Technology-driven suitcase does it all.

• Position: Travel - Bluetooth-driven suitcase

Smart technology is in our homes, cars, and phones, and soon it will power our luggage, thanks in part to University at Buffalo (N.Y.) engineering student Martin Diz, a doctoral candidate in the aerospace engineering program. He is co-founder and head of engineering for Bluesmart, a company that is developing a carry-on that uses digital technology to solve some of the problems that frustrate many travelers.

The Bluetooth-driven suitcase packs a microcomputer, a battery for charging smartphones on the go, a sensor for tracking the luggage's location, and a built-in digital scale for weighing the case. The case is ac companied by a mobile application that serves as a personal travel assistant.

Diz and his five co-founders placed Bluesmart on Indiegogo, a crowd-funding website, with the goal of raising $50,000 in startup funds. They surpassed that total in two hours, and recently exceeded $1,000,000 in contributions and more than 3,000 preorders. The suitcase will ship to supporters in August 2015.

"The last innovation of the suitcase was about 30 to 40 years ago, and it was just to add four wheels," notes Diz. "Everything today is smart, but there are no smart suitcases. We realized a major redesign was required. So, we set out to think how the carry-on for this century should be made."

The...