Subscribe now

Holidaymakers who fly with no-frills budget airlines often face heavy charges for excess baggage. Arun Malhotra of Cranford, Middlesex, is patenting a neat way to avoid this (GB 2378255).

An otherwise conventional suitcase has a digital weighing mechanism, similar to those found in bathroom scales, built into its base. To find out how heavy the case is, pressure-sensitive legs are pulled out from the base, and the scale gives an instant read-out on an LCD screen near the case’s handle. Malhotra suggests that every night while on holiday, you weigh that day’s souvenirs in the case, to make sure…

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox. We'll also keep you up to date with New Scientist events and special offers.

Sign up

To continue reading, subscribe today with our introductory offers

Popular articles

Trending New Scientist articles

Piano Exit Overlay Banner Mobile Piano Exit Overlay Banner Desktop