Comcast is expanding its business into new and unexpected areas — like your hotel sheets.
Comcast-owned company MachineQ has teamed up with Spotta, an insect-detecting service, to help hoteliers stop bedbugs before the pests become a huge problem.
Once Spotta’s wireless Bed Pod sensor trap is placed under a hotel bed’s mattress, it releases pheromones to lure in the bugs. When a bug is spotted and trapped, Spotta’s artificial intelligence system uses MachineQ’s network to send an image along with the exact time and location to the cloud.
While it might sound unusual that Comcast is dealing with bedbugs, the company has long invested in a myriad of other side businesses as it looks for potential ways to diversify away from its core internet and cable TV businesses. The cable giant has invested in several business dealing with everything from cloud applications to personal medication through its Comcast Ventures arm.
Spotta and MachineQ technology could help clamp down on potential infestations that are potentially devastating. According to Comcast, bedbugs are on the rise and can cost U.S. hotels upwards of $111,000 annually. In addition, the damage an infestation inflicts upon an establishment’s reputation is just as costly, if not more.
“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.
According to Spotta’s website, the service offers round-the-clock detection and email alerts to hotels, doesn’t use hotel Wi-Fi, and has “zero visibility to guests.”
In short, the technology serves as an early warning system that can hopefully prevent a larger outbreak.
In addition, MachineQ’s technology can be applied in a number of ways.”Our clients can start with bedbug monitoring and add other use cases to help manage risk, such as water leak detection and staff duress, using the same network infrastructure for a low total cost of ownership and fast deployment,” Bryan Wikowski, MachineQ’s head of product and strategy said in a statement.
Businesses can learn more about Spotta’s Bed Pods and get a quote on the company’s website.