Celebrating WVU HIT Lab students as ‘Moving WV Forward’ Demo Day Winners
John Chambers College of Business and Economics’ Hospitality and Innovation Technology Lab students competed among more than 30 groups at the second annual WVU Demo Day to win one of five $1,000 prizes for their innovation. They were also recipients of the Moving WV Forward award, which recognized an innovation designed to help move WV forward based on the initiative’s blueprint findings and guiding principles.
Sam Abbot, Sophia Hogan and Wren Parker, along with advisor and associate professor, Hospitality and Tourism Management Dr. Ajay Aluri, partnered with LISNR and the WV Tourism Office to build an interactive Internet of Sound (IoS) Kiosk for check-in at a local hotel lobby to create personalized guest experiences. The IoS Kiosk is “an advanced, near-ultrasonic, ultra-low power data transmission using sound.” This new innovative platform helps individuals get information related to tourist attractions without internet connection. This group also won the Moving WV Forward award.
Finding innovative, cutting-edge solutions in hospitality
“It is exciting to be the recipient of both awards, which tie in so nicely with the HIT Lab vision,” said Ajay Aluri, founding director of the HIT Lab and associate professor. “The HIT Lab is a platform to bridge the gaps between academia and the hospitality industry. We are currently working with a few clients and partners to solve their real-world business problems. We would like to invite businesses in WV and beyond to partner with the HIT Lab to find innovative and cutting-edge solutions.”