I have been thinking a lot about luggage lately. I am fortunate to travel and in my last big trip, found that I had used all 9 lives of my luggage (if it were a cat). It had served me well, but years (decades) of overstuffing and traveling over 100,000 miles had brought it to its last days (my dainties on display on the conveyer belt also contributed to the decision to find new luggage). So new luggage I sought, and so much more did I find!
my pretty new luggage
The decision to get new luggage of course made me think about the science of luggage, the difference between luggage and baggage, and many other topics that came up as I pursued this concept and product. To start, baggage indeed has the emotional component of something that weighs one down, where as luggage, while no different in definition, does not have this association. Luggage contains more concepts of freedom, luxury, and adventure.
I learned some of the history of luggage in this process, finding that it has reflected society and the people in it throughout the ages, mirroring advancements in transportation, often because of advancements in transportation. Trunks were the first form of luggage, used on steamships, and usually by the wealthy. As times changed and more people could travel, luggage did too. The first wheeled luggage to catch on was patented in 1970 (the concept was presented in 1887 and 1945, it is believed the Knights Templar first made use of wheeled luggage long before. See the below links for more history!)
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/history-humble-suitcase-180951376/
https://www.travelandleisure.com/style/travel-bags/history-of-suitcase
Luggage holds more than our clothes and our toiletries, it holds our dreams, our hopes, our memories. To me, I wanted luggage that would be modern in utility but classic in design, something like Audrey Hepburn would use, but with out the need for staff to carry it for me. I am certain I've mentioned my love of all things functional art before, and I found that in Steamline Luggage https://www.steamlineluggage.com (it is amazing what you can find when you look. Dog friendly Red carpet walking classes? Yes that too).
I love that the company is run by women, women working together and creating something beautiful and useful. I was very impressed by the customer service, the useful modern touches, such as straps to attach the smaller pieces, the whimsical patterns inside the luggage, and importantly, the environmentally conscious way in which it was created. I imagine how much delight I will take in opening up the luggage to find treasures from my travels (and knowing that no animals were harmed in the process of making it). I admit, I feel glamorous carrying this around. Science has always been glamorous to me. It was nice to find something that marries art, science, beauty, and engineering (my favorite things).
Shirt, shoes, a book, and some lipstick, let's go!
I wanted to know more about the science of suitcases and of course, I found physics! Specifically,
"a rolling suitcase couples two kinds of motion -- when the wheels of the suitcase rotate, the bulk of the suitcase "translates," or moves in the same direction without rotating. The unstable way in which a rolling suitcase can behave represents an intersection of rotational and translational motion".
What was exciting to me is:
"It is a very extensive study, covering experiments and theory, on a problem experienced daily by anyone who carried a luggage," said physicist François Petrelis at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris, who did not take part in this research. "It shows that many problems, even of daily interest, are still waiting for a solution. Young students sometimes have the feeling that most progress was made a long time ago. This may be true in some domains of physics, but in most domains there are many problems that are still unsolved."
This illustrates why I started this blog to an extent- Science really is in everything, and students are the future problem solvers who will bring these ideas to life.
The future holds even more innovations for luggage as GPS, autonomy, charging and more are embedded into its creation. There is so much opportunity, to look to the past for inspiration, while incorporating the future for present day use. It is exciting to think about.
Luggage is so much more than a vessel for moving things from one point to another. It is physics, art, history, humanity. It is reflective of who we are, and where we we are going. Where will you travel? What dreams will you take? What memories will you create? How fabulous will you be on the journey?
May your adventures be fashionable, fun, and full of STEM!:)
