Touchless Keypad Installed In Canadian City’s Elevator

City officials in Richmond, Canada, have installed the city’s first touchless keypad in an elevator at the city’s annex building, near Richmond City Hall, Richmond News reports. Those using the elevator can control their ride by simply approach the button panel with their finger above the floor number shown on an LCD screen and tap the air approximately 1 in. away from the screen, which then sends the ride to the desired floor. The system, called HoverTap Lift, was created by NZ Technologies in collaboration with Dupar Controls, a Canadian manufacturer specializing in elevator fixtures and panels. Nima Ziraknajad, founder and CEO of NZ Technologies, said the system is an “add-on” to the original elevator and didn’t require any other changes. “It’s like someone is touching the buttons behind the screen for you, and this eliminates any contact with the panel in the elevator,” Ziraknajad said. Officials said the city agreed to participate in the pilot project of the touchless elevator system to help provide a safer environment for those in the building. NZ Technologies had installed a touchless prototype elsewhere, but the city used the first official, final product in Richmond. Ziraknajad said the company’s mission is to provide a safe environment for everybody, which coincided with the City of Richmond’s concerns during the pandemic.