Insider Brief
- HITEK AI, a Middle East-based provider of AI-driven facility management solutions, has launched a Robot as a Service (RaaS) offering in partnership with SoftBank Robotics UK, integrating robotic cleaning tools with its CAFMTEK platform.
- The service uses SoftBank’s Whiz and Phantas robots to automate vacuuming, sweeping, scrubbing, and mopping tasks, enabling facility managers in the UAE and Saudi Arabia to schedule and monitor cleaning operations through a single interface.
- Real-time data analytics from the robots feed into CAFMTEK’s dashboard, offering insights into performance, task completion, and maintenance needs, while allowing businesses to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and support regional digital transformation goals.
PRESS RELEASE – HITEK AI, a leading provider of AI-driven solutions in the Middle East, and part of the Farnek group of companies, has launched its Robot as a Service (RaaS) offering in partnership with SoftBank Robotics UK (SBR).
This innovative service integrates SoftBank’s advanced robotic cleaning solutions with HITEK AI’s CAFMTEK platform, providing a comprehensive, automated facilities management (FM) solution designed to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve operational performance across industries.
The new RaaS solution is aimed at providing businesses in the UAE and Saudi Arabia with cutting-edge robotic technologies that can be seamlessly integrated into their existing FM operations. Through this collaboration, HITEK AI combines SoftBank Robotics’ state-of-the-art robots with its CAFMTEK platform to offer a unified service that includes both robotic automation and traditional FM, all managed through a single, intuitive interface.
“Our partnership with SoftBank Robotics aims to bring the future of automated FM to businesses across the UAE and Saudi Arabia,” said Javeria Aijaz, Managing Director of HITEK AI. “This integration will empower organisations to operate more efficiently, reduce operational costs, and ensure high standards of service, all while contributing to government goals for digital transformation and innovation.”
SoftBank will be providing two robot types. Whiz, is a commercial collaborative robot vacuum, powered by BrainOS, the advanced commercial operating system from robotics industry leader Brain Corp. This determines the best route given the surrounding environment, continuous operation for up to three hours and can cover up to 1,500 sqm. Whiz is also equipped with sensors and mechanisms that enable obstacle detection, fall prevention and anomaly impact detection.
Another robot, Phantas, is a powerful tool that helps human teams clean better, faster, and more cost-effectively, vacuuming, sweeping, scrubbing, and dust mopping, up to 5,000 sqm per hour.
Once integrated with HITEK AI’s CAFMTEK platform, facility managers will be able to schedule and monitor routine and ad-hoc cleaning tasks performed by SoftBank’s robots.
The robots are activated for each new project site with a unique ID and mapped to the specific zones and locations in the facility.
Using the CAFMTEK platform, clients can track performance metrics such as square meters cleaned, ensuring high standards of cleanliness with minimal human intervention. The robots are also capable of handling maintenance tasks such as water replenishment and dust bag replacement, reducing operational disruption and increasing efficiency.
Integrated with CAFMTEK’s analytics dashboard, SoftBank robots send real-time data on cleaning performance, including task completion times, battery levels, and maintenance needs.
Facility managers can use this data to track the robots’ performance, identify potential issues, and make data-driven decisions to optimize resource allocation and maintenance schedules. The system can automatically generate service requests when the robots need assistance, ensuring seamless operation with minimal downtime.
HITEK AI’s CAFMTEK system also tracks the service performance of robots, including uptime, task completion rates, and service requirements.
This allows facility managers to monitor the robots’ performance alongside traditional assets, ensuring that all resources are operating at peak efficiency. Performance data from robots will be visible in both CAFMTEK’s mobile app and web interface, providing real-time insights for facility management teams.
This integrated solution is designed to be managed entirely through the CAFMTEK mobile app and web platform. Facility managers can easily activate, monitor, and schedule robots for specific tasks, while also viewing real-time performance data and maintenance alerts, all within a single platform. This ease of use ensures that businesses can leverage the full potential of robotic technology without complex system reconfigurations.
“By combining SoftBank Robotics’ cutting-edge robotic solutions with HITEK AI’s advanced CAFMTEK platform, this launch marks a significant step forward in the digital transformation of facilities management. With a focus on efficiency, automation, and data-driven decision-making, HITEK AI’s Robot as a Service offering is poised to redefine the facilities management landscape in the UAE,” added Aijaz.
