As buildings reopen, concerns remain about physical distancing and touching surfaces. These concerns are heightened when it comes to elevators where people are required to be in close proximity and the elevator operates by touching buttons. Many people are using toothpicks, elbows, and even their keys to avoid contact with elevator buttons. As a result, the elevator industry has been pushed to fast track its technology. Elevator passengers want to call an elevator without having to touch a button or a screen. The solution is the touchless elevator system. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and third party providers have devised strategies that enable users to either touch nothing, or to touch only their own smartphones to travel in their building.
There are broadly 4 strategies used to eliminate the need to touch a button:
Sensors outside (and potentially inside, where skylobbies are used) elevator banks, in conjunction with smartphones, to assign and notify a passenger of his elevator assignment
QR codes on phones that are presented to a reader
Traditional buttons that are augmented by proximity sensors which a user waves or hovers his hand or finger to indicate his direction of travel (in the hall) and desired floor (inside the car)
Voice call registration
Which strategy to implement is a function of the unique characteristics of a particular building. The type of building (commercial, residential, retail, etc.), it’s occupancy (e.g., tech workers, lawyers, elderly), the ease with which a particular system could be implemented (is it due for a modernization? Does it have a large car operating panel?), along with other factors would indicate which solution makes the most sense in a given situation.
There are several options available to address elevator user’s desire to get to their floor without touching a button or a screen. Your vertical transportation professional can help determine which is best for your building. Contact us at Elevator365 for more information.