Spencer is the result of a joint venture between Sweden’s Örebro University, Dutch airline KLM, and researchers from five different nations, with funding provided by the European Commission. The role of Spencer is very simple – to assist passengers find their way through the large airport, providing walking directions to those who need it.
Spencer Project leader Achim Lilienthal shared, “Navigating an airport is challenging, there is a lot of glass and a constantly changing environment in terms of temporary obstructions, such as parked luggage trolleys and people everywhere…It is surprisingly difficult to fit all the pieces together. A small error somewhere along the line may take an unpredictably long time to discover and work out.”
Right now, Spencer is undergoing trials at the airport, but it is hoped that eventually, the AI behind Spencer would be developed far advanced enough to make it useful outside of an airport environment.