Virtual boarding agents at Orly airport in Paris

So you have a non-human DJ who is about to hit the airwaves soon, and boarding agents might be next on the cost-cutting exercise block. Virtual boarding agents, if all goes well, could be the next “upgrade” at airports wherever you go. If you are at Orly airport in Paris, France, then do keep a lookout for these virtual boarding agents that have a perpetual smile on them, and best of all is, they won’t head off for unusually long toilet breaks or head a strike.

This pilot project received a mix of amusement and surprise by travelers, where the main reaction is to try to touch and speak with these life-like video images who will greet them and direct them to their boarding gate. The images will materialize from thin air whenever the button to “summon” them are pressed, signalling the start of the boarding process.

Basically, this modern looking avatar is made possible after being rear-projected onto a human shaped silhouette made of plexiglass. Do you prefer the human touch in our everyday dealings, such as going to the bank simply because you refuse to “converse” with an ATM, or being surrounded by machines make you more comfortable?

Edwin Kee
Categories: General
Tags: virtual, Virtual Reality (VR)