It’s both a boon and a bane of our era: smartphones. A blessing, as each person carries a personal, incredibly powerful computer in their pocket. On the flip side, it’s a curse for those consumed by it. The prevalence of people fixated on their phones while walking isn’t just about detachment from reality; it poses a tangible danger to themselves and others. Let’s face it, we’re all guilty of being glued to our screens while on the go! Blame the game, not the player and think sightseeing. Yes! Back in the good old days we all had to stop to take the map out of the back pockets and simply take a look, remember the route and enjoy the walk, now all that is necessary is to type in the desired address and let the maps tell us how to reach it. We lost something, not the exact coordinates of our current location, not these, but we’ve forgotten about the magical and adventurous nature of wandering, phone-free.

Here comes AI to the rescue. Terra, an incredible, pocket-sized compass that lets you wander without getting lost, phone-free. How? Well, it is AI-powered, pocket-sized gadget that guides its user along a route using haptic feedback and a subtle graphic interface like a compass needle. It all starts with, surprise, surprise, a prompt like: two-hour Marais stroll with patisserie visit or 1 hour trail around Amsterdam canals, and then Terra’s sophisticated AI translates the intentions, available time, and precise location into a tailored trail of GPS coordinates.

“In a world overwhelmed by the constant distractions of our smartphones, the need for a mindful connection with our surroundings has never been more pressing,”

said Panter & Tourron founder Stefano Panterotto in his interview for Dezeen magazine.

What is also cool, is the Terra’s design too! Created by design studios Modem Works and Panter & Tourron, the device was inspired by stress-reducing “worry” stones. Compact yet robust it has drawn inspiration from New Age artifacts and “gorpcore” fashion – the trend of incorporating outdoor recreational gear into one’s style. The DIY nature of the project serves as the icing on the cake here, thus the software can be accessed at no cost via GitHub, together with CAD files for the device’s outer shell, enabling 3D printing. Additionally, there’s a list of eight electrical components that makers need to procure, including an LCD display module, GPS module, haptic controller, and power button. It’s hard no to love the spirit of the creators.

You can red more about the project here. TERRA COGNITA!

PS. Thank you iancc_wip for sending this one in.