Graduate Students Developing Cleaning Strategy for Airport Restrooms

Pittsburg International Airport is partnering with graduate students at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in Pittsburgh in a project to increase the cleaning efficiency of the airport’s restrooms, Blue Sky News reports.

The students are calculating real-time, smarter cleaning schedules using artificial intelligence (AI) that pinpoints when flights are arriving and which gates they are landing at. A beam counts people as they approach restrooms, that will eventually trigger sensors that alert staff when they need to refill soap dispensers and empty garbage cans.

The students are part of CMU’s Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence and Innovation program and have been working with the airport since the fall to enhance traveler experiences and airport operations. The project involves creating a predictive AI system to help the airport develop a cleaning plan for its limited custodial staff. Although the project has been focused on restrooms because they are the area that needs the most frequent cleanings, it will later include maintenance plans for all the airport’s public spaces.