UC 1819 Innovation Hub, CVG join forces to transform airport technology

Thousands of travelers pass through Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) every day, and another 16,000 people comprise the airport’s workforce. As a “city within a city,” the 7,500-acre campus serves as a living laboratory where officials are continuously redefining the airport experience through innovation.

On a tour of the airport organized by the 1819 Innovation Hub’s Partner Success team, University of Cincinnati students, staff and corporate partners learned about the groundbreaking advancements in air travel made possible through research engagements with UC, other universities, corporations, governments and more.

Harnessing technology to improve operations is paramount for CVG executives like Chief Innovation Officer Brian Cobb, who collaborated with UC doctoral student Javier Viaña in the College of Engineering and Applied Science to analyze wait times at airport security.

Using airport technology, Viaña identified the number of people entering terminal checkpoints by developing a customized algorithm to predict surges of travelers within 15-minute increments.

“This information was of great value in continuous work to manage wait times for passengers,” said Cobb.

Cobb explained how CVG serves as an ideal incubator for entrepreneurial innovators who wish to test an idea.

“UC students and researchers have open minds when it comes to solving a challenge we pose,” he said. “We are always looking for new approaches and innovative technology to improve our expanding digital and robotic ecosystem to improve customer experiences.”