I'm fighting off another cold (and losing), I have two job related interviews in the next three days, and  I've been letting a few things percolate in the old brain-pan in the meantime.

There has been a bunch of news lately, one item of which interests me quite a bit - a crossover that has not yet been considered, I think. Methanol fuel cells just got approved for use in electronics that passengers carry in airplanes. Robots are getting more and more complex all the time, and soon will be at the point where your robot serves as your own personal baggage handler, seeking you out at the baggage claim and towing your gear for you. Path navigation could be as simple as incorporating the AI schemes from existing video games, with some additional real world programming. Have a kiosk at the airports that the robots can slip in and out of in order to refuel, charging the costs to the owners credit cards or providing fuel as a part of lease, similar to the minutes on a cell phone. Go over, pay extra.

Since we don't want the robot to be a single purpose item, it can also serve as a part of your PAN, allowing you to synch all your data in and out of your systems, as well as playing back messages, and shooting video. Imagine a tripod that is programmed not only to follow you, but to make sure that you are in frame as well.

Why limit the market though? Why not sell a basic version of the robot, stripped down for kids, and let users load as much (or as little) onto it as they like? Navigation and path-finding is similar be it in a busy airport or in a school, so why not let one program handle both. Kids are already starting to use rolling backpacks to carry all their school books, so the luggage handling abilities would be welcome here too. The unit could house a cell-phone as well, so that the kids can call in to their parents, or it can alert the police if the kid hits the panic button.

Now you have the must have executive item, something that tracks you and your gear, as well as the kids market. Allow for wireless file sharing, and now you've got a great mobile system that goes with you and hauls all your kit.  

6:08:04 PM