British Airways love keeping their customers happy and are always thinking up new ways to make their flights more comfortable and enjoyable. However, they’ve simply outdone themselves with this magical creation. What have they done? They’ve created the very first “Happiness Blanket”, and it does more than just keep you warm.
So, what does it do?
The airline developed this idea in order to analyse the meditative state of premium cabin fliers. The blanket is made of wool and is embedded with tiny-fibre-optic LEDs that change colour based on the brainwaves transmitted via Bluetooth from a band worn on a passenger’s head. The LED’s change colour based on the mood of the passenger; Blue signifies calm and relaxation and crimson indicates stress or anxiety.
It’s only available to first class fliers but it’s not ready just yet. Volunteers will try the blanket first on transatlantic flights. Then BA will use the data collected from the blankets to make an already good in-flight experience even better. The colour patterns may inform changes to in-flight services from, for example, the timing of meals, the menu, and the movie options.
It’s unclear how this trial will affect the future of BA flights but at the very least it will improve them.
Pioneering British Airways
The happiness blanket isn’t the first experiment British Airways have launched. Last year, they introduced Slow TV, which is now featured prominently alongside you’re usual on-board entertainment.
Slow TV aims to relax passengers and lull them to sleep on long-haul flights by showing them hypnotic, calming and mesmerising films. Some shows include bird-feeding, knitting or a walk in the park. But the most popular film is the seven-hour rail journey through Norway that passengers can view in real-time.
This all seems very weird and slightly ridiculous, but we hope there’s more where these came from. Just don’t forget about the passengers in good ol’ economy class.
