Butlr, a company founded by former MIT Media Lab researchers, is using low-resolution thermal sensors and an analytics platform to monitor occupancy and movement through buildings without compromising individual privacy. The real time data and insights from the monitoring can be used to make spaces more responsive and functional for the user. Deng says. “If the office has a big room with people working individually, it should automatically separate into smaller rooms, or lights and temperature should be adjusted to save energy.”
Deng explains that companies often lack real-time data on space utilization. “People have zero baseline data on what’s happening in their workplace,”. In some cases, entire buildings remain underutilized, with only a receptionist and a cleaner present. Butlr’s battery-powered sensors offer a long-term solution for tracking daily occupancy and providing insights that help businesses improve their the functionality and efficiency of their spaces.
Beyond office spaces, Butlr’s technology has shown potential in transforming healthcare in nursing and specialized care environments. Nursing facilities, can use the sensors to monitor individual rooms, alerting staff if a resident falls or remains inactive for too long. The Butlr system can be integrated with nurse call systems improving response times and patient safety.
Butlr aims to shape the future of AI-driven smart buildings. Butlr sees itself as the nerve centre of buildings, optimising functionality “We’re the nerve cells in the building, not the eyes,” Deng adds, emphasizing the company’s commitment to ethical AI that enhances efficiency while respecting privacy.
Source: MIT Media Lab, Butlr
