When flying on an airplane don’t you wish that both sides of the plane were windows? I’m the person that’s always trying to sit by the window so I can be able to see what’s going on throughout the flight. I’ve always wondered what it would look like if the entire plane was a window and if that is something that could be possible. I was very interested when I came across an article that described a new technology that would allow passengers to have a panoramic view when traveling.

In the article “Windowless plane would let passengers see world around them” it describes how a UK based company Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) has come up with a new technology that will appeal to both the customer and airplane companies. The idea is to replace the siding of the plane with a high definition screen that will make most of the plane translucent during flight. How it will work is it will have cameras on the outside of the plane that will project everything it picks up in real time on the interior high definition screens. This will give you a panoramic view throughout the duration of the flight. The passenger will also have the option to change their individual screen to any view the plane provides. This will solve the problem of trying to look through the small window across the aisle to get a glimpse of something you were hoping to see.

In class we talked about several things airplanes have done to get more passengers into each plane and raise their profits. This idea of changing the siding of the planes will do just that. These new screens are thinner, stronger and much lighter than what is already in place. By having thinner walls it will provide more room in the cabin to add more seats or to give the passengers more room when flying. Also this will make the plane lighter which will cut back on costs and could lower ticket prices for the consumers. The company has calculated that for every percent of weight change there is a .75 percent savings in fuel costs. With even the slightest savings the customer and companies will see significant price changes.

This very innovative design seems like something very practical for both the airplane companies and the consumers. Even though it may seem like something that will happen far into the future the UPI Company believes it could have a fleet of these planes within the next ten years. I’m very interested to see how this technology develops and if this design ever becomes a reality.

 

 

Would you enjoy flying on one of these planes?

Do you think other airplane companies will adopt this technology?

 

Sources: http://mashable.com/2014/10/27/windowless-plane-oled/?utm_cid=mash-com-Tw-main-link

Who still goes to a movie theater on a regular basis? I know my trips to the movie theater have become few and far between. The main reason for my lack of going out to see a new movie is the ridiculous prices and the advancements of at home movie watching. In my opinion waiting a couple extra months and being able to watch it for half the price on my couch is much more relaxing then going to watch it on an over sized screen with a hundred other people. Has anyone else realized that the picture quality of a movie at the theater is actually worse than the quality of your T.V at home? That’s because in most cases it is. The technology at movie theaters hasn’t changed too much over the years and is in dire need of some type of innovation.

In the article “How to Get More People into Movie Theaters” by Dorothy Pomorantz she talks about this exact problem. She goes on to explain how theaters in recent years have thought that raising the prices would solve the problem for people who are deciding to stay at home. In reality it has just been delaying the inevitable and if something isn’t done soon most theaters will have to start shutting down. The article goes on to say what some film makers and theater owners are starting to do to solve this problem. The most innovative plan and one that really grabbed my interest was the Barco Escape idea. This was created by a Belgium company that produces digital projectors. What they did was put a screen on three separate walls giving the viewer a 270 degree image which would ultimately make the viewer feel as if they were a part of the script. This would be a new type of movie watching experience that you wouldn’t be able to get on your couch. Even though not every movie genre would be appropriate to watch like this I think it would bring back some desire to go out and experience this at the theater.

 

Our society today is all about new technology and wanting to be able to experience something that they have never done before. By giving people a more thrilling way to watch movies that can’t be replicated at home it will get people back into the theaters and won’t leave them with that feeling of being ripped off.

Do you agree that theaters need to come up with a new innovative way to make going to the theaters worth the price?

Would you consider going to a movie theater like the Barco Escape?

http://www.forbes.com/sites/dorothypomerantz/2014/09/30/how-to-get-more-people-into-movie-theaters-without-higher-ticket-prices/