Testing new limits at Clarion Hotel Energy

Testing new limits at Clarion Hotel Energy

With its metallic geometric exterior and claim to the title of Stavanger’s largest conference hotel, Clarion Hotel Energy is a far cry from our last stop – Utstein Kloster Hotel, with its humble size and wooden houses overlooking the sea. Nonetheless, the two hotels have one thing in common: both use Bolder technology to find new and improved solutions.

Here at Bolder, we like to ask: “What if the world conformed to you?”, and our latest technology is yet an embodiment of this attitude. Too often, we passively interact with the digital world and data-collection, giving away our information without considering what that really entails or whether it will create any value on a personal level. On the flipside, Bolder focuses on the individual, asking how our digital lives can enrich our experiences. Setting out on a new adventure underpinned by these values, Clarion Hotel Energy is one of the spaces that have invited us to test how potential can turn into reality thanks to the new technology. 

Complete with no less than 400 rooms for guests, 14 meeting rooms and a conference hall with a capacity of 1000 people, the case of Clarion Hotel Energy serves as an example of how machine intelligence can give a better overview of such large spaces. In simple terms, the latest Bolder x Stereolabs collaboration has delivered a 3D camera that helps count, map and measure movements without compromising the right to privacy. So far, two devices have been installed inside the hotel. 

One camera is keeping count of the use of toilets. “They do not monitor the toilets in the sense that they’re concerned with who enters and exits, but rather, whether people do so,” says project Lead Truls Engström. He goes on to explain that keeping tabs on when and which toilets are used can help inform cleaning and maintenance routines. 

“If no one has used toilet X by the time of the hourly check-up, there is no need to waste time cleaning it. On the other hand, if one toilet is being used more frequently than the others, you might want to implement more regular cleaning rotations for that stall in particular,” he adds. The camera has been in use at the hotel for about a month, and with the operation running smoothly, we can ask what other environments might benefit from the same solution.

The second camera is being used to give an overview of how many people are on each floor at all times. There are many reasons why this information can be beneficial. For example, it can prevent people from gathering to party in the hotel rooms. Similarly, having a complete and up-to-date overview can be useful in case of a fire because the information can save the fire department valuable time. 

In practical terms, the camera only needs to register movements and their directions rather than video recordings. In this case that means detecting whether someone is walking in or out. The 3D camera acts like a pair of eyes that is processing the information in front of them, then saves it as numbers. “This gives us an overview without being in conflict with GDPR or privacy beyond that,” Truls says. “Knowing – not who but how – many people are inside the hotel gives the reception staff security and confidence,” he concludes.

For more information concerning Bolder’s technology and commitment to privacy, feel free to contact Truls Engstrøm at truls@bolder.no or give us a call via +47 907 71 446.