I hope you will agree with me when I say,
Touchless office technology has become an essential requirement in the post covid situation.
Touchless technology seems so cool to use. Imagine using a touchless ice machine in your office with a contact-less menu that helps you beat the heat in the summer. It all seems like a comfortable job where you have to do little to no effort in the extra things.
From touchless elevator buttons to contactless entry into the office with a video doorbell, from automatic door openers to touchless light switch, all of these office technologies seems like you have entered into a new future.
What is Touchless Technology?
We have talked about touchless office technology quite a lot in the introduction. However, we have not yet described what falls under contactless office technology and what is this all about?
Touchless technologies allow us to work without direct contact with the device. You operate and use the devices without touching them in actuality. For instance, touchless sensors or vacuum trash cans allow you to throw garbage in them without directly contacting the dustbin. This technology might work through the use of sensors or vacuums.
All touchless technologies use sensors, IoT, artificial intelligence, and a combination of other factors. For contact-less access control, touchless entry, or operating a contact-free locker in your office, you need to make use of interfaces, sensors, and several other technologies.
The interfaces can include proximity sensors, infrared sensors, voice recognition, face recognition, and so on. The list of these technologies never ends.
How Do Touchless Technologies Work?
Are you wondering how do these contact-less technologies work? Well, there is a complex and lengthy process associated with these technologies at the back end. However, at the front end, these technologies use computer systems and enable them to take instructions in different forms such as voice, hand gestures, facial patterns, and so on.
These different forms of instructions are interpreted as signals by the computer, categorizing them and carrying out the task associated with each instruction accordingly.
Sensors are used to provide the computer with signals in different forms, and they sense the gesture or object accordingly and send a signal to the computer. Contactless actuators are planted to perform the necessary actions according to the different instructions received by the computer through sensors.
In short, biometric technology, artificial intelligence, the internet of things (IoT), and cloud connectivity together help you build a contactless access control.
Many people are trying to implement touchless office technologies in their workplaces; however, these require a lot of time, effort, and money. Budget is one of the most critical factors that play a huge role in implementing these technologies.
Especially after the post covid situation, many workplaces are implementing contactless technologies. Since everyone has a limited budget, it is essential to understand where and what technology is vital. For instance, getting a touchless lotion dispenser might not be the most important thing you should be installed in your office compared to a touchless video doorbell, entry, menu, or light switch.
Why Are Touchless Office Technologies Important to Implement?
If you have not figured out the importance of implementing contactless automatic technologies in the workplace until now, read this section to better understand.
According to McKinsey 2020, offices that implement touchless technologies will be at a competitive advantage over those that do not have these installed, especially after the global pandemic of 2020.
Post covid situation has been quite different. Things that used to be expected before are changing. A new normal is taking shape, and things are changing speedily in their form. Due to a strict lockdown worldwide, work has shifted online, and employees have been working from home since a while.
However, things are getting better with time, and the situation is improving. Employees are getting back to the workplace to continue with their jobs.
Rejoining the workplace after the pandemic is quite difficult for the workers because of the necessary protocols that need to be followed to prevent the spreading of the virus. Maintaining a social distance and avoiding contact with each other is crucial for each employee’s health.
To discourage contact between employees, offices are moving towards touchless automatic technologies. It is essential for workers’ health, and it is necessary to curb the spread of Covid-19.
Contactless technologies such as a touchless locker, water bottle filling station, dispensers, refrigerators, vacuum trash cans, and the list goes on decrease the need for contact between employees and make the processes more efficient.
For instance, a contactless door lock or door opener will allow you a touchless entry into the office, all safe, secure, and efficient. Building such applications that will enable you to control things without touching the gadgets is the best solution that one can come up with.
Having dedicated applications can help employees book a meeting room in advance, help turn the light on or off, help with contactless door lock opener, and much more.
In addition, such technologies really help you out with basic things in the office. Such as, instead of having an ordinary mobile phone that requires you to input data, you can use the built-in applications of phones such as Google Assistant or Siri. Employees only need to say whom they need to call, and these contactless built-in mobile applications will instantly do their jobs.
Moreover, security systems are enhanced if you use biometrics instead of an identity card. Biometrics are not only safer in terms of curbing the spread of germs, but they are also more secure than other systems if it is made sure that they are correctly installed.
Using QR codes, restaurants and offices can display menus to allow the customer to order their favorite dishes by scanning the QR code only. Such technologies enhance the user experience and satisfaction.
Interested in similar articles? Here’s one we’d think you’d like:
Contactless Office Technologies
The world is moving towards virtual reality and augmented reality. Things are changing at a faster pace than ever before. Especially after the post-COVID situation, everything has revolutionized from the educational systems to workplaces. People are seeking to implement touchless office technologies. However, the main question remains, are these touchless faucets really worth it?
Contactless faucets are essential after the pandemic of 2020. The post coronavirus situation demands the offices to revolutionize their workplaces for the safety of their employees. We have listed some technologies for you to implement in your workplace. These will enhance your office and make it efficient and secure for the employees.
Cloud Computing
Cloud computing enables you to use the demanded computer resources without an active manager. These are often used to store large amounts of data and process it in real-time. It is an essential technology to implement in your virtual office space. It allows you to control things and make decisions based on the real-time information available to you.
Cloud computing is a vast and diverse field. Numerous things fall under this category. It also allows the remote exchange of data, which can be done through software such as Google Docs. Cloud computing will enable collaborations and supports the concept of shared virtual spaces. You can use software available on the net such as Dropbox, Google Meet, Zoom, and much more. Microsoft Office is another great example that allows people to work together on an online platform.
There is a lot more that comes under cloud computing. Implementing this software in workplaces will not only make operations more manageable and more efficient, but it will also protect the health of workers from the deadly coronavirus. Employees can quickly contact each other and work on the same project virtually and together at the office while maintaining a physical distance in the office.
Voice Operated Softwares
Numerous software is available on the net that operates with your voice’s help. This software does not require input from you in the form of touch. Such software is a savior for your employees. These curb the spread of covid because they do not encourage the exchange of direct contact between employees.
If you have a main operating computer system in the office, you should research and download such software or purchase devices that allow the control of the computer system through voice. One example of this device is the Microsoft Surface Hub 2.
Microsoft Surface Hub 2 is an interactive whiteboard engineered and designed by Microsoft. It allows you to work together virtually, and it offers a fantastic experience for its users.
Such devices make it easier for people to communicate and collaborate with each other, even with a physical distance between them. The physical presence of people is not necessary for you to collaborate and work together anymore. Such interactive devices and software take commands in the form of voice and do not encourage contact between employees.
Microsoft Surface Hub 2, for instance, can be operated with your voice commands. You only need to activate the speech option in Windows, and you are ready to go! Now train your employees to operate the device with their voice. Commands such as “switch browser” or “page down” can be easily performed by the employees with the help of their voice and the use of the intelligent device.
Biometrics
Biometrics is one of the familiar options of touchless technology that you might be aware of. We are not talking about fingerprints or any such identifications that encourage the exchange of contact between people or the device; we are talking about the numerous other biometrics that can be implemented. People are working on touchless fingerprint technology as well, though.
Facial recognition is one of the most widely used biometrics that allows users to operate devices after authenticating themselves through a facial scan. A lot of mobile devices use this, and numerous other organizations have also incorporated this technology in their workplaces.
Other than facial recognition, we have retina scans and voice recognition as well that fall under the biometrics category. Biometrics is a diverse field, and it includes numerous tests. All of the biometric tests prove to be excellent for security systems.
Hence, if you are planning to implement biometrics, you should implement these where security is essential. For instance, if you want a touchless entry of employees into your office, you can place a biometric system outside the front door containing all the employees’ data and, using biometrics, allow or deny them entry inside the office.
Custom Office Applications
There are numerous applications that have been built explicitly for particular tasks. You can look out for applications that register and manage employees or customers to allow an efficient and smooth work process with all the precautionary measures necessary for covid. You can also look out for maintenance applications that would enable you to plan everything in such a way that reduces contact to the most minimum.
There are different applications that operate and manage other things around the office. Using a separate application for each office task might get confusing for the employees. It will require a lot of training and practice before employees can fully operate different applications for different jobs. This also means that a lot of time and effort needs to be put in for this process.
However, you can choose to get a custom application built especially for your office environment. Using contactless sensors and actuators all around the workplace, you can control and operate things just using a single application.
Custom office applications will be personalized and include everything the way you like. You can choose to include touchless light switches, parking, elevator buttons, trash cans, recycle bins, reservations on shared spaces, and much more. You can choose to control everything with your custom-built application.
Training employees on one custom-built application would be a less tricky task as compared to training them on several applications, each performing a separate task.
Sensors and Actuators
Sensors and actuators go hand in hand when it comes to implementing touchless technologies. Sensors are the input devices that are placed at the required place you want to manage and take input from. For instance, if you are planning to implement a foot-operated hygienic automatic door opener with the help of sensors, you need to get sensors placed at your door.
Sensors at the door will automatically sense the presence of an employee or a customer. It will then send data to the computer which will instruct the actuator to take action accordingly. If the person detected by the sensor at the door is a registered employee, the computer will match the record with the database, then it will command the actuator to open the door for the employee.
Hence, sensors and actuators work hand in hand. Sensors sense the surrounding and send data to the computer which process the information and commands to the actuator to perform a task accordingly. There are numerous types of sensors and actuators. You need to find the accurate one that suits your requirements.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a technology that is widely being used by every other technology. Be it speakers, mobile phones, laptops, or whatever other technology, they all come in with a Bluetooth option that allows you to connect any two devices and share data using wireless technology. This generation can operate a million things just by their phone using Bluetooth.
Items such as doorknobs, elevators, TV remotes, light buttons are the kind of objects that have a very high risk of carrying germs as these are the kind of objects that are being used by every individual present at the office or that came in. Bluetooth makes it very easy to access these devices without touching anything.
You can use a Bluetooth access reader to command and get the doors opened and closed in the touchless office. You can also use this in the elevator to press buttons that every individual uses, which means the chances of germs sitting there are the highest. You can also use a Bluetooth connection to turn on/off the lights and set your room temperature to your liking without touching the device or remote.
Bluetooth also works with televisions, and speakers, change channels or songs without touching the devices, and enjoy what you like. During meetings, too, Bluetooth technology comes in as a great help to control your projector while giving the presentation. This single technology can be used almost anywhere and everywhere, reducing the hassle of having to carry wires or being intact with the devices you want to use.
In addition, Bluetooth is very quick, and it also remembers the devices that you pair your phone with, and through settings, you can also allow your Bluetooth to reconnect to the devices when they are within reach. This will help you save the time of even having to reconnect your mobile phone every time, you just have to do it once, and you are good to go. Being able to control devices/object without touching them through your mobile phone is quite impressive.
Robots
Robots have been an incredible invention for a long time, but the robots that are being created now are no different from actual humans. Robots in this generation can replicate mundane tasks and are a great helping hand to every individual. Robots can be used around the office to sanitize places and objects and for the transfer of goods and materials without touching them.
This limits human interaction at the workplace as you do not have to get up from your workplace to hand in the materials to your co-worker or boss. The robot can do the delivery job, and it can also sanitize the materials for you before you get in contact with them.
In addition to this tremendous contactless delivering experience, Collaborative robots, also known as cobots, can work with humans and replicate mundane tasks, especially in food processing, manufacturing, and pharmaceutical industries.
This has limited the number of people available at the office as the cobots can replace them, and only a manager or supervisor will be required. According to research and markets, it is anticipated that the international collaborative robot market will increase from $981 million in 2020 to $7,972 million in 2026.
Touchless Reservations
Room reservations can be a lot of hassle because the individual has to walk around the office until you find what’s available, which is not preferred by many people in this post-Covid situation as you will be passing by a lot of people. You do not have the space to stay 4 meters away to keep a safe distance. Furthermore, after finding what you’ve been looking for, you will have to touch the on-demand button to secure the room’s use which again is avoided by people because it is not possible that this device is being cleaned every time someone uses it.
RoomWizard is a room reservation system that helps you auto book and auto-release and adds more safety to the office environment by automating the booking experience. The individual can know when the room is empty and when it’s occupied without having to touch a thing. Workplace advisor subscription sensors will know if someone enters the room. It will automatically book the room through a calendaring system which triggers the Room Wizard lights to turn red and display new reservations. However, in other cases, if no one shows up to a scheduled meeting, it will automatically release the space.
Touchless Restrooms
Using public toilets or office toilets can be very risky as anyone, and everyone has used the objects in there. It is nearly impossible to wash or sanitize the toilets every time after they have been used, which is why touchless technology in the bathrooms might be most important. A lot of touchless technologies have been invented that has made life very easy to avoid germs.
These touchless dispensers, taps, and technologies have been very popular lately because the purpose of washing your hands is defeated if you touch the taps and objects right after you wash your hands. Touchless mouthwash dispenser, touchless bathroom faucet Moen, touchless paper towel dispenser, touchless automatic soap dispenser, touchless liquid soap dispenser, touchless toilet flush kit, and touchless restroom faucets are the kind of technologies that are famous. You will see in the restrooms in a touchless office as they will surely get you a touchless wash, and your purpose of washing hands won’t be defeated.
Along with providing hygiene, these products also save you money because the wastage of products is reduced, especially water wastage, and it will also ensure your employees’ well-being. When your employees are well, there will be fewer demands for sick leaves; instead, more staff will be motivated to show up at the workplace and be productive because they can see that the environment is protected and safe. Foot-operated hygienic door openers are also available in the market, allowing you to open the door when they sense movement through your foot. This adds to the hygiene as you won’t have to touch doors or doorknobs.
Interested in similar articles? Here’s one we’d think you’d like:
How To Implement Contact Less Office Technologies?
We hope you enjoyed the contactless technologies section of the article. As you must have figured it out, there are numerous technologies that you can implement in your office. You can choose the ideal technology for you according to the budget available to you and the requirements for your office.
This section of the article will discuss the implementation of these technologies – how should you implement them in your office, and whether these touchless faucets are really worth it?
There are numerous steps involved in implementing these new technologies in the office. We will guide you through every step to make this process easier for you.
1. Identify the areas that require a change
Start the implementation by taking a tour of your office and identifying problem areas that encourage direct contact between the employees. You need to evaluate everything in-depth and write the problem areas down so that later you can discuss the most suitable technology to help you with getting a touchless system.
Since covid spreads like wildfire, it is essential to identify the hotspots in your office that would encourage the spread of the virus. It can be the entrance door, restrooms, dining area, or shared workplaces that act as the hub of coronavirus when it spreads.
Moreover, it is crucial to categorize the identified areas according to the most commonly accessed touchpoints. This will help you in setting priorities for changing the technology to touchless. Once you have identified the common touchpoints and categorized them according to the most commonly accessed touchpoint, you need to look at your budget.
Budget is one of the restricting factors that will not allow you to change everything completely. You might have a long list that would include touchless wash, lockers, refrigerator, parking, elevator buttons, urinal flush valve, and so on. However, you need to set priorities and then select which area to replace with touchless technology first.
Touchless technology would be impactful to implement in the areas where it cannot be replaced. These areas require the use of contactless technology on an immediate basis, especially in the post covid times where the health of an employee and his safety is crucial for the company.
Touchless office technology is the new future that is here to stay. You will have a diverse range of technologies to choose from in the near future. Firms with contactless systems would be preferred and have a higher ranking than those without this competitive advantage.
2. Start implementation with the most frequently accessed areas
When implementing contactless technology, figure out the most accessed area first. You must have done that in step 1, along with making a list of the hotspots where there is a frequent exchange of contact between the employees. Now that you have your list sorted according to specific requirements and criteria start by implementing technology where it is urgently required.
For instance, installing a touchless ice machine for your employees to enjoy and beat the heat of summer would not be a great idea to start with. It would not be suitable to begin the implementation of touchless technologies by installing a trash can with a vacuum or a contactless urinal flush valve. These things come secondary in terms of installation.
The primary contact point that needs to be changed to touchless is your front door. It will not matter if you have changed every corner in your office if the entrance door still remains to be the primary contact point between employees. Employees entering and exiting the office would exchange contact at the front door and carry the germs inside the office afterward, even if you install a touchless hand sanitizer dispenser with a stand or a wall mount. The main objective is to curb the spread of coronavirus, which is possible if all precautionary rules are followed as conveyed.
3. Get other touchpoints changed to contactless
According to the limited budget you have and the list you have prepared, get ready to start implementing touchless technologies in other areas of the office. For a smart and safe building, it is essential for you to have touchless access controls post covid.
It would be best to make sure the technologies you are using are reliable. You need to provide your employees with a constant internet connection to allow you and them to use the technologies efficiently.
Stable internet access would also allow you to implement a cloud computing system that processes real-time information. Connecting cloud computing to other applications in the office is the best possible solution for you. Cloud computing will provide you with access to real-time information, which is crucial in making decisions.
For instance, if you have implemented a touchless automatic door opener connected to an application that sends data through cloud computing, you can make decisions using real-time information whether to allow the employee inside the building. This process works when the employee arrives at the door. Using facial recognition or voice, the employee can put in his credentials without touching the entrance door. This information is then updated and displayed to you through cloud computing. You can then decide to open the door or keep it locked.
Having remote access and alternative to these technologies is vital for the smooth working of everything.
4. Have a look over your maintenance management
Even if you change everything to touchless, which is quite impossible in the short term, it is essential for you to revisit your maintenance programs. There are still touchpoints that allow contact between the employees. Hence, cleaning the office on a regular basis is more important than ever due to covid.
Using cloud computing and real-time information, you can implement an application that tracks the exchange of contact between employees. This can be done with the help of sensors too. Whenever a contact is exchanged between the employees, you can get the area cleaned immediately afterward, only if the contact is rear.
However, if a touchpoint encourages frequent contact between the employees, you can install a touchless hand sanitizer dispenser with a stand or a wall mount. This would enable the employees to use the sanitizer before and after the contact. It can reduce the spread of coronavirus among the employees, and you would be able to plan better cleaning schedules.
By implementing a cloud-based access control system with real-time information, you can keep control of the contact between employees and schedule your maintenance programs without disrupting your employees.
Interested in similar articles? Here’s one we’d think you’d like:
Applications
There are numerous applications available on the net that can help you with the task you wish to perform. Every application is built for a specific job and specializes in those ideas. You can use several apps at once to implement your touchless office technologies one by one. Otherwise, you can get a custom application built that suits and fulfills your office requirements.
Envoy’s application has an employee and visitor management system that allows a touchless check-in process to avoid unnecessary contact at covid times. In addition, this application helps in improving efficiency at the workplace.
Openpath is another application that offers detailed capacity tracking and activity reporting. You can automate your cleaning and maintenance schedules with the help of this application, and this allows you to manage things all without unnecessary human interaction.
Getting custom applications built for your office requirements would be the best idea. Although the application would cost you a lot of money, once it is made operational, it will make processes easy and efficient for you. You can ask the application maker to build a control access system that allows a contactless light switch, a touchless trash can, a recycle bin with a vacuum on the bottom, or any other things you have in mind.
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed reading the article. The world has drastically changed post-COVID and it is necessary for us to change with the need of time, otherwise, we would start lagging behind. Covid has decreased direct interactions between humans and a lot of things have been shifted to digital. It is the requirement of the hour that we need to change ourselves accordingly.
Workplaces need to implement touchless technologies to remain at par with their competitors at least. These technologies are not a fad but a trend that will stay forever. As technology enhances, we need to enhance our way of working too.
We hope the article provided you with enough information to start the implementation of touchless technology in your office. Do not delay this any further. We wish you good luck with your work!