Airports are often willing sites for testing and deploying innovations. Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport now has autonomous wheelchairs available. Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport has automated aspects of luggage and cargo movement — using devices known as Auto-DollyTugs, autonomous vehicles with “robotic arms” to handle baggage and cargo on flight lines.
And Boston Logan International Airport has tested a colorfully named piece of AI technology involving trash and recycling receptacles. Airport users hold up their empty container or other waste item to Oscar — sensing tech attached to the trash bins — and it determines into which bin the item should be tossed.
In Florida, MIA has entered into a partnership with ABM, an airport and airline cleaning service, to deploy its ABM Connect data intelligence platform, which includes Internet of Things devices as part of the company’s Smart Restroom Monitoring technology.
On-site ABM workers are equipped with handheld devices, which help to communicate in real time which restrooms are in need of service, Ali Inam, ABM senior director for client operations, said. The company announced the $125 million, five-year contract in June.
“Rather than relying on static schedules or visual cues alone, attendants receive dynamic task assignments based on actual usage patterns,” Inam said via email, pointing to some of the data points the technology relies on. Workers monitor the condition of the airport’s 196 public restrooms with the help of data dashboards.
For example, heat maps generated from foot traffic sensors and people counters identify high-demand areas. Staffers also get real-time alerts when a restroom exceeds its desired occupancy, or if passengers report negative feedback.
“This system allows ABM to shift from reactive cleaning to predictive and proactive service, ensuring restrooms are cleaned before issues arise — not just after,” Inam said. “It’s a blend of human expertise and smart technology working together to elevate the guest experience and operational efficiency.”
