Touch-Free Tech

In the second of a series of features exploring how the hospitality industry can respond to a new standard of health security, we take a look at the products facilitating the contactless hotel of tomorrow.

Words: Kristofer Thomas and Ben Thomas

As the hospitality industry slowly rolls back into action following the wholesale turbulence of the Coronavirus pandemic, returning guest sentiment is guiding changes in hotel function and form. Whilst much has been discussed around the physical changes to hotel design – not least socially distanced lobbies, carefully partitioned restaurants and an abundance of new cleaning and hygiene protocols – it is perhaps a demand for the opposite, and the emergence of non-physical elements, that will define the coming era of hotel life.

Whilst bio-resistant materials and self-cleaning components are all well and good, the average hotel guest has spent the last six months being hyper-aware of every surface and their potential role in the spread of disease, and as such is likely wary of contact with any unfamiliar fixture, regardless of its certification. From check-in desk to guestroom, the journey through a hotel is one of contact – with pen, elevator button, doorknob, light-switch, TV remote, all hotspots of collected germs and handled countless times before it is your turn. In a world where physical contact has been under the proverbial and literal microscope for much of the year, some adaptations will be required.

It should come as no surprise then that contactless technology within hospitality experiences are in demand, with a survey by hygiene specialist Citron signalling that 80% of the 7,000 asked would prefer an app that allows for touch-free check-in and out as opposed to the traditional model, whilst 73% sought a similar means of opening their guestroom doors. The technology for both is already available, yet still largely in the minority. The ground shift of Covid-19

will inevitably see the process of adoption accelerated, and to see what this movement may evolve into, we should look to the early adopters.

When CitizenM launched in 2008, its automated selfcheck-in process was hailed as the model of the future, and these predictions appear to have been correct. Now the Dutch hotel chain has announced its contactless stay experience, all tethered to an app that allows guests to create keycards, open their door, order F&B deliveries, and control the in-room experience from the comfort and relative safety of a phone. Spending the pandemic downtime fast-tracking and rolling out the technology, the brand will now tackle health security fears with a combination of in-house cleaning procedures and technology that affords guests greater control over unfamiliar environments.

Where across the last two issues we’ve looked at the surface materials and office elements guests can expect to see in the post-pandemic world, we now turn our attention to the products facilitating the contactless hotel of tomorrow.

Clockwise from top left: Grohe’s Bau Cosmo E infra-red basin tap; Gira’s G1 room operating device; Imagin’s CleansePoint Collection

WASH YOUR HANDS The Covid-19 pandemic has pushed the everyday necessity of hand-washing into the spotlight, meaning products that optimise hand hygiene at hotels and in the workplace are soaring in demand. One such solution is the Bau Cosmo E by German bathroom manufacturer Grohe, an infra-red basin mixer made from composite polymer that uses motion sensors to detect movement before activating the water flow – minimising contact with the faucet itself to ensure germs from unclean hands do not linger.

BE WISE, SANITISE The need for touch-free hand sanitiser units has expectedly risen in the wake of the coronavirus crisis too, with automated dispensers becoming commonplace in hotel receptions and other public areas. As such, decorative lighting company Imagin has ventured into the market in partnership with architecture and interior design firm Dexter Moren Associates (DMA), launching the CleansePoint Collection of wallmounted units. Comprising four bespoke designs – The Windsor and The Richmond in collaboration with DMA; The Henley and The Marlow by Imagin’s designers – the automatic hand sanitisers use motion-sensing technology and come in a variety of optional finishes, colours and materials, while room numbers and lights can also be added for use in corridors.

THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT Amongst the least hygienic items in any given hotel room, the television remote is a hotbed for germs – often overlooked in the cleaning process (when did you last wash yours?) and surely the next component of the guestroom to be phased out along with the landline telephone. Seeking to streamline the process whilst making a shared physical remote redundant, the GuestConnect app by Philips Professional Display Solutions allows guests to control their in-room MediaSuite TV with a mobile device, all the while retaining the design and layout of the buttons to remain universally easy to use. Cloud-based room management system SYMBIoT allows guests to control all in-room technology from their personal device too, though without the need to download an app. The contactless solution can also be expanded to offer real-time diagnostics on maintenance devices, meaning operators can track everything from lights to leak detection remotely.

Similarly efficient is Gira G1, an intelligent control unit that can be used to control many inroom technology functions, from switching and dimming lights to raising and lowering blinds or controlling room temperature. Reducing the number of touchpoints needed in hotel rooms, the user-friendly system allows guests to prompt functions by gesturing towards or touching a six-inch colour screen, which displays large fonts and easy-to-understand symbols. The flush-mounted box is also equipped with an integrated proximity sensor, meaning it is able to recognise when someone approaches and switch on automatically.

Clockwise from top left: Onity’s DirectKey mobile access solution; IGV Group’s On Air lift concept; FOH’s noncontact infrared thermometer

HANDLE WITH CARE Door handles are the perfect breeding ground for bacteria and keeping them sanitised throughout the day can be an arduous task for hotel staff. Looking to combat the issue, SanitGrasp’s no-touch pull handle reduces the risk of transmission between guests, providing a hygienic retrofit solution for high-traffic areas. The ADA-compliant, stainless steel handle features an angled opening with a rounded cap and easy to read, engraved instructions, helping to implement new health and safety measures in lobbies, co-working areas and restaurants.

Likewise, Onity’s DirectKey system uses secure key credentialing and Bluetooth technology to allow for contactless check-in and property access, meaning guests can download room keys directly to their smartphone through a hotel’s loyalty app and bypass the front desk as a result – eliminating the need to linger in high-traffic areas and share communal touchpoints with staff and other patrons. SAFETY FIRST Whilst guest contactless technology and design will prove an important feature of hospitality going forwards, the same can also be said for a property’s staff, who will equally desire a safe workplace and means of working. For the gradual return, when virus fears are still looming overhead, staff will require a means of making their hotel a safe place, with FOH’s non-contact infrared thermometer allowing them to take temperature readings of guests for instant readings with no need to break social distancing regulations.

LIFTING THE LID ON HYGIENE Stepping into an over-crowded elevator isn’t pleasant at the best of times, and even in the current climate with social distancing measures in place, lifts can feel like potent spots for picking up infection. Conceived in response to the transmission of Covid-19, The Platform Lift Company’s CARe system uses innovative air and light technology to sanitise lift cabins with antimicrobial cleaning. Developed in Italy, the automated device features a fast-acting Absolute HEPA filter, which is combined with an activated charcoal membrane to continuously sanitise the air, and a UVGI LED light – automatically activated in the stand-by phase when there are no passengers inside the lift – with hospital-grade antimicrobial properties to removing 99.9% of micro-organisms from all surfaces. Air is vacuumed from the cabin then channelled through pipes to the device, where it is filtered and purified from any virus and bacteria, before being circulated back to the lift.

On Air by Italian lift manufacturer IGV Group and architects Studio Marco Piva was also launched with the aim of reducing exposure to contagion. The elevator is equipped with a range of advanced internal communication systems, including virus-resistant, touchfree and proximity-activated control panels, multilingual voice interfaces, face recognition and remote control from a mobile device.