When you think of a gym or health club, what images come to mind? Maybe it’s the smell first—that unique combination of rubber, metal and sweat (with a dash of chlorine if there’s a pool). Or maybe it’s the soothing whir of cardio machines, the pounding of footsteps on a treadmill, or the repetitive clank of the weights. Whatever you’ve just imagined, we’re betting autonomous robots probably haven’t figured into the equation. But that’s changing, and for good reason. Today’s increasingly sophisticated autonomous service robots are an ideal addition to many gym, spa and health club environments.

Disinfection

Gyms, spas and health clubs are unique communal environments in that people gather there in various states of undress, exert themselves physically, and engage in plenty of bare-skin contact with machines, benches, mats, carpets and shower floors. These very specific indoor conditions pose a variety of health risks to gym goers and staff such as MRSA and other bacterial infections, fungal conditions like ringworm, and yes, even COVID and other respiratory illnesses. Despite the fact that millions of Americans visit them each week in pursuit of good health, gyms and health clubs can be the perfect breeding grounds for these ailments and more without careful and rigorous disinfection of the facilities.

That’s where autonomous robots come in. Current advances in robotics have produced machines capable of thoroughly disinfecting communal spaces, big and small, all without much in the way of human intervention. For example, Pringle Robotics’ Puductor 2 is an autonomous robot that uses medical grade UV-C and ultrasonic dry-mist disinfectants to eliminate 99.9% of harmful viruses, bacteria and other pathogens from indoor areas and surfaces. It runs on its own either continuously or on pre-programmed schedules during low-traffic periods, allowing gym staff to focus on customer care rather than deep cleaning.

Repetitive Cleaning

Just as important as sanitization and disinfection within the health club environment is basic cleaning—particularly of floors within common areas such as hallways and lobbies, studios, classrooms and cafes. Many facilities don’t have dedicated janitorial staff on-site during peak operating hours, preferring to outsource routine cleaning duties to overnight contractors. But this might not be the best way to keep your health club looking its best, because people are, well, messy. They might be tracking dirt into your lobby throughout the day, dropping crumbs and creating spills in the cafe, and, you know…sweating. Why only clean your floors overnight when messes are made all day long?

This need to keep a high-traffic facility clean throughout the day for optimum guest comfort is one that’s perfectly met by autonomous floor cleaning solutions like Pringle Robotics’ CC1 and CC3 BoTs. The CC1 is an autonomous floor cleaning robot that automates 90% of floor cleaning work. It can be used on almost any type of flooring (carpeted and hard surface), charges, empties and refills itself automatically, and can be set to run continuously throughout the day. The CC3 has the same functionality but is supercharged for heavier industrial-grade cleaning of large-space hard floors (think sports courts). Both contain the same advanced object-avoidance technology so that they can safely operate around people and stick to predetermined routes.

Ambiance

Let’s face it—the look and feel of a gym or health club is just as important to many customers as the facility’s collection of topline machines, class offerings and other amenities. One cutting-edge way to boost the memorability of your gym in the minds of potential members (and keep renewals high) is through the incorporation of tech. Autonomous service robots, perfected in the crucible of the demanding hospitality industry, are a perfect addition to the gym, spa and health club space.

For instance, the Ketty BoT can be used as an adorable autonomous concierge, greeting guests, guiding them around the facility, and displaying pertinent ads about membership specials, safety information, or other content as needed. Ketty BoT can even deliver water, fresh towels or other supplies around the space, or be used to transport dirty linens to laundry locations. She’s also a great addition to in-house cafes, where her hosting and food delivery capabilities really shine, brightening guests’ days as they decompress with a smoothie or salad.

The BubbleFish, a smaller-scale cousin to the germ-busting Puductor 2, is perfect for improving the air quality and overall smell of a facility, with its dry-mist disinfection capability that doubles as mobile air freshener. Clients love using the BubbleFish to both clean the air and enliven it with essential oils, destroying “gym smell” and promoting a soothing, luxurious environment.

Facing the Future

While all the BoTs mentioned above are currently helping staff and delighting members in gyms and health clubs, the future of autonomous robots in these spaces looks a bit more personalized. Through the incorporation of rapidly advancing AI technology, very soon robots will be able to recognize and greet members by name, predict and guide them to classes and specific facility locations, even recommending workouts based on a member’s history. In fact, Pringle Robotics’ newest BoT, the Temi, is already doing much of this thanks to facial and voice recognition technology, “follow me” functionality, and AI-driven versatility. Temi can guide visitors to different areas of the facility, provide pre-set guided tours to prospective members, or conduct live guided tours remotely using video calling. Temi integrates member check-in and payments, merch and product sales, and general communication.

The future possibilities are endless as AI, developer tools and unique facility systems become more and more integrated into a tech-driven, robot-enhanced ecosystem that provides members with a seamless, highly personalized experience. Interested in putting your gym, spa or health club on the path to increased revenue, cleanliness and customer satisfaction through robotics? Get in touch with us to know more.