Kimberly-Clark Continues Commitment to Innovation by Joining Georgia Tech's Internet-of-Things Research Center

News provided by

Jun 15, 2017, 10:33 ET

ROSWELL, Ga., June 15, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Kimberly-Clark has joined Georgia Tech's Center for the Development and Application of Internet-of-Things Technologies (CDAIT). As a member of this global, non-profit research and development center with a seat on the Executive Advisory Board, Kimberly-Clark will help guide research into the rapidly evolving Internet of Things (IoT) marketplace that addresses critical societal issues including privacy, trust, ethics, regulation and policy.

This follows the announcement by Kimberly-Clark Professional about Onvation Technology, a smart restroom management system that harnesses the machine-to machine connectivity of IoT to provide customers with up-to-the-minute monitoring of restroom conditions from any device or location, 24 hours a day. Onvation Technology is a patent-protected system that delivers real-time data and alerts so building managers can identify and fix restroom problems before they become complaints.

"Onvation Technology is Kimberly-Clark's first foray into the IoT world," explains Renee Pearson, Global Director of IT Innovation. "By joining CDAIT, we are taking an active role in shaping the future of IoT innovation and better understanding how to continue leveraging the convergence of the physical and digital worlds to bring actionable data, analytics and insights to businesses."

Kimberly-Clark is building on its long-standing partnership with Georgia Tech, dating back more than 35 years. The two organizations have partnered together from a research perspective, and Kimberly-Clark sponsors key programs within the institution including Women in Engineering, the Renewable BioProducts Institute, the Center for Bio-Inspired Design, and the Institute for Electronics and Nanotechnology. Kimberly-Clark employs more than 100 Georgia Tech alumni.

"We are looking forward to actively collaborating with Kimberly-Clark's experts in the IoT space," highlights Alain Louchez, Managing Director of CDAIT. "In particular, their significant involvement in the IoT Security and Privacy Working Group will provide a very useful perspective in a complex and critical area." Currently, CDAIT's activities are focused on horizontal domains through six Working Groups, i.e., education and training; start-up ecosystem; thought leadership, security & privacy; standards & management; and research.

"Kimberly-Clark has a strong track record of transforming insights and technologies into innovative products and services that improve the lives of nearly a quarter of the world's population," says Clay Mahaffey, Global R&D Director for Kimberly-Clark Professional. "By partnering closely with our fellow CDAIT board members and Georgia Tech's faculty and students, we aim to build on this history of innovation and explore the many dimensions of IoT and their applicability in today's world."

"We are honored to welcome Kimberly-Clark to our board," says Jeff Evans, Chair of the CDAIT Executive Advisory Board and Director of the Information and Communications Laboratory at the Georgia Tech Research Institute. "With their experience and expertise, we'll keep pushing IoT research and insights even further."

About Kimberly-Clark
Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB) and its well-known global brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 175 countries. Every day, nearly a quarter of the world's population trust Kimberly-Clark's brands and the solutions they provide to enhance their health, hygiene and well-being. With brands such as Kleenex, Scott, Huggies, Pull-Ups, Kotex and Depend, Kimberly-Clark holds No. 1 or No. 2 share positions in 80 countries. To keep up with the latest news and to learn more about the Company's 145-year history, visit www.kimberly-clark.com or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

About CDAIT
CDAIT (pronounced "sedate") is a global, non-profit, partner-funded center within the Georgia Institute of Technology ("Georgia Tech") located in Atlanta that fosters interdisciplinary research and education while driving general awareness about the Internet of Things. It aims at efficiently identifying, understanding and solving for its sponsors challenges and problems that may arise along the whole IoT value chain. CDAIT bridges sponsors with Georgia Tech faculty and researchers as well as industry members with similar interests. To learn more about CDAIT, visit www.cdait.gatech.edu.

[KMB-B]

SOURCE Kimberly-Clark