VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NZ Technologies , inventor of HoverTap™ Lift and HoverTap™ Swipe , a patented, AI-powered technology that transforms existing touch-based human-input devices including elevator buttons into a contact-free interface, is pleased to announce it has entered into a Manufacturing Collaboration Agreement with Dupar Controls , a leader in the innovation, design and manufacture of elevator control systems and push-button technology.

As the innovator and manufacturer of the HoverTap Lift, NZ Technologies will provide the core hardware and Dupar Controls will market the products to its extensive customer base. The HoverTap technology is transforming how people interact within an elevator environment, giving them the ability to be hands-free and reduce nonessential touchpoints, providing the safety and smart technology shift this industry demands. The inspiration behind HoverTap was based on the patented TIPSO AirPad®, one of NZ Technologies’ flagship products developed to enable surgeons to touchlessly interact with equipment in the operation room during surgery.

The COVID-19 pandemic is shaping a new consciousness regarding public safety and exposure to high-touch surfaces. This has accelerated the demand for touchless interfaces. The HoverTap Lift has been well-received by early users, the public and the industry. This touch-free elevator system was first installed in Ronald McDonald House in Vancouver . The City of Richmond has also installed the HoverTap suite in their elevator, in complete alignment with the Richmond City Council’s vision of creating a safer environment for employees and the public, and a modern, energy-sensitive and environmentally friendly building.

* Reportlinker.com announced the global smart elevator market size was valued at USD 9.7 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach USD 12.6 billion by 2026. ** Fortune Business Insights published their Smart Elevator report that stated North America is experiencing a dominant position in the market owing to the modernization of traditional building structures, the expansion of intelligent building concepts and the presence of major manufacturers in North America contributing to the Smart Elevator growth.

“The HoverTap technology has expanded its offering to promote safety and peace of mind to the general public by reducing the number of physical touchpoints in public spaces, such as elevator buttons, to decrease the risk of infectious diseases,” says Dr. Nima Ziraknejad, Founder and CEO of NZ Technologies . “We are excited about this great opportunity to collaborate with Dupar Controls and build the market-ready HoverTap Lift. We believe this innovation will emerge as the new elevator standard in the era of advancing smart technologies for common use.”

George Foleanu, Vice President, Dupar Controls says , “As we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for hygiene-safe innovations, including the elevator buttons that are one of the most touched surfaces, are at an all-time high. Our collaboration with NZ Technologies provides a very innovative contact-free solution for elevator controls. The flexible design allows us with ease to design elevator interface with cutting edge touchless functionality for both new elevator installations and modernizations. This further strengthens the commitment we have made to offer the safest and most advanced solutions to meet our customers’ needs.”

The HoverTap technology was developed with the user’s experience in mind and its intuitive interface is easy to grasp for new users. The technology has two main components: a novel touchless sensor design in the form of a “picture frame” fitted over the elevator buttons and machine learning algorithm. Together, these detect the 3D position of the user’s fingertip above the surface based on a data-trained artificial intelligence algorithm.