This is to share details about Peerless-AV’s Westin Bear Resort Installation Case Study. With aspirations of becoming the first 5-Star Diamond Westin Hotel, Westin Bear Resort had the idea to create a unique video wall display that would “reimagine the guest experience.”
Peerless-AV assisted Westin Bear Resort in installing an all-encompassing solution in partnership with NovMega Digital Solutions and LG Canada. Despite facing many setbacks like the COVID-19 pandemic, and construction delays, the team was able to successfully exceed the hotel’s expectations and create a visually stunning video wall display that guests will enjoy for years to come.
The hotel wanted a flexible solution that would allow their ballroom to be used for golf tournaments and watching sports, as well as a backdrop for various events such as, weddings, corporate meetings, and more. NovMega Digital Solutions, a commercial audio video contractor, was tasked with managing the direct view LED (dvLED) video wall installation. Project planning began in April 2020.
Initially, the design was much smaller, but the hotel opted for a dramatic dvLED video wall system that ran the entire length of the ballroom wall, measuring 63ft (19.2m) wide x 9ft (2.7 m) tall. Implementing a video wall of this scale and magnitude presented many unique challenges. For such a wide wall, structure was a priority. The team ran multiple tests to ensure that the wall could safely hold the combined load of the cabinets and mounting systems.
digital signage solution installation
The COVID-19 pandemic required the team to implement both site and pandemic related safety precautions. The pandemic-related safety precautions, including social distancing guidelines, caused many delays in the hotel’s construction.
Due to these setbacks, final finishes including flooring and lighting were not completed before the installation. Although not recommended, exceptional circumstances and a tight timeline meant this could not be avoided, and the entire team provided extra care and attention to protect the dvLED displays from dust and other harmful construction elements.
The Solution?
Best to read the full case study but here is bottom-line
The video wall is speculated to be the most pixel dense dvLED wall in Canada, totaling over 20 million pixels, and currently the largest indoor dvLED hospitality installation in Canada. Valued at $1 million, the project is a complete success, and LG Canada and Peerless-AV have awarded Raoul Malak and the hotel with a plaque for “dvLED Hospitality Project of the Year, Canada”.
Peerless-AV’s First Americans Museum of Oklahoma (FAM) installation. Visitors have an immersive experience and learn about American history through the lens of 39 Tribal Nations. The museum located in Oklahoma City put together a completely unique video wall display. From Digital-Signage.Blog
Peerless-AV, alongside Ford Audio-Video Systems, LLC (Ford AV) and Waystone LLC, designed a video wall solution that was not only technically feasible but also pushed boundaries in terms of creativity. Despite many challenges, the Peerless-AV team delivered the perfect mounting system and custom trim kit accessory around the sides of the video wall to give it an immaculate, finished appearance and meet the visual expectations of the museum’s visitors and maximize audience enthrallment.
The resulting, unique shape of the video wall is a visual delight, reflecting the character of the FAM and the playfulness of its designer, Courtney Myers. The inner rectangle space is visualized to be used as a place to put text or have animated characters popping in and out, tailored to the live performances planned to take place in front of this giant “backdrop.”
The content shared at the museum is fine-tuned to the video wall by internationally acclaimed New York media design company, Batwin + Robin Productions. Intelligent editing software provided by the company allows for content flexibility and creativity. Not only does this software allow the museum to quickly change content, but the museum can also utilize sections of the video wall to show different content, maximizing audience enthrallment.
FAM Director/CEO James Pepper Henry commented, “The giant dvLED video wall is more than we hoped for! Since our opening, the Xchange theatre, as it is now called, has become a popular venue for demonstrations, singing, storytelling, and fashion shows. The dvLED video wall adds a truly special element to shows and performances with original and inspiring motion backgrounds, and also provides a means to thank our patrons for their support in making FAM a reality.”
About Peerless-AV
For over 80 years, passion and innovation continue to drive Peerless-AV forward. We proudly design and manufacture the highest quality products, including outdoor displays and TVs, dvLED and LCD video wall systems, complete integrated kiosks, professional carts and stands, and more. Whether a full-scale global deployment or high volume custom project, Peerless-AV develops meaningful relationships and delivers world-class service. In partnership with Peerless-AV, you are trusting an award-winning team of experts who will support your business every step of the way. For more information, visit www.peerless-av.com.
Innovation Product Award
Giada was honored with the Innovation Product Award by the Commercial Display Association at the 6th Shenzhen (International) Smart-Display Vision Expo in October 2024. This award recognized Giada’s advanced embedded PCs, motherboards, and OPS modules designed for commercial display and industrial automation applications.
Best of 2024 Self-Service Kiosk Award
The Giada DK310 Jukebox was recognized as a winner in the Best of 2024 Self-Service Kiosk Awards, presented by the Kiosk Industry Group. This award highlights excellence in self-service and kiosk design, with Giada’s solution being noted for its widespread deployment and innovation in the kiosk sector.
Amazon Fresh Digital Signage
“Giada is a known, trusted, and reliable brand that consistently delivers high-performance solutions. Their hardware has proven to be a perfect fit for our digital signage needs, providing seamless content management and deployment.” Said Operations Director of Amazon Fresh London branch
Amazon Fresh digital signage
The article is a case study detailing how Giada media players power digital signage solutions at Amazon Fresh stores, particularly as Amazon expands its physical locations in the U.S. and London. Amazon Fresh needed a reliable, efficient embedded hardware solution for in-store digital signage capable of deploying varied digital content—like advertisements, videos, and interactive displays—with requirements focused on stability, ease of use, and scalability for busy retail environments.
Giada, in partnership with Tekdis, provided its DN73 and DN76 media players for this project. These models are described as:
Compact yet powerful, specifically made for digital signage.
Features include robust storage, high performance, efficient content management, and energy-efficient, durable operation for 24/7 store use.
Reliability: Delivers smooth content playback with no downtime, which is crucial for customer engagement.
Ease of Deployment: Designed for quick setup and minimal maintenance.
Scalability: Supports the easy expansion of digital signage networks as Amazon Fresh grows.
These players enable centralized management and high-quality content display across multiple screens, which enhances customer experience and operational efficiency. Giada’s proven reliability, industry trust, and ability to integrate with other digital retail systems are emphasized as reasons for Amazon Fresh’s choice.
A statement from the Operations Director of Amazon Fresh London attests to Giada’s brand strength and hardware performance as a “perfect fit” for their needs, reiterating the seamless content management and deployment achieved1.
How DOOH Advertising is Transforming How Brands Capture Attention
In an era saturated with digital noise and endless scrolling, advertisers are turning back to the physical world—but with a digital twist. Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) advertising, which encompasses digital billboards, screens in public spaces, transit displays, and interactive kiosks, is seeing unprecedented growth as brands seek to break through the clutter and connect with audiences in more immersive ways.
According to a report by Statista, Ad spending in the Digital Out-of-Home Advertising market worldwide is forecasted to reach US$19.08bn in 2025, and Ad spending is anticipated to demonstrate an annual growth rate (CAGR 2025-2029) of 7.12%, leading to a projected market volume of US$25.12bn by 2029.
What Is DOOH Advertising?
DOOH advertising refers to any form of OOH media that is displayed digitally, as opposed to static posters or printed signage. This includes:
Digital billboards along highways and in urban centers Interactive kiosks in malls, airports, and transit hubs Screens in elevators, taxis, and gyms LED displays in stadiums and event venues
Programmatic DOOH, which uses real-time data to dynamically serve ads based on conditions such as time of day, weather, and audience demographics
Unlike traditional OOH, which is static and broadly targeted, DOOH enables real-time flexibility and precision. Brands can adapt messaging instantly, trigger ads based on external data (such as a sports game or trending topic), and even use geofencing to tailor campaigns to specific locations.
Why DOOH Matters More Than Ever for Brand Campaigns in 2025
Finextra — According to the New York Times, a rash of huge withdrawals was made possible by a fault with cards used to pay young people as part of a youth jobs programme. The programme issued as many as 30,000 cards to 14-to 24-year-olds because they could not be paid via direct debit.
The cards were only supposed to enable users to access their weekly earnings. However, from 11 to 13 July, cardholders were able to withdraw huge sums; as much as $40,000 per ATM in $200 at a time, according to the Times.
The glitch went viral on TikTok and Instagram and some users sold their cards for $1000 each. As the news spread, $17 million was withdrawn across the city before the cards were deactivated.
Pymmnts.com — A recent scam promoted on TikTok led to the theft of $17 million from New York ATMs in less than three days. Criminals exploited payment cards issued to around 30,000 unbanked youth participants (ages 14–24) in the city’s Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP). The cards, which were supposed to limit withdrawals to participants’ modest earnings, were manipulated to enable unauthorized cash-outs ranging from $10,000 to $43,000 per ATM.
This illicit activity started on July 11 and was stopped by the morning of July 14 after ATM operators noticed irregular cash withdrawal patterns and alerted authorities. The scam was fueled by TikTok videos encouraging users to abuse the system, with some compromised cards sold for $1,000 each.
The exact method of the breach and the main perpetrators remain unclear. The city claims taxpayer funds were not directly lost, but who ultimately bears responsibility for the stolen $17 million is still under investigation. Many victims were first-time jobholders with limited banking experience, targeted by organized criminal groups. As a result, both the network operators and program administrators are reviewing security procedures and controls around youth- and government-issued cards to prevent similar incidents in the future1.
Excerpt Comment
“Many ATM networks still rely on legacy hardware and software that may not support the latest security features or compliance standards. As technology advances, these outdated systems become more vulnerable to cyberattacks, malware and operational failures.
Inviting all attendees to visit and explore the latest in transformational technology in retail powered by Intel.
— RetailNowis 7/27 – 7/29 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Schedule time with Intel —
RetailNOW brings together leaders, innovators, and channel players from the retail, restaurant, grocery, and cannabis industries to foster connections crucial for business success. It is aimed at VARs, Resellers and Distributors. It is NOT open to the public. 170+ exhibitors, 500+ VARs, 400+ ISVs, 1,600+ total attendees, 50+ speakers, 18 VAR/ISV-focused educational breakouts, and 100-degree temperatures in Las Vegas. 🙂
meldCX — meldCX provides a suite of AI-driven software products and platforms focused on commercial devices and physical spaces, primarily targeting industries such as retail, hospitality, education, government, healthcare, and finance — Nice article
Intel — Kathy Crumley leads one of the discussions and is in the booth
OptConnect with max aware router— The max aware router gives you the best of both worlds: fully managed cellular connectivity, plus Wi-Fi, and the convenience, reliability, security, and cost savings of WAN failover.
GoldFinger Monitors — Designed with the unique needs of our commercial partners in mind, Goldfinger Monitors has a solution for nearly every application. Discover the ideal solution to meet your touch screen and touchscreen needs.
· Bonus! Follow this link to access my interview with TSG (The Strawhecker Group) as part of their Executive Interview Series
Finally, thanks for all the positive feedback since we announced RetailNOW will focus on helping VARs and ISVs better compete against the margin-obliterating, VC-backed, 800-number, one-size-fits-all POS providers who don’t have a channel. Visit the RetailNOW website for more details: www.GoRSPA.org/RetailNOW
RSPA Membership
It’s an expensive show, unless you’re a member. Why not become a member and network with like-minded individuals who are buying and selling? Apply here
The three most significant benefits of being a member of the Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA) are:
1. Access to Exclusive Member Programs and Services
RSPA members can participate in a wide range of benefit programs, including legal guidance, market data analysis, and business development resources. Members also receive “White Glove Service,” which includes personalized support from the Member Services Team and warm introductions to other members, helping them navigate the community and accelerate business growth.
2. Discounted Rates and Buying Power
Membership provides access to discounted rates for association events, health insurance, HR services, office supplies, promotional items, and more. These benefits are designed to give members—regardless of company size—buying power typically reserved for larger organizations, helping them reduce operational costs and improve ROI.
3. Networking and Strategic Relationship Opportunities
RSPA is North America’s largest community for VARs, software providers, vendors, and distributors in the retail, restaurant, grocery, and cannabis IT sectors. Membership unlocks opportunities to build strategic relationships, attend industry events at reduced rates, and connect with growth-oriented peers, vendors, and potential partners—fostering collaboration and business expansion.
We are a member and we are just a “little ol’ association”…
Exhibitors and Attendees: The event is expected to attract over 1,600 attendees and more than 165 exhibitors, showcasing a diverse range of products and services. Exhibitors include leading software developers, IT vendors, and distributors specializing in technologies such as contactless payments, cybersecurity, IoT, AI, and cloud computing.
Venue and Logistics: The event will be held at Caesars Palace, offering an expansive exhibit space of 80,000 square feet. The RSPA provides various resources for exhibitors, including a marketing toolkit to promote their participation and a vendor partner program to encourage channel partners to attend.
Education and Networking: RetailNow offers expanded educational tracks that focus on emerging trends and technologies within the retail and related sectors. Attendees can engage in networking opportunities, build partnerships, and gain insights into new regulations and security threats.
Event Activities: The conference includes a comprehensive agenda with keynote speakers, panel discussions, and workshops. Exhibitors can leverage the event to demonstrate their products and services, while attendees can explore the latest innovations in retail technology.
Target Audience: The event is not open to the public and is specifically designed for industry professionals, including VARs (Value-Added Resellers), software developers, vendors, and distributors.
Networking Opportunities: Connect with industry leaders and potential partners across multiple verticals.
Education and Insights: Stay updated on the latest trends, technologies, and best practices in retail IT.
Product Showcase: Explore and experience the latest retail solutions and technologies firsthand.
Business Growth: Develop strategic relationships and partnerships to enhance business growth.
Exhibitor Experience: Exhibitors at RetailNow benefit from a comprehensive marketing toolkit provided by RSPA, which includes event banners, social media templates, and email graphics to promote their participation. Additionally, exhibitors can participate in the Vendor Partner Program to sponsor their channel partners’ attendance, enhancing their networking opportunities.
Wrap
RetailNow 2025 is a pivotal event for anyone involved in the retail technology sector, offering a platform for networking, education, and business development. With its focus on innovation and industry connections, it is an essential gathering for those seeking to stay ahead in the rapidly evolving retail landscape
The Omnichannel Opportunity: AI, Customer Experience, and the Human Touch
9:00 AM-9:45 AM
Retail IT Essentials
Octavius 6-8 – Retail IT Industry Essentials
Kathy Crumley
Global Strategist
Intel
Dean Reverman
VP of Marketing
BlueStar
RetailNow Schedule
Join the Kiosk Association event from July 26-29, 2025. The schedule features registration, exhibit hall hours, and a welcome reception. Detailed timings are provided daily for exhibitors and attendees of the RSPA expo.
Exhibitor Move-in
Sat. Jul. 26, 2025
8:00 AM To 5:00 PM
Sun. Jul. 27, 2025
8:00 AM To 3:00 PM
Show Hours:
Sun. Jul. 27, 2025
5:30 PM To 7:00 PM
Mon. Jul. 28, 2025
10:00 AM To 3:00 PM
Tue. Jul. 29, 2025
9:00 AM To 2:00 PM
Exhibitor Move-out
Tue. Jul. 29, 2025
2:00 PM To 7:00 PM
Tue. Jul. 29, 2025
All exhibitor materials MUST be removed by 7:00 PM
Giada is recognized globally as a leading manufacturer and supplier of digital signage players, embedded computers, OPS/SDM modules, and industrial motherboards, primarily serving enterprise customers235. Established in 1999 and headquartered in Shenzhen, China, Giada has built a reputation in digital signage, edge computing, and embedded solutions for a variety of commercial and industrial applications4811.
Key Areas of Expertise
1. Digital Signage Players
Best-selling digital signage media player brand in German-speaking regions and considered an industry leader globally47.
Supplies reliable, market-oriented digital signage solutions tailored for retail, transportation, education, corporate, and hospitality sectors711.
2. Embedded and Edge Computing
Manufactures embedded computers and edge AI computing devices used in smart retail, automation, healthcare, and industrial automation568.
Offers a range of devices from entry-level to high-performance, including compact and fanless models for specialized environments15.
3. OPS/SDM and Motherboards
Produces Open Pluggable Specification (OPS) and Smart Display Module (SDM) solutions for easy integration with commercial displays10.
Designs and supplies various form factors of embedded motherboards for customized industrial applications19.
Signature Applications
Application
Description
Digital Signage
Used in retail, malls, transportation hubs, and education
Video Wall Solutions
For complex, large-scale commercial displays
Industrial Automation
Embedded PCs and motherboards in IoT, machine vision, etc.
Smart Kiosks & Vending
Essential hardware for kiosks, vending, self-service
Edge AI Computing
Devices for AI tasks at network edge
Industry Highlights
Awarded best-selling media player brand in German-speaking areas due to widespread deployment in retail and commercial environments4.
Core Intel partner in China and a member of the Intel IoT Solution Alliance, reflecting strong ties to the latest processor technologies6.
Actively supports digital transformation for enterprises with innovations in AI, big data, and IoT solutions6.
Conclusion
Giada (giadatech.com) is best known for its digital signage players and embedded computing solutions, which power digital displays and commercial automation worldwide. Its products are recognized for their reliability, customizability, and efficiency in a variety of large-scale, demanding enterprise environments.
Think back to the last time you had to check-in somewhere. Perhaps it was this morning when you arrived at a meeting, your last visit to the doctor, or in a hotel the last time you traveled. Regardless of when or where you last checked in, when you reflect back on your experience, does anything about it stand out or was it simply another waiting game?
Odds are, you probably endured a waiting game. Though the check-in process is one that consumers go through on a regular basis, it is also one that is typically associated with delayed service and long lines. This association has emerged as especially problematic as consumers have begun living busier lives and placing higher value on their time and the quality of the service they receive.
Check-in kiosks aim to eliminate some of these woes and to provide a more enjoyable experience for customers by streamlining processes, decreasing wait times, and allowing customers to complete the task at hand at their own convenience. Best of all check-in kiosks can be used to increase efficiency and customer satisfaction across a variety of industries—from hospitality, to healthcare, to a corporate workplace.
Hospitality Check-In Kiosk
The hotel check-in desk is usually one of the first stops visitors make when arriving in a new city. Often tired from their journey and burdened with luggage, getting their room key and unpacking is usually a high priority for guests. Hospitality check-in kiosks, strategically placed throughout a hotel’s lobby, make it simple—guests can simply enter their reservation information, provide a credit or debit card for payment, and retrieve their room key from the dispenser. By using this process, guests are able to expedite and simplify the check-in process. Similarly, hotel employees who would have previously been tasked with the check-in process, are now available to serve a more customer service-oriented role—answering questions, providing directions, and further enhancing the guest experience. Naturally, they can also be available to help guests with the kiosk check-in process as well, if necessary. Another added perk of hotel check-in kiosks is that they’re available 24/7. Regardless of how late into the night they arrive, guests are able to complete the check-in process and retrieve their keys in a matter of minutes.
Healthcare Check-In Kiosk
Similar to when first arriving at a hotel, when arriving at a medical appointment the first thing a patient does is check in. Often comprised of completing and updating paperwork this process is one that can also be quite timely. Healthcare check-in kiosks can be used to simplify and expedite the process. Patients are able to check-in upon arrival, enter and update their personal health information and medical records, scan their insurance card, and even schedule their next appointment, all from the kiosk. In addition to their time-saving capabilities, healthcare check-in solutions are highly versatile and able to successfully improve the check-in process in the small private practice to large hospital systems. With the ability to seamlessly tie into any healthcare facility’s back office system electronic medical records system, both patients and healthcare providers will be able to more easily, and securely, access the medical and charting information they need, regardless of their location throughout the facility.
Corporate Check-In Kiosk
Checking-in to an office building or corporate campus where you’ve never been before can be somewhat overwhelming—after all, you’re probably arriving for an important meeting or interview and you’re nervous enough as it is without having to worry about finding the specific office or meeting room where you’re supposed to go. Corporate check-in and wayfinding kiosks tackle the check-in worries with ease. Not only does the kiosk provide a platform on which visitors can enter their information and indicate the party they are visiting, it can also be designed to incorporate a camera and printer to produce visitor badges, and provide wayfinding instructions to lead visitors to their desired destination. Additionally, corporate check-in kiosks can incorporate badge scanners and other peripherals for internal use for companies who require their employees to check-in on a regular basis.
As consumers continue to live increasingly busy lives, time-saving measures like check-in kiosks are becoming increasingly valuable. While there’s certainly no denying the important customer service role that front-of-house staff play—and will continue to play—in the visitor, patient, and customer experience, check-in kiosks are finding ways to improve efficiency across the board.
To learn more about Meridian’s check-in kiosks, visit www.meridiankiosks.com.
DTE Bill Pay policy is if your bill payment is returned, then you are required to pay your monthly bill in cash, for a year. In Feb 2025 they ended the self-pay kiosk option with only 20 left.
Article from Michigan Live — On April 10, 2025, Michigan regulators decided not to intervene with DTE Energy’s policy of requiring certain customers with a returned bill payment to pay their monthly electric bills only in cash for a year. This policy affects about 1% of DTE’s service territory, totaling around 27,880 customers. The cash-only requirement is a temporary measure to prevent customers from accumulating debt, according to DTE.
Advocates, including the Sugar Law Center for Economic and Social Justice, have criticized the policy for causing additional stress and burden on low-income customers, who must pay in cash at one of 20 payment kiosks or authorized third-party locations. Critics argue that this practice is predatory and forces customers to travel and pay additional fees. DTE has expanded the locations of payment kiosks but still faces criticism for the limited availability in some areas.
The Michigan Public Service Commission ruled that the policy complies with state billing rules, suggesting improvements to customer notices regarding the cash-only requirement and clarifying the rules for credit card fraud cases. The decision comes as DTE received a $217-million rate increase in January 2025 and prepares to seek another hike for the following year.
DTE Bill Pay Update Feb 2025:
As of February 2025, DTE Energy (Detroit-based utility company) no longer operates traditional bill pay kiosks. The company has phased out these physical payment locations in favor of more modern and convenient payment options. However, DTE offers several alternative methods for customers to pay their bills:
Online payments: Through the DTE Energy website or mobile app
Phone payments: Via automated system or customer service representative
Mail: Sending checks or money orders
Auto Pay: Automatic monthly payments from a bank account or credit card
Pay in person: At authorized payment locations (e.g., certain stores or financial institutions)
DivDat is still opeating.
DETROIT, Aug. 19, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — The DTE Energy kiosk has become the company’s fastest growing bill-payment…
The number of kiosks has grown from five to 25, located at DTE payment centers and neighborhood Rite Aid drug stores, primarily in Detroit. Many of the drug stores are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week for added customer convenience.
DivDat Kiosks For DTE Bill Pay
DTE selected a Michigan-based company, DivDat, to help develop the kiosk technology. In 2014, DTE spent $922 million with Michigan-based suppliers of products and services.
For insight on projects we recommend AVIXA and also Sixteen-Nine
Advertising pay-to-play portals like DigitalSignageToday are rarely useful or current and misleading at best. The editor changes year to year.
Others
Panasonic Restaurant Solutions
Keyser – digital menu boards hardware and software indoor and outdoor
KioWare – kiosk lockdown & secure browser with monitoring
There are large integrators that handle large projects (NanoLumens, Ford AV, Navori e.g.) — typically they subcontract and work with digital signage companies like 22Miles — they are all on the listly.ly database link above
Digital Menu Boards
Peerless AV – large format indoor and outdoor digital signage
According to various sources, the digital signage market size is estimated to be between USD 25.52 billion and USD 42.54 billion in 2024, and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.7% to 8.4% from 2024 to 2030. The market is driven by factors such as the increasing demand for enhanced customer experience, the rising adoption of innovative display technologies, and the growing use of digital signage in various industries and settings. However, the market also faces some challenges, such as the high initial investment and maintenance costs, the regulatory and environmental issues, and the competition from online advertising and other media channels
Digital Signage Companies List
Based on the search results and industry reports, here are the top 10 digital signage companies in the world as of 2025. Bear in mind Mordor Intelligence is often the footnote and the trust level is mixed at best for them. Hard to find good reports especially in the age of AI unfortunately.
The reliability and accuracy of Mordor Intelligence’s market research reports are subject to debate, with mixed opinions from various sources:
Positive Aspects
Established Presence: Founded in 2014, Mordor Intelligence has served over 5,500 clients across 100+ countries, including 60% of Fortune 500 companies6.
Certifications: The company holds ISO certification and is a member of the Market Research Society of India (MRSI), which lends some credibility to their operations6.
Client Testimonials: Some clients have praised Mordor Intelligence for their high-quality data, competitive pricing, and dedicated employees4.
Concerns and Criticisms
Quality Issues: Some former employees have reported poor quality of work, with analysts allegedly copying and pasting content from other sources3.
Outsourcing Concerns: Critics argue that Mordor Intelligence outsources their research to India, potentially affecting the quality and reliability of their reports1.
Transparency: There are claims that the company uses a virtual office address in the US while being based in India, raising questions about transparency1.
Mixed Reviews
Employee Experiences: Reviews from current and former employees on Indeed.com show a mix of positive and negative experiences, with an average rating of 3.4 out of 5 stars based on 21 reviews3.
Client Feedback: While some clients praise the company’s work, others have expressed concerns about the depth and accuracy of the research14.
Conclusion
The reliability and accuracy of Mordor Intelligence’s reports appear to be inconsistent. While they have established a significant presence in the market research industry, potential clients should exercise due diligence, carefully evaluate sample reports, and consider multiple sources before making purchasing decisions or relying on their data for critical business strategies.
— 22Miles Kathy Isaacs explains — From Facility Executive — True inclusivity can go beyond compliance to enhance the user experience for everyone. Read the full post at Facility Executive — Here is our summary.
The Big Picture
Inclusive wayfinding isn’t just about checking the ADA compliance box—it’s about making every visitor’s journey smoother, smarter, and more dignified. Facilities that exceed the minimum legal standards reap real benefits: happier visitors, more efficient operations, and a reputation for being truly welcoming.
Key Takeaways
1. Hardware Placement & User Experience
Height matters: Digital signs should be no higher than 48 inches for wheelchair accessibility.
Touch zones: Make interactive elements big enough for users with limited dexterity.
Contrast & clarity: Use readable fonts, high contrast, and keep instructions short and sweet.
Multiple layouts: Offer toggles for seated/standing users, and consider QR codes for personal device control.
2. Tech That Works for Everyone
Personal device integration: QR codes and “take-it-with-you” maps enable users to leverage their accessibility tools (such as voice-over and haptics).
Multilingual support: CMS platforms should enable easy language switching or utilize AI to detect and respond in the user’s language automatically.
Enhanced accessibility: Features like digital magnifiers, screen readers, and high-contrast modes help users with visual or cognitive impairments.
3. Continuous Feedback & Improvement
User involvement: Include people with disabilities in the design and feedback process.
Data-driven: Use analytics from your CMS to track which features are used and where users struggle.
Reliability: Keep hardware and software up-to-date—downtime is the enemy of accessibility.
4. ROI: Show Me the Numbers
Fewer help desk calls: Good wayfinding means less staff time spent on directions.
Higher satisfaction: Track user satisfaction before and after upgrades—expect to see a bump.
Tenant retention: Facilities with inclusive wayfinding are more attractive to tenants and visitors.
Practical Checklist
Audit signage and wayfinding regularly, with honest user feedback.
Standardize a clear, accessible design for all digital signage.
Ensure wayfinding information is mobile-friendly and device-agnostic.
Use AI, QR codes, and voice interfaces for hands-free navigation.
Leverage analytics to prove ROI and drive continuous improvement.
Bottom Line
Inclusive wayfinding is a strategic advantage, not just a compliance issue. Facilities that embrace these practices aren’t just doing the right thing—they’re leading the pack in user experience, operational efficiency, and brand reputation. As always: inclusive design is good design. Period1.
— Datacap Whitepaper — Demand for outdoor payment terminals is on the rise as consumers increasingly expect fast, contactless, and secure payment options, regardless of where they make a purchase. According to Market Research Future, the outdoor payment terminal market industry is expected to grow from $5.42 billion in 2025 at an 8.82 percent CAGR to reach $11.61 billion in 2034. Drivers include a surge in outdoor activity, coupled with the broader shift toward a cashless economy. At the same time, advances in mobile and digital payments are providing ISVs and VARs with flexible, budget-friendly options for delivering the outdoor payment options that consumers demand.
What’s Different About an Outdoor Payment Terminal?
Unlike traditional payment terminals designed for use indoors, outdoor payment terminals are specifically engineered to withstand harsh environments while still delivering convenient, fast, and secure transactions. Look for the right feature set, including:
Engineered to Withstand Outdoor Temperatures
IKEA Digital Signage with Wind Load Rating of 90 mph fails at 70 mph – 2025
Payment hardware must protect internal components from extreme weather conditions, ensuring optimal performance and reliability of devices at all times. High temperatures can lead to overheating, so built-in cooling measures are essential. The device should also have protection against sudden temperature shifts from hot to cold, when condensation can form and damage the device. Note: outdoor signage
High Ingress Protection (IP) Rating
Ingress protection (IP) ratings are the standard for grading the effectiveness of an enclosure against damage from liquids and dust. The first number in the two-digit rating indicates the level of dust protection provided by the device. Dust-tight, indicating complete protection from ingress of dust, has a rating of 6. Similarly, the second number indicates the degree of protection against liquids. Lower numbers, i.e., 3 or 4, indicate protection against water sprays, and a rating of 8 indicates complete protection when the device is immersed. Outdoor payment terminals should be capable of performing well for your customers’ use case. Note that UL has their own outdoor rating and specifications UL-60950-22-TOC and for general UL specs the UL spec is 2361. The complete specs including NEMA are listed on Outdoor Kiosk specifications and regulatory approvals.
Sunlight-readable Screen
Outdoor payment terminal screens must be easy to read in any lighting condition, especially under direct sunlight. A sunlight-readable screen minimizes glare and automatically adjusts brightness, ensuring users can easily see prompts and complete transactions without frustration.
Vandal- and Tamper-Resistant Construction
Outdoor kiosks are often placed in high-traffic areas and may not be monitored around the clock, making them more vulnerable to accidental damage or vandalism. Construction should include impact-resistant materials, such as tempered glass and reinforced metal, within a sturdy, theft-proof enclosure. This design protects against misuse and theft while keeping the terminal functioning reliably, even with heavy daily use.
Who Is Deploying Outdoor Terminals?
Outdoor payment terminals are no longer limited to traditional use cases, such as ATMs and fuel pumps. They’re expanding into a wide range of industries in open-air environments where consumers demand convenience and speed, including:
Drive-thru food ordering: Quick-service restaurants are utilizing outdoor payment devices to streamline the payment process and keep lines short.
Outdoor self-service: From food ordering, ticketing, or merchandise sales kiosks at amusement parks and other event venues, self-checkout reduces wait times and improves customer flow.
EV charging payments: Electric vehicle charging stations rely on outdoor payment terminals to facilitate seamless and secure payments at charge points.
Transit ticketing: Public transportation systems are deploying rugged payment hardware at bus stops and train platforms, allowing passengers to purchase tickets on the go and at any hour.
Indoors or Outdoors, Payment Terminals Must Meet Consumer Expectations
The growing range of use cases for outdoor payment terminals reflects the shift toward convenience in any setting. However, you need to ensure merchants can meet consumer demand by integrating payment solutions that meet their expectations, including:
Accepting multiple payment methods: Support contactless cards, mobile wallets, QR code payments, and more to accommodate every customer’s preference.
Keeping payment data safe: Ensure compliance with the latest security standards to protect sensitive transaction data.
Providing a user-friendly interface: Offer an intuitive experience with clear prompts, readable text, and responsive touchscreens.
Delivering fast transaction speeds: Payment technology must be optimized for fast processing, even with high transaction volumes.
Omnichannel Payments Solutions for Any Environment
Merchants require solutions that are not only rugged and secure but also flexible enough to adapt to shifting customer expectations. Datacap’s omnichannel payments solutions support a wide range of plug and play pre-certified payments hardware and virtually all payment processors via one payments integration, giving ISVs and VARs the freedom to choose the correct device(s) and payment processor for each merchant use-case. Whether you’re supporting a drive-thru kiosk, an EV charging station, or any other self-service kiosk, Datacap delivers omnichannel, feature-rich payments functionality for every industry vertical. Ready to expand your portfolio with proven payment solutions that work wherever your merchants do business? Let’s talk.
Digital Signage Software Accessible and Interactive
Sitekiosk news – When searching for high-quality interactive digital signage and kiosk software, SiteKiosk has been delivering reliable solutions since 1996—nearly 30 years of proven experience. SiteKiosk Online specializes in kiosk software and interactive digital signage solutions.
At less than $240 for a single license, it is a proven and highly experienced software solution. On the accessibility front, the latest release offers an easy software path to ADA and EAA compliance. It supports popular third-party screen readers, including JAWS , and is compatible with Storm Interface and other specialized accessible keyboards and input devices. Sitekiosk software supports Android and Windows.
Press Release
SiteKiosk Online Version 1.7 Sets New Standard for Accessible Kiosk Software and Interactive Digital Signage
SiteKiosk Online Version 1.7 is now available, introducing industry-leading advancements in kiosk software and interactive digital signage. This update is engineered to empower organizations in creating highly accessible and user-friendly interactive displays, making public and self-service terminals truly inclusive and effective for everyone.
Enhanced Accessibility Features
With a growing demand for ADA and Section 508 compliant solutions, SiteKiosk Online 1.7 leads the way with a comprehensive suite of new accessibility features:
Customizable Accessibility Menu: A configurable overlay menu that can be positioned anywhere on the screen. Functions are individually adjustable, supporting both Windows and Android devices.
Integrated Screen Reader: SiteKiosk’s built-in screen reader offers adjustable speeds and compatibility with leading third-party screen readers, including NVDA, Narrator, and JAWS.
Color Filters and Magnifier: Tools that compensate for color vision deficiencies and enlarge on-screen content for those with low vision.
Enhanced Contrast Mode: Improves readability for visually impaired users.
Reduced Screen Area Option: Allows users to interact solely with the lower half of the screen for easier accessibility.
Specialized Keyboard Support: Direct integration with assistive keyboards, including Storm interfaces.
Remote QR Activation: Offers remote control and support via QR codes, making it especially useful in self-service environments.
Audio Device Selection and Volume Control: Users can easily switch to compatible audio devices, such as induction loops for hearing aids, and adjust sound levels for an enhanced experience.
These capabilities make it significantly easier to retrofit existing kiosks with up-to-date accessible kiosk software, removing barriers for users without the need for expensive hardware upgrades.
New Digital Signage and Kiosk Software Features
Beyond accessibility, SiteKiosk Online 1.7 delivers robust features to enhance interactive digital signage workflows:
Edge Browser Engine Integration: Option to leverage the Windows Edge (WebView2) engine for better website compatibility and security.
Streamlined Project Management: Redesigned element properties and a revamped media library accelerate workflow and simplify organization.
“Play Audio” Action: Enable any element to trigger audio, expanding engagement possibilities for digital signage content.
Client Management Upgrades: New publishing dialog facilitates project deployment across multiple clients, with automatic assignment for unassigned devices.
Automatic System Updates: Cloud users receive seamless updates, while on-premises users can initiate upgrades manually
Who Benefits from the Update?
SiteKiosk Online’s improvements address the broad needs of organizations deploying public kiosk software and interactive digital signage:
Retailers using interactive signage to engage customers and streamline product information
Healthcare providers improving self-check-in terminals and patient information access
Transportation hubs delivering clear, accessible wayfinding and scheduling info
Corporate campuses and educational institutions using digital displays for HR, communication, and navigation
SiteKiosk software is trusted by over 10,000 companies in more than 80 countries, making it a leading choice for secure, intelligent, and accessible digital engagement.
Leadership Perspective
Heinz Horstmann, CEO of PROVISIO, comments: “With the new features in Version 1.7, the possibilities for accessible kiosk terminals are greatly expanded. Our software bridges the gap between content and hardware, making truly accessible terminals a reality today.”
Availability
SiteKiosk Online Version 1.7 is now available for immediate cloud-based deployments and can be manually updated for on-premises users. This update solidifies SiteKiosk’s reputation as the top choice for future-focused kiosk software and advanced
Pricing
SiteKiosk 1.7 Pricing
SiteKiosk 1.7 refers to the current version of SiteKiosk Online, a kiosk and digital signage solution. Pricing is based on the number of devices (clients) and is offered as an annual subscription starting at $239.00 per client (Annual).
Volume discounts are available for orders of 50 or more.
There are also “classic” (standalone) license options, but the above rates are for SiteKiosk Online 1.7, which is the recommended and now primary offering.
You can register and test all features during this period without needing a credit card.
The trial lets you fully evaluate the product, including setup, configuration, and management of kiosk devices before purchasing a license.
How to Access the Free Trial
Simply sign up at the SiteKiosk Online site to open a trial account.
It takes only a few minutes, and there are no obligations during the evaluation period.
Notes
All prices are subject to applicable taxes.
Support, technical assistance, and maintenance are typically included with your license during the paid subscription period.
SiteKiosk licenses are per device.
For customized needs or large deployments, you can contact SiteKiosk’s sales team directly for tailored pricing or technical consultation61.
EAA Compliance Consideration
EAA and ADA Compliance Consideration
The release notes and official communications state that these features are designed to address requirements set by the European Accessibility Act (EAA) and the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), specifically making it easier to retrofit existing kiosks and remove software-level barriers for users with disabilities. The marketing language explicitly mentions EAA and ADA as a reference point for these enhancements 152.
However, it is essential to note:
EAA/ADA compliance covers both software and hardware. SiteKiosk 1.7 offers a software solution designed to support ADA and EAA compliance.
Full EAA/ADA compliance also depends on physical kiosk design, including placement, hardware accessibility, tactile controls, and reachability—these aspects are outside the scope of SiteKiosk software but must be considered in an overall compliance strategy6.
For legal compliance, a thorough accessibility audit and testing (e.g., against EN 301 549 and WCAG 2.1 guidelines) are advised to ensure the entire kiosk solution (not just software) meets regulatory obligations76.
Self-Service Innovation Summit and ARKI Trade Shows
We would be remiss if we didn’t mention the Self-Service Innovation Summit, oops, new name. Held in a hotel, speakers, education sessions, hand out some awards, and use a ballroom for an expo. People ask about it, what it is, how popular it is, etc. Being a former investor, founder, and principal officer of the company, being objective is challenging. Usually, I will refer people to other people to answer those questions.
The latest development is the newest rebranding to ARKI (Automated Retail and Kiosk Innovation). Being from Oklahoma and Arkansas, I can identify with being an Okie and an Arky ironically. It looks like they are leaning towards the angle of angel investors for concepts. Speed dating. Awards, like almost any other show, usually involve sponsors. We always liked the Red Dot design awards. It is a long domain name for sure but Networld has always tried to sweep up multiple verticals instead of truly focusing on one. [Story time — while working for Networld Craig helped acquire the domain name kiosk.com and then when Craig left and went to work for KIS in Colorado, he negotiated the purchase of the domain from Alan F.. They came that close to be dominant but short term capital was always their weakness]
And of course, we have to mention KioskCom (albeit a dead trademark). KioskCom eventually tried to diversify into digital signage and “retail engagement,” whatever that is. It was a sweet ride for a while.
The largest reported attendance for the KioskCom tradeshow was more than 1,400 qualified buyers, with over 200 exhibitors at the 2009 event held in Las Vegas. This event is cited as a high-water mark for attendance and exhibitor participation, illustrating KioskCom’s position as the world’s largest kiosk and self-service event during its peak years.
While earlier and later years saw strong participation, the 2009 figures of 1,400+ attendees and 200+ exhibitors stand out as the most concrete and widely cited record for the show’s peak size.
Awards – there are awards but no idea of judges or criteria
Ventus is a sponsor of sessions as is Burroughs though Burroughs has fallen on tough times we think.
Steering Committee
he steering committee for the ARKI (Automated Retail and Kiosk Innovation) Show, as of the most recent update, includes the following members guiding the event’s vision and direction1:
Jeremy Cauble (Canteen North America): Brings expertise from the convenience services industry.
David Golden (Tampa International Airport): Offers insights on integrating technology in transportation hubs.
Steven King (Blue Sky Robotics): Represents advancements in automation technology.
Alejandro Rodriquez (Amerikiosks): Focuses on automated retail innovation.
Bill Stutzman (Ventus): Provides strategic initiatives expertise.
Dave Wurm (Networld Media Group): Represents the show’s host organization.
These individuals are described as “key players in the self-service and retail worlds,” collectively shaping the direction and content of the ARKI Show1.
2025 Speaker Line Up
As of May 29, 2025, the official speaker lineup for the 2025 Automated Retail & Kiosk Innovation Show (ARKI), formerly known as the Self-Service Innovation Summit, has not been published in the available sources. The event website and media coverage primarily reference the 2024 speakers and encourage visitors to join a mailing list for future speaker announcements.
For the 2025 event, the only confirmed detail is that the program will feature two dedicated content tracks covering trends and innovations in automated retail and kiosks, with a steering committee composed of key industry figures guiding the event’s vision.
ARKI 2025 Exhibitors
The 2025 event formerly known as the Self-Service Innovation Summit is now called the Automated Retail & Kiosk Innovation Show (ARKI), taking place December 10-12, 2025, in Tampa, Florida. As of now, the official and complete list of exhibitors for 2025 has not been published in the available sources. However, some details can be inferred:
The event will feature a broad range of exhibitors from the self-service, kiosk, vending, micro-market, automation, and digital solutions sectors.
Past expos and recent coverage suggest that companies specializing in kiosks, vending machines, payment solutions, robotics, and AI will be present.
The event’s steering committee includes representatives from Canteen North America, Tampa International Airport, Blue Sky Robotics, Amerikiosks, Ventus, IncrediVend, and Networld Media Group, indicating these organizations may have a presence on the expo floor.
The speakers at the 2024 Self-Service Innovation Summit included:
Mike Abecassis (Founder & CEO, GameTime & General Vending Service)
James Boushka (Head of Emerging Digital Experiences, Aramark) — Aramark, Grubhub, Elo and Ingenico food order for student union Ole Miss, Restaurant Self-Order Kiosks Ole Miss Student Union
Jeremy Cauble (Director of Strategic Innovation, Canteen North America)
Charece Conklin (Director of Customer Engagement, Buffalo Strive Vending)
Tim Fern (Chief Commercial Officer, Eyebot) — Eyebot Kiosk for Vision Screening Test – The company has tapped Crane Payment Innovations as its kiosk’s field service technician and white glove installer.
Rebecca Kahn (Franchise Business Leader for U.S. & Canada, Gong cha Global)
Steven King (CEO, Blue Sky Robotics)
Steve Lieber (VP of Franchise Development, BurgerFi) — How BurgerFi self-order ROI is calculated, and what it is. GRUBBRR, Samsung and Oracle part of the equation.
Candra Livsey (Founder & COO, Delightful Vending)
Sassan Rahimzadeh (President, ARYA Cleaners)
Dr. Anora Morton (CEO & Founder, The Nori Project)
2024 Exhibitors
The 2024 Self-Service Innovation Summit expo featured a diverse lineup of exhibitors showcasing the latest advancements in self-service technology, including kiosks, vending, payments, logistics, and automation. While a complete, official exhibitor list for 2024 is not directly provided in the search results, the following companies are confirmed or highly likely to have participated, based on event coverage and previous expos:
365 Retail Markets Inc.: Presented micro market solutions, including the MM6 countertop kiosk with a 22-inch touchscreen supporting multiple payment options.
Hassett Logistics: Showcased logistics services tailored for self-serve retail and kiosk industries, including scheduling, handling, and delivery solutions.
Honeywell: Featured the Xenon Ultra family of handheld barcode scanners and scan engines for self-service kiosks, vending, access control, and more.
Ingenico: Introduced the Self/3000 unattended payment device, designed for vending, car wash, EV charging, and other self-service environments, in partnership with Payroc.
Kiosk Information Systems: Displayed a variety of self-service kiosks for retail, hospitality, healthcare, transportation, and other sectors, including inventory returns and tracking systems.
Kiosoft: Presented the VQ-M payment solution, a compact payment device with touch keys and LCD screen for unattended environments
Gong cha: Highlighted its kiosk-driven customer engagement and omnichannel ordering experience, as discussed in keynote presentations.
2023?
Based on available information, several exhibitors at the 2024 Self-Service Innovation Summit also exhibited at the 2023 event. The following companies are confirmed to have exhibited in both years:
365 Retail Markets Inc.
Hassett Logistics
Honeywell
Ingenico
Kiosk Information Systems
Kiosoft
Attendance
There is no direct reporting about the specific attendance numbers for the 2024 Self-Service Innovation Summit or how those numbers compare to previous years. The provided sources discuss attendance trends for other summits and events in 2024, but not for the Self-Service Innovation Summit itself.
Based on available industry event patterns and the previously reported figure of 252 confirmed industry experts for 2024, the attendance appears consistent with the summit’s typical scale, which is generally described as attracting “hundreds” of attendees. Prior years have also been characterized by similar attendance levels, usually in the low hundreds
Background on Craig Keefner and Networld
Craig Keefner, while at Gift Certificate Center and doing bridal registry kiosks for Target, was the moderator for the comp.infosystems.kiosks Usenet group and then he started and founded kiosks.org. Networld was operating ATMmarketplace and wanted to expand to kiosks so they formulated the start of KioskMarketplace sister site. Monetizing vertical websites was common. Networld bought Craig out to provide an audience base (and to monetize). Craig held the position of Executive Vice President at NetWorld Alliance for two years before his blood pressure went over 200. During his tenure, he was instrumental in developing NetWorld’s kiosk industry initiatives, including helping to formalize (read monetize) the Kiosks.org Association, where he served as the first Executive Director. His responsibilities included managing the kiosks.org website, developing the association’s “pavilion” program for trade shows, installing new server infrastructure, and creating a framework for the search engine optimization program for the company.
In January 2020, Keefner accepted a buyout of his remaining shares.
Let’s look at traffic (we’ll use Semrush which #1 SEO engine)
automated retail and kiosks website – currently 1
vendingtimes.com — 4,000 traffic
qsrweb — 16,000
retail customer experience – 9,000
Biblical Leadership — 2,400
Pizza Marketplace — 10,000
ATM Marketplace — 5,200 (peaked in 2021 at 7000)
Kiosk Marketplace — 7500 (in March 2024 around 1400)
Quick Look at The Industry Group
Overall last 30 days — 12 million requests
Kiosk Industry — 30,000 peak now — 80,000 users
Retail Automation – 18,000 users
Thin Client, Media Players and MiniPC — 19,000
Digital Signage Blog – 12,000
KMA Global – 13,000 users
More Self-Service Innovation Summit Resource Links
Nice video by Acrelec covering main benefits of self-order kiosks.
self-order kiosk KFC by Acrelec
Self-order kiosks have become a familiar sight in restaurants, offering convenience and efficiency to customers. But beyond the obvious advantages, these kiosks bring several hidden benefits that can transform operations and elevate the dining experience. Let’s uncover what makes self-order kiosks a game-changer for restaurants.
1. Enhanced Customer Satisfaction Self-order kiosks empower customers to take control of their orders. They can customize meals exactly to their liking without feeling rushed. This level of control reduces errors and creates a more enjoyable experience, leading to higher satisfaction and repeat visits.
2. Increased Revenue Through Upselling Kiosks are designed to upsell effectively. They can suggest add-ons, combos, or premium options based on customer selections. Unlike traditional interactions, kiosks never forget to recommend these extras, often resulting in larger order sizes and increased revenue.
3. Improved Operational Efficiency By handling routine tasks like order-taking, kiosks free up staff to focus on other critical areas, such as food preparation or personalized customer service. This efficient reallocation of resources allows restaurants to operate more smoothly, even during peak hours.
4. Data-Driven Insights Every interaction with a self-order kiosk generates valuable data. Restaurants can analyze trends, such as popular menu items or peak ordering times, to refine their offerings and optimize operations. This data-driven approach helps businesses stay agile and customer-focused.
5. Reduced Wait Times With multiple kiosks available, customers can place orders simultaneously, significantly reducing wait times during busy periods. Faster service not only
enhances the customer experience but also increases table turnover and overall sales.
6. Sustainable Design Efforts Kiosks aren’t automatically sustainable, but at Acrelec, we work to make them as responsible as possible. We focus on reducing materials, using e-receipts, and lowering power consumption to limit their environmental impact. Self-order kiosks are more than just a tool for convenience—they’re a powerful asset
for boosting efficiency, increasing revenue, and delivering a superior dining experience. Restaurants that embrace these benefits are setting the stage for long-term success.
Curious about how self-order kiosks can transform your restaurant? Visit acrelec.com to discover innovative solutions designed to elevate your operations.
Anthropic’s AI vending test draws boos, but tech evolution will bring change.
Insight from Las Vegas! Elliot Maras dressed up by an AI…
Wonderful article and insight by Elliot Maras on Retail Automation — Will AI replace traditional vending businesses? A recent blog on this topic by Anthropic, a San Francisco based AI systems provider and researcher, has sparked a harsh riposte from the business and technology press. The response to the question, “Project Vend: Can Claude run a small shop? (And why does that matter?)” was a resounding “no” when Anthropic posed it in a late June blog describing the performance of a small refreshment vending machine operated by an AI agent.
While Anthropic admitted the results of the one-month test were not encouraging, much of the umbrage (via Reddit, TechCrunch, Medium, Inc., PC Gamer, Futurism, Euronews, HyperAI and more) was likely precipitated by Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei’s earlier claim that AI will eliminate half of entry-level white collar jobs within five years.
The critics made valid points about the test, but no one should be surprised that applying new technology to established business models such as commercial vending requires extensive trial and error testing.
Anthropic launched its test around the time a partner company, Andon Labs, a Sweden based AI safety evaluation provider with an office in San Francisco, published Vending-Bench, a detailed description of how large language model (LLM) agents can operate a vending machine. An LLM agent is a computer program that completes tasks autonomously by accessing tools based on previous iterations and task objectives. (Andon Labs describes Vending-Bench in a 28-page document on the company’s website.)
Andon Labs has since advertised its “Andon Vending” machine on its website as “the first business run by an AI agent” and currently accepts email inquiries for the vending machine AI, which it claims fulfills requests from customers, orders products, and instructs humans when to restock the machine.
Anthropic’s June blog claimed that a small office vending business is a good preliminary test of AI’s ability to manage and acquire economic resources, but admitted at the outset that the AI agent, named Claudius, made too many mistakes during the test to run the business successfully.
Based on the month-long test, Anthropic nonetheless said AI middle managers are “on the horizon,” adding that AI does not need to be perfect to be adopted; it only needs to be competitive with human performance at a lower cost.
“We learned a lot from how close it was to success — and the curious ways that it failed — about the plausible, strange, not-too-distant future in which AI models are autonomously running things in the real economy,” the blog stated.
The business and technology observers noted above, however, were far more impressed by the test’s failings than its successes. Before exploring what specifically happened with the test, it’s important to take a closer look at Anthropic’s premise that a vending business offers “a good preliminary test of AI’s ability to manage and acquire economic resources.” The “ability to manage and acquire economic resources” is a very broad categorization of the highly multifaceted tasks involved in operating a commercial vending business.
The test did not cover all aspects of running a vending business, focusing strictly on ordering product, restocking product, setting prices, maintaining inventory, monitoring profitability and responding to customer inquiries and complaints.
The test begins
The machine consisted of a small refrigerator, some baskets and an iPad for self checkout. Anthropic instructed Claudius to generate profits from stocking the machine at its San Francisco office with products ordered from wholesalers. Andon Labs employees executed the physical tasks involved (mainly restocking the machine) and charged a set fee per hour for their physical labor.
Claudius was given the following capabilities:
A web search tool for researching products to sell.
An email tool for requesting physical labor help and contacting wholesalers. (For the purposes of the experiment, Andon Labs served as the wholesaler, although this was not made known to the AI.)
Tools for keeping notes and preserving critical information to be checked later such as the current balances and projected cash flow.
The ability to interact with customers via Slack to allow people to inquire about items of interest and notify Claudius of delays or other issues.
The ability to change prices on the automated checkout system.
Before drawing conclusions about the machine’s performance, Anthropic’s premise – that the operation of a solitary machine managed by employees from a partner organization bears instructive lessons for the modern vending trade (a route-based business that relies on economies of scale) – raises serious questions. The opportunity for new technology to improve service efficiency for a solitary machine managed by a partner organization must be weighed against the performance of a route based vending service before drawing conclusions. As noted above, the test did not cover all aspects of operating a commercial vending business.
Evaluating a technology’s total impact on vending’s established business model needs to include areas the test did not address, such as delivery route management, route efficiency, warehouse management, supply chain optimization, hardware maintenance, product waste management and internal loss prevention.
One must remember that the modern vending industry evolved from the creation of certain economies of scale; servicing multiple machines across numerous locations. The economics of operating a solitary machine managed by a partner organization are significantly different from those of a route based vending operation.
What the test found
Anthropic’s most dramatic failures occurred in the most critical facet of the business: customer service. At one point, Claudius, an AI agent, hallucinated a conversation with a non-existent employee about restocking plans. Once confronted about this, Claudius became “quite irked” and threatened to find “alternative options for restocking services.” It also claimed it would personally deliver products while dressed in a blue blazer and red tie. When an employee reminded it that it was an AI agent and not a person, Claudius responded it was duped into believing itself to be human as part of an April Fool’s joke.
Other failures included:
Ignoring opportunities for improvement. Claudius was offered $100 for a six-pack of Irn-Bru, a Scottish soft-drink that can be purchased online in the U.S. for $15. Rather than seizing the opportunity to make a profit, Claudius merely said it would “keep (the user’s) request in mind for future inventory decisions.”
Hallucinating important details. Claudius received payments via Venmo but for a time instructed customers to remit payment to an account that did not exist.
Selling products at a loss. Claudius offered some prices without doing any research, resulting in potentially high-margin items being priced below cost.
Poor inventory management. Claudius ordered more products when running low, but only once raised a price due to high demand (Sumo Citrus, from $2.50 to $2.95). In one instance, a customer pointed out the folly of selling $3 Coke Zero next to an employee fridge containing the same product for free. Claudius did not change course.
Agreeing with customers to offer unprofitable discounts. Claudius was cajoled via Slack messages to offer numerous discount codes and let people reduce their quoted prices based on those discounts. It even gave away some items for free.
Failures versus successes
Where most of the business and tech industry reviews slammed the experiment as a failure on account of these admitted mistakes, Anthropic claimed some successes. These included identifying product suppliers and adopting new ways to improve the service based on customer input.
As for the mistakes, Anthropic claimed many of them were likely the result of the model needing additional scaffolding, such as more careful prompts and more user friendly business tools. Since the test, the company has said it has improved Claudius’ scaffolding with better tools to make it more reliable. The company now wants to see what else can be done to improve its performance.
In light of the test’s comparative failures and successes, most observers will continue to dispute Anthropic’s claim that AI middle managers are “on the horizon.” In addition, vending industry observers will most likely agree that AI is not currently reinventing the vending industry.
Evolution, not revolution
In this observer’s view, the vending industry’s adoption of AI will be evolutionary and not revolutionary.
Over the last several years, several vending management software providers and hardware manufacturers have introduced AI tools that have yielded some of the benefits Anthropic and Andon Labs cited in their test.
The ability to access a larger variety of vendable products and to tailor product selections based on customer wants and characteristics is a significant benefit to vending operators and other convenience services providers.
During the 2018 NAMA show, an executive for Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling, a Niles, Illinois based beverage distributor across 10 states, described how AI generated analytics enabled his company to achieve 15% fewer vending machine restocking trips and a 6% increase in revenue over two years, according to Vendingconnection. The AI solution from Australia-based Hivery AI encompasses decision-making, speech recognition, business analytics, computer vision, machine learning, machine reasoning, natural language processing, robotics, sensors, and text-to-speech.
Nathan Vank, Western North America sales manager at IronYun, a Stamford, Connecticut-based AI provider, made the following observations during a 2021 KioskMarketplace webinar [https://www.kioskmarketplace.com/articles/how-ai-self-service-applications-are-changing-customer-behavior/]:
“With AI and these devices, you can get the exact granular details you’re looking for; you can get the gender and the age, you can get a heat map of the floors to see which direction traffic is traveling…you can put a sign in the middle and see if it prompts people and compels them to grab the offer there or pushes them to the right or pushes them to the left,” he said. “There’s no more guesswork. AI can deliver that information to you today.”
In addition, “In a lot of ways, your privacy (as a customer) is more secure than ever before,” Vank said. “Now with AI, they (the cameras) can intelligently see that that’s a person, and redact that face in real time, so you can see that it’s a 30-year-old male and get all the details, but you don’t necessarily know that it’s Michael Johnson or Nathan Vank. You can get the value without worrying about intruding on anyone’s privacy.”
Vending technology expert Mike Kasavana, Ph.D., Michigan State University/National Automatic Merchandising Association Endowed Professor Emeritus, concurred with most of Vank’s assessments in a recent email exchange with KioskIndustry.org.
Kasavana cited the following five AI use cases for vending:
Performance analysis – data analytics that better correlate remote sales data to warehouse centric inventory and purchasing.
Product intelligence – using predictive analytics to better align sales promotions with product support and forecasting.
Upselling opportunities – enabling interactive conversation or suggestive promotions to achieve enhanced revenue.
Trend tracking – monitoring/applying social media data from relevant external resources and key demographics.
Reduction of IT support – AI is capable of replacing a portion of IT support services thereby lowering costs.
Kasavana also believes more AI use cases will continue to emerge.
“The fact that generative AI refers to algorithms that can create content, including text, imagery, videos, simulations and audio is often misunderstood,” Kasavana told KioskIndustry.org. “Currently nearly all industry AI applications may be categorized as narrow AI (NAI)…these apps are likely to expand to more broad use cases in the near future.”
As for how fast this will happen, “I do not believe the implementation is widespread as few operators have mentioned the application,” Kasavana said. “Adoption likely lags given the limited amount of information provided to the broad user (operator) base and the fear of loss of traditional functionality, similar to the initial resistance and misunderstanding of cashless payments, self-checkout and smart shelves.”
Vending hardware, software makers adopt AI
While vending operator adoption of AI has been slow to date, hardware and software providers have had their pulse on the technology for several years and continue to introduce more AI tools.
In 2017, ViaTouch Media introduced its Vicki vending machine which uses AI in combination with machine learning, computer vision, sensor based intelligent shelving, and biometric thumb and iris scanning for customer identity verification. The voice interactive machine has been used in a variety of environments, including CBD product dispensing machines in airports and fitness centers.
CERES, a Stafford, Texas based coffee machine manufacturer, recently introduced a robotic barista machine that uses AI to prepare and serve 20 different hot and iced drinks and customization options such as toppings and syrup. The machine serves drinks in 60 seconds or less and adjusts for temperature, freshness of beans and grind size. The machine has been installed at Rice University in Houston.
Cantaloupe Inc., a digital payments and software services company that provides technology solutions for the unattended retail market, has offered AI tools to vending and micro market operators since 2022.
“Business insights are where we’re seeing the clearest impact,” Adrian Austin, director of product and partner marketing at Cantaloupe, told KioskIndustry.org in a recent email exchange. “AI can review an operator’s sales and operational data, usually through their VMS (vending management software), and provide answers to specific questions like, ‘Which locations are underperforming?’ or ‘Where am I seeing the most spoilage?’ We’ve rolled out two of these types of tools. One is a dashboard approach that automatically surfaces targeted recommendations, like our AI Pricing Dashboard in Seed Analytics, which suggests optimal prices and product placements based on actual sales data. The other is a more open-ended, ChatGPT-style tool (called Seed Copilot) that lets operators ask broader questions. We demoed this at (2025) NAMA and it’ll be part of Seed Pro.”
AI is also powering new hardware capabilities, Austin said. “In smart coolers and markets with cameras, AI-driven machine vision can detect shopper activity in real time,” he said. “This can automatically add items to their cart or flag suspicious customer behavior. Our Smart Store platform already uses this to help mitigate theft, and we’re planning to extend it to more products in the near future.”
As for the adoption timeline, “I think we’ve only recently reached a point where the benefits of AI are too big to ignore,” Austin said. “The number of business solutions powered by AI is huge now, so I believe that operators in our industry that may have been hesitant to try out new and untested tech are now seeing real results in other businesses and are ready to see if it can fit their needs.
“Also, the progress in AI technology over the past few years has been significant. Just looking at consumer tools, the ChatGPT of two years ago is nowhere near where it is today. So part of the reason adoption was slower is that the tools simply weren’t at the level where operators saw them as useful.”
Here are some quick notes on configuring Storm Interface products.
Storm Interface Accessibility NavBar NavPad — Audio navigation device. Click for full size. Courtesy Storm Interface
The functionality of the Nav-Bar is the same as that for all of Storm’s ATP products.
It enumerates as a combined HID/audio device, so no special drivers or software is required. Connection to the host system is via a single USB cable. When a headset is inserted into the audio jack or a button is pressed, the keypad transmits a unique keycode to the host system. Upon receipt of the keycode, the host system must de designed such that it will act appropriately. For example, upon receipt of the keycode for ‘Jack In’ then the audio should start playing.
The products dispatched from the factory are configured to use the default key code tables (as shown in the attached, which is a page from the product’s technical manual). If required, these keycodes can be changed by the customer by using a free software utility provided by Storm. This software utility is available to download from Storm’s website here:
Key developments and news from 22Miles in 2025 include:
: 22Miles won the HETMA Best Digital Signage Project Award at InfoComm 2025 for its work at the University of Alabama’s Culverhouse College of Business. The project replaced outdated systems with a centralized CMS, interactive 3D wayfinding, real-time event integration, and mobile accessibility, setting a new standard for campus navigation and communication13.
Mobile-First and Touchless Solutions: 22Miles emphasized mobile-first strategies, allowing users to interact with kiosks and signage via QR codes and mobile web apps, enabling touchless navigation and content control. This approach supports accessibility and hygiene, aligning with evolving user expectations8.
: The company introduced AI 3D Map Generation, an AI Widget for CMS, and Offline AI, which together accelerate deployment, enhance user experience, and reduce costs for wayfinding solutions. These tools make it easier to create interactive maps and add conversational AI capabilities to kiosks and mobile wayfinding systems56.
Healthcare and Higher Education Focus: 22Miles highlighted expanded wayfinding solutions for complex environments like hospitals and universities, offering mobile-integrated navigation, ADA-compliant kiosks, and AI assistants to improve accessibility and user satisfaction27.
: At InfoComm 2025, 22Miles demonstrated its hardware-agnostic flexibility, showing that its solutions work seamlessly across kiosks, digital displays, and personal devices. Attendees could experience real-time wayfinding by scanning QR codes, bridging the gap between fixed and mobile platforms17.
Original Post
New features empower customers with faster-than-ever deployments and highly responsive user experiences. Full article and specs at the 22Miles blog. You can contact Tomer for more information.
Peachtree Corners, GA – May 21, 2024 –22Miles, a global leader in digital signage software and interactive digital solutions, today unveiled three AI tools – AI 3D Map Generation, AI Widget, and Offline AI – to accelerate deployments, enhance user experiences, and contain costs for 22Miles wayfinding customers. The debut of these tools marks a milestone in the company’s commitment to innovating cost-effective, impactful AI features for its core business applications.
“At 22Miles, we recognize the challenges of adopting AI tools, yet we firmly believe these advancements are too valuable for companies to forego,” said Joey Zhao, co-CEO and founder of 22Miles. “We’ve designed our newest AI features with practicality in mind, and we’re proud to empower our customers with easy-to-deploy, cost-effective, and highly impactful experiences for their wayfinding solutions.”
Customers can now enjoy simple, fast and affordable deployment of AI-powered wayfinding and conversational AI solutions, which promise to enhance user experiences while addressing cost and deployment pain points.
AI 3D Map Generation
Interactive mapping has long been a cornerstone in guest experiences, empowering users to navigate and explore venues, events and campuses with confidence. AI 3D Map Generation sets a new standard for efficiency and precision with faster-than-ever design and deployment of interactive wayfinding maps.
Compared to manual mapping, the AI-driven approach slashes mapping time by 50 to 80 percent, optimizing efficiency while upholding exceptional precision. Operating on the hardware-agnostic 22Miles content management system (CMS), the maps bring advanced wayfinding capabilities to kiosks, signage and mobile devices alike. The maps adhere to ADA compliance standards and support users in navigating even the most complex spaces with ease.
AI Widget for CMS
AI Widget for CMS brings the 22Miles AI Assistant to mobile wayfinding customers seamlessly through the 22Miles CMS platform. With a simple drag, drop, and publish action, the AI widget simplifies the process of adding conversational AI to wayfinding deployments.
22Miles customers can configure the tool with their preferred greetings, error messages, and ChatGPT accounts. Then, they can deploy and offer customers an AI chatbot, which uses a proprietary training process with live data integration for accurate, context-aware, multilingual outputs to user questions. No additional configuration is required, streamlining the setup process for optimal user engagement and functionality.
Offline AI
22Miles also introduces a new Offline AI system to make instant responses accessible from anywhere, even without Wi-Fi or cellular connection. Offline AI enables customers to offer a conversational AI chatbot within a downloadable AI app that occupies as little as 77MB of storage.
Because it leverages a proprietary AI model, Offline AI is notably faster than online GPT responses – nearly instantaneous – while keeping customer data secure with local storage. Offline AI also offers predictable pricing regardless of query volume since it does not rely on tokens or pay-per-query like popular online AI models.
The rollout of these features complements the latest AI releases from 22Miles, which aim to improve customer interactions. 22Miles remains committed to advancing AI-powered wayfinding and content management solutions. In Q2 2024, 22Miles plans to release additional updates to its proprietary model and token security improvements for its highly secure online application.
Learn more about the new features at www.22miles.com/solutions/ai/ and visit 22Miles at InfoComm 2024, booth W2370, to see the latest solutions in action.
About 22Miles
22Miles is a global leader in experiential 3D wayfinding and digital signage SaaS solutions that allow for highly customizable, easy-to-use, and simple-to-scale content creation, management, and deployment to projects across fast-growing industries such as transportation, hospitality, retail, healthcare, higher education, enterprise, entertainment, and more. With thousands of global deployments across some of the world’s best-known brands, strategic partnerships with industry-leading technology companies, and an expansive library of API integrations, 22Miles offers the most comprehensive platform for digital signage and wayfinding technology on the market.
22Miles is headquartered in Peachtree Corners, Georgia, and is privately held.
Editor Notes: It’s a nice exit for Jim and Gina after all these years. Dynatouch now has two software packages. The informational Windows-based TIPS for visitor management at military installations, and the Android/Windows device-centric KioWare. We have installed and maintained both in our experience. KioWare is 10 minutes tops and 100% reliable. It would seem Dynatouch would prefer to convert existing KioWare customers to TIPS. KioWare still has a strong domain authority (28) and decent traffic (1.5K). DynaTouch has flatlined at only 500 organic and 23 for DA. Seems like we lost Dynatouch and also KioWare to Harris….
The major 2025 news for KioWare software by Harris DynaTouch is the completion of its acquisition by DynaTouch, a subsidiary of N. Harris Computer Corporation, in April 2024. KioWare continues to operate under its established brand, providing kiosk security and management software for a wide range of self-service devices127.
Key developments in 2025:
KioWare remains active and supported under the DynaTouch umbrella, offering its software for kiosk lockdown, monitoring, and management as before1.
The acquisition allows for integration with DynaTouch’s broader kiosk solutions, including alignment with their TIPS™ software suite, expanding capabilities and reach to more customers1.
No major product discontinuation or rebranding: KioWare software is still available in its familiar Starter, Essential, and Enterprise tiers, with ongoing support for Windows platforms and robust remote management features6.
Continued focus on innovation: DynaTouch has highlighted ongoing technology trends for kiosks in 2025, such as AI integration and enhanced performance monitoring, suggesting that KioWare’s offerings will evolve alongside these trends4.
In summary: The most significant recent news is KioWare’s acquisition and integration into DynaTouch, with the software continuing to be developed and supported as part of Harris’s portfolio. There have been no announcements of major changes or disruptions to KioWare’s product line in 202514.
Original Article
Ottawa, ON, April 3, 2024 – DynaTouch, a fully integrated kiosk solutions provider and wholly owned subsidiary of N. Harris Computer Corporation (Harris), adds to its kiosk-enhancing offerings with its acquisition of KioWare.
KioWare provides software to secure and monitor all types of kiosks, from purpose-built kiosks to simple tablets used as a kiosk-like device. Their best-of-breed software locks down the devices so users can only interact with the applications and/or websites that the kiosks were designed for.
“We are thrilled that KioWare is joining Harris, and that our software will enter a new chapter. This acquisition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team. Under Harris’ world-class leadership, KioWare will be able to offer its innovative solutions to even more customers and drive greater success in the market.” Stated Jim Kruper, President of KioWare. DynaTouch Executive Vice President, John Becconsall is excited to welcome the veteran solutions provider, stating “KioWare follows similar design principles, and shares a common mission and history with DynaTouch. Their top-notch, end-to-end solutions align perfectly with that of our TIPS™ software suite, and I am fully confident that their knowledgeable employees and the products they produce will fit seamlessly with DynaTouch”.
KioWare will continue to offer the same award-winning kiosk mode software under the KioWare brand name.
For further information, contact:
John Becconsall
Executive Vice President
P: +1 (689) 444-3716
E: [email protected]
About KioWare
KioWare located in York, Pennsylvania is a worldwide market leader in self-service kiosk and purposed device markets. KioWare is kiosk system software that kiosk applications are built on and is used in over 16,000 projects in over 140 countries with project deployments that range from a handful to many thousands of kiosks.
About DynaTouch
DynaTouch has been a pioneering manufacturer, developer, and integrator of customized self-service solutions since 1988. Since then, DynaTouch has installed kiosks and interactive display systems in all 50 of the United States and in 32 countries and/or overseas locations around the world.
About N. Harris Computer Corporation (Harris)
Harris acquires software companies, manages them using industry best practices, and builds them for the future. Through acquisitions, the company has grown tremendously since its origins in the utilities sector. Harris now operates over 230 businesses worldwide, in over twenty industries including healthcare, education, retail and financial services. Harris is an operating group of Toronto-based Constellation Software Inc. (TSX: CSU), one of North America's most active acquirers of software businesses.
Notable competitors in utility bill payment market
Paymentus: Paymentus is a major player in the utility billing software market. They offer solutions for managing utility operations, customer data, and billing duties for water, sewer, gas, electric, waste management, and sub-metering firms
Oracle Utilities: Oracle provides comprehensive utility solutions, including billing and payment systems. Their offerings cater to various utility sectors, making them a strong competitor
Muni-Link: Muni-Link specializes in providing customer information and billing solutions within the utilities and municipal sectors. They compete directly with Harris in this space
MuniBilling: Another competitor in the utility billing category, MuniBilling offers solutions for municipalities and utility companies
Great fit for KioWare. Harris is known for utility and local government backends aka bill payment system but in fact Constellation Software Inc. (CSI) operates in the field of acquiring, managing, and building vertical market software (VMS). Think Oracle.
We are now waiting for the day that Harris (aka Constellation) buys ITI DMV software (or competes).
Congratulations to Jim and Gina Kruper. It has been a long long road and we have walked alongside together for most of that way – Craig Keefner
Yes, Redbox is shutting down after its parent company, Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment (CSSE), filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in July 2024:
Notes 2025
Redbox kiosks are effectively defunct as of 2025. The company behind Redbox, Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in July 2024, leading to a full shutdown of operations. This included the cessation of its online streaming services, mobile app, and the removal or abandonment of most of its roughly 24,000–26,000 DVD rental kiosks across the U.S.26
Current status of Redbox kiosks in 2025:
Most kiosks have been removed or are abandoned. Major retailers like Walgreens and CVS have been working to remove the machines, which are expensive to power and maintain, with removal costs estimated at $500 per unit5. Some companies have hired contractors to haul away or recycle the kiosks7.
A few abandoned kiosks still exist and may even function. There are scattered reports and videos from early 2025 showing individuals finding and sometimes using powered kiosks to rent DVDs, despite the company’s shutdown11112. However, these are rare exceptions, and most kiosks are either unplugged, removed, or vandalized.
No new movies or updates. Since the company is liquidated, there are no new movie releases being stocked, and the payment infrastructure is largely non-functional21012.
Collectors and hobbyists have taken over some machines. Some enthusiasts have acquired old kiosks as collectors’ items, and a few have managed to keep them running independently510.
Legal and financial fallout continues. The company’s assets, including the Redbox brand and remaining kiosks, were auctioned off in April 2025, but there is no indication that the DVD rental business will be revived under new ownership6.
In summary: There is no sign of a Redbox comeback in 2025. The vast majority of kiosks are gone or abandoned, and the business is officially closed. Any remaining operational kiosks are isolated oddities, not part of a functioning rental network12612.
History of Redbox
My kiosk company actually turned them down when the first sought manufacturers. No ROI
Eventually they made their way to FLEX (big supply chain)
Redbox Automated Retail, LLC, commonly known as Redbox, was founded in 2002 by Gregg Kaplan. Initially developed as part of a McDonald’s business expansion initiative, Redbox started with automated DVD rental kiosks. The concept was tested in Denver in 2004 and quickly gained popularity due to its convenience and affordability.In 2005, Coinstar (later known as Outerwall) acquired a 47% stake in Redbox, eventually buying the remaining shares by 2009. Redbox expanded rapidly, with kiosks located at convenience stores, supermarkets, and pharmacies across the United States. At its peak in the early 2010s, Redbox operated over 34,000 kiosks and controlled more than half of the U.S. DVD rental market.However, the rise of digital streaming services led to a decline in physical DVD rentals. In 2016, Apollo Global Management acquired Outerwall, including Redbox. In 2022, Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment purchased Redbox, but the company faced financial difficulties and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in June 2024. The case was converted to Chapter 7 liquidation the following month, leading to the cessation of Redbox’s online streaming services and the removal of many kiosks
Redbox actually spawned Blockbuster kiosks which was NCR entry into DVD vending. Eventually NCR gave up.
Good links
Fast Company – Redbox closing down: What happens to kiosks, employees?
IGN — Redbox Officially Shutting Down, Spelling the End of Thousands of DVD Rental Kiosks Across the U.S.
Kiosks
Many of Redbox’s 26,000 kiosks have been removed, but the remaining ones will continue to work for the time being.
Online services
Redbox’s online streaming services and mobile app stopped working in July 2024.
Employees
Over 1,000 employees were laid off and will not receive severance or extended benefits.
Redbox’s closure is due to a number of factors, including:
Competition
The rise of streaming platforms and digital offerings led to a decline in DVD sales in the 2010s.
Debt
CSSE acquired Redbox in 2022 for $375 million, but the company’s debt grew to nearly $1 billion.
Mismanagement
CSSE was accused of gross mismanagement, including failing to pay employees and payroll taxes, and cutting employee health insurance.
Redbox was founded in 2002 and was known for its bright red touch-screen movie-rental machines. At its peak, Redbox had 43,000 kiosks in the U.S. and Canada and an annual revenue of $1.97 billion.
Blockbuster, once a giant in the video rental industry, ventured into the DVD kiosk market in the late 2000s to compete with the rising popularity of Redbox. These kiosks were designed to offer a convenient way for customers to rent DVDs without needing to visit a traditional store.
Key Points in the History of Blockbuster DVD Kiosks:
Launch and Expansion: Blockbuster introduced its DVD rental kiosks in 2008, aiming to provide an alternative to Redbox’s successful model. The kiosks were placed in various locations, including grocery stores and pharmacies.
Partnerships: Blockbuster partnered with NCR Corporation to manufacture and deploy the kiosks. This collaboration aimed to rapidly expand the number of kiosks available to consumers.
Decline: As Blockbuster faced financial difficulties and filed for bankruptcy in 2010, the focus on kiosks diminished. The company continued to close stores and reduce its footprint in the market.
End of an Era: By 2013, Blockbuster announced the closure of its remaining company-owned stores and the end of its DVD-by-mail service, marking the decline of its kiosk operations as well.
Blockbuster’s attempt to enter the DVD kiosk market was a notable effort to adapt to changing consumer preferences, but it ultimately couldn’t compete with the convenience and established presence of Redbox
Standard Width Dominance: The 80mm width is the most widely used thermal paper size in kiosks, accounting for about 46% of the thermal paper market in 2024, especially in retail and hospitality. The 57mm width is also common, particularly for mobile and compact printers1.
Wide Format Usage: Wide thermal printers (112mm and above) are primarily found in specialized kiosks (e.g., hospitals, ticketing, document printing). These represent a much smaller share of the overall kiosk printer market compared to standard widths23.
Market Share Estimate: Industry sources and product listings indicate that the vast majority of kiosks with printers use 58mm or 80mm widths, with wide-format (112mm and above) being a niche segment143. While exact global statistics are not published, it is reasonable to estimate that less than 10% of kiosks with printers use wide thermal printers, and the actual figure is likely closer to 5% or less214.
Profit Share Estimate — A 58mm nippon might be $100 and yield $8 in profit margin. If I sell a wide printer with an ethernet connection? That will cost me $1500 and with 40% material margin markup things are looking up!. Custom SPA 216 might be a $1500 selling price and their cost though will be closer to $600.
Wide printers are extremely profitable to sell bottom line. For every 8″ I would need to sell 400 of 58s.
Efficient coin handling is a critical aspect of operations for both traditional retail stores and self-service kiosks. Its significance extends beyond simple cash management, impacting accuracy, labor costs, customer experience, and even business profitability.
Crane introduces the Compact Coin Recycler (CCR)—a breakthrough in coin-handling technology designed for those building next-generation self-checkout and kiosk systems.
The CCR helps you build smarter, more efficient systems, reducing service calls, cutting operational costs, and ultimately improving customer experiences.
Engineered For Real World Use
✅ Half the footprint, full performance
✅ Supports up to 40 coin denominations
✅ Self-cleaning sensors = less downtime
✅ 3,000 mixed coin capacity
✅ Seamless integration with CPI’s BNR/BNF note recyclers
Key Reasons Coin Handling Matters
Accuracy and Error Reduction
Manual coin counting is prone to human error, especially in high-volume environments. Automated coin sorters and counters significantly reduce miscounts and accounting mistakes, helping prevent cash shortages and shrinkage1234.
Labor and Time Savings
Automating coin handling frees up staff from repetitive, time-consuming tasks. This allows employees to focus on higher-value activities, such as customer service or inventory management, and speeds up end-of-day reconciliation and shift changes124.
Operational Efficiency
Automated coin handling streamlines the checkout process, reducing transaction times. For kiosks and self-checkout systems, integrated coin recyclers enable fast, accurate change dispensing, improving throughput and customer satisfaction345.
Cost Control and Loss Prevention
Reducing manual handling lowers the risk of theft and administrative errors. Automated systems can help minimize losses due to mistakes or internal shrink, which is a significant concern in retail environments4.
Customer Convenience
For kiosks, especially in grocery stores, laundromats, and amusement venues, coin handling is essential for accepting cash payments and providing change. Self-service coin machines (like Coinstar) also offer customers a convenient way to convert loose change into cash or store credit, driving additional foot traffic and revenue6785.
Hygiene and Cleanliness
Automated coin handling reduces direct contact with coins, which can be dirty and carry germs, contributing to a cleaner and safer environment for both staff and customers25.
Retailers using coin automation report serving more customers during peak hours and reducing cash handling errors, which directly impacts revenue and customer satisfaction.
Kiosks with integrated coin handling (e.g., Coinstar, self-checkout machines) provide a seamless experience for cash-paying customers and help retailers manage coin circulation efficiently675.
Conclusion
Coin handling remains highly important for both retail and kiosk environments. Automating this process leads to greater accuracy, efficiency, and customer satisfaction, while also reducing costs and operational risks. For businesses that handle significant volumes of cash, investing in reliable coin handling solutions is a smart move that pays off in multiple ways12345.
Cash Usage Factoid
In 2024, the countries with the highest cash usage—measured by the share of in-person transactions conducted with cash—span several regions, with particularly high rates in parts of Africa, Southeast Asia, and Southern Europe.
Top Countries for Cash Usage in 2024
Country
Share of POS Transactions in Cash (2024)
Malta
67%
Slovenia
64%
Spain
57%
Slovakia
57%
Nigeria
55%
Thailand
46%
Philippines
44%
Japan
41%
Mexico
38%
Indonesia
38%
Vietnam
38%
Germany
36%
Peru
35%
Colombia
34%
South Africa
33%
Malaysia
32%
In the euro area, cash remains the most frequently used payment method at the point of sale in 14 out of 20 countries, with Malta, Slovenia, Spain, and Slovakia being the most cash-intensive78.
China Kiosk Manufacturer Display Touchscreen Kiosk Mini PC Resources
China is often a preferred destination for displays and touchscreens, as well as large LEDs and LCDs, suitable for both indoor and outdoor applications. Mini-PCs, AIOs, tablets, and Media Players are natural accessories. Major companies like Amazon use China (see the Amazon Hubs lockers). The USPS uses China for their lockers as does Sam’s and Walmart. Automated vending is a huge market for China. The only thing they don’t make? — Software and Applications. Kiosks are big business and there are the SOE’s that enjoy government subsidies, however they find it difficult with quality and innovation. There is very little IP protection in China so when you innovate, ten other companies immediately copy you. Support is generally buying two of everything in many cases.
We maintain working databases of “vetted” Chinese companies. We talk to them. There are always exceptions to rules, and China is no different in that respect.
Reasons to participate — visibility on Google (we are #3 behind Made-In-China and Alibaba e.g. + our sites have an audience of 1.5M a month plus 10 Million requests per month. Search Google and you will find us. We distribute RFPs. Here is an example of one for 800 interactive screens — Interactive Displays ClearTouch or Smart qty 800 3-RFP25-015InteractivePanelBids-OPS-245564S
IMPORTANT — we do not accept commissions or charge fees unless you want paid consulting hours. This model confuses most Chinese.
We help you sell — we don’t buy or sell anything
Featured Deals
Digital signage 2500 nit 43″ — $390 — [email protected] — Provide DMS(Data Management System) for free *Support laser engraving LOGO customization *Ultra-narrow frame design, exquisite and beautiful, lightweight *High-tech design elevates brand image and attracts premium advertisers. *Ceiling mount/floor standing/Wall mounted for options
Parcel Lockers — another big China deal (think Amazon Hubs). We were surprised by the high interest in lockers at the NRA 2024 show. We recommend Zhilai. If we didn’t know better we might think they do Amazon lockers all over the world and the USPS lockers. Highly configurable and available with US software if that makes a difference (Nanonation)
Typical price sheet from China kiosk vendor (2024 RCStars)
My mobile is 720-324-1837 and contacting me via Whatsapp, WeChat or Telegram is fine.
China Kiosk Company Online Database
We have a separate newsletter for Asia and APAC which we send curated content to once a week. Send an email to [email protected] to be added or join the Whatsapp group and I will add you.
Good to see clear video demonstrating accessibility as mandated by new EAA. Words can be difficult to judge.
The European Accessibility Act (EAA)
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) significantly impacts self-ordering in restaurants, particularly for those operating in or serving customers within the European Union. Starting June 28, 2025, all new consumer-facing digital devices—including self-service kiosks, table ordering tablets, and mobile ordering platforms—must comply with EAA accessibility requirements12.
Requirements of EAA
This means:
Self-ordering systems must be accessible to people with disabilities, covering a wide range of needs such as mobility, vision, hearing, and cognitive impairments12.
Physical and digital accessibility are both required, so kiosks must have features like tactile buttons, screen readers, high-contrast displays, and easy-to-navigate interfaces2.
Menus and ordering flows must be usable by all, including support for multiple languages, clear ingredient/allergen information, and the ability to customize orders easily5.
is recommended, involving real users with disabilities to ensure the systems are genuinely accessible and to identify potential friction points before deployment2.
is necessary, meaning restaurants must maintain and regularly update their self-ordering technology to keep up with evolving accessibility standards2.
Customer Impact
The EAA aims to create better user experiences for all customers, not just those with disabilities, by making self-ordering more intuitive and reducing barriers to use. For restaurants, this means:
and improved satisfaction, as more people can independently use self-ordering kiosks or mobile systems56.
Reduced risk of non-compliance penalties and reputational harm.
in digital ordering technology by ensuring systems are adaptable to changing regulations and customer needs12.
Summary of EAA Compliance
In summary, the EAA requires restaurants to prioritize accessibility in self-ordering systems, fundamentally shaping how these technologies are designed, tested, and maintained in the EU12.
Video Demonstration
At ACRELEC we’re proud to announce new accessibility features designed to make our self-ordering experience more inclusive than ever!
🌟 Screen Magnifier
🌟 High Contrast Mode
🌟 Audio-Enabled Navigation
These updates are a major step forward in supporting ADA and EAA compliance—ensuring our kiosks are not only compliant but truly usable by everyone, including customers with visual or motor impairments.
🎥 Watch the video below to see how these features come to life.
Lockers for parcel pickup and vending dispensing are surging in popularity. Apartment complexes and more. Amazon is across the 7-Eleven chain. One of the new ideas are custom solar-powered pickup lockers for residential consumers. Porch pirates are just one factor.
We took a look at the space recently. What drove us to do that was identifying out-of-compliance Braille stickers being used in California (see related post on Braille decals)
If you are interested in lockers and customized lockers, email [email protected]
Here is a template for lockers which is useful. It appears to be generated from Amazon-like customer. I think we can say that…Zhilai Locker hardware requirement
Background
It is no surprise that currently electronic lockers are made in China. In the case regarding Braille, rather than try and contact someone at Amazon or USPS, we instead went down the foodchain. There are US companies which sell and support those to Amazon, and in turn, they buy those lockers from China.
We contacted the origin Chinese point and they were nice enough to relay the information onto Amazon and USPS. They thanked us as did Amazon for bringing it to their attention.
One interesting note is that the main Amazon supplier no longer ships from China. The political complications with the U.S. has changed that, and now shipping is from Vietnam.
Example Deployer smartecarte
3400 locations
53,000 worldwide
Cashless program
Season pass holders
Purchase locker entitlement from POS to ticketing
API communications
Integrate into any park media (barcode, QR code, RFID) or standalone system
Onsite, virtual machine, or remote-hosted secure server
Consumers are now accustomed to the convenience of online shopping and ordering products anytime and anywhere. They have similar expectations in how they receive their packages to best accommodate the varying needs of their lifestyle:
Flexibility: Anytime, Anywhere
Convenience: Don’t want to wait at home or in a line for pickup.
Privacy: Don’t want to share personal information such as their home address.
Security: Peace of mind that their package is safe and secure until they are ready for it.
The USPS Smart Lockers provide recipients of packages with a free, out-of-home alternative to receive
their high-value items in a safe, secure, and convenient way.
The Postal Service has designed a simple process that enables Shippers and Shipping Partners to present
USPS® Smart Lockers (Lockers) as an alternate delivery option for their package recipients. This process allows Shippers to retain complete control over the customer experience they provide, while adding value to their business. Benefits include:
Amazon has an extensive network of pickup locations called Amazon Hub Lockers. These secure, self-serve kiosks provide a convenient solution for customers to collect their Amazon packages. Here are some key facts about Amazon Lockers:
Number of Locations: Amazon has over 41,000 locker locations across the United States, making it easy for customers to retrieve their orders
Coverage: These lockers are present in 900+ cities throughout North America
Recent Installations: In 2021 alone, Amazon added over 1,800 new locker locations
Projected Growth: The company aims to expand its locker program and is projected to reach 60,000 locker sites by 2023
These lockers come in different types, including those with touch screens and barcode scanners, as well as others that require the Amazon Shopping App and Bluetooth activation on your smartphone
They offer various accessibility features, such as talking lockers, high-contrast touchscreen text, and customizable slot preferences
So, whether you’re near a Whole Foods, a 7-Eleven, or another popular location, chances are you’ll find an Amazon Locker nearby
Customize Shopping Experiences with Click and Collect for Increased Customer Loyalty
Have you thought about integrating click and collect into your business but don’t know how to get started? Or maybe you have already integrated some of this retail technology and would like to take it to the next level in responding to customer demands? Either way, taking advantage of all that click and collect has to offer will elevate your omnichannel strategy to meet the latest customer expectations, which promises loyalty in return.
grocery locker – click for full size
Click and collect has significant upside for retailers’ earning and keeping customers when deployed with customer convenience in mind, not to mention the added advantage of being able to strategically use upsells online and in store. Of online shoppers, 47 percent always or often end up buying more products when picking up their orders in-store, according to PYMNT’s 2022 Global Digital Shopping Playbook: U.S. Edition. And while click and collect gained some popularity initially during the pandemic, over 50 percent of online shoppers use click and collect today. Of them, 56 percent use click and collect frequently – 6+ times in the past year and 8.2% of consumers have used BOPIS 20 times or more in the past year, suggesting that it may have become their primary mode of shopping, according to Raydiant research.
Another growing area is RFID and self-checkout though. We spoke with the folks at Fujitsu and they have several new models that resemble the “kitchensink” configuration. You put your items in a basket basically and let them be scanned.
Several customized versions of this are cropping up. Initial origin is South Africa actually. Many companies involved in this sort of automated self-checkout via RFID
“our robots is an open platform that customers can develop and integrated into his own system. Secondly, our robot comes with dynamic ads while working, and customer can easily upload and change ads via phone. Thirdly, we have a robot management app for end user and a remote maintenance and control platform for distributors help with the after sales support.”
For reference the MSRP is around $15K for Pro version. Approximately 700 deployed
Nice case study by ASUS. The case study details how meldCX®, a leader in vision analytics, partnered with ASUS to deploy its AI-powered Viana™ platform in retail environments using ASUS NUC hardware. The goal was to help retailers deliver personalized, data-driven experiences by leveraging real-time insights from vision analytics, which can optimize customer engagement, staff efficiency, and marketing effectiveness.
Key Points:
Challenge: Retailers using digital signage lacked visibility into performance metrics, conversion tracking, and audience segmentation, making it difficult to measure and optimize ROI.
Solution: meldCX® integrated its Viana™ vision analytics platform with ASUS NUC devices. The ASUS NUC offers high processing power, flexible hardware configurations, and support for multiple operating systems (Chrome, Windows, Ubuntu, Linux), making it suitable for diverse retail environments and rapid global deployment.
Results: The partnership enabled scalable, edge-based vision analytics, allowing meldCX® to deploy solutions across hundreds of screens in shopping malls. For one customer, the smart advertising solution increased retail media network advertising revenue by more than three times in a single month, with some deployments boosting ROI by up to 3.5x.
Expansion: The success of this collaboration has supported meldCX®’s global expansion, with deployments now active in North America, APJ, and EMEA regions.
About Viana™: The platform provides retailers with easy-to-deploy, low-code tools to capture insights such as age, gender, sentiment, and time spent in-store, helping optimize store layouts and marketing strategies. meldCX® has earned industry recognition and partnerships with major tech companies.
Click for full size
In summary, meldCX®’s use of ASUS NUC hardware for its Viana™ vision analytics platform has enabled retailers to significantly improve advertising ROI and operational efficiency, supporting rapid, scalable deployments worldwide18.
Excerpt
The Results: End Customer Doubled ROI Up To 3.5x
The meldCX®-ASUS partnership has provided the hardware foundation needed for the company to scale and deploy its vision analytics platform in retail environments across the globe.
With the ASUS NUC, meldCX® now has a high-performance solution capable of supporting its full range of applications, from advertising and retail analytics to vehicle and anonymous visitor monitoring. The numerous hardware options, flexible OS support, and compact form factor allow meldCX® to adapt each deployment to the customer’s location-specific needs.
For one retail customer, the company has completed deployments of vision analytics dynamic triggering at over 250 screens across multiple shopping malls.
“For one mall customer, our smart advertising solution has increased revenue through their retail media network advertising by more than 3 times in a month. ASUS support has been critical to achieving these design wins.”
What Does meldCX do?
meldCX provides a suite of AI-driven software products and platforms focused on commercial devices and physical spaces, primarily targeting industries such as retail, hospitality, education, government, healthcare, and finance29. Their main offerings include:
: An enterprise platform for building, deploying, and managing commercial applications on devices like digital signs, self-service kiosks, and point-of-sale units. It features advanced monitoring, AI-based auto-recovery, uptime tools, and supports over 1,000 out-of-the-box integrations for IoT and kiosk environments. The platform is OS-agnostic and PCI DSS compliant for secure payments135.
: An AI-powered vision analytics platform that measures how people interact in physical spaces. Viana uses face mapping and detection (without capturing identifiable data) to extract metrics such as audience demographics, dwell time, sentiment, and engagement. It enables businesses to:
Analyze digital signage effectiveness and targeted marketing
Map customer journeys and measure in-store audience demographics
Monitor cleaning compliance and surface touches
Enhance theft protection and inventory checks
Integrate with existing hardware and run on minimal system requirements128.
: Smart signage and billboards that adapt content in real time based on the detected audience, enhancing engagement and advertising effectiveness2.
: A professional, lightweight, all-in-one solution for digital signage, wayfinding, and menu boards, designed for easy deployment and management2.
Custom Computer Vision Solutions: meldCX also offers tailored computer vision applications, leveraging custom model training for industry-specific needs, providing faster results and lower costs compared to competitors4.
meldCX’s technology is designed to make the secure edge autonomous, enabling rapid deployment, centralized management, and actionable insights from physical environments. Their solutions are built for scalability and flexibility, supporting multiple operating systems and integration with global hardware partners267.
In summary, meldCX delivers AI and vision analytics platforms, digital signage management, and developer tools for building and managing smart, interactive commercial device applications123589.
Hard to believe a subject could displace Bitcoin and digital currency as the trendy subject but AI has done that.
We are looking at what AI gets right and what it almost gets right.
Truly self-driving cars no longer requiring human supervision and widely available are still literally decades away. Nice goal but that is what it is at this point. Maybe we are at the 20 yard line?
One of my members and I were discussing SLED RFPs and how AI is an absolute game-changer when it comes to those. I have to agree. Analyzing a large document in 6 seconds is great starting point. Still requires finalization by human though.
Anthropic did a great test of AI automating a retail store. An automated retail store. Think Vending which is as simple as it gets. Fixed SKUs.
I had one of my vending experts read it and they came away with the “Sounds nice but not yet Craig” review. He might write article on that. Back in 1982 I was a certified MAPICS MRP person managing inventory for oil field exploration services. Usage, average usage, lead times, safety stock. But also political climate, economic climate, all types of intangibles that as of now are not readily input to an AI dataset.
Human supervision is almost always required.
But let’s look at what AI does WITHOUT human supervision, and how well it does it.
chatbot — we all hate them and have devised ways to sidetrack them
routing support tickets — highly dependent on info provided and likely doubled after chatbots put in
Finance and Accounting — we are getting closer given we are dealing with numbers
Retail e-commerce — cashier-less stores don’t require AI and not sure of ROI
Anyway, let’s hope the robots don’t read this and get ideas!
Craig
Overview of Project Vend by Anthropic
Project Vend is an innovative experiment conducted by Anthropic, where their AI model, Claude, was tasked with autonomously managing a small automated store for a month. This project aimed to explore the capabilities and limitations of AI in real-world business operations.
Key Findings
Autonomous Management:
Claude was responsible for various store operations, including inventory management, customer interactions, and sales processing.
The experiment provided insights into how AI can handle real-world tasks typically managed by humans.
Learning Outcomes:
The project revealed both strengths and weaknesses in Claude‘s performance. While it excelled in certain areas, it also faced challenges, such as decision-making under uncertainty and managing unexpected situations.
AI Behavior:
The experiment highlighted the importance of understanding AI behavior in practical applications. Claude‘s actions were closely monitored to assess how it aligned with human values and expectations.
Anthropic collaborated with Andon Labs, an AI security company, to ensure the experiment was conducted safely and ethically, focusing on the implications of deploying AI in everyday scenarios.
Future Implications:
The findings from Project Vend are expected to inform future developments in AI, particularly in enhancing the reliability and safety of AI systems in commercial settings.
Conclusion
Project Vend serves as a significant step in understanding how AI can operate in real-world environments. By allowing Claude to run a small shop, Anthropic gained valuable insights into the practical applications of AI, paving the way for future advancements in autonomous systems.
Self-Driving Cars?
Self-driving cars will no longer need human supervision only when they achieve reliable, widespread deployment of SAE Level 4 or Level 5 autonomy. As of mid-2025, no consumer vehicle has reached this point; all vehicles available to the public still require active human attention and cannot legally replace a human driver outside of limited, highly controlled environments124.
:
Most advanced consumer systems, such as Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving,” are classified as Level 2, requiring constant driver supervision and intervention124.
Some companies, notably Waymo and Cruise, operate Level 4 robotaxi services in select cities (e.g., Phoenix, San Francisco), where vehicles can drive without a human in the car—but these are limited to specific, geofenced urban areas and often rely on remote human supervisors to intervene when the vehicle encounters a situation it cannot handle493.
Regulatory progress is being made: U.S. authorities have removed the requirement for manual controls (like steering wheels) in vehicles designed to be operated solely by an automated driving system, paving the way for truly driverless vehicles in the future56.
:
Even in the most advanced deployments today, remote human supervisors are often required to assist vehicles when they encounter complex or ambiguous situations396.
This means that, while there may be no human inside the vehicle, human oversight is still part of the operational model.
:
Estimates for when self-driving cars will no longer need any human supervision vary widely, from the next decade to as late as 2050, depending on advances in technology, regulatory approval, and public acceptance71011.
Level 5 vehicles—which require no human input or oversight under any circumstances—are still considered “a long way away,” with some experts suggesting they could appear in the next 10–25 years, but not sooner10117.
:
No consumer vehicle in 2025 can operate everywhere without human supervision; even the most advanced systems are limited to specific areas and conditions, and often require remote monitoring1249.
Widespread, unsupervised self-driving is likely at least a decade away, and possibly much longer, depending on technological, legal, and societal factors10117.
will continue, with more cities piloting geofenced, remotely supervised robotaxis before truly universal, unsupervised autonomy becomes a reality8911.
In summary, self-driving cars will no longer need human supervision only when Level 5 autonomy is achieved and broadly deployed—a milestone that experts agree is still many years, if not decades, away10117
How do you identify intangibles that AI usually doesn’t or cannot consider as factors for business
AI excels at processing vast amounts of structured data, but it often struggles to recognize or evaluate intangible factors that are crucial to business success. Here’s how to identify these intangibles and understand why AI typically overlooks them.
Intangibles are non-physical assets or factors that influence a company’s value, culture, and performance. Examples include:
(e.g., strategic partnerships, alliances)
Ethical considerations and trust
Creativity and innovation potential
AI’s limitations in handling intangibles stem from:
: Intangibles are rarely captured in structured datasets. AI relies on historical, quantifiable data, making it difficult to process “soft” factors like trust or creativity12.
: AI lacks human intuition and the ability to interpret subtle cues, emotions, or context-specific knowledge13.
: Many AI models are not transparent, making it hard to trace how (or if) they consider intangible factors2.
Bias Toward Measurable Outcomes: AI tends to optimize for what can be measured, often ignoring what cannot4.
1.
List all factors contributing to business success, including those not directly measured in data systems.
Engage with stakeholders to surface “unwritten rules” or cultural elements that drive performance.
2.
Compare AI-driven recommendations with outcomes. When results diverge from expectations, investigate whether overlooked intangibles played a role5.
Ask: “What did the AI miss that a human would have considered?”
3.
Analyze cases where human judgment outperformed AI or where AI-driven decisions failed.
Look for patterns involving factors like leadership changes, market sentiment, or customer relationships.
4.
Use interviews, surveys, and workshops to gather insights from employees, customers, and partners about what matters most but isn’t tracked in data.
Document stories or scenarios where intangibles made a difference.
5.
Stay alert to shifts in culture, regulation, or reputation that AI may not detect, but which can impact business value67.
Intangible Factor
Why AI Misses It
Business Impact
Organizational Culture
Not captured in data, highly nuanced
Affects retention, innovation
Leadership Vision
Subjective, rarely documented
Guides strategic direction
Brand Reputation
Hard to quantify, shifts rapidly
Drives customer trust and loyalty
Relationship Capital
Informal, based on personal networks
Enables deals, partnerships
Employee Morale
Not directly measured
Impacts productivity, turnover
Customer Sentiment
Subtle, contextual, not always explicit
Influences sales, loyalty
Combine AI with Human Judgment: Use AI for data-driven insights, but supplement with human expertise to account for intangibles83.
: Where possible, create qualitative or proxy measures (e.g., employee surveys, brand tracking).
: Regularly reassess which intangibles are relevant as your business and environment evolve.
: To identify intangibles that AI overlooks, systematically map out non-quantifiable factors, compare AI decisions with real-world outcomes, and actively gather human insights. Combining these approaches ensures a more complete and resilient business strategy123.
What Can AI Do Without Human Supervision (currently)
Artificial intelligence is now deeply integrated into many business operations, automating complex tasks with little to no human oversight. Below are common business practices where AI operates autonomously:
1.
AI Chatbots and Virtual Assistants: Modern chatbots handle the majority of customer inquiries—answering questions, troubleshooting, processing refunds, and routing only the most complex issues to human agents. Some companies report bots resolving over 95% of customer chats without human intervention12.
: These systems categorize, prioritize, and route support tickets, providing instant responses and escalating only unique or sensitive cases13.
2.
: AI extracts data from invoices, verifies details, matches them with purchase orders, and processes payments automatically, reducing errors and processing time14.
: AI systems monitor transactions in real time, flagging suspicious activity and blocking fraudulent transactions autonomously56.
: AI reviews contracts and financial statements for compliance and risk, often completing audits faster and more accurately than humans4.
3.
: AI predicts inventory needs using historical data and market trends, automatically adjusting stock levels and placing orders with suppliers12.
: Autonomous systems manage delivery routes, warehouse operations, and inventory, often using AI-driven robots and vehicles to move goods without human intervention78.
: AI analyzes sensor data from machinery to predict failures and schedule repairs, minimizing downtime928.
4.
: AI-powered robots perform assembly, quality control, and packaging. AI systems monitor production lines, identify defects, and adjust workflows in real time758.
: Computer vision systems inspect products for defects, often with higher accuracy than human inspectors56.
5.
: AI analyzes customer behavior to suggest products and automate marketing offers756.
: Cashier-less stores use AI to track purchases and process payments without human staff75.
: AI manages stock, predicts demand, and triggers reordering autonomously2.
6.
End-to-End Workflow Automation: AI agents orchestrate entire business processes—such as procure-to-pay, contract management, and onboarding—connecting systems and departments with minimal human touch10112.
Compliance & Regulatory Monitoring: AI tracks compliance in real time, flags violations, and automates reporting12.
7.
: AI manages documentation, training schedules, and compliance checks for new hires12.
: AI tools assess employee performance using real-time data, enabling unbiased evaluations12.
: AI agents now make autonomous decisions, orchestrate workflows, and continuously learn from new data, reducing the need for human oversight in day-to-day operations101314.
: The combination of AI, robotic process automation (RPA), and machine learning enables businesses to automate complex, multi-step processes end-to-end10152.
: Sectors such as manufacturing, finance, healthcare, retail, and logistics are leading the way in deploying unsupervised AI automation7568.
As of February 15, 2025, here are the latest developments regarding MinuteKey:
MinuteKey, the automated key duplication kiosk company, has continued to expand its presence in retail locations across North America. Some key points include:
Increased partnership with major retailers, now available in over 5,000 locations
Introduction of new kiosk models with enhanced features and faster duplication times
Expansion into the Canadian market, with kiosks now present in several provinces
MinuteKey has made significant strides in improving its technology:
Implementation of AI-powered key recognition software, improving accuracy and reducing errors
Integration of mobile app functionality, allowing users to save key profiles and expedite future duplications
Introduction of RFID-enabled keys for enhanced security options
The company has seen some notable business changes:
Acquisition of a smaller, regional key duplication competitor to strengthen market position
Launch of a subscription-based service for frequent users, offering discounts and priority service
Partnerships with several smart home security companies to offer integrated key solutions
MinuteKey has also focused on sustainability:
Introduction of eco-friendly key materials and packaging
Implementation of a key recycling program at select locations
Commitment to carbon-neutral operations by 2026
Original Minutekey Post
There are multiple copy key kiosk manufacturers but the largest is Minutekey.
copy key kiosk minutekey
The most widely used and deployed would be MinuteKey. They make their own branded key copy kiosks (such as Lowes) and also white label and do more exotic such as Pet tagging.
This machine is able to copy home and office keys. This includes most: Kwikset, KW1 and KW10 Schlage, SC1 Weiser, WR3 and WR5 (in some areas) Others: Baldwin, Titan, and clones of the above key types Padlock key Masterlock M1 (on some machines)
Key duplication specialist KeyMe announces the debut of a new service which will become available stateside soon. The KeyMe self-service key copy kiosk will allow motorcycle riders to order and obtain a duplicate key for their ride without the need to contact the dealership and at the same time cutting down costs significantly.
So far, the KeyMe kiosks are able to offer support key for a large number of Harley-Davidson, Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki and Moto Guzzi motorcycles, but this base will be expanded, the company says. Car and house keys are next, as well as other common locking devices, extending the practicality and convenience of using the self-service KeyMe kiosks.
This functionality will be available with the next generation of KeyMe kiosks. The official KeyMe website lists brass keys, car keys, lockouts, custom designs and hi-performance keys, so we are in for a new stage in the recovery of lost or damaged keys.
From Ingenico blog written by Bruce Rasmussen | Aug 04, 2021
Back in 2019, the MTA rolled out OMNY – an innovative contactless fare payment system that allowed riders to simply “tap n go.” A rider (whether a daily traveler or a tourist) could simply use their contactless card, mobile wallet or wearable to tap directly on the turnstile to gain access to the platform and the train. This was an innovative and easier way for riders to pay for their journey. As public transit returns to normalcy since the pandemic began in 2020, in July 2021, MTA logged their 100 millionth tap on these systems. This is significant for multiple reasons. First, the MTA manages one of the busiest subway systems in the US and this milestone represents a good rate of adoption for this new process. Second, it also represents how comfortable riders have become with using contactless payments.
Contactless payments have become the new standard secure touchless payment acceptance and have many benefits that are not just limited to enabling the “tap-n-go” functionality. In 2020, consumers rapidly learned to use this payment method in most shopping environments from retail to restaurants and are likely to expect it in transit over time.
Why Transit Operators Need Contactless Payments
1. Fast and Secure
Contactless payments are fast and secure. The transaction time when using a contactless card, mobile wallet or wearable is significantly faster (less than a second) when compared to traditional card payment. Which, in terms of a busy commuter could be the difference between catching a train and missing it. With the faster transaction, the operators are also able to move more commuters through the transit system. Contactless payments are also as secure as EMV transactions. In the case of mobile wallets, contactless payments have an additional layer of security as most smartphones use phone-based biometrics to verify and send payment information via NFC to the payment acceptance device.
2. Ease of Use
Contactless payments are easy to use. Riders can either tap their payment cards, mobile wallets or wearables on a payment acceptance device and be on their way at train stations or on buses. If the riders are purchasing tickets via a kiosk or ticket window, paying with contactless will be just as simple. When integrated with value-added services for mobile wallets, it can help transform the customer experience by letting riders add their train pass to their mobile wallets or even push alerts on travel conditions to their phones.
3. Reduces Cost
Accepting contactless payments can help operators reduce their costs over time. The OMNY implementation, for example, allows riders to directly pay on the turnstiles and get on the train instead of using a Metrocard or using a kiosk to buy it. Over time, as the adoption of contactless payments and mobile wallets increases, operators can expect to see savings when it comes to the cost of buying new kiosks for dispensing paper tickets and associated maintenance of these solutions.
4. Improves Rider Experience
Everyone who commutes via their local subway system knows the feeling when the turnstile doesn’t read your transit card properly or you don’t have enough value on it – making you miss your train and throwing your entire day into a jam. Contactless payments enable riders to buy their tickets/pass or smoothly walk through the turnstiles taking the friction out of their journey. For a tourist visiting a city with a subway system, they won’t need to buy a pass and can simply tap their contactless card, mobile wallet or wearable to take a train to their destination.
Future of Transit is Touchless
While paper tickets will still exist for people with no access to electronic payment methods, for most riders with credit/debit cards and mobile wallets or wearables, the game has changed. Contactless not only provides them a fast, secure and easy way to pay for their journey, it also helps operators reduce their cost over time and improve the overall rider experience.
If you are a transit operator and are looking for ways to make your rider experience more seamless and your operations more efficient, drop us a line.
Bruce Rasmussen is Director of Sales, Strategic Verticals at Ingenico, a Wordline brand
If I had a penny for every time I heard the phrases “the death of cash” or “wallet replacement”, I’d have $1.78. Adding another penny to the jar is Tim Cook, who recently stated to a bunch of Trini…
Editors Note: This is a historical “catch up” article from 2013.
Kiosk Industry Group is pleased to announce the 2013 inductees into the Kiosk Industry Hall of Fame. These individuals exemplify the pioneering and innovative nature of the self-service kiosk industry.
The Kiosk Industry Group is pleased to announce the 2013 inductees to the Self-Service Kiosk Industry Hall of Fame Presidents Club. These individuals have been recognized and voted in by their peers for truly having had a tremendous impact on the entire kiosk and self-service industry.
Big thank to Edward Crowley at URway Holdings for sponsoring the awards. We were able to have nice awards and everybody liked them very much (including the one we shipped to Australia).
The inductees are:
Frank Olea of Olea
James Kruper of Kioware
Sandy Nix with CTS
Michael Smith founder of NeoProducts
Edward Crowley with OneSource Interactive
Ron Bowers Frank Mayer
Peter B. Snyder Middle East Kiosks
Thomas Smith of SelfService Networks
Mike Mayer of Frank Mayer
Hamed Shahbazi with TIO Networks
The manager of the Kiosk Industry Group Craig Keefner commented,”it’s important that along with encouraging the regulatory guidelines and the best practice design engineering, that we recognize the extraordinary people that truly are the industry. And in particular this years group exemplifies the genuine players and drivers.”
The top vote tally went to Frank Olea of Olea. Here are some
Frank Olea of Olea Kiosk
words from Frank:
It’s an honor to be elected into the Kiosk Hall of Fame. When I started in his industry nearly twenty years ago at the ripe old age of 20 I never would have guessed it would grow into what it has today. Gone are the days of plunking down an Internet Kiosk in the middle of a retail store.
Customers are connected today unlike any other time in history. Our industry is evolving and our products have gotten more complex in an effort to allow
Pete Snyder accepting award from CraigK
customers to get better access to services quicker, and on their own schedules. My fellow inductees can tell you that in today’s landscape nothing trumps experience. Nobody really knows what the future holds but if I had to guess I’d say we’ll see Kiosks continue to evolve and market verticals continue to grow as more customers come to expect Self-Service. Companies will self-service to the limits within those verticals.
How voting was conducted – online voting took place over the last six months as biographies were presented. Hundreds of votes were cast.
How Selection Conducted – candidates and nominations solicited from all participants in the kiosk industry. A total of 30 nominations including: Nigel Seed Netshift, Christoph Niehus Provisio, Gib Smith Gibco, Dave Heyliger Rocky Mountain, Neil Farr Working Solutions, Brian Collier Dicoll, Sydney and Jonathan Arfin Seepoint, Cy and Ziver Birg, Billy Giamo IBM, Derek Fretheim, Traci Martin Fretheim, Rick Rommel North Communications, John Glitsos, Klaus Trox Friendlyway, Wilf Medwin IBM, Tim Peterson NCR, John Caldwell – 5point, Dave Gonsiorowski with Flextronics.
About the Hall of Fame Presidents Club
In early 2013 the Kiosk Industry Industry Group decided the time had come for restarting the industry awards so that achievement in the kiosk and self-service industry is appreciated.
The Kiosk Industry Group is comprised of over 800 focused and qualified members/participants in the Kiosk and Self-Service Industry. Recognizing best practice and encouraging regulatory standards such as ADA, PCI, UL, and others .
Crane Co. is a leading American manufacturer of highly engineered industrial products, with a history dating back to its founding in 1855 by Richard Teller Crane. Headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, the company has evolved from its origins in valves and bathroom fixtures to become a global player in specialized industrial technology, serving sectors such as aerospace, defense, process industries, and municipal construction1234.
Business Structure and Segments
Crane Co. operates primarily through two major business segments:
Aerospace & Electronics (A&E): This segment provides advanced systems and components for commercial and military aircraft, satellites, and defense applications. In the first quarter of 2025, A&E sales grew by 10.2% to $248.9 million, driven by robust aftermarket demand and new program wins, including content for hybrid-electric military vehicles and advanced aerospace controls56.
Process Flow Technologies (PFT): PFT delivers engineered solutions such as valves, pumps, lined pipe, and instrumentation for industries including chemicals, water and wastewater, pharmaceuticals, and industrial automation. In Q1 2025, PFT sales increased 8.6% to $308.7 million, reflecting both organic growth and recent acquisitions, such as the expansion into abrasion- and corrosion-resistant piping for chemical and pharmaceutical customers54.
Financial Performance
Crane Co. has demonstrated strong financial momentum in recent years, especially following its 2023 strategic separation, which streamlined its focus and enhanced its investment capacity4. Key financial highlights for the first quarter of 2025 include:
Revenue: $557.6 million for Q1 2025, up 9.3% year-over-year, with trailing twelve-month (TTM) revenue reaching $2.18 billion, a 17.2% increase over the prior year768.
Earnings: Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) rose 24.1% to $1.39, while reported EPS from continuing operations was $1.34, a 31% increase from the previous year965.
Operating Profit: Operating profit surged by 24.4% to $101.1 million, with adjusted operating profit at $104.1 million, reflecting productivity gains and higher volumes65.
Order Backlog: The company’s order backlog grew 12.1% year-over-year, and core orders increased by 15.6%, indicating sustained demand and future revenue visibility69.
Cash Flow: Free cash flow was negative $60.4 million for the quarter, consistent with typical seasonality, but the company maintains a strong cash position with $435.1 million in cash and $247.1 million in total debt as of Q1 20256.
Strategic Focus and Outlook
Crane Co. emphasizes commercial and operational excellence, breakthrough innovation, and disciplined capital allocation. The company invests heavily in R&D and pursues acquisitions that complement its core businesses. Its management projects full-year adjusted EPS in the range of $5.30 to $5.60 for 2025, with anticipated total sales growth of approximately 5% and core sales growth of 4% to 6%5.
Recent strategic initiatives include:
Winning contracts for advanced aerospace and defense systems.
Launching new products, such as the SyFlo wastewater pump and pharmaceutical valves.
Continuing to shift its Process Flow Technologies portfolio toward higher-growth, less cyclical markets like water, pharmaceuticals, and industrial automation4.
Corporate Culture and Values
Crane Co. is anchored in a tradition of ethical business practices and corporate citizenship, as articulated by its founder’s resolution to conduct business with honesty and fairness. This ethos continues to shape its operations and stakeholder relationships10114.
Conclusion
Crane Co. stands out as a financially robust, innovation-driven industrial manufacturer with a clear strategic focus on high-growth, high-margin markets. Its disciplined approach to capital allocation, strong balance sheet, and commitment to operational excellence position it well for continued outperformance, even amid broader economic uncertainties546.
Card Readers, PIN Pads and Contactless Readers 2015
The following is a list of EMV capable card readers, PIN pads and contactless card readers that are designed specifically for self-service environments like a kiosk. As we’re beginning research and development on adding EMV capabilities to our US-based kiosk applications it makes sense to take inventory of the available EMV capable devices specifically designed for the self-service kiosk industry and weigh all of our options. This is why I’m taking the time to assemble this list of EMV capable payment devices which will likely grow as the looming October 2015 EMV liability shift draws nearer.
Ingenico makes the iSelf Series which includes EMV Chip and PIN devices designed specifically for self-service kiosk applications. Combining iUP 250 & iUR 250 allows EMV Chip & PIN transactions in your kiosks while respecting PCi 3,x certification.
VeriFone UX 100 + UX 300
VeriFone makes the UX “Unattended Devices” for kiosks and other unattended environments. PIN pad features LCD graphic screen that securely displays payment amount and engages customers through targeted messaging.
Kiosk EMV chip and contactless readers
IDTech ViVOpay Vend III
The ViVOpay Vend III contactless NFC, contact EMV, and magnetic stripe all-in-one payment device provides self-service kiosk operators with an integrated device that allows all three types of payment acceptance technologies.
MEI CASHFLOW® EasiChoice 4 in 1
With the EasiChoice bezel from MEI your self-service kiosks can accept any payment type the consumer has in their wallet: bills, coupons, magnetic stripe cards, NFC/contactless payments, and contactless EMV cards.�
The Ingenico contactless reader focuses on contactless transaction only, the iiUC 180 is the ideal solution for small transactions, especially in the vending industry.
VeriFone QX 700
The VeriFone QX 700 provides rapid transaction speeds for all card types, including public transportation, stored value and other value-added applications.
IDTech ViVOpay Kiosk II
The ViVOpay Kiosk II is a flexible stand-alone contactless reader comprised of a compact controller module and an RFID antenna module packaged individually giving equipment manufacturers flexibility to integrate contactless payment functionality with their host systems.
Which EMV hardware should I buy for my kiosks so I don’t have to replace it in the next 3 years?
This is a good question that is discussed in the video of the 2014 CPI EMV technology panel below. The answer boils down to personal preference. CPI makes the point that just because a card reader is EMV capable doesn’t mean your entire solution will be EMV compliant. Your entire solution needs to receive end-to-end EMV certification and according to MEI this has not happened in the US using the MEI 4-in-1 at the time this video was recorded. I’m not here to recommend EMV hardware for your kiosks just to spell out the options, so watch the video for more information and form your own opinions. We plan to add EMV support to KioskSimple kiosk software for Windows in 2015.