Otis is building an internet of things platform that will be launched by the end of this year, which will provide predictve insights for buildings
Hyderabad: Manufacturer and maintainer of people-moving products such as elevators, escalators and moving walkways, Otis India, sees further digital transformation in the elevator industry, driven by technology. The sector is on the verge of increased digital disruption during Covid times and in line with this emerging trend, Otis is lining up a series of features and initiatives to provide a seamless and touch-less experience for increased safety.
Otis is one of the oldest players in the sector globally, having been in operations for 167 years with presence in 200 countries, carrying two billion people every day. The world’s largest people transportation company forayed into India in 1892. The company since then has brought gearless, double-deck and greenest elevators in India and continues to bring new technology innovations. In the wake of Covid-19, the company is making necessary interventions.
Sebi Joseph, president, Otis India, told Telangana Today, “Consumer perception due to Covid-19 is changing. Social distancing and sanitisation have become important. Elevator industry is also gearing up to address the rising needs and concerns of safety. Efforts are on to introduce inactivation and disinfection measures in the elevators.”
Elevators are a necessity in tall buildings, offices and transportation hubs and one cannot refrain from using it. With so many people entering the elevators and pressing the buttons to reach their destination, elevators are bound to be at the risk of spreading the virus. Technology such as e-call and smart elevators will minimise the touch points in the elevators, hence reducing the risk.
“While human touch at the elevators is going to reduce with the help of technology, building managers will be able to improve the traffic management. India has a tech-savvy population and with increasing number of smartphone users, the new features can be easily implemented,” he added.
Technology interventions
Otis has introduced an eCall app that enables passengers to use their cell phone as their personal elevator call button and call an eCall-equipped elevator when approaching it. This helps minimise the use of public access elevator buttons. The eCall app also gives building managers the flexibility to provide easy access for passengers. Additionally, a Bluetooth-enabled version of eCall is being rolled out. This will offer passengers a more seamless experience within their respective buildings, he explained.
Beyond eCall, Otis offers its CompassPlus destination dispatching system. Instead of using standard hall call buttons, passengers can enter their specific floor in the Compass fixture. The system assigns passengers traveling to nearby floors to the same car. This minimises the number of stops per trip, reduces car crowding and decreases travel time. CompassPlus can limit the number of passengers assigned to each elevator, allow for automatic operation to pre-defined floors, and can be used with the Otis eCall app.
He added, “Be it at airports or commercial buildings, touch-less buttons that are sensor-based can be put in use. Smart pantries and smart restrooms will be the evolving need in buildings. A lot of experimentation is already in progress. There are even solutions to upgrade old elevators.”
In addition, Otis One promotes proactive and remote service that can in turn help reduce the number of in-person service calls. The company’s latest remote monitoring solution uses IoT (internet of things) technologies to provide real-time transparent information, proactive communication in the event of an issue, and helps prevent shutdowns with predictive insights. The IoT platform will be launched by the end of this year, informed Joseph.
