Leo: Geneva airport’s little robot porter

After RobbI, the humanoid guide in 2013, Geneva Airport has tested, Leo a new robot porter, who is ready to greet you in front of the departures terminal.

Being very direct, he asks you to place your - less than 70 lbs (32 kg) - suitcase, on his scale, then you scan your boarding pass. He then prints your luggage label that you have to attach to your baggage, which is then retained inside the security compartment provided. Leo then gives you your receipt; and that’s all, in under one minute, your luggage is checked-in.

Whilst you are heading off to the boarding gate, the robot will carry your luggage at 2 mph (3 km/h), avoiding all obstacles on the way, to the baggage handling area where a real live porter, in flesh and blood, this time, collects it.

This new service, tested for three days in the airport, is a world first. The aim is to free up the airline check-in counters and optimize pedestrian passenger routes inside the airport. The robot, developed by the Swiss start-up Bluebotics, is at present only a prototype, and is not yet to be marketed.

As for RobbI, our guide it has been wandering the labyrinth of Geneva airport’s terminals for three years, and is always at your service.