Alibaba recently unveiled its new hotel called "FlyZoo" and it has since gained popularity across the world for its futuristic themes and high-end technology.
Aside from stark designs and low-key lights all around, customers will experience the hotel's facial recognition technology. The system will allow guests to check in, unlock doors to their rooms, and use elevators by facial recognition.
Safety and security is among the key highlighting factors that could affect consumer comfort. To ensure guest safety, customers will scan their faces and other identity proof such as passports and other IDs before they can check in. Even the elevators will scan guests' faces to ensure that they will get to the floor where their rooms are located.
The hotel offers all sorts of high-tech tools, Reuters reported. However, the highlight is in the restaurant, where customers are serviced with everything they need by robots.
The black disc-shaped robots roam the hotel to assist guests with their food and newly-washed towels. Alibaba has explained that the robots are significantly a cost-cutting substitute to human labor.
Capsule-shaped robots are available to serve guests at the hotel restaurant while a separate bar is manned by a robotic arm that will mix over 20 cocktails for customers. As with checking in and elevator rides, cameras with facial recognition tech will automatically charge restaurant and bar orders to the guests' room fees.
Alibaba's FlyZoo is home to 290 rooms that boast of artificial intelligence and superb technological systems. While it was built to showcase the company's strengths in the AI realm, it is also an experiment.
FlyZoo aims to test consumer comfort levels. Since data-sharing technology is welcome in China, Alibaba researchers want to find out if unmanned commerce will also be patronized by the Chinese people.
Andy Wang, CEO of Alibaba Future Hotel Management, said of Flyzoo, "It's all about the efficiency of the service and the consistency of service, because the robots are not disturbed by human moods. Sometimes, we say we are not in the mood, but the system and the robot will always be in the mood."
To substitute human room service, Alibaba's voice command technology will be used. Guests can use the feature to adjust lighting, pull curtains, and adjust temperature.
According to The Sun Daily, Alibaba's Flyzoo hotel is located 170 km southwest of Shanghai, in Hangzhou city. Visitors who know the company's main headquarters will find their way fast as the hotel is only within walking distance of the office.
Alibaba's Flyzoo room rates start at 1,390 yuan per night.
