EUREKA PROJECT > 4942 21st CENTURY HOTEL
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THE 21st CENTURY HOTEL PROJECT: THE 6S HOTEL
Aims at radically improving the usability of hotels and well-being of guests, assuring the competitiveness of the European hotel industry by developing technologies in the areas of sensations, simulation & training, sustainability, safety and security, services, wellness & health.
Status > FINISHED - 25-Apr-2010 Technological Area Market Area Start Date > 07-Oct-2008 Duration > 12 Months Participating countries > PORTUGAL, ISRAEL, SPAIN | Main contactSociedad Estatal para la Gestion de la Innovacion y las Tecnologias Turisticas, S.A. (SEGITTUR) Mr. Pedro Anton Alonso > Director ITC Organisation type > Other |
Project Description
The European tourism industry contributes 5% of the Community’s GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and more than 30% of external trade, with about 2 million enterprises and 6% of total employment. When the links to other sectors are taken into account, the contribution of tourism to GDP is estimated to be around 11% and to employment more than 12% of the labour force. Europe is the first tourism destination worldwide but in the present globalised scenario of fast growth for tourism, it is progressively losing its market share. To change this trend, the European tourism industry must be able to provide a flexible response to evolving patterns of tourism and offer more attractive travel experience, while increasing the quality and efficiency of its value chain operations. The hospitality industry, as a primary component of the travel experience, has a significant role in this process as far as it focuses its competitive advantage on quality and sustainable development, no longer competing on the basis of cost alone. This project aims at radically improving usability and the well-being of the hotel customer and assuring competitiveness of the European hotel industry, including goods and services providers. The major innovations envisaged can be divided into six major areas of application: 1. Sensations: Comfort becomes a key factor for a client when it comes to making the decision of selecting one hotel over another. This work package aims at improving the sensation of well-being of the customer during a stay at the hotel in relation to smell and odour (transmit the sensation of well-being), sleep (sensation of energy and health), hearing and noise (sensation of tranquillity), visual perceptions (sensation of happiness), and behaviour of the tourist. 2. Simulation & training: The main goal of this work package is to support the traditional training and qualification of tourism professionals in order to meet the needs of the new generation of hotels, focusing on continuous improvement of the quality of service perceived by the hotel customer. The main innovations concentrate on allowing modular competence training for the personnel of tourist facilities, derived from real-world situations, by use of technologies based on virtual recreation, ubiquitous training or simulators within secure virtual environments. 3. Sustainability: Hotels face the same challenges as other buildings (increasing their energy efficiency, reduction of waste generation), but they also deal with some specific challenges, like seasonal operation (high fluctuations of occupation levels), impact of customer behaviour (different habits of consuming resources), or specific locations regarding protectionist environmental regulations (beaches, forests, nature reserve). The main objective of this work package is to overcome these constraints and develop new and innovative technological solutions, in terms of energy and environmental impact, efficient and cleaner energy sources, energy consumption optimisation, or innovative energy generation. 4. Safety & Security: The objective of trust, as a value, and security, as a service, on high-standard, extended-area hotel premises is to maintain an environment of complete security and safety without interfering in the joy of the stay, use of the facilities for leisure or business purposes, and the transit inside and from or to outside activities. This includes protecting clients, staff and properties of both the visitor and the host establishment, and reacting precisely and proportionally to foreseen and unforeseen events. This work package will give an opportunity to develop new concepts in sensor camouflaging and non collaborative information gathering and also service providing in a dynamic situation that could permit different possibilities for cooperation to improve the visitor’s experience while expanding the hotel area to new business models. 5. Services: This work package concentrates on two major aspects: a global distribution platform based on web services, and ambient intelligence and context-based services in hotels (mobility services for tourists). Innovations envisaged focus on technologies, infrastructures, information and tools in order to offer support for tourists during their stay at the chosen destination, as well as design of a digital framework that allows dynamic collaboration and cooperation for identifying, defining, negotiating and agreeing on the composition and provision of complex touristic products and services, configured and provided on the spot to meet the tourist’s requirements and desires. 6. Wellness & health: This work package mainly aims at offering new added value services targeted at the health and wellness of customers lodged in a hotel resort through the use of New Information and Communication Technologies (NICT), and focuses on three lines of action: a Medical Tourism Platform, a Health Monitoring Platform, and a Wellness Platform.
Technological Development Envisaged
1. Sensations: Today sensors, nanotechnologies and advanced materials are used for all applications in the field of engineering and medicine. The project aims at advancing a step forward, designing, integrating and materialising a new system, developing inexpensive sensors and materials for the hotels that react intelligently to atmospheres, incorporating nano-materials in mattresses, developing intelligent beds and developing visual systems of polymers for light emission. 2. Simulation: Regarding simulation and virtual reality for training purposes, only consolidated technologies shall be applied, combining different technologies that allow placing the trainee in different sets close to the real world, by use of a secure virtual environment, differentiating immersive reality from non immersive. 3. Sustainability: In relation with energy efficiency in hotels, one of the main sources of inefficiency is the current predefined energy control strategies. Another weakness of the current energy management strategies is the lack of integration of the renewable energy generation in buildings with the energy consumption and the utility supply conditions. 4. Safety and Security: Sensor technology is increasingly gaining appreciation in Security applications for situation awareness. Biometrics refers to many techniques in both its physiological and behavioural aspects, and is seen in this context as a means to build data collecting points able to provide elements for different purposes rather than the usual application of access restriction. Radio technologies enjoy now increasing popularity as RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tagging, have been used for custody application in hospitals and logistics, but they still have a long way to go due particularly to public concern for electromagnetic contamination, interference with other medical devices and tag recovering. 5. Services: Nowadays one of the main challenges in the Tourism Sector is the use of technology based on interoperability and standards to promote communication and business transactions between organisations in the sector. The aim is to facilitate the access of tourist firms to the new electronic markets. Also, applications for accessing tourism multimedia information using mobile devices must be encouraged. The progressive implementation of mobile technologies, with new bandwidth possibilities, must make it possible. 6. Wellness & health: the use of Personal Health Record (PHR) technology has recently increased popularity and many PHR tools have been created. The main advantage of PHR is that it can be accessed anywhere, anytime through the Internet by any authorised person and can be stored in portable devices. Because of these two facts, the need for interoperability and the use of communication standards between the different health information systems in an international context and the origin of a new international health system model have come about.
Main contactFUNDACION ROBOTIKER Dr. Jesus Herrero > Market Manager Organisation type > Research Institute |
Contribution to project
The organisation will act as leader in the following areas of application: - Safety & Security; - Services. The main contributions in the area of Safety & Security are the following: - Homogeneous treatment of disparate situations thanks to adjustment of technology to different operational cases. - Seamless transition among physical tagging, radio and biometry. - Implementation in fundamentally non-collaborative and non-intrusive circumstances - Dual use of technologies with simultaneous purpose of service and safety. - Opening of the traveller’s residential area to new business opportunities by exploiting inside-hotel behaviour information. - Expansion of personal service, including group environments. In the field of Services the following are the main contributions: - The creation of a digital framework that allows dynamic collaboration and cooperation for identifying, defining, negotiating and agreeing on the composition and provision of complex tourism products and services, configured and provided on the spot. - Adaptive and personalised tourism services. - Convergence of network infrastructures, devices and contents.
Expertise
ROBOTIKER (www.robotiker.com) is a Technology Centre specialised in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and in Product Development. Founded in 1985, it is a private, not-for-profit SME organisation standing at the forefront of Research, Technological Development and Innovation (R&D&i) and whose mission is to actively contribute to sustainable development in society through Research and Technology Transfer. ROBOTIKER is an all-round supplier of contracted R&D&I (Research & Development & Innovation), which has a complete range of Services and Products, from Prospective and Technology Foresight to new Technology-based business launching. TECNALIA-RBTK is a member of TECNALIA Technology Corporation (www.tecnalia.info). ROBOTIKER is an active member in Spanish and European Technology Platforms (NESSI, Artemis, NEM, eMobility, Manufuture). ROBOTIKER is specialised in ITC technologies such as Info-Mobility, Knowledge and Semantic Technologies, Multi-media content search and processing, Ambient Intelligence, Machine Vision, and Security-related Technology implementation and assessment.
Main contactCorrelation Systems Ltd.- Mr. Erel Rosenberg > CEO http://www.correlation-systems.com Organisation type > R and D Performing SME |
Contribution to project
Correlation Systems will participate in the 'Safety and Security" Work Package. The company will contribute a back-end system for analysing all operational aspects of activity within the hotel. The main goal of the system is to give managers conclusive insight on the operation and management of the hotel, identifying weak spots and predicting requirements. This will be achieved by predicting future needs through ongoing analysis of present events. - The system will receive all available data: Access Control data, RFID location data, schedules, supplies, purchase and POS (Point of Sale) data, etc. - The system will analyse these to identify routines of personnel and of the hotel as a whole. This will allow it to identify weak spots and non-optimal performance. - The system will also monitor the physical (geospatial) activity of employees and guests. This will be compared to expected performance and will allow for identifying malicious activity or seemingly unnoticeable patterns. The system will act as a performance analysis tool for managers. Additional emphasis will be put on providing timely alerts to security personnel when malicious activities are detected.
Expertise
CORRELATION SYSTEMS is an established player and a pioneer for over 15 years in the following technological fields: Behaviour Analysis (and prediction), Geographic Data Mining, Data Fusion, Positioning & Tracking, Grid computing. CORRELATION SYSTEMS has specialised in providing unique solutions based on these technologies, gathering and analysing geospatial information from heterogeneous sources and sensors. These have been applied to a wide range of fields, including: optimisation of transport and public transport services, inner-perimeter security (analysis of access control data), the European fishing industry, fraud detection, and a range of other systems implementing C4iSTAR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Information/Intelligence, Surveillance, Targeting Acquisition and Reconnaissance) methodologies. With a past record in the defence sector, the company has shifted its focus over the past few years to civilian applications of its core technologies. Focused on reaching conclusions that answer concrete needs, CORRELATION SYSTEMS fills the gap between technological capabilities and practical demands. The company believes that executive decisions should be based on clear understanding and awareness of the situation at hand; expertise is crucial for successfully exploiting geospatial data. Therefore, CORRELATION SYSTEMS puts great effort into transforming advanced data mining solutions into clear understandable conclusions. CORRELATION SYSTEMS' solutions are characterised by their reliability and robustness, minimal processing time, and high throughput, and are successfully deployed worldwide (Europe, South East Asia, Israel). As part of its commitment to continual growth and improvement in its technological expertise, CORRELATION SYSTEMS routinely participates in national and international R&D collaborations. The company is a member of a number of joint collaboration projects, and is currently coordinating such a project (Insider, under Eurostars).
Main contactExpedita – Arquitectura e Gestao de Sistemas Eng. Jorge Dias Fernandes > Administrator Organisation type > SME |
Contribution to project
The organisation’s technological contribution will focus on the "Services" Work Package. EXPEDITA has vast experience in reservation system development, either in lodging or activities. Namely, we have already developed a promotion and reservation system for the major hotel group in PORTUGAL, Grupo Pestana, regarding all the activities that a guest may enjoy during a stay. In this context, we may contribute to this project in what concerns IT development in service catalogue management, availability management, multimedia service characterisation and corresponding electronic distribution (through web services), reservation handling and consumption control. Due to our development experience we may actively participate in the overall system architecture and in individual component development, both kernel elements (database, business objects and web services) and interfaces (web, TV, Kiosk or PDA). Finally, our current products for reservation handling and knowledge management (tourism oriented semantic networks) may provide the project with tested and ready to use components.
Expertise
EXPEDITA is an IT company mainly focused on the Tourism sector. Within our core business we develop and sell reservation systems for service providers, tour operators and tourism regions. We also have other IT products for this sector, as for instance a TimeShare sales control solution, on-line inquiry platform or a semantic knowledge base adapted for the tourism context. Besides the tourism domain, and due to our expertise in IT development, we are currently one of the main IT solution developers on Madeira Island. In some relevant projects, like the regional electricity company on-line services or the port operation control, we were responsible for the related business process analysis, solution architecture and system implementation. Our knowledge on IT technology covers server services development (database, business objects and web services in Microsoft.net or Ruby on Rails), integration development (XML - eXtensible Markup Language, SOAP - Simple Object Access Protocol and Ontologies) and interface implementation (Asp.net, PHP - Hypertext Preprocessor, DHTML - Dynamic HyperText Multimedia Language, AJAX - Asynchronous JavaScript and XML and FLEX - File Exchange System).
Main contactFUNDACION INASMET
Dr. Eng. MANUEL GUTIERREZ > Industrial Market Director Organisation type > Research Institute |
Contribution to project
Leader of the WP1.- SENSATIONS. Comfort becomes a key factor for a client when it comes to making the decision of selecting one hotel over another. This Work Package aims at improving the sense of well-being in the hotel related to: * Smell/Odour, the air we breathe: transmit the sensation of well-being; * Sleep: Sensation of energy and health; * Hearing/Noise: Sensation of tranquillity; * Design and behaviour of the tourist. WPI.- SENSATIONS: Activities - Goals Activities I.1.- SMELL/ODOUR Our society is increasingly aware of the importance of purifying indoor air to prevent health risks and increase well being. The objective of this WP is to develop innovative purification systems that allow customers to choose the atmosphere of the room according to their tastes. Therefore, the specific purposes of these activities are: 1. REDUCE THE RISK OF ALLERGIES mainly caused by pollen. 2. ELIMINATE ODOURS caused by tobacco, food or industrial pollution. 3. CHOOSING THE ENVIRONMENT: Aromatherapy. 4. ODOUR & DREAMS: Is there a relation between sleep and the smell of a room? Activity I.2.- SLEEP Goal: a) Incorporation of psycho-materials in mattresses by use of nanotechnologies and development of intelligent beds in order to check the effects on sleep and facilitate the “well sleeping” and relaxation of persons. b) Design and build "the intelligent bed" introducing sensors and vibrations to facilitate the sleep. c) Virtual simulation person sleep- bed - materials. d) From a medical point of view: Analyse the effects between materials, vibrations and sleep. Activity I.3.- HEARING/NOISE Rehabilitation is one of the priorities of the hotel business. In this project, novel elements will try to be introduced for material and construction techniques to obtain hotels free from acoustic contamination, eliminating the annoyances caused by noises both outside and inside the bedroom. Annoyances have a relation with comfort such as sleep disturbance, loss of attention and productivity as well as problems caused by stress. Goals: 1.- Rehabilitation: The investigation into new developments cannot be limited to plan and promote only new hotel constructions with which to solve the existing demand, but must simultaneously be applied to improve and renovate a rich patrimony of building real estate available in Europe and which, in many cases, has clearly deteriorated. 2.- To improve the isolation levels up to 2 or 3 times the present ones, both for air noises (music, TV, voices) and impact noises (high heeled shoes, footsteps, plumbing facilities, motors, elevators, etc.). 3.- To regulate echo and bad acoustic conditions in conference rooms, in cafeterias and restaurants and to even have rooms with a sound proofing of the type of a music record studio. 4.- To develop new light materials with acoustic isolation (metallic foam) that are easily transportable to serve as movable partitions and to help the renovations. Activity I.4.- DESIGN AND BEHAVIOR OF THE TOURIST Two main objectives: * Definition and design of reference models for future hotels and their environment, and conception of new, complex constructive elements and their building processes. * Analysis of a tourist’s needs and requests and creation of sustainable behaviour-patterns.
Expertise
INASMET is an R&D centre focusing its activity on Materials Technology, Processes and Environment, with two plants (in San Sebastian and Irun) as well as an office in Tecnotur Cadiz, which houses the laboratories and various pilot plants for prototype manufacturing. The main technological areas in which INASMET develops its activity are: Design, Characterisation, Materials and Processes, Chemical Technology and Environment, Product Engineering and Technology Management. Permanent staff: 256 and 21 scholars from the Foundation of Technological Centres for the Promotion of Technology. Accreditations: UNE, EN, ISO9001:2000 Certification valid for the “Management of research projects, development and technological innovation, tests and technological guidance service”, Certification of the System of Environmental Management by ISO 14001, Accreditation as Aerospace supplier as per UNE –EN 9100, Accreditation of the technical competence for tests on metallic materials, paintings and coatings (ENAC), Homologated Laboratory for “Biomedical” products Analysis (Ministry of Health), Partner of the Ministry of Environment for the control of residual waters pouring, CIT Register of Innovation and Technology Centres, OTRI. INASMET is a centre integrated in TECNALIA Technological Corporation and is a member of the main associations of this sector: FEDIT (Spanish Federation of Entities of Innovation and Technology), OPTI (Observatory of Prospective Industrial Technology), PROESPACIO (Spanish Association of Space Sector Enterprises), and SARETEK (Basque Network of Technology and Innovation).
Main contactCOMPASS MOBILE SOLUTIONS S.L. Mrs. Beatriz LOPEZ > Project Manager Organisation type > SME |
Contribution to project
We expect to make our contribution to the project in terms of coordination and integration of the different elements that set up the Simulation Work Package. Especially, we claim to work out the following issues: - Collaborative virtual environments; - Artificial Intelligence; - Real time virtual environments.
Expertise
We are a young Spanish company with a strong commitment to technological innovation, founded by a team of passionate professionals specialised in Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and Product Development. At the forefront of Research, Technical Development and Innovation, we are committed to premium quality, efficiency in customer services and constant development and training of our professionals. COMPASS’ mission is to actively contribute to the sustainable development of our society through the execution of projects based on cutting-edge technologies, research, consulting, innovation management, training, promotion of technologies and creation of new business initiatives. COMPASS team is formed by a group of professionals with a wide range of experience in the design of innovative solutions that provide a technological and commercial advantage to different business sectors, particularly the tourism sector, such as: * Execution of projects and solutions; * Analysis, Research and Development of new technologies; * Study of technologies and products of our partners; * Implementation of demos of our products and technologies.
Main contactSociedad Estatal para la Gestion de la Innovacion y las Tecnologias Turisticas, S.A. (SEGITTUR) Mr. Pedro Anton Alonso > Director ITC Organisation type > Other |
Contribution to project
The organisation (SEGITTUR) will act as the leader of the global project "6S HOTEL". SEGITTUR is responsible for the overall project coordination between the different coordinators of the subprojects in terms of: - Launching the innovative idea of a global project "6S HOTEL" formed by 6 subprojects, each one corresponding to a specific area / theme. - Promoting the project through the Umbrella EUREKA TOURISM (SEGITTUR currently holds the position of EUREKA TOURISM Chair and Secretariat), and boosting the image and results of the project at European level. - SEGITTUR represents the 6S project for European institutional support. This State Company plays a central and active role in proposing new activities, strategies and priorities to the overall project. Its day-to-day functions regarding Tourism and Technologies are definitely a must when it comes to the progress of the project and to securing its continuity.
Expertise
SOCIEDAD ESTATAL PARA LA GESTION DE LA INNOVACION Y LAS TECNOLOGIAS TURISTICAS, S. A. (SEGITTUR) is a State Company, owned entirely by the General Administration of the State, and falling under the Ministerio de Industria, Turismo y Comercio. SEGITTUR aims at improving the efficiency and competitiveness of the tourist sector through the investigation, the innovation and the use of New Technologies within an established framework based on the promotion of competitiveness in the tourism and economy areas. In brief, its activities are focused on promotion of quality, technological development, innovation and the study of the tourist sector. SEGITTUR aims to contribute through technological innovations to the development, modernisation and maintenance of the tourism industry - still the leader. With the generation and management of the technology clearly needed to improve the competitiveness & quality of tourism, its main activities are: * Actions in research, development, studies, analyses: in order to improve the competitiveness of the tourist industry; * Identifying the technological and service needs of the sector: launch, setup, implementation, (...) actions of innovative technologies; * Training activities in ITC (Information Technologies and Communications): diffusion of technological innovation and technology transfer within the sector; * Actions to improve the security and quality of services in the tourist sector.
Main contactAeroScout Ltd CTO&Site Mngr. Daniel Aljadeff > Project Manager Organisation type > R and D Performing SME |
Contribution to project
AEROSCOUT's technological contribution will focus on the "Safety and Security" Work Package. Hospitality environments, such as hotels, casinos and amusement parks, are increasingly taking advantage of wireless technologies to improve customer service and safety, and streamline their operation. AEROSCOUT offers solutions that both take advantage of this new sophisticated technology environment and help it run more smoothly and safely: * Visitor safety: In large environments with heavy visitor traffic, tracking children to ensure their safety is critical for setting parents' minds at ease. * Context-based services: Hotels and other service-oriented businesses can utilise accurate locations to deliver a higher quality of service to patrons. * IT asset tracking: AEROSCOUT can help preserve the investment in high-value, mobile IT (Information Technology) equipment (such as laptops) by tracking IT assets, monitoring their movement and use, and ensuring that theft does not occur. AEROSCOUT can develop and deliver products and systems that will improve the hotel functionality and security: * Effective asset management; * Personnel management; * Personnel and visitor security and safety; * Improved customer service - Context based services. AEROSCOUT will contribute to the project in the following areas: - Product design or adaptation to this specific market; - Implementation of vertical solutions in the MobileView server; - Location engine improved location algorithms; - System testing and deployment at selected customers.
Expertise
AEROSCOUT is the market leader in Unified Asset Visibility (UAV). AEROSCOUT solutions use Wi-Fi-based Active RFID, sensors, RTLS (Real-Time Location System) and other technologies to provide complete wireless asset tracking and monitoring. As a pioneer in the Wi-Fi RFID market, AEROSCOUT’s solutions are used by hundreds of customers worldwide in healthcare, manufacturing, logistics and other industries to automate business processes and deliver context-aware applications. Our partnerships with CISCO SYSTEMS, PHILIPS MEDICAL SYSTEMS, AT&T and other leading technology and solution providers have brought AEROSCOUT hardware and software to the forefront of the rapidly expanding asset tracking marketplace. AEROSCOUT Unified Asset Visibility solutions utilise the power of Wi-Fi wireless networks to provide real business benefits through Real-Time Location (RTLS), Active RFID, sensors and telemetry. AEROSCOUT uses standard Wi-Fi and other wireless networking standards to accurately track the real-time location and status of valuable assets such as equipment or people. By operating over popular wireless data communications standards, AEROSCOUT's solutions add minimal incremental cost to a communications network and enable a broad set of visibility applications. With AEROSCOUT's innovative MobileView software, customers turn visibility data into everyday decisions, to improve efficiency and ultimately drive a fast ROI. Many top companies and organisations, such as Boeing, DHL, Freescale Semiconductor, City Link UK, and over 100 hospitals worldwide have deployed AEROSCOUT’s Wi-Fi RFID technology. The company has been recognised for its innovative products by top publications and leading analysts and has received major industry awards.
Main contactAsociacion CICtourGUNE Mr. Carlos Lamsfus > Senior Researcher Organisation type > Research Institute |
Contribution to project
The Institute shall participate within the "Service" workpackage, both in the reservation engine and location and context-based services. The tourism sector is one of the most important economic activities in SPAIN. However, there is a need to transform the sector: the equation the more tourists the more income is not valid anymore and other ways of money income ought to be sought in order not only to maintain the tourism sector’s activity but also, to boost the sector’s competitiveness. This project will help address the following important issues: * Deficiency in the value chain: most companies in the tourism sector are small and medium sized organisations that do not have the resources to develop high technology products that allow them to be present in the market through new distribution channels. This project will allow us to give all companies a space within the (virtual) economic environment created by Information and Communication Technologies; * The Spanish tourism sector is clearly weak in innovation and needs to improve both in the use of information technologies and management processes. This project will help to boost these two aspects of the sector.
Expertise
CICTOURGUNE’s Strategic Agenda for the following years includes the following areas: * Intelligent Systems for Tourism Management - Intelligent Systems for Destination Management; - Experiential tourism marketing and persuasive computing; - Tourism Information Modelling and Management. * Information-based services en-route - Contextual Computation Systems; - Open Mobile Networks; - Tourism Mobilities. * Built environments - Theoretic models to evaluate sustainability and energy efficiency in tourism; - Sustainable tourism destinations; - Safety and Security at tourism Destinations.
Main contactFUNDACION IBIT
Mr. Antoni Roig > Director Organisation type > Research Institute |
Contribution to project
The organisation will be the leader of the "Wellness and health" Work Package. The IBIT FOUNDATION - a technological R+D+I centre - will undertake several key responsibilities in this project, playing on their wealth of Tourism experience and expert technological know-how. Research and Development has played a key part in IBIT's continuity, driving it towards its goals of inspiring the Balearic Islands Technologically Innovative achievements. Boasting a quality Sun-Tourism know-how given its years specialising in this sector, IBIT's vision and attention to detail will prove vital components in the identification of potential 6S HOTEL project product lines. IBIT will play a strong role in the search for potential markets for which to deploy the 6S HOTEL project. Its ample knowledge of the Balearic Islands' market and its international tourist inflow will help ensure sound and efficient advice on the 6S HOTEL project. IBIT’s technological contribution to the project will focus on the technological development of two of the platforms: Medical Tourism Platform and Health Monitoring Platform.
Expertise
The IBIT FOUNDATION is a non-profit research centre, with ample experience in the tourism industry and above all in the leading innovative technologies sector. Its mission is to combine its expert knowledge in both these fields to promote, develop and transfer knowledge and innovation to support the incorporation of the Balearic Islands Society into the knowledge Society and to increase competition within the region's enterprises. IBIT fulfils its task by focusing on the following key areas; - Innovation Dissemination (training, technological monitoring, workshops, etc.); - Technological Innovation Fostering; - Pilot Application Development and Implementation (telecommunications and Internet services). The core competence of IBIT is centred on information and commercialisation systems for SMEs (Small and Medium sized Enterprises) and public administrations, and the dissemination of high-quality products at both national and international level, useful for the Balearic Island’s enterprises and citizens. IBIT currently has 53 employees, 34 of which are technicians and experts working in the following main areas: - Tourism and new technologies; - E-business; - Telecommunications; - Services to citizens; - Knowledge transfer and management. IBIT has also published monographs in topics on new technologies and has successfully organised several courses, seminars and conferences. The IBIT FOUNDATION has ample experience in helping SMEs and public administrations to get the best out of I.C.T., mainly through international and national projects. Among its successes is the 'AvantHotel' Online Booking System for the Management, Publication and Marketing of tourist accommodation places via the Internet. It has proved quite an exciting and attractive engine with negotiations currently underway in PORTUGAL, BULGARIA, THE CZECH REPUBLIC, POLAND and GREECE. The ascendancy of this Balearic Islands booking engine has given IBIT the opportunity to create the Latin-American spin-off, "iberAvanthotel" on-line reservation system. Successful projects such as the AvantHotel and iberAvantHotel booking engines have cemented IBIT’s status in Technological Innovation of the Balearic Islands' Tourist Sector.
Main contactINSTITUTO DE BIOMECANICA DE VALENCIA Dr. Javier Sanchez Lacuesta > Assistant Director Organisation type > Research Institute |
Contribution to project
The Institute (IBV) is a technology centre that studies the behaviour of the human body and its relationship with products, environments, technologies and services used by people, with the main objective of improving health, well-being and quality of life GENERAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE "WELLNESS & HEALTH" WORK PACKAGE: Health Tourism is a relatively recent concept that connects tourism services and services directed to improve people’s health and well-being from a business perspective. Its strategic value is enormous. Tourism companies (particularly hotels) have a great opportunity for specialisation and differentiation with a high growth potential. Also, it “creates” new groups of clients (health-tourists) for companies specialised in wellness, well-being and healthcare. The contribution of IBV in the generic view of the project includes two specific research lines: - Contributing to define the very structure of Health Tourism products and services, necessary for an appropriate development of hotel-based and third-party services. - Understanding the key factors for success from the clients’ perspective, which are essential to design Health Tourism products and services. STRUCTURING HOTEL OFFER IN HEALTH TOURISM Heath Tourism growth requires a detailed deployment of the potential services that could be managed from the hotels of the 21st century like new assets of the tourism sector. The following research is therefore necessary for the project: - A map of resources of health and well-being of the tourism sector, with the potential to add value to the hotel, including specialised clinics, spas and health-oriented sport and leisure facilities. - Specific conditions of Health Tourism: it is necessary to guarantee the safety of the health tourist and the legal security of the hoteliers. Specialised advice will be needed. CONTINUES: see EXPERTISE
Expertise
The ‘INSTITUTO DE BIOMECANICA DE VALENCIA’ (IBV) is a technological centre aimed at promoting and undertaking scientific research, technological development, technical advice and training in the area of Biomechanics. IBV was founded in 1976, working as a non-profit association and jointly sponsored by the Institute for the Small and Medium Valencia Industry (IMPIVA) and the University of Polytechnic of Valencia (UPV). It is currently located in the Polytechnic City of Innovation, UPV’s Science Park. It consists of more than 200 professionals from different academic backgrounds (Engineers, Medical Doctors, Physicians, Biologists, Sports Scientists, Physiotherapists, Social Workers, Designers, Veterinarians, Economists, etc.) that work together in an interdisciplinary approach. The IBV combines knowledge in areas such as biomechanics, ergonomics and emotional engineering and applies them to diverse sectors, such as: Physical activities and sports; Automotive and transport; Habitats and construction; Clothing; Elderly people and people with disabilities; Health and Safety; Healthcare technology and Tourism and Leisure. The IBV offers a complete range of services and products to companies interested in differentiating themselves in particular markets, combining economic and social interests in order to reach high levels of industrial competitiveness: Research and technological development; Technological advice; Testing and certification; Biomechanical Valuation; User-friendly design; Technological applications; Training and Innovative business initiatives. CONTINUATION OF TECHNOLOGICAL CONTRIBUTION: GAINING KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE CLIENT - HEALTH TOURIST New knowledge must be generated about health tourists in this emergent sector: client expectations and perceived quality criteria that are the key to purchasing, satisfaction and loyalty, including a client’s demands, implicit preferences (not expressed), subjectivity and perceptions. Research will focus upon the keys of success under a “user-oriented” or “people-oriented” development paradigm. The results will provide feedback to the different sub-projects that integrate the work plan. IBV has the experience, methodologies and necessary facilities, including a living-laboratory to reproduce physical, functional and emotional interaction between users and products/services/environments. On the other hand, IBV has an extensive background of RTD (Research and Technological Development) activity in senior persons, a key group for health tourism. Specific criteria will be generated and will serve as a reference for other tasks and applications of this project, as well as good practices for health tourism hotels, certainly including integral accessibility, appropriate information and usability of services. CONTRIBUTION TO THE “MONITORING” SUBPROJECT IBV’s background includes biomechanical technologies in rehabilitation, healthcare technology or sports, applied to monitoring and enhancing a customer’s state of health during his/her stay in two main areas: (i) musculoskeletal system pathology and (ii) physical activity and sports practice. IBV will coordinate the conception of a health space for the hotel of the 21st century, including techniques for health monitoring and improvement. The project will allow RTD on new technological applications oriented to Health Tourism that will constitute a first health space with demonstrative purposes: gait assessment, prevention of falls, improvement of skills, etc. These tools will consider customer needs, medical prescription, biometric devices and remote communication systems with the usual health provider. IBV has wide experience in similar applications in the area of rehabilitation that will have to be redefined and adapted to the Health Tourism field. CONTRIBUTION TO THE “WELLNESS-FITNESS” SUBPROJECT The interest in services related to wellness and fitness is nowadays growing and will become an attractive offer for the hotel sector. The hotel of the 21st century should offer (also by third-party agreements) a combination of services for sports practice and healthy leisure activity aimed at health improvement and also at promoting social relationships. Potential customer profiles combine different origins, ages and preferences (sports, spa, physiotherapy, aesthetics, etc.). Each hotel will have to manage a menu of services adapted to its customers. The contribution of IBV in this subproject consists of: - Research stage to define the design and promotion criteria of wellness and fitness services, according to the expectations and trends of the tourist: functional, social and emotional needs. - Customer-oriented resource management system: a decision-making help system for managers and clients.
Main contactFUNDACIN CARTIF Dr. Ma Dolores Hidalgo-Barrio > Deputy Head Environment Division Organisation type > Research Institute |
Contribution to project
The Institute’s technological contribution will focus on the "Sustainability" Work Package. The research activities developed by the Environment Division of CARTIF can be summarised as follows: * Pollution Treatment Technologies: - Studies and designs regarding treatment of pollutant emissions, sewage and solid waste, so as to develop Clean Technologies and establish specifications for eco-management systems. - Pollution minimisation and engine optimisation of chemical, biological and industrial processes. - Assessment of environmental impacts associated with household, cattle, agricultural, forest and industrial wastes (used tires, plastic, used oils, etc.). * Advisory Services and Environmental Studies: - Sustainability analysis: including references to the following topics: 1. Economic development 2. Public health 3. Climate change and energy 4. Production and consumption patterns 5. Management of natural resources 6. Transport 7. Good governance - Environmental Impact Studies (EIS). - Audits and Environmental Diagnostics. - Advice of Environmental Management Systems for companies (EMAS). - Environmental Risk Assessment. - Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) and Ecodesign. - Industrial Design of Experiments (DOE) and Taguchi Design Parameters. The potential contribution of CARTIF to this project is based on our expertise in the above-mentioned topics, so it will be in line with the development of sustainability analysis (where the social, economical and environmental dimensions in hotels will be taken into consideration) and the design and development of new systems for achieving savings in energy and water. CARTIF can also carry out the analysis of environmentally friendly materials, technology and techniques, for the construction or retrofitting of hotels (by investing in eco-friendly products, we are going to reduce energy and resource consumption and so create fewer emissions and less waste). CARTIF professional staff have experience in the field of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Management (LCM). They have worked in implementing sustainable development initiatives and Ecodesign industrial applications. It is possible to do it now also in hotels. On the other hand, the Environment Division of CARTIF is developing the methodology that will allow for implementing eco-efficiency measures in all sectors. Continues: see Expertise
Expertise
CARTIF was created in 1994 as a Technology Centre focused on applied research and based in Boecillo Technology Park, Valladolid, SPAIN. CARTIF is legally established as a Foundation and its main goals are to identify technology needs and develop R&D-based knowledge, to support technological innovation in Industry, mainly among SMEs (Small and Medium sized Enterprises) and to disseminate R&D and innovation results. CARTIF FOUNDATION is a leading Spanish Applied Research Centre in terms of R&D and technology transfer activities. In 2007 CARTIF carried out 118 R&D and innovation projects and served 124 customers. Nowadays CARTIF has 200 people, mainly engineers, scientists and senior researchers distributed in 9 technical divisions supported by 7 departments that ensure the Centre’s project quality. Our main research areas are: Environment, Food and Chemicals, Energy, Automation and Process Control, Robotics and Computer Vision. The general assembly is the CARTIF board, a body that combines the experience of private companies and the support of public and academic entities, trying to find a balance among them. In 2006, CARTIF’s board was made up of 30 organisations, including SMEs, large industrial companies, universities and other kinds of organisations. CARTIF is part of 20 research and professional networks - including 13 international - and several technology platforms. The Centre is also integrated in the Castilla and Leon Technology Centres Network and the network of Innovation and Technology Centres (CIT) of the Science and Technology Spanish Commission. CARTIF also has close collaboration with the most representative organisations of regional and national industrial development: Castilla y Leon Regional Development Agency, the Spanish Ministry of Industry and the European Commission (DG Research, DG Enterprise, DG Environment and DG TREN). * Knowledge and Technology Transfer Since 1999, CARTIF has had an Office for the Transfer of Research Results (OTRI), which aims to provide a specialised service in channelling the technology demands of companies and transferring innovative know-how to the productive sector, in order to contribute to socio-economic development and business modernisation. * International experience CARTIF’s activity has an important international dimension: In 2007, 19 out of 118 projects were international, with partners in almost all EU countries, non-EU Mediterranean ones and Latin America. In 2007, CARTIF international activity increased. The Centre is involved in 20 European R&D and innovation projects. The main programmes in which CARTIF participates are: Framework Programme, Intelligent Energy, LIFE, Interreg, MEDA Programme, etc. Furthermore, CARTIF has much experience in innovation management and policy and is engaged in several initiatives. To mention a few: NORRIS (the North Hungary and Kosice Bilateral Regional Innovation Strategy Project - SSA - Contract No: 014634); SMEtoLEAD (Training SMEs to be successful coordinators of FP projects - SSA - Contract No. 023378) and FINE (Food Innovation Network Europe – CA -Contract No. 030109). CONTINUATION OF TECHNOLOGICAL CONTRIBUTION: Some of the projects in which the Environment Division of CARTIF is currently, or has been recently, involved are summarised below: * Sustainable Management - Environmental tools of Life Cycle Management applied to the manufacturing of sustainable products. - Sustainability analysis: selection of sustainability indicators. - Ecological labelling. - Life Cycle Assessment of a thermal power plant. - Eco-design in the metal-mechanic sector. - Environmental impacts associated to systems of packages and remainders of packages. - Improving Eco-design of Street Lighting Systems using LCA. - Life Cycle Assessment of Solid Waste Management for Rural Areas. - Study of the physical-chemical properties of reusable sanitary towels. - Strategies of packaging and packaging waste management. - Pilot project for implementation of the Spanish Standard UNE concerning the environmental management of the design and development process - Ecodesign. * Process Optimisation - Development of tools and guidelines for promotion of sustainable urban wastewater treatment and reuse in agricultural production in Mediterranean countries (ME8/AIDCO/20010515/59341/P-033). - Environmental health surveillance system in urban areas near incinerators and industrial premises (INTERREG IIIC-2E0040I). - Energy optimisation of a hot asphalt agglomerate plant. - Water Integral Management: design of a treatment modular plant. - Study of the optimisation of an ultra-filtration module in a dairy factory. - Innovative procedures in the treatment of sewage in an industrial estate. - Development of management, reduction, treatment and recovery systems for industrial waste. - Effluent degradation in bio-reactors and membrane plants. * Advanced treatment of effluents and pollutant emissions - Advanced Oxidation Processes in gas and liquid phase. - Polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) removal by means of solar photocatalysis. - Membrane technology for wastewater treatment * Waste and Sub-product valorisation - Development of sheep-wool insulation panels for eco-buildings. - Development of a fireproof and structural material for using in sheep-wool insulation panels. - Chemical recycling of plastic waste. - Innovative composites based on mineral waste. - Manufacturing of artificial stone using limestone sludge. - Valorisation study of the rubber from end-of-life tyres for their application as crash barriers. - Use of industrial by-products and biofuels as an alternative energy source in asphalt agglomerate plants. * Nano-coatings and nano-particles - Development of new materials with self-cleaning and disinfectant properties.
Main contactFUNDACION LABEIN Mr. Juan Perez > Head of R&D for Innovation in Building Processes Organisation type > Research Institute |
Contribution to project
The organisation will act as a leader for the "Sustainability" Work Package. The technological contribution of LABEIN TECNALIA will mainly focus on: - Development of a holistic energy management control system which takes into account the hotel’s user needs and comfort conditions, building behaviour and utility supply conditions in order to minimise the energy consumption and the energy cost, and maintaining the required service quality. - Development of new green energy generation systems (solar, wind, sea, etc.) to be integrated in hotels and be compatible with their particularities. - Development of intelligent subsystems for energy distribution that coordinate consumption, storage and generation devices, for both electricity and thermal supply.
Expertise
LABEIN TECNALIA was created in 1955 as a Technology Centre focusing on business, with a mission to become a natural ally of business to develop its innovative capacity using technology as a tool of competitiveness. This means understanding and sharing business strategies and joining key company activities, contributing differential knowledge and added value. We do not now merely offer our skills to customers, but also act as a knowledge network node to add greater value than individual isolated activities. To this end, LABEIN TECNALIA promotes and carries through technology and market alliances and projects at national and international level with other centres and companies with proven leadership capacity, and takes part in excellence networks in strategic areas. LABEIN TECNALIA is a specialised technology agent for 5 recognised markets: Automotive Industry, Construction and Territorial Development, Regional Development, Energy, Environment and Iron and Steel. Energy efficiency in buildings and urban environments is a key and strategic area in LABEIN TECNALIA and several European, national and local R&D projects focus on this area. LABEIN TECNALIA provides energy and environmentally improved buildings through a multi-scale and multipurpose approach in which urban planning, architectonical concepts, building management and urban management are integrated among them. This expertise is complemented with broad experience in the application of ICT for increasing building sector efficiency and sustainability. Some examples of relevant projects in this field are: * Eco-efficient cities (project under EUREKABUILD evaluation process); * SIGE (Sistemas inteligentes de gestion energetica - Intelligent Systems for energy management). Spanish Ministry of Industry 2006-2008 (PROFIT-Driver); * STAND-INN - Integration of performance based building standards into business processes using IFC open standards to enhance innovation and sustainable development (2003-2006); * MESSIB - Multi-source Energy Storage System Integrated in Buildings (2007); * Cost-Effective - Resource- and Cost-effective integration of renewables in existing high-rise buildings (2007); * REEB - The European strategic research Roadmap to ICT enabled Energy-Efficiency in Buildings and Constructions (2007).
Main contactFUNDACION TECNOTUR MR. Ashok CHOPRA > DIRECTOR STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT DIVISION Organisation type > Research Institute |
Contribution to project
The organisation contributes to this project in three different ways: a) Project coordination, in close cooperation with the main participant, SEGITTUR. b) R&D on technology and innovation projects related to the hotel industry; c) Pilot plants and laboratories for testing and validation purposes of the results of our own and external research and technologies.
Expertise
TECNOTUR is a technology centre for tourism, leisure and quality of life and an officially recognised technology agent by the Andalusian government. Established in 2004, the researchers are working on projects promoting innovation within the tourism sector and supplying industry since 2001. The main activities are: research on tourism technology, advanced technology services, technical assistance, technology transfer and technology based Start-Ups. The centre has been working on numerous projects for the public as well as the private sector and has several pilot plants and technical equipment and laboratories. At present, there are five major technological areas: Sustainable Tourism, Touristic equipment and infrastructures, Information Technology, Culinary Technologies and Strategic Management.
Main contactGeosim Systems Ltd. Dr. Victor Shenakr > C.E.O. Organisation type > SME |
Contribution to project
The organisation will participate in the "Services" Work Package. GEOSIM builds precise and realistic looking digital 3D-models of actual cities ("Virtual Cities"), integrates these 3D-models with other geo-coded content and provides an application platform ("City Browser"), which can deliver fully interactive 3D-visualisation and navigation. GeoSim Virtual Cities can be integrated with tourist attractions and deployed in information kiosks or on hotel networks for in-room browsing. Alternatively, they can be delivered through a broadband Internet connection to standard desktops, laptops and palmtops worldwide. GeoSim Virtual Cities can support virtual tours of destinations, providing mapping and itinerary/meeting planning capabilities. More specifically, within the framework of this project, GEOSIM intends to develop a hotel-centric application ("Virtual Hotel") that combines the following capabilities: (i) a virtual tour of both outdoor and indoor hotel facilities, (ii) avatar-based human interactions between the hotel staff and visiting customers; and (iii) seamless integration of this compelling 3D user experience with the existing hotel-related business solutions, including popular search engines, customised CRM and e-commerce tools and databases, etc. With built-in e-commerce compatibility, such an application will allow not only booking a room, but also buying theatre tickets, or making dinner reservations through an interactive and visually-appealing user interface. In addition, such an application can serve as a virtual souvenir from past trips and visits. By conveying the experience of "being there", GeoSim Virtual Cities and Virtual Hotels are likely to become in the next decade a cornerstone of the tourism and travel industry.
Expertise
1. Data collection and pre-processing (photographs, laser scans, and meta-data). 2. 3D-modeling and visualisation. 3. Development of Web-based applications based on high-fidelity, large-scale indoor and outdoor 3D-models.