San Diego International Airport manages IT, electronics airport infrastructure with Samsung smartwatches, beacon technology

SAN DIEGO. San Diego International Airport (SAN) officials in California have adopted intelligent communication wearable technology – Samsung Gear smartwatches with enterprise mobility management (EMM) and beacon technologies – to streamline operations and increase information technology (IT) availability and responsiveness.

In the first commercial trial, Samsung SDS America (SDSA) and Total Communicator Solutions Inc. (TCS), a provider of contextually intelligent communication platforms, IoT communications, and application development in San Diego, bolstered their partnership with San Diego International Airport to help airport IT operations become more responsive with Samsung Gear S3 and S2 smartwatches.

TCS’s Spark Compass intelligent communications platform harnesses beacon technology to provide location tracking and bidirectional communication with watches worn by airport staff, integrated within SAN’s existing operational infrastructure and data solutions.

With the wearable EMM, when an IT issue, such as a frozen flight information display board, is reported, TCS’s Spark Compass technology alerts — via a Samsung smartwatch on their wrist — the nearest IT staff member who can most quickly respond. Indoor location tracking and the Spark Compass beacon network make this possible.

When an IT member receives the alert, they accept it as a task. Once the incident is completed, it’s reported to a central database through the IT member’s watch using voice commands or text input. Incident reports and records are then generated by Spark Compass and automatically entered into the existing workflow tracking system.

“We’ll be able to communicate through the user-friendliness of the smartwatch to deliver pinpoint responsiveness to IT issues,” explains Rick Belliotti, director, information and small business development at San Diego International Airport. “We’re excited to be the first international airport in the world to use Samsung smartwatches, integrated with our existing Spark Compass implementation into our enterprise operation. The solution represents a foundation for workflow management that can hopefully be carried over into other areas of the airport.”

“Our industry-leading mobile devices and enterprise mobility management solutions for wearables are designed to enable highly customized enterprise solutions that solve business challenges while simultaneously being easy to use,” says Dr. Mingu Lee, vice president of enterprise solutions at Samsung SDS America. “With a simple glance to the wrist, on-the-go personnel at San Diego International Airport can now more swiftly report and respond to IT incidents. With features like the Gear S3’s ability to meet IP68 standards for water resistance, and Corning Gorilla Glass SR+, which provides a more scratch-resistant and crisp display, airport personnel can rely on their watch as a tough, hardworking, and loyal tool. The overall integration at the airport enables wearable devices to communicate specific tasks with unprecedented ease and traceability, without compromising security. Safety features, like remote screen lock and factory reset, in the event of loss, protect corporate information without compromising usability. Unlike existing device management solutions which only work on smartphones, our new Wearable EMM solution combined with the Spark Compass intelligent communications platform, enables the authority to remotely and simply monitor and update each watch.”

The wearable solution also integrates the award-winning, defense-grade Samsung Knox security platform and mobile management solution, which works on Samsung Android and Tizen-based platform devices to improve security, management, and productivity.

Samsung’s Gear S3 and S2 smartwatches are currently being supported by the airport’s consumer-facing, Spark Compass–powered AwayYouGo mobile app, which enhances the traveler’s journey with everything from receiving directions en route to the airport to real-time gate information and changes. AwayYouGo also sends alerts when bags are on the carousel at the destination airport, made possible through GoTag secure Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacons that travelers attach to their luggage before setting out on their trip.

Total Communicator Solutions has developed an integrated, contextually intelligent mobile communications platform. The solution leverages real-data analytics with real-time actions and events based on the collected data, combined with location, user, and activity knowledge, to deliver curated experiences on mobile devices. The company’s patented, contextually intelligent communications platform, Spark Compass, integrates proximity beacons, NFC, augmented reality, and other sensors. With several installations, Spark Compass is used by enterprises such as airports, hospitals, university facilities, sport venues, and convention centers. Total Communicator Solutions is headquartered in San Diego, with locations in Spain, Mexico, UK, Norway, and New Zealand.

Samsung SDS America (SDSA) is the U.S. subsidiary of Samsung SDS, a global IT solutions company. SDSA provides purpose-built technology solutions in the areas of enterprise mobility, security, advanced analytics, mobile sales productivity, and training, enabling customers in the public sector, finance, retail, and other industries to achieve greater freedom, more operational efficiency, and smarter decision making as the driving force for their competitive advantage. SDSA is headquartered in Ridgefield Park, N.J., with offices in Herndon, Va., and San Jose, Calif.

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