By Amit Gossain
Artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain have emerged as two of the most promising technologies of the 21st century. Elevator digitalization revolutionizes user experience, and increases the attractiveness, adaptability and value of the building. AI has enabled faster data retrieval, automation, and data-driven decision-making for businesses. Similarly, blockchain has facilitated transparency and security for organisational operations, which in turn has opened new opportunities for growth and innovation. As a result, they both have been transforming several domains and industries and changing the ways of doing business. The amalgamation of these two cutting-edge technologies can be used to create intelligent systems that are both trustworthy and intelligent. Therefore, these functionalities can be leveraged in elevators to ensure secure and smart vertical mobility.
Enhanced lift maintenance
In the installation and maintenance of a lift, a myriad of stakeholders is involved, such as installers, control bodies, maintenance companies, planners, users, and more. They are all required to share information and common data regarding the lift in a secure and reliable way. For this reason, it seems appropriate to use technology such as blockchain, which has the functionality to keep information decentralised and synchronous among all the stakeholders. The integration of this technology will not only help businesses become compliance-ready but also enable greater trust and transparency between all parties involved.
Improved security audits
Blockchain technology provides a secure and tamper-proof way to record information on the distributed ledger, which is why it can be leveraged to improve elevator audits and security evaluations. The process involves sophisticated code analysis that flags any loopholes in the system and aids in eliminating any vulnerabilities, which ensures the secure functionality of an elevator. In addition, the IoT (Internet of Things) sensors and other hardware can be connected to the smart contract, enabling the recording of an elevator’s incidents into the immutable ledger. This allows the auditor to comprehend the issues affecting the elevator’s performance during its usual operation and also inspect historical events that led to any breakdown.
Smart traffic management
For any high-rise building, elevator traffic management is a critical aspect to minimise wait time, reduce congestion, and maximise efficiency. This is where the integration of AI can assure proper traffic management, which is vital to ensuring the smooth flow of people and goods. AI has the ability to analyse tonnes of data and recognise patterns, which can be significantly useful to understand traffic patterns. As a result, several key factors can be evaluated, including the number of occupants, peak hours, frequency of elevator use, and more. This information can further be utilised to optimise AI algorithms that control the movement of the lifts, which can eliminate the chances of elevators being stalled or overcrowded. Collectively, AI makes it possible for a smart elevator system to function passively while still being proactive and intelligent in traffic management to maximise transportation efficiency.
Reduction of downtime
Predictive maintenance is one of the key uses of AI in elevators, as the unpredicted breakdown can cause discomfort to building residents due to wear and strain. AI can forecast when maintenance is needed and notify maintenance personnel before a breakdown occurs by evaluating data from IoT sensors and machine learning (ML) algorithms. Through this technology’s integration, it can be ensured that the lift is always operating correctly and helps avoid expensive downtime. AI-based analytics can be used in predictive maintenance to find and notify possible problems before they arise. It makes it possible for elevator companies to provide maintenance services that lower the prospect of equipment failures and lessen the demand for lift repair services.
All things considered
The integration of blockchain and AI in elevators has revolutionised vertical mobility by enhancing safety, passenger experience, and overall efficiency. Their ability to make a system intelligent and secure can be successfully leveraged to enhance lift maintenance, improve security audits, enable smart traffic management, and reduce elevator downtime. Today, there are several industry pioneers in the elevator industry who have been harnessing the power of these technologies and providing exceptional vertical mobility solutions.
For AI and blockchain to function at their full potential, it is crucial that they be implemented in an intelligent and trustworthy manner. As technology continues to advance, there will be further innovations in AI and blockchain that will lead to smarter, more secure, and more sophisticated vertical mobility systems.
The author is managing director, KONE Elevator India
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