Is the Smart Baby Case Really a "Smart" Way to Travel with Baby?

We all know how difficult traveling with a baby can be. There are security checkpoints, inconsiderate people who don't understand babies cry, thoughtless flight attendants, and dirty bathrooms and changing stations. There are many articles about making both families, parents and baby more comfortable while traveling that are very helpful, including: Top Five Baby Air Travel Necessities and The Ultimate Guide to Traveling with a Baby.

There seems to be a lot of "gear" involved when traveling with a baby: diaper bags, clothing, diapers, wipes, carriers, and strollers. So what could make traveling with baby easier? Since we now have iPods to make our entertainment easier, why not a "baby pod?" What if parents didn't have to carry all those items with them?

This is the question that Samsonite asked its designers in Samsonite's Baby Travel Design Competition which had approximately 1,700 entries from 78 countries and eight winners. What can we create that will make traveling with baby easier? The Smart Baby Case pod was designed by Iranian Pouyan Mokhtara to do just that.

What is the Smart Baby Case?

The Smart Baby Case is a "tool" right out of the movie Matrix. Pod shaped, it is part nanny part robot and designed to keep baby safe during disaster or travel

What does the Smart Baby Case offer?

An aluminum siding carriage.

Several doors so that parents can place the baby in and out.

Safe Breath "doors" that allow for safe breathing of baby and shut automatically when the pressure is too low.

Communication unit and LED screen so you can see baby and baby can see you.

An orange light sensor that lets you know when the air quality within the "case."

An Auto rocking unit

Foam padding "Anatomi Paths" designed to simulate swaddling or cradling and designed to be custom fitted around your baby.

An auto diapering unit that removes water waste and solid waste - flushed into tubes for parents to empty later. This also means your baby would have to be bare from the waste down.

The Smart Baby Case runs on rechargeable batteries or can be plugged into an outlet.

The shape of the Smart Baby case was designed with the shape of the womb in mind.

As parents all over the cyber world looked (and commented) with shock and dismay at this pod case designed for their baby the designer added this comment, "There is a bit of a misunderstanding in that this is not a device for growing children during their whole life, it is just a device which can provide a safe and healthy condition during 2 or 3 hours while you can't change your baby or staying in some poor facilities or places during a trip or airport. Also, this hard case is equipped with removable door; it is usable without any door like other normal baby carriages. Using the door is just recommended in disaster conditions or air pollution or chemical pollution or some other bad condition for the baby's health." Best Regards, Pouyan Mokhtarani

On his official website he recommends use of the Smart Case for no more than 3 hours a day.

There are so many things that could be said about this invention, but first and foremost I would have to say the designer probably has never had a child. He addresses the touch issue, but if this is an electronic device what happens when something goes wrong? After all how often has the battery died on your iPad or iPod and you haven't been able to use it? What happens when the batteries die on this device? What if a parent is asleep and doesn't see the sensors go off? Lastly, it seems a bit over the top, almost like it is designed for some end of the world, nuclear bomb attack scenario instead of helping parents make their way through a busy airport or other travel arrangements.

You have to admire the inventiveness of the Smart Baby case. Maybe there are a few good ideas in there. You can remove the door and push the open case like a stroller, so that could be useful, and more comfortable than most strollers, but who wants to push a bare baby's bottom through a busy airport? For me, I'll stick with my baby sling and diaper bag and being able to hold my baby close to me. For the person sitting next to me, I'm sorry if baby drool bothers you.

Sources:

2009 Samsonite Design Competition

Impact Labs

Yanko Designs

The Designers Website