MachineQ, a Comcast company, and Spotta have created a solution for hoteliers to detect bedbugs before they become problematic. According to reports, hotel bedbug infestations cost U.S. hotels $111,000 annually per location, which includes maintenance, treatment, lost revenue and other expenses. This figure does not factor in the effect that an outbreak can have on a brand’s reputation, which could further increase the overall cost to the hotel.
The solution works by installing Spotta’s wireless Bed Pod sensors underneath mattresses. The traps use pheromones with no discernible odor to lure bugs in. If one is detected, it activates Spotta’s AI detection system to analyze and validate that a bedbug is inside the trap. Upon detection, the image is sent with the exact time and location to the cloud using MachineQ’s network. Real-time alerts with the information captured are sent to hotel employees, allowing them to act fast and remediate before the situation can become widespread, further disruptive to hotel operations, and potentially cause irreparable harm to a brand's reputation.
“Our 24/7 monitoring solution provides hoteliers peace of mind by detecting bedbugs quickly, enabling swift action to help reduce damage and guest impact,” Spotta CEO Robert Fryers said in a statement. “We’re excited to partner with MachineQ to offer an innovative solution for hoteliers–leveraging their established IoT network connectivity platform–in the U.S. amidst a persistent bedbug issue.”