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“We then develop future-forward
solutions that are as intuitive to use
as possible.”
By intuitive, Tiainen means a device
that anyone can operate. A good
example is the new KONE Destination
Operating Panel (DOP), which replaces
traditional up and down buttons with
an advanced touchscreen. As you
approach the panel in the lobby, it
wakes up and invites you to move a
circle to your destination floor. The
rest happens automatically. When your
elevator arrives, it lights up as if to say
“I’m yours” and takes you directly to
your floor without any further machine
interfacing.
“Touchscreens are influencing our
interaction with devices more than
anything I have seen in my whole
career,” says Tiainen, adding this is
also true in the world of elevators.
swipe reVoluTion
Swiping comes naturally to most of us,
yet the relentless march of touchscreen
technology is not universally embraced
by the elderly and other groups with
special needs. KONE strives to help
them on board with extensive user
experience research.
“We perform rigorous usability
testing with different target groups to
ensure that our solutions are equally
comfortable for everyone to use, young
and old,” says Tiainen.
Population aging is in fact one of the
global megatrends driving demand for
intelligent control systems. This applies
especially in markets such as China,
where millions of elderly people living
in high-rises are becoming increasingly
elevator-dependent.
Timo Tiainen, Director of Design Solutions at KONE, demonstrates the KONE
Destination Operating Panel to Marja Mikola, a visually impaired test user,
at KONE’s interactive showroom in Hyvinkää, Finland.
Guided By The liGhT
When asked to predict the next big
thing in building automation, Tiainen
enthusiastically replies: “Exciting things
can be done by guiding people with
interactive surroundings. Technology
enables compact and energy efficient
solutions that can be controlled in
various ways. In the future, the
environment will recognize your
presence and guide you accordingly.”
One of the main challenges of smart
technology is taking away people’s
control. “Modern elevators operate
so smoothly you can barely tell they
are moving. lighting can help here.
A rolling light panel showing the pre-
cise position of the elevator can help
to reassure people who feel nervous if
there are no buttons inside the car.”
Better yet, a holographic avatar
would be the ideal ambassador to help
people embrace smart technology, he
quips. “But really it’s just a matter of
time before everyone gets used to smart
buildings that predict our needs.”
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