TECHNOLOGY & DATA
High-tech cleaning – it’s not just for robots
Robots tend to grab the cleaning technology headlines as increasing numbers of firms seek to automate their processes. Yet there are many other ways in which technology is working behind the scenes to facilitate the task of cleaning says Lee Radzki from Tork manufacturer Essity.
Robots are on the brink of revolutionising the cleaning industry, according to press reports.
When these machines first entered the market in the 1990’s they were hailed as a ground-breaking innovation – one that was poised to save countless hours of labour as well as improving the physical health of cleaners. However, this prediction was perhaps overly optimistic at a time when many early models had a tendency to crash into walls, stop short of objects and leave large areas of the floor uncleaned.
The technology developed quickly though, and 30 years later there is now a wide range of highly efficient autonomous vacuums, scrubbing machines and mopping systems on the market. Manufacturers have made great strides in enhancing the performance and intelligence of these machines. Rather than moving randomly around a space, today’s robots will work to a mapped path and will automatically adjust their parameters to enable them to work on different surfaces.
They can operate together as a fleet, communicating with one another to ensure that every area of a floor is covered and that no path is unnecessarily cleaned twice. Robots will also capture data as they work so that supervisors can analyse their performance. This allows them to improve the management of routines, locations and mapping.
When robots first entered the market, humans were required to be constantly on hand to monitor the machine’s water supplies and battery levels, but today’s models can sense when their battery is running out or when the water supply is running low. They will then direct themselves to the nearest refilling or charging station.
Robots are now being developed to suit various different types of environment, too. For example, disinfection robots capable of killing harmful bacteria are increasingly being deployed in hospitals. Some autonomous scrubber dryers have been developed to cater specifically for the restaurant industry. These are capable of separating out liquids from solids as they clean to prevent drain blockages, and come with various accessories to enable them to clean walls, table tops and display cases.
Human cleaners are often expected to carry out their work discreetly – preferably at night when there are no customers around – so that they will remain unnoticed by the public. Conversely, many cleaning robots have been designed to actually attract attention. Some have been given a humanoid 'face', complete with blinking eyes and
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a range of expressions, while others will sing songs or crack jokes to entertain the people around them. It's no wonder that they are stealing the show as far as cleaning technology is concerned.
The relatively high cost of robots is currently preventing them from being rolled out in every facility across the country, however. In the meantime, there are many other ways in which technology is improving cleaning efficiencies. While these may not be grabbing the headlines, they are proving to be highly effective nonetheless.
For example, chemical dosing systems are increasingly going high-tech to avoid under- or over-dosing and prevent mix-ups. Data on filling levels, consumption and service requirements can then be viewed via an app to allow managers to plan more efficiently and source refills as and when these are needed.
Air freshening systems are also going increasingly high- tech, allowing facility managers to adjust fragrancing levels in public spaces remotely via their smartphones.
Smart dispensers that connect the cleaner or facility manager to the washroom are also increasingly helping to ensure that washroom soap and paper supplies never need to run out. Sensors incorporated into washroom dispensers allow cleaners to check remotely on supplies of soap, toilet paper and hand towels. This removes the need for staff to make multiple journeys to physically check on dispenser status, saving time and freeing up resources.
Essity’s own Tork Vision Cleaning allows cleaners to monitor dispensers via a smartphone or tablet, while people-counters allow a facility to build up a profile of traffic. This data can then be used to identify the toilets in areas attracting the highest levels of traffic, which means the cleaner’s work can be prioritised accordingly.
Tork Vision Cleaning helps cleaners to stay ahead of the game, topping up dispensers at their own convenience. This helps them to optimise their cleaning rounds while also avoiding the risk of run-outs of soap and paper. The data collected from the software enables cleaners to anticipate those situations when enhanced cleaning or extra checks might be required. According to Essity research, companies can cut cleaning hours by 20% when they implement Tork Vision Cleaning, while also reducing the number of dispenser checks by 91%.
Meanwhile, technology is also being used in the toilet to connect users with managers and allow washroom visitors to
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