Nowadays there’s an app for everything...No, seriously, everything!
Kimberly-Clark Professional, a company that prides itself on creating “Exceptional Workplaces” by making them healthier, safer and more productive, has launched an Intelligent Restroom app.
It was built on IBM’s IoT development platform, Bluemix, which guarantees app-centric runtimes, portable and consistent delivery of the app without having to manage an OS, and flexibility and control over the environment with Virtual Servers. Bluemix and the Intelligent Restroom app are all hosted on IBM’s cloud. The purpose of the app is to allow facility managers to receive data and alerts from various devices regarding the restrooms in their buildings, in an effort to improve efficiency.
“The restroom and supplies management have always been important factors in facilities management, however, we now know they’re critical to maintaining the business itself,” said Bryan Semkuley, VP, Global Innovation, Kimberly-Clark Professional.
Through the IBM Watson IoT development platform, facilities managers can collect data and alerts from sensors integrated into restroom amenities, from soap dispensers to air fresheners, as well as non-amenities like entrance doors. All the data is managed and monitored through a central dashboard that can be viewed on desktops or mobile devices remotely.
The initial tests of the Intelligent Restroom app have helped customers reduce the amount of supplies used in the restroom by up to 20 percent. The app is available in several North American markets. It will be showcased at the International Sanitary Supply Association (ISSA) show in October, and rolled out across the country in 2017.
“Kimberly-Clark Professional products are used by one fourth of the world’s population on a regular basis,” said Rachel Reinitz, IBM Distinguished Engineer and CTO, IBM Bluemix Garage. “IBM Cloud, from development platform through IoT, enabled them to develop and deploy the innovative Intelligent Restroom from the ground up.”
Businesses using the Intelligent Restroom app can rest easy knowing that none of their employees will utter those dreaded words: ”We’re out of toilet paper.”
Edited by
Ken Briodagh
