monitoring, it’s no surprise
there have been deaths
recorded in transit. “There are
nine parameters available on
the smartphone with Digi-
Pet, such as the temperature,
humidity and brightness of
the environment. If an animal
is suffering, the owners can
get a message to the flight
crews and they can intervene.
22 June 2019 www.airlogisticsinternational.com
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