Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) said this week that three local firms have joined the airport’s xBridge innovation center where they will test and develop their products.
The three firms include Carnegie Robotics, which partnered with PIT last year to roll out autonomous robotic floor scrubbers with UV light and RE2 Robotics, a developer of mobile robotic arms that is looking to test the applicability of its technology in airports and aviation.
The third new xBridge innovation center participant is Zenzors, which launched at PIT in 2019 using artificial intelligence to analyze everything from the types of baggage boarded onto planes, to terminal cleanliness and bathroom utilization.
The xBridge is a 10,000-square-foot innovation center custom-built at PIT to nurture the evolution of the aviation industry and inspire creative solutions for its many challenges.
“During a time of crisis, innovation is imperative,” said Katherine Karolick, senior vice president of information technology at PIT. “Reducing costs, increasing efficiencies and developing improved passenger and staff safety measures are all key. Small, specialized tech companies and startups have a deep understanding in emerging technology, are nimble, and are experts at working in an innovation model.”
Earlier this year, PIT announced a partnership with Honeywell to use the xBridge to develop a live dashboard measuring air quality that can help airport staff identify and correct issues in real time.
