A world-first Delta Parallel Reality experience has started at Detroit Metropolitan Airport. This innovative technology displays personalised flight information for up to 100 customers on a single digital screen simultaneously.
Delta Parallel Reality
Despite being one of the first to experience this amazing and revolutionary technology, I managed to miss the announcement of its first public trial! So this could be slightly old news for some, and if so, I apologise.
Welcome to the groundbreaking world of Parallel Reality™ at Detroit Metropolitan Airport, where travellers’ airport experiences are now being revolutionised like never before.
At #CES2020, Delta’s CEO, Ed Bastian, opened the world’s most important tech conference with an announcement that would change the airport experience for travellers everywhere… well, as long as they are flying Delta.
The Atlanta-based airline unveiled the first-ever Parallel Reality™ experience, an awe-inspiring technology that allows up to 100 customers to view their personalised flight information simultaneously on a single digital screen.
That’s right, a hundred different people, all viewing the same display and each seeing something different and relevant just to them and their journey.
During the 20-minute demonstration, Delta gave me back in 2020, the technology worked seamlessly, and they’ve no doubt applied some tweaks and improvements in the interim.
Gone are the days of navigating through rows of departure boards, as this mind-blowing innovation streamlines the airport journey, providing a seamless and personalised experience for each traveller.
Detroit Metropolitan Airport
Now, Delta’s second-largest hub, DTW, is one of the most technologically advanced for traveller experience thanks to being the world’s first airport to use Parallel Reality™️.
Customers can opt in by scanning their boarding passes and enjoy a streamlined and personalised airport experience without the need to search for their flights on departure boards.
Parallel Reality™️ uses multi-view pixel technology and non-biometric object detection to create private viewing zones for each customer, ensuring their privacy.
How to Use Parallel Reality™️
To begin with, Delta has rolled this experience out as a beta trial but has plans to explore other airports based on customer feedback.
- After passing through security at Detroit Metro Airport, travellers will find the Parallel Reality™️ display near the Delta Sky Club in Concourse A of the McNamara Terminal.
- To engage with the experience, travellers need to opt in at the registration kiosk. They can do this by tapping the display and scanning either their paper boarding pass or the digital boarding pass from the FlyDelta app (Android | Apple).
- After opting in, a private viewing zone is created at their location in front of the display. The proprietary multi-view pixel technology ensures that each individual sees their own unique, personalized flight information on the screen.
- An overhead sensor detects the presence and location of the traveller using anonymous non-biometric object detection, ensuring privacy as it does not identify facial features.
- As travellers move around the viewing area, the non-biometric overhead sensor continually adjusts their private zone to their new location. This lets them see their personalised flight information while moving within the viewing area.
Where & When
It’s important to note that the Delta Airlines Parallel Reality™️ experience is currently available as a beta version only at Detroit Metro Airport for departing and connecting Delta customers.
Boarding passes from SkyTeam partners like Air France and KLM are not eligible for this experience at this time.
I’ve used this at DTW and I guess I just don’t understand the point of it. What does this give me that looking at my boarding pass does not? And you have to stop in one area for it to be of use (i.e. cannot view while walking)?