LG and Amazon have partnered to develop the first integration of Alexa for Hospitality with the display manufacturer’s line of hotel TVs using its webOS smart TV platform.
Announced during hospitality technology trade show HITEC 2022, the integration will allow hotels to upgrade new and existing LG hotel TVs running webOS 6.0 or 5.0 to offer guests a custom Alexa solution through LG’s far field microphone array accessory.
According to LG, the new microphone will enable hotel operators to offer a natural language interface for TV and music navigation, enabling guests to connect with specific hospitality functions such as ordering room service, pulling up a customized weather report, integrating with in-room devices for smart lighting and motorized window shades and climate controls.
The companies say the new integration was developed with guest privacy and security in mind, as properties won’t have access to voice recordings, and information about the speaker’s identity is not shared with Amazon.
The far field microphone is compatible with LG TV networks using Pro:Centric Direct software, which makes the TV become a control hub for compatible wireless smart devices without the need for a standalone control system.
For communication with guests, the solution gives hotel staff another way to communicate important information while keeping costs low across device installations. Customers will get a streamlined experience across devices in their room, and staff can use the solution to develop custom announcements leveraging both on-screen and audio communication for event announcements, check-out reminders and more.
The microphone array accessory is powered through a TV’s USB port and mounts to the top of the set. LG says its far field microphone array can respond to requests once it is activated by guests upon arrival using the Alexa wake word. Guests can also use a mute button to turn off voice control and use a standard remote.
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