Background
In the experience-driven hospitality sector, guest recognition and personalization are critical to creating memorable stays. Traditional hotel systems capture booking and profile data but often fail to seamlessly connect it with guest experiences. To bridge this gap, Timesworld developed Project inTACT, a solution that integrates face recognition, speech recognition, and emotion sensing into hospitality operations.
Project inTACT was fine-tuned specifically for the hospitality industry, enabling hotels and resorts to elevate guest satisfaction while enhancing operational efficiency. Its innovation was recognized globally when it was premium featured on the Microsoft stand at GITEX 2016, a leading technology exhibition in the Middle East.
Objectives
- Create intelligent guest recognition systems using face detection and verification.
- Use speech recognition and speaker identification for seamless interactions.
- Enable hotels to offer personalized services by anticipating guest needs.
- Enhance operational efficiency through automation of check-in, room allocation, and service delivery.
- Demonstrate cutting-edge applications of Microsoft Cognitive Services within hospitality environments.
- Ensure compliance with data privacy and security standards.
Approach
Technology framework
Leveraging Microsoft Cognitive Services (Face API, Emotion API, Speech API) integrated with hotel management systems.
Hospitality fine-tuning
Designing workflows around guest arrival, check-in, and service preferences.
Data intelligence
Creating processes for data collection, retrieval, analysis, and usage using cognitive technologies.
Pilot deployment
Testing in real-world hospitality settings to validate performance.
Scalability and compliance
Ensuring the system could scale across properties while safeguarding guest data.
Key features
01
Face recognition
Guests walking into the lobby are instantly recognized, with their profiles, preferences, and history retrieved in real-time.
02
Speech recognition and speaker identification
Supporting natural guest interactions and multilingual communication.
03
Emotion sensing
Detecting mood and sentiment to enable empathetic service.
04
Data intelligence
Intelligent collection and retrieval of guest data for predictive and personalized services.
05
Integrated dashboards
Providing hotel managers with insights into guest patterns, service demand, and satisfaction.
06
Cloud or on-premise deployment
Flexible architecture using Azure or local hosting.
Outcomes
01
Personalized guest experiences
Returning guests received pre-configured rooms and services aligned to their preferences.
02
Efficient operations
Automated check-ins and room allotments reduced waiting times.
03
Enhanced guest engagement
Emotion and speech recognition enabled more natural and human-like interactions.
04
Hospitality innovation
The project demonstrated how cognitive technologies could transform traditional hotel operations.
05
Industry recognition
Project inTACT was premium featured on the Microsoft stand at GITEX 2016, showcasing its global relevance.
Reports generated
- Hospitality workflow integration blueprint
- Technical specifications and implementation architecture
- Proof-of-concept validation for hotel environments
- Privacy and compliance framework
- Pilot results with guest interaction scenarios
- Scalability and adoption roadmap
Lessons learned
- Guest-facing AI must balance personalization with privacy to gain trust.
- Face and speech recognition proved highly effective in anticipating guest needs.
- Real-time deployment requires robust infrastructure (cameras, connectivity, and integration with PMS systems).
- Cross-cultural emotion recognition enhances service quality in multinational guest environments.
Future directions
- Expand adoption across global hotel chains and resorts.
- Introduce multimodal AI that combines gestures, tone, and biometrics for deeper personalization.
- Extend applications to airports, cruises, and luxury retail for premium guest experiences.
- Develop self-service kiosks and mobile integrations powered by inTACT cognitive modules.