Terra takes people out of their phone screens, encouraging them to look around  while navigating unfamiliar terrain. Robbie Hodges reports

All too often, digital navigation tools such as Google Maps lead people to stumble through a city without taking in the sights around them. Terra aims to completely reimagine how people engage with their immediate surroundings by harnessing the power of AI and haptic feedback technology.

How does it work? Rather than punch in an address on the go, users prompt the device on a computer or phone before heading out. Prompts might include, “two-hour Greenwich Village stroll with pizza along the way” or “Shibuya architecture tour, back by 3pm”.

Through a custom-built software than combines the APIs of Google’s Places and ChatGPT, a route is created that takes into account the user’s location, intentions and time frame. Once the route has been uploaded, users can venture out with the pebble-shaped gadget in hand.
As they walk, Terra vibrates on one of its various sides, indicating if and when the user needs to take a turn. A small interface with arrows also indicates which way to go. The aim is to facilitate mindful, engagement with the urban environment – enabling people to head out without their phones, free from notifications or other virtual distractions.Modem Works and Panter & Tourron, the studios responsible for the gadget, open-sourced the software that powers the route recommendations and the CAD files for the outer shell so anyone with a 3D printer can create one themselves.

Giving people the ability to make, repair and even customize their tech products marks a big shift in consumer expectations of Big Tech. But the design shifts the needle in another way too, explains Panter & Tourron founder Stefano Panterotto: "Our goal was a design that is both functional and meditative, similar to a fidget device,” he says, “a product you can hold and play with for relaxation.”While unique in its aesthetic and feel, Terra reflects a couple of emerging trends.

Firstly, the growing consumer appetite for more natural-feeling technology design whether that’s paper-lite interfaces that don’t interfere with the user’s circadian rhythms or the popularity of dumbphones that have limited capabilities.

Secondly, it taps into the trend for AI-powered navigation tools. Walkcast is a service that uses a similar software to auto-generate live podcasts that reflect the user’s surroundings as they move, providing tidbits of information on sites of historic or topical interest. Meanwhile, iWander is a 360 AI-powered travel agent that claims to deliver curated content and geo-localised recommendations to travellers on the go.

By blending AI-driven navigation with a tactile, distraction-free interface, Terra offers a glimpse into a future where technology enhances exploration rather than detracting from it.