Smart Lift / Accelerating Elevators with AI

Have you ever had this experience? You're rushing to clock in at work, but the office building's elevator just won't arrive, stopping on every floor along the way; at the hospital, despite a crowd of people waiting, only one elevator ever seems to come; at the department store, you finally get an elevator, only to find it's already packed with people and strollers, forcing you to give up and press every elevator button in hopes that even the one going the wrong direction will arrive first.

The core issue behind these problems is that elevators only know when someone wants to go up or down; beyond that, they're clueless. In the absence of information, an elevator's best strategy is one instruction at a time, barely managing one command before moving on to the next. Moreover, elevators aren't aware of how much space is left inside for passengers. Even though they are equipped with weight sensors to prevent overloading accidents, they can't precisely measure the usable cabin space. These reasons not only cause more passengers to crowd in waiting areas but also leave elevators in a state of low efficiency, failing to effectively complete the mission of vertical travel.

Hidden Time Costs in Unnecessary Door Operations

The operational speed of elevators is typically measured in meters per minute, with common speeds being 45, 60, 90, and even above 120. For instance, an elevator moving at 60 meters per minute would take 20 seconds to travel five floors, assuming each floor is 4 meters high. However, in reality, the time required is much higher because elevators must execute a series of actions like opening and closing doors, accelerating, maintaining speed, and decelerating once they receive commands. Just opening and closing doors can take at least 6 seconds, constituting around 23% of the trip's time cost.

Therefore, when elevators are only relying on immediate commands to make operational decisions, they don't know things like "My cabin is already full and no one is getting off here, I should skip this floor," or "I see there are many people waiting for elevators; one alone isn't enough, another elevator should be dispatched." As a result, operational efficiency continues to decline until people decide to give up on using elevators altogether.

AI's Interpretation Capabilities Assisting Smarter Elevator Decisions

The solution is straightforward: providing information about the situation inside and outside the elevator to improve operational efficiency. Many years ago, we used to see elegant elevator attendants ensuring smooth elevator operations; nowadays, although we don't see them, we have better options. AI models specifically trained for elevator scenarios can serve us instead. For example, AI can detect when the elevator space is full and automatically skip stops, avoiding pointless door openings. It can also track the number of people in the waiting area, dispatching additional elevators when needed, thus quickly alleviating congestion.

In addition to real-time detection, AI can help us track long-term operational conditions. By analyzing elevator usage data, we can develop tailored operational strategies for specific areas. These strategies can drastically cut down on waiting times and operational distances, effectively saving energy while reducing wear and prolonging the elevator's lifespan.

Leveraging Technology to Minimize Resource Waste

In summary, with AI, elevators can obtain a more complete understanding of environmental information and ridership demands, allowing them to make better operational strategies and decisions. From the get-go, elevators can achieve high efficiency and energy saving. As human civilization continues to advance, a significant challenge is enhancing quality of life while gradually reducing waste, ensuring precious Earth resources are allocated wisely. In addressing the costly demand to overcome gravity, AI offers a stable and economical solution, helping elevators keep pace with sustainability goals, continuously fueling urban life with essential energy.