IBM to build smart hotel

China Hangzhou Dragon Hotel has selected IBM to build an intelligent hotel management system as part of the hotel's transformation into a smart hotel, says Trading Markets.

IBM will integrate the hotel's major systems, namely the hotel management system, the communications system and the one-stop service centre; which includes a personal digital assistant system, self check-in kiosk, interactive TV, radio frequency identification (RFID) system, Internet telephony, cellphone system and room control system.

The fully integrated IT system, when available for service early next year, is expected to boost the hotel's efficiency and productivity and to reduce its operational costs.

RFID technology is being used to monitor Taipei butterfly orchid production in a move that is expected to raise productivity of the precious flowers, states Taiwan News.

As competition in the global orchid market has become increasingly fierce; research fellows at the Taiwan Agriculture Research Institute claim that Taiwan needs to introduce new technology to sharpen its competitive edge in the sector.

The researchers say the introduction of the technology to the orchid business will help improve the accuracy rate of order deliveries and to raise productivity.

Research firm Frost & Sullivan has found that the RFID market for Asia-Pacific earned revenues of $134.3 million in 2008, and estimates this to reach $503.9 million by 2015, reports PR Newswire.

The cost of RFID readers is decreasing while the technology is seeing advancements at a steady pace, according to the firm.

Frost & Sullivan notes that governments in Asia have played active roles in leveraging RFID technology by providing direct funding for vendor initiatives and subsidies for RFID end-users.