UAE – Mubasher: Farnek, a leading facilities management company based in the UAE, has launched the first digitally monitored washroom in the Middle East for Dubai residents.

The new system gathers statistical data, analyses, and reveals customer trends and patterns digitally using state-of-the-art technologies, including internet of things (IoT) sensors, machine learning, artificial intelligence (AI), and cloud architecture, according to a press release.

The innovative system aims to provide customers with the optimum experience and ensure their satisfaction standards.

The system enables facility managers to re-evaluate service delivery to improve the customer experience as it supports real-time customer feedback.

Markus Oberlin, Farnek CEO, said: “By using a digitalised solution, we’re harnessing big data and transforming the service offering to be more customer experience-driven and cost-effective. Our pilot project installed in a major shopping mall in Dubai is already at an advanced stage, and we estimate we can make manpower cost savings of over 20% during low footfall”.

The system is suitable for all industries and can be installed into existing washrooms, Farnek added, pointing out it features several sensors and unique processes unlike any other product on the market.

With the use of IoT sensors, the digitalised system will “detect and identify peak times, monitor safety and determine when a cleaner is required.”

The system also features an air quality monitor to identify gasses such as ammonia, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and volatile organic compounds.

“AQI works like a thermometer that operates from zero to 500 degrees, but instead of measuring temperature, the AQI will identify any changes in the amount of impurities in the air,” Oberlin added.

In 2017, the vice president and prime minister of the UAE and the ruler of Dubai, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum announced the UAE Strategy for Artificial Intelligence (AI), which is the first of its kind in the region and the world to promote government performance and encourage investing in AI.

In April, the UAE government opened the Emirates Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) in Dubai in collaboration with the World Economic Forum (WEF) for developing innovative future solutions.

It is worth noting that the World Economic Forum’s ‘Future of Jobs Report’ projected that leaders and organisations would eventually adapt to tackle four major technologies; the 5G network, cloud technology, big data, and AI.