Record-breaking escalators and a new application for mixed-reality technology

Company’s Highest-Ever Escalators for Baku Metro

thyssenkrupp has won an order to supply 25 escalators to the Baku Metro in Baku, Azerbaijan. The order includes the highest escalators ever produced in Germany, with a 48.7-m rise. Describing the order as a confirmation of its new distributor’s network strategy, thyssenkrupp noted the escalators — eight high-rise units for the Sahil and Khatai stations and 17 for a new station — will increase the stations’ handling capacity by 30% and help ensure the efficient flow of nearly 222 million passengers per year. Like similar units thyssenkrupp installed in the Tbilisi subway station in Georgia, which increased escalator-transport capacity by 50%, the units for Baku will be narrower yet just as comfortable as previous models, according to thyssenkrupp, which observed:

“This is achieved by an innovative approach of installing the drive (motor and gears) deep in front of the installation, rather than in the supports for the stairs, as usual. This will allow more people to travel down to the platform or up to the concourse at the same time, increasing the capacity of the escalators in the shafts.”

Bringing HoloLens to Home Mobility

thyssenkrupp is now using mixed-reality device Microsoft HoloLens (ELEVATOR WORLD, September 2016) to enhance the experience of home-mobility solutions customers in Germany, the Netherlands and Spain. HoloLens makes it possible to visualize, configure and price a stairlift in real time, resulting in delivery times being reduced by up to 4X. This promises to be particularly useful as demand for such solutions rises, according to thyssenkrupp, which notes urban populations are growing rapidly, and improved health care is allowing people to live longer. The company stated:

“In 2016, every eighth person worldwide was over 60 years old. For Germany, the Federal Statistical Office calculates that in 2060, 69% of the population will be in the pension age. These figures show the mobility of older people in cities is a growing challenge.”