There are places to sit, and there are places to sit. Anyone who lives in Dubrovnik will know that more often than not benches in this city are not in the most comfortable or convenient of places. That's going with the assumption that you can find one that isn’t already occupied by tourists and selfie sticks. Luckily, that is going to be a thing of the past, in part.
The first other-worldly looking bench appeared on Thursday morning in Gruz, much to the fascination of residents. Robert Kalačić, the director of Universal Industries, the company who created these new ‘’smart’’ benches tells us that it will become possible to charge small electrical appliances and handheld devices such mobile phones and tablets in some of the benches, and in addition the very basic functionality such a bench (or any bench, for that matter) provides, they will be properly equipped with sensors to measure UV rays, temperature and humidity, the intensity of light and even pressure. There may even be additional sensors added in the near future should they be deemed necessary. The amazing thing about this technology is its flexibility and the ease it provides when it comes to making upgrades. Imagination is the only limit.
As a business owner, I can tell you first hand that finding local partners in Dubrovnik is no easy feat, but persistence paid off in this case. The idea of the Dubrovnik smart benches has been in the pipeline for around six months and amazingly, there are only four manufacturers of smart benches in the entire world! Two are which are from right here in Croatia, one from the US, and another one from Serbia.
Benches are always a plus, for tourists and us locals alike. The searing summer sun is very unforgiving, as are wooden benches and trying to find them! Lets hope with the new UV detectors and humidity sensors, we will boil alive no more!
The arrival of the smart benches was also reported in the local media on January 21, 2016.
