Intelligent sensors improve washroom maintenance efficiency

Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits worked with CWS-boco International GmbH to create a smart washroom sensor system for quicker cleaning.

Bathrooms, washrooms, restrooms, loos… whatever the spaces are called, they are companies’ highest maintenance rooms. Soap, toilet paper and hand towels constantly need refilling, making the washrooms in large buildings extremely time consuming to clean and maintain. With the intelligent sensor CWS Washroom Information Service created by Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits and CWS-boco International GmbH, cleaners can now better plan for and respond to the requirements of each building’s washrooms.

Battery operated sensors measure the levels of materials in each dispenser and, using wireless Bluetooth technology, transmits the data to a central Washroom Control Unit. Using the Fraunhofer Institute’s proprietary technology, the central unit then sends the information and alerts to the companies’ cleaning team. Individual cleaners can use the app to make real-time adjustments to the scheduled rota, as needed. Using the data dashboard, management teams can review short and long term patterns of consumption for better overall administration of a company’s resources.

Creating stronger, more intelligent connections helps many aspects and types of business, from trackable herds to smart beer taps, run more efficiently. What analog areas of work could be linked up for new methods of use?