Wow! Lots to see from LG at ISE 2023. Here is their main landing page covering all they showed. Most people flocked to the big displays like the “microLED” Magnit but the Hospitality, Food, EV Charging and the Cloud (thin clients) caught our eye. We thought 2022 was big but 2023 dwarfs that. LG’s Oscar Rozo also serves as co-Chairman of our ADA and Accessibility Committee and the viewpoint of a consumer and business giant like LG is invaluable.
For more information or to contact LG you can email [email protected]
Here are ISE segments and below are some selected videos we’ve seen.
Nanonation Adds Template Library with 50+ Variations
Excerpt
Use the professionally designed templates to attract and impress your customers, employees, or students. Each design can be customized to fit any brand’s guidelines in order to match the tone and feel of your organization. The preview feature allows you to view your updated template after you have added text or images so that each design is perfect before they are distributed among your signs.
Creating engaging, informative, and beautiful content for a digital signage network can be a daunting task. Nanonation’s new Template Library allows users of all design levels to create relevant and fresh content for their signage network. The template library is included with each digital signage purchase and is accessible through our Content Management System, Commandpoint.
Small business is by far the hardest hit since they are the lowest volume. Rates went up 26% in the last 12 months and 180% over the last decade. Monopolies do not exist for the benefit of consumers and lower inflation. Visa and Mastercard, which control 80 percent of the U.S. credit card market, centrally price-fix the swipe fees charged by banks that issue their cards even though many legal experts say the practice violates federal antitrust law.
Example case
“As the use of credit cards has become more and more prevalent, the credit card companies are making more and more money from merchants. When we first opened our business, credit card transactions accounted for approximately 40 percent of our business. Now the credit card share is about 80 percent of transactions. At the same time, fees have risen and the time taken before funds appear in our accounts gets longer. This is one more burden for merchants.” John Morman, owner of Celtic Tides gift shop, Lexington, Va.
2023 NRF Small Business Fly-in
July 11-12, 2023
Grand Hyatt, Washington, D.C.
The National Retail Federation is convening 50 small retailers in Washington, D.C., at the 2023 Small Business Fly-in on July 11-12, 2023. Attendees will focus on improving competition in the credit card payments system for retailers. They will learn about legislation and regulatory processes to address payments competition and share their stories directly with lawmakers. Attendees will be able to connect with fellow small retailers from across the country.
We encourage small businesses to sign up to advocate with us. NRF is pleased to be able to provide a limited number of travel scholarships to cover transportation and lodging for selected small business owners. Apply today using our application link. The application closes April 28, 2023.
Why attend?
Attendees will advocate for swipe fee reform and encourage Congress to support the Credit Card Competition Act (CCCA). This bipartisan bill will address the broken and unfair credit card market that’s currently dominated by two major players that set the fees and terms with which all merchants must comply. Lack of competition means credit card swipe fees continue to rise year after year, soaring 25% last year alone.
The bipartisan Credit Card Competition Act would infuse competition into the marketplace by simply requiring there be at least two competing processing networks enabled on each credit card. These reforms have the potential to save American businesses and consumers an estimated $11 billion per year.
We are convening small retailers to share their stories on how excessive swipe fees stifle growth and expansion for small businesses and make it difficult to invest in their companies by hiring more staff, buying more inventory, competing on price and even keeping their doors open in today’s uncertain and inflationary economic climate.
I hope you’ll consider applying today. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me.
Nearly a year after launching, Google’s urban-facing initiative has hired a team and is getting to work.
Source: www.wired.com
What is Google doing with the data I wonder? Meanwhile, the LinkNYC project is rolling forward. More than a dozen “links” are active along Manhattan’s Third Avenue, with another dozen coming soon. The plan is to expand to 7,500 within a few years. The kiosks don’t just spew WiFi like an open hydrant shoots water; they also gather intelligence on what’s happening around them—traffic patterns, noise levels, and air quality. “No static study will match that kind of tool,” Kaufman says. And cities around the world are interested in setting up similar networks.
EVcharge Magazine – Terminals and Technology Magazine
EV Charging Magazine. EV Charge is the world’s only print and digital magazine for electric vehicle charging infrastructure, terminals and technology
EVcharge magazine is the only technical journal for manufacturers, integrators and deployers of EV charging terminals and technology. Published on a bi-monthly basis, EVcharge magazine reaches an audience of 15,000 qualified professionals throughout Europe. The magazine is aimed at Project Managers, Facilities Managers, Estate Managers CIOs, CTO’s FD’s etc.
The first issue of EVcharge will focus on the following subject areas:
▪ Industry focus – commercial charging networks
▪ Renewables & car charging
▪ Unattended payment
▪ Car park charging
To discuss editorial features within the launch issue, or to discuss marketing opportunities please call Ian Titchener on 01353 771464 or Lloyd Vella on 01353 771461
McDonalds Kiosk Effect dominates NRA Show – Exhibitor Gallery from KMC
The number of self-order kiosks on display at the National Restaurant Show nearly tripled over last year’s exhibits. Below is video of Pyramid Computer booth. Visit their YouTube channel for more!
See the gallery article: KioskMarketplace and Elliott Maras
There were some notable not presents such as Acrelec and RedyRef.
Given the recent spate of RFPs related to fast-casual it is not surprising to see big turnout though at this show. Still, the media always gets ahead of itself trying to announce “what’s coming” is the same as “what is” and it rarely is.
The Ziosk iteration went from concept to installment over many years and it is a relatively mature product now entering its replacement cycle. Lifecycle coming into play for the units.
Still, it has been several years of “they are coming” and last time I checked at Wendy’s there is nothing, or any of the other fast casuals here in the area and we are looking at a fairly “hot” market here in Denver.
Companies are certainly exploring the idea. Which format or form factor they eventually settle on is still to be determined.
Excerpt:
What a difference a year makes! Last year’s National Restaurant Show featured 12 self-serve kiosks. This year, the number on display at Chicago’s McCormick Place nearly tripled as kiosk manufacturers scrambled to meet the restaurant industry’s demand to improve customer service with new technology.
As McDonald’s continues its nationwide rollout of self-order kiosks, thousands of QSRs and fast casual restaurants don’t want to get left behind and are shopping the market.
Contactless Temperature Kiosk Portfolio Frank Mayer and Associates, Inc.
Screen for symptoms of COVID-19 or other infectious diseases using temperature kiosks that utilize sophisticated fever-detection technology and customizable health screening questions.
Frank Mayer and Associates, Inc. offers two temperature kiosks with a variety of capabilities to meet your needs.
Which one is right for your business?
Contactless Temperature Kiosk (Wrist Only Style)
The best temperature screening kiosk for touch-free monitoring, our Contactless Temperature Kiosk quickly checks body temperatures using an infrared sensor on the wrist.
Customized with a contactless ID reader and wrist scan, the temperature kiosk is an efficient way to screen groups of people quickly and in a safe manner.
Screen for symptoms of COVID-19 or other infectious diseases using temperature kiosks that utilize sophisticated fever-detection technology and customizable health screening questions. The best temperature screening kiosk for touch-free monitoring, our Contactless Temperature Kiosk quickly checks body temperatures using an infrared sensor on the wrist. Customized with a contactless ID reader and wrist scan, the temperature kiosk is an efficient way to screen groups of people quickly and in a safe manner. For more information contact [email protected] or visit Contactless Temperature Reader Frank Mayer and Associates, Inc. — YouTube Link
Temperature Screening Kiosk
Screen employees and visitors using sophisticated temperature sensor technology and health compliance questions.
A comprehensive solution to promote workplace safety, the temperature screening kiosk monitors employee and visitor temperatures and features customizable health compliance questions to identify high-risk symptoms or scenarios.
Automated Cashier Technology from Cannabis Cash Solutions Reduces Shrinkage, Theft
Announcement 11/09/17 — Cash flow in the cannabis industry is a constant and delicate process — from consumer to retailer, from retailer to processor, from processor to grower, etc. But for every successful transaction, a cautious entrepreneur is also aware of the risks, which can include theft (by customers or employees), the miscounting of cash, or even robbery. To combat these issues, Cannabis Cash Solutions offers improvements and augmentations for cash-handling practices in the cannabis space.
Click for full view
Cash handling goes arm-in-arm with security — so by utilizing the latest “smart vault” and automated cashier technology, Cannabis Cash Solutions helps provide entrepreneurs peace of mind with an honest and simple solution: consistency through automation. The company’s automated cashier service is a cash deposit system that transitions the responsibility of cash handling from budtenders (or other industry employees) to an automatic counting and change-dispensing system, similar to a modern supermarket’s self-checkout lane.
“With so many states becoming legal, there are tons of new consumers and, in many cases, they have a lot of questions. So rather than removing that and making it ‘self-service,’ we’re focusing on taking over just the cash-handling,” Andrew, company founder and CEO, said in a phone interview. “We wanted to offer something that preserves the one-on-one experience that you have with a budtender.”
The automatic cashier has three basic functions:
Intake cash from customers into a secure deposit vault.
Accurately calculate and dispense the customer’s required change.
Provide real-time updates tracking the amount of cash inside the unit.
Each step of this process helps to streamline cash flow in a retail setting, remove employee temptation by automating their cash-handling responsibilities, and reduce the threat of robberies by keeping cash secure and largely inaccessible. The automated cashier also frees up valuable time that would have been spent counting cash and removes the chance of a costly, time-consuming miscount.
At the end of the day, or whenever the deposit vault needs to be emptied or cash needs to be transported, an individual with proper clearance — a store manager or security personnel, for example — can access and remove the deposits via specially designed cartridges.
“From the transport standpoint, they like the idea of just being able to look at a report, see how much money is at a location, go in there, pull some cartridges, know that the count is going to match, and then take it back to their counting room,” Andrew said. “That’s opposed to what they deal with today in pretty much every case, where it’s the store’s responsibility to count all the money, they have to bag all the money, they have to tag all the money, then the transport company picks up the money, takes it back to their counting room, has to recount it, and then — if there is any issue in the count — they have to go in and figure it out.”
Cannabis Cash Solutions also offers deposit-only vault services, which are helpful not only in retail locations but also provide peace-of-mind to growers, delivery drivers, or any other individual involved with the constant flow of cash in the cannabis industry.
All vaults are easily operable, Internet-connected and provide real-time reporting. An API is available so that the systems can be integrated with a dispensary’s point-of-sale software.
To learn more about purchasing or leasing a Cannabis Cash Solutions vault or automated cashier, visit CannabisCashSolutions.com or call (559) 761-0883. Help with installation is available by request.
For a demo of the automated cashier system, see the video below. Alternatively, if you are attending MJBizCon in Las Vegas this November 15-17, stop by for an in-person demo at Booth #3540!
Last week we went thru a demonstration of gesture technology for kiosk for use by handicapped users. People unable to move their arms. People unable to speak.
People with ALS, Multiple Sclerosis, Spinal Cord Injury, Parkinsons, Cerebral Palsy and even some cases of Arthritis.
Furthermore, some people may not be able to use voice either, or even if they could, there may be noise or privacy concerns preventing use of voice.
Listening to very loud music is going to result in being hard of hearing for the rest of my life.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you ended up where you are?
30 years in self-service technology for customers and employees. I work with U.S. Access Board on disabled access and also PCI SSC on unattended access. I started as moderator for Big 7 newsgroup comp.infosystems.kiosks in 1995. I currently manage an association of kiosk technology providers.
You are a successful leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
My English major from college days seemed pretty useless until Google and search came along. Then language, words and intent became all important.
My hobby was audio processing and recording and that has served me well in the disabled space as the single most litigated deficiency for any disabled access is typically audio.
I have also no qualms contacting and reaching people at all levels. Jeff Bezos of Amazon I led on tour of retail technology at show in late 90s. Conducting an interview of Eric Schmidt of Google during chance meeting in London hotel.
Can you share a story about one of your greatest work related struggles? Can you share what you did to overcome it?
Establishing the true accessibility characteristics for patient check-in terminals used in hospital. Too often vendors “cherry pick” what they consider important, and minimize their deficiencies.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
EV-Charging stations and smart cities are the up and comers in the unattended space. The initiative by McDonalds for accessibility which is driving multiple industries towards accessibility.
Fantastic. Let’s now shift to our discussion about inclusion. Can you tell our readers a bit about your experience working with initiatives to promote Diversity and Inclusion? Can you share a story with us?
Inclusion and diversity for me means different languages, all types of disabilities, voice (accents), facial recognition/detection (different races have different characteristics).
This may be obvious to you, but it will be helpful to spell this out. Can you articulate to our readers a few reasons why it is so important for a business or organization to have an inclusive work culture?
Given the right opportunity and the right tools, employees can become a true asset and driver for the company bottomline. And companies (thanks to accountants) must also consider financial considerations.
The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) requires businesses to make reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities. For the benefit of our readers, can you help explain what this looks like in practice? What exactly are reasonable accommodations? Can you please share a few examples?
Go to the airport and thanks to ACA, 25% of all facilities will be geared specifically for disabled access, no matter what type of interactive component. Canada has the ACA for Canada which mandates an accessibility plan by all federal entities no later than December 2022.
Aside from what is legally required, what are some best practices that can make a business place feel more welcoming and inclusive of people with disabilities? If you can, please share a few examples.
Ramps, door openers and audio are easy additions. Charging your wheelchair might be another. In retail different menus for different sight impairments is an easy one. Many restaurants offer this. In Japan, you can assess in advance the accessibility factor for retail stores PRIOR to deciding where and when to go. [See what PHX does!]
Being more understanding when it comes to disabilities would be good. When I wore bluetooth hearing aids to assist with conducting phone conversations, I was ridiculed for wearing the electronic locket around my neck.
Can you share a few examples of ideas that were implemented at your workplace to help promote disability inclusion? Can you share with us how the work culture was impacted as a result?
I work at home in my basement so doesn’t really apply to me personally. Years back it was it was being able to support different languages, ramps and eventually automatic door openers. Desks and cubicles were designed for “standard” person. It has improved since then but not all that much. I think the pandemic elevated disabled workers at home as they already equipped their environment, unlike work. [Ebcore has some very cool assistive technology]
This is our signature question that we ask in many of our interviews. What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Started My Career”?
Accessibility is a key long-term characteristic.
Note not only the positive iterations but the negative iterations.
I am NOT the 100% case study. Perhaps 80% since I was healthy white person.
How can my business make more money serving more?
At some point I would experience hearing disability and also vision astigmatism with poorly designed computer screens with super fine resolutions.
Listening to very loud music is going to result in being hard of hearing for the rest of my life.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share a story about how that was relevant in your own life?
Life is too short to dance with ugly women (mantra on baseball cap). “Ugly Women” being figurative of course. [e.g. people who refuse to think of others first]
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
My wish is that people wholly participate in government and we achieve 95% voting percentage. [And I wish my town did not exclude or disable bikes as a day to day safe mode of transport..we live in an automobile-first culture.]
How can our readers further follow your work online?
This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for the time you spent with this. We wish you continued success and good health!
As we all know, over the past several years there has been a great deal of discussion about inclusion and diversity in the workplace. One aspect of inclusion that is not discussed enough, is how businesses can be inclusive of people with disabilities. We know that the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) requires businesses to make reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities. What exactly does this look like in practice? What exactly are reasonable accommodations? Aside from what is legally required, what are some best practices that can make a business place feel more welcoming and inclusive of people with disabilities? To address these questions, we are talking to successful business leaders who can share stories and insights from their experience about the “How Businesses Make Accommodations For Customers and Employees Who Are Disabled “.
As a part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Craig Allen Keefner.
Craig Keefner is the manager of the kiosk association — Independent solutions provider. RFP acquisition with access to 1,000s of RFPs in multiple verticals as well as Contracts, solutions, relationships. Experience — in 2020 last employed by Olea Kiosks focusing on transactional systems for self-service (QSR, Fast Casual, Healthcare, Telemedicine, bill payment and more) before the pandemic cut that short. Created Ready for RFP and MRS solution’s for Intel IoT Alliance. 4 Years in Healthcare EHRs on Patient Check-In, Digital Signage and more.. 10+ Years with Kiosk Information Systems. Experience as web programmer (NW Airlines), Bridal Kiosks (Target Club Wedd and the original Gift Certificate Company). Irwin Jacobs B2C online auction of distressed goods. 11 with Kiosk Information Systems. Major projects include: Verizon Bill Pay, Army Gaming Centers, Target Store Bridal Registry, Correctional visitation, AT&T bill pay and many more.
As discussed further below, scientific studies support that certain telethermographic systems, also known as thermal imaging systems, may be used to measure surface skin temperature. These systems include an infrared thermal camera and may have a temperature reference source. In this document, they are referred to as thermal imaging systems.
Thermal imaging systems and non-contact infrared thermometers (NCITs) use different forms of infrared technology to measure temperature. For information about NCITs, please refer to the fact sheet on Non-contact Infrared Thermometers.
Thermal Imaging Systems and COVID-19
When used correctly, thermal imaging systems generally have been shown to accurately measure someone’s surface skin temperature without being physically close to the person being evaluated. Thermal imaging systems offer certain benefits in that other methods need a closer proximity or contact to measure temperature (for example, non-contact infrared thermometers or oral thermometers).
Temperature-based screening, such as thermal imaging, is not effective at determining if someone definitively has COVID-19 because, among other things, a person with COVID-19 may not have a fever. A diagnostic test must be performed to determine if someone has COVID-19.
Thermal imaging systems have not been shown to be accurate when used to take the temperature of multiple people at the same time. The accuracy of these systems depends on careful set-up and operation, as well as proper preparation of the person being evaluated.
Thermal imaging systems have been used by several countries during epidemics, although information about their effectiveness as part of efforts to reduce the spread of disease has been mixed.
The FDA issued the Enforcement Policy for Telethermographic Systems During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Public Health Emergency guidance to help expand the availability of thermal imaging systems and mitigate thermometer shortages during the public health emergency. The guidance sets forth an enforcement policy that is intended to apply to all thermal imaging systems that are intended for medical purposes for the duration of the public health emergency related to COVID-19, and provides recommendations regarding performance and labeling of such systems.
Figure 1 demonstrates the proper thermal imaging setup for processing of individual people in a public area.
Benefits of Thermal Imaging Systems
The person who handles the thermal imaging system is not required to be physically close to the person being evaluated. In fact, the person who handles the thermal imaging system could be in a different area or room.
The thermal imaging system may measure surface skin temperature faster than the typical forehead or oral (mouth) thermometer that requires a close distance or physical contact with the person being evaluated.
Scientific studies show that, when used correctly, thermal imaging systems generally measure surface skin temperature accurately.
Limitations of Thermal Imaging Systems
Although these systems may be in use for initial temperature assessment to triage individuals in high throughput areas (for example, airports, businesses and sporting events), the systems have not been shown to be effective when used to take the temperature of multiple people at the same time. They should not be used for “mass fever screening.”
These systems measure surface skin temperature, which is usually lower than a temperature measured orally. Thermal imaging systems must be adjusted properly to correct for this difference in measurements.
These systems work effectively only when all the following are true:
The systems are used in the right environment or location.
The systems are set up and operated correctly.
The person being assessed is prepared according to instructions.
The person handling the thermal imaging system is properly trained.
Proper Use of Thermal Imaging Systems
The person who handles the system should follow all manufacturer instructions to make sure the system is set up properly and located where it can measure surface skin temperature accurately.
The person who handles the system should be trained to properly prepare both the location where the system will be used, and the person being evaluated, to increase accuracy. For details, see the standards and scientific papers listed under References below.
Preparing the Area where You will Use a Thermal Imaging System
Room temperature should be 68-76 °F (20-24 °C) and relative humidity 10-50 percent.
Try to control other items that could impact the temperature measurement:
Avoid reflective backgrounds (for example, glass, mirrors, metallic surfaces) to minimize reflected infrared radiation.
Use in a room with no draft (movement of air), out of direct sunlight and away from radiant heat (for example, portable heaters, electrical sources).
Avoid strong lighting (for example, incandescent, halogen and quartz tungsten halogen light bulbs).
Figure 2 demonstrates the proper thermal imaging room setup.
Preparing the Thermal Imaging System
Some systems require the use of a calibrated blackbody (a tool for checking the calibration of an infrared temperature sensor) during evaluation to make sure measurements are accurate. Check the manufacturer’s instructions to determine if a calibrated blackbody is needed. Some devices do not require one.
Turn on the entire system 30 minutes before use to warm it up.
Preparing the Person Being Evaluated
The person handling the system should make sure the person being evaluated:
Does not have any face obstructions before measurement (such as a mask, glasses, hat, headband, or scarf), the person’s hair is pulled away from the face, and the person’s face is clean and dry.
Does not have a higher or lower face temperature from wearing excessive clothing or head covers (for example, headbands, bandanas) or from using facial cleansing products (for example, cosmetic wipes).
Has waited at least 15 minutes in the measurement room or 30 minutes after exercising, strenuous physical activity, bathing, or using hot or cold compresses on the face.
Figure 3 demonstrates the proper thermal imaging setup for processing of individual people using a calibrated blackbody background.
Using the Thermal Imaging System
Measure only one person’s surface skin temperature at a time.
Position the person at a fixed distance (follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use) from the thermal imaging system, directly facing the camera.
The image area should include the person’s whole face and the calibrated blackbody, if using one.
If an increased temperature is seen using the thermal imaging system, you should use a different method to confirm a fever. Public health officials can help you determine if the fever is a sign of infection.
Questions about Using Thermal Imaging Systems during COVID-19
Q: Are thermal imaging systems effective for screening people for fevers in places like nursing homes, airports, and hospital emergency rooms?
A: When using a thermal imaging system, it is important to assess whether the system will provide the intended results in high throughput areas. We understand that these devices are being used for initial temperature assessment and triage of individuals for elevated temperatures in medical and non-medical environments. They should not be used for measuring temperatures of many people at the same time in crowded areas, in other words “mass fever screening” is not recommended.
Based on where the system will be used, there may be more appropriate methods to initially assess and triage people, especially if there is a risk that infected people would not be identified right away. For example:
In a nursing home, inaccurate temperature measurement or a missed contagious person without a fever could spread infection among nursing home residents. So, in this case, other assessment options and following infection control practices may be more effective.
In airports, workplaces, grocery stores, concert venues, or other areas where you are trying to screen large groups of people for mass fever screening, diagnostic testing may be too difficult because of the time and costs needed to screen and get results. These systems will likely miss most individuals with COVID-19 who are contagious. Thermal imaging systems could be considered as one method for initial temperature assessment in these types of settings when used as part of a larger approach to risk management.
In a hospital emergency room, a thermal imaging system may help to quickly assess temperature and triage patients to determine who needs more evaluation or isolation.
Q: Are thermal imaging systems effective as the sole means of diagnosing COVID-19?
A: No. A fever or higher body temperature is only one possible symptom of a COVID-19 infection. Thermal imaging systems generally detect a high body temperature accurately when used appropriately. They do not detect any other infection symptoms, and many people with COVID-19 can be contagious without a fever. Also, a high body temperature does not necessarily mean a person has a COVID-19 infection.
All fevers measured by thermal imaging systems should be confirmed by another method and followed by more diagnostic evaluations for other symptoms, as appropriate.
Q: How can thermal imaging systems help with the COVID-19 response?
A: To help address urgent public health concerns raised by shortages of temperature measurement products and expand the availability of telethermographic systems used for initial body temperature for triage use during this COVID-19 public health emergency, the FDA is applying regulatory flexibility for certain telethermographic systems as outlined in its enforcement policy.
When a high body temperature is identified by thermal imaging, an additional evaluation should follow (for example, doctor evaluations or interview, laboratory testing and patient observation).
Q: Are thermal imaging systems used for body temperature assessment considered medical devices?
A: As discussed in the enforcement policy, telethermographic systems are devices when they are intended for a medical purpose. To determine if these products are intended for a medical purpose, FDA will consider whether:
They are labeled or otherwise intended for use by a health care professional;
They are labeled or otherwise for use in a health care facility or environment; and
They are labeled for an intended use that meets the definition of a device, for example, body temperature measurement for diagnostic purposes, including in non-medical environments.
Q: How does a thermal imaging system differ from a thermometer?
A: Both thermal imaging systems and non-contact infrared thermometers (NCIT) can measure surface temperatures without contact. An NCIT measures surface temperature in a single location, whereas a thermal imaging system can measure temperature differences across multiple locations, creating a relative temperature map of a region of the body. The enforcement policy in the guidance applies to use of thermal imaging systems to determine initial body temperature measurements.
Note, this information is applicable to thermal imaging systems that are intended for a medical purpose. This means that the system is intended for use in the diagnosis of disease or other conditions, or in the cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of disease and, therefore, meets the definition of “device” set forth in Section 201(h) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
For more information on FDA’s policies for these devices, and recommendations on their design, labeling, and use during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, please review the following:
Additional information on these devices can be found at:
IEC 80601-2-59: Medical electrical equipment – Part 2-59: Particular requirements for basic safety and essential performance of screening thermoghraphs for human febrile temperature screening. 2017, International Electrotechnical Commission & International Organization for Standardization.
ISO/TR 13154: Medical electrical equipment — Deployment, implementation and operational guidelines for identifying febrile humans using a screening thermograph. 2017, International Organization for Standardization.
Industrial infrared temperature sensors are inexpensive and used everywhere in home and industrial. Your microwave for example. They read surface temperature if aimed properly and clean and calibrated (all sensors require cleaning and calibration)
The Heimann sensor is the first we encountered. The HPTA32x32 (64 pixel) “thermopile array”.
They have been adapted for reading temperatures of foreheads basically and are at the low end of the accuracy scale.
None of these are FDA approved or submitted.
Thermal Imaging Cameras
These are a whole magnitude higher weight-class. Several of them are specifically designed for supplemental elevated body temperature. They do this by zooming and focusing on specific areas of the face like tearducts. IR Arrays have limited spatial resolution and must average many regions and samples in order to provide a general value.
FLIR is the manufacturer most used. They have several which certified by FDA and others submitted.
Another option is ICI though there are some questions on FDA 510 (we cannot locate them) as well as some components used.
DSE Tradeshow aka Digital Signage Experience explores every aspect of digital and interactive display technology, from concept and design to content and analytics.
No matter what business you’re in or where you are on the adoption curve, the DSE tradeshow caters to your needs right now, providing access to hundreds of leading vendors of digital display, interactive technology and content solutions.
See you at DSE in Vegas November 17-19 for Digital Signage Expo. We are in booth 617 and looking forward to the show. Craig is facilitating one of the Lunch sessions.
In our booth
Clover Kiosk by Nanonation – Nano is highlighting its cloud platform (3 SOC demos). Also at the show Nano will show 3x screens (a Samsung, a LG and a Sony) stacked on a single dual post mount showing our three SoC platforms for signage. For Nanonation show handout DSE_Nanonation Overview-compressed.
5:30PM – 7:30PM DSE Mixer by 16:9 — It will run Nov. 16th at its longtime home, the Hard Rock Cafe on the Las Vegas Strip. As in the past, the event is on the third floor, with a big interior space and a large outside patio overlooking the mayhem on the sidewalk below. The event is free to attend
Thursday Nov 17th
9AM – 9:45AM: Conference Breakouts
10AM – 5PM: EXHIBIT HALL OPEN
10:30AM – 11:30AM: Opening Keynote: Refik Anadol, new media artist
Speaker Case Study – Curved dvLED Displayswith Peerless AV – The new 65,000-square-foot institution leverages the latest in dvLED display technology from LG Business Solutions USA and mounting innovations from Peerless-AV to deliver captivating video content and provide digital canvases for private events or sponsors to display messages and films. Massive Curved Display article on AVIXA for reference
4PM – 4:45PM: Conference Breakouts
5PM – 6:30PM: Opening Night Networking Party. [Sponsored by SONY]
Friday November 18th
9AM – 9:45AM: Conference Breakouts
10AM – 5PM: EXHIBIT HALL OPEN
10:30AM – 11:30AM: Keynote: Jason Cothern, SoFi Stadium
12PM – 1PM: Women of Digital Signage Lunch
1:30PM – 3:30PM: Free On-Floor Workshops
4PM – 4:45PM: Conference Breakouts
5PM – 6PM: DSE DIZZIE Awards Ceremony and Reception
6PM – 8PM: Crew Up And Connect Industry Party, LDI Circle Bar + Lounge (North Hall)
Saturday November 19, 2022
9AM – 9:45AM: Conference Breakouts
10AM – 3PM: EXHIBIT HALL OPEN
10:30AM – 11:30AM: Closing Keynote: Naveen Viswanatha, Google
11AM – 6PM: LDI Show Floor Open (North Hall, accessible with DSE registration)
12PM – 3PM: Vertical Markets Networking Meet-ups
6PM: LDI Awards Ceremony (North Hall, accessible with DSE registration)
Sunday November 20, 2022 (DSE exhibit floor is closed)
Post-Show Event
10AM – 3PM: LDI Show Floor Open (North Hall, accessible with DSE registration)
Digital Signage Experience (DSE), Live Design International (LDI), and XLIVE are sharing dates in November. Held in separate halls at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), you’ll receive benefits of the three events sharing dates:
DSE will be held in Central Halls as its own trade show and conference, but your exhibit hall pass will allow you entry into Live Design International (LDI) and XLIVE (North Halls).
Enjoy discounts to conference sessions at LDI and XLIVE: after you register, you’ll receive promotions to use for LDI and XLIVE events and conference.
Logistics
SixteenNine Mixer — Location: Hard Rock Cafe on the Strip. Third floor. The HRC is down by the MGM Grand and roughly across from NYNY and the new arena. There are stairs up, and an elevator. There’s an outside patio for smokers and people who want fresh desert air.
DSE has/had been the leading event for the digital signage industry for 15 years. Questex acquired the assets in early 2021, and will build on that legacy as the preeminent event and digital platform for the digital signage industry, showcasing innovations in technology, market applications and creative educational content. The original Digital Signage Expo was very well received albeit under former owner it lost some of its luster in those final years. Poor management is general consensus.
Questex will combine its capabilities and experience as the leading information and events company focused on the experience economy with input from the industry including past sponsors, exhibitors and attendees to deliver an updated and renewed DSE for the industry going forward.
With an increased focus on reaching key end-user markets for digital solutions and experiences, DSE will harness other audiences and platforms in hotels, hospitality, travel, healthcare, entertainment, education, sensors and communications technology and more.
What will be considered accessible in 2022? Here is avery nice wrap on accessibility trends going into 2022 answering that question. It is primarily web-oriented but those parallel UI for kisoks, From UXDesign — Sheri Byrne-Haber, CPACC — Blogger, disability advocate, nerd. Bringing the fire on ableism. A11y Architect @ VMware. Wheelchair user w/ a deaf daughter. CS, Law, and Business background. Follow Sheri on Medium (like we do)
Five 2022 accessibility trends
TL;DR — More of the same, with a few notable differences
These are my accessibility predictions for 2022.
Prediction 1: The web will slowly continue to become more accessible
The two annual accessibility reports — SOAR and the WebAIM million showed slight improvements in web accessibility, but the overall rate of inaccessibility is still pretty atrocious.
In 2021, WebAIM noted that 97.4% of home pages had detected WCAG 2 failures, down slightly from 98.1% in February 2020. That means the web should be accessible some time in the 2070s or 2080s if this rate continues.
The SOAR report, which looks more closely at registration processes and does some manual testing, found that out of the Alexa 100 websites tested, 62% were accessible to screen readers, up from 40% in 2020.
So there are two trends here:
Larger companies, which are more likely to be sued because of their deep pockets and more likely to have DEI groups, ERGs, and budgets because of their size, are becoming accessible more quickly.
Smaller companies with fewer resources are at the rear of the accessibility pack.
Smaller companies can still get sued. This leads us to prediction #2.
Prediction #2: Digital accessibility lawsuits will continue to increase
2021 showed an expected continued increase in litigation, with more than 4000 lawsuits filed. The only question is whether limitations in such litigation being reviewed in New York and Florida courts, two of the most popular jurisdictions for such lawsuits, will keep that number from hitting 5000 in 2022.
From 2021 Usablenet 2021 YEAR END REPORT on ADA ADA DIGITAL ACCESSIBILITY LAWSUITS
even if they have already entered into a settlement agreement with another party, and;
even if they have remediation efforts underway.
In jurisdictions following the Hootersdoctrine, anyone can be a defendant in a lawsuit until they have accessibility fully baked into all of their customer-facing websites and mobile applications. That includes both the 84 % of businesses working on accessibility and the 16 % that are completely ignoring it.
Prediction #3: More verdicts and settlement agreements will start to put the brakes on the use of accessibility overlays/plugins/tools/widgets
If you believe the claims of the overlay vendors, accessibility overlays are in use on millions of web pages with hundreds of thousands of users. Note:
Disability Rights Advocates (DRA), the firm representing the plaintiff, is well known for groundbreaking cases related to accessibility. These cases include physical access, accessible voting, education, transportation, and digital accessibility lawsuits such as White v. Square, NFB v. Scribd, and the granddaddy of digital accessibility litigation, NFB v. Target. Most importantly, DRA is known for cases that make a difference. DRA is not a drive-by accessibility plaintiff firm.
The plaintiff, San Francisco Lighthouse for the Blind, is not a hit-and-run plaintiff. They file meaningful litigation, and aren’t in it for a quick buck.
as some of their reasons for their negative outlook. Martin Shkreli, aka “Pharma Bro,” is not expected to be released from prison until late 2023 and was convicted of multiple counts of securities fraud and conspiring to commit securities fraud.
Prediction #4: WCAG 2.2 will become the new standard most private sector companies use to determine whether or not something is accessible.
WCAG 2.2 will become final, hopefully in Q1 of 2022. When WCAG 2.1 became final, it only took four months to be referenced in the first settlement agreement. Four months after WCAG 2.2’s anticipated change to final recommendation status would be sometime towards the end of July 2022.
WCAG 2.0 has 38 Level A and AA criteria
WCAG 2.1 added 12 Level A and AA criteria
WCAG 2.2 adds 8 new Level A and AA criteria
The most difficult of the new WCAG 2.2 criteria to implement from my perspective is accessible authentication, an A-level criterion. If any part of your website sits behind a login wall, password-less authentication is absolutely the first WCAG 2.2 criteria you should be investigating.
As far as public sector sales go, I do not see the US government adopting WCAG 2.1 or 2.2 as an update to 2.0 in 2022. It takes many hearings and comment periods for this to happen. Because those activities have not started yet, the standard used by state and federal government organizations is unlikely to change in 2022.
Prediction #5: Larger companies want to get a head start on WCAG 3.0.
WCAG 3.0 is by no means complete, but there are a couple of strong departures from the way WCAG 2.X operates that are proposed.
Changes in color contrast measurements
Currently, the method for measuring color contrast in WCAG 2.X is brute force and based on font size:
3.0:1 for text that is 18 points in average weight or above, or 16 point bold and above
4.5:1 for everything else
Another monster assumption in the way color analysis was performed under WCAG 2.X was that it didn’t matter which color was the text color or the background color. Under WCAG 2.X, color is color. One size fits all.
However, these guidelines didn’t exist when there was a mobile device in almost every pocket. Additionally, we’ve learned through research that it does matter for perception and understanding which is the foreground and which is the background colors.
APCA is the proposed next generation of color analysis for WCAG 3. There are several paradigm shifts here, including:
Scoring from 1 to 108. Like WCAG 2.X, the higher the score, the stronger the contrast.
Sliding scale considerations for font-weight, something that, as a person who struggles reading thin light fonts on dark backgrounds, I wholeheartedly applaud.
Which color is the text color is part of the calculations.
Consider these two screenshots of identical color comparisons. The only difference is:
in the first screenshot, the text color is white, and the background is royal blue.
in the second screenshot, the text is royal blue, and the background is white.
With the lower contrast font (where the text color is blue), a 200 weight font would require a font size of 33 pixels to be considered compliant. With the colors reversed (white text, blue background), a 200 weight font size of 30 pixels would be considered to be compliant.
Colors take FOREVER to get changed, especially when packaging or marketing collateral is involved. Companies that have been skating on the edge of WCAG 2.X compliance with 3.01 and 4.54 color ratios as measured by the current color standard would be well served to start looking at APCA, even though neither it nor WCAG 3 are final yet. Just about everyone agrees that WCAG 2.X’s approach to color is much too basic. WCAG 3 is guaranteed to be different. I wouldn’t start a multi-million dollar re-branding campaign yet, but 2022 is not too early to start thinking about a basic project plan for what it would take to update digital property color contrast and budgeting for that eventuality.
WCAG 2.0, 2.1, and 2.2 AAA guidelines
One of the significant changes proposed in WCAG 3.0 (aka Silver) is to move away from A, AA, AAA criteria that have been in place for years and replace them with a scoring system.
The way accessible software procurement works today requires procurement professionals with specific accessibility subject matter expertise to conduct a laborious review process. They digest ACR/VPATs to determine which of the competing vendors have more accessible products. With each ACR/VPAT sometimes over 100 pages in length, this can take days — think of it as comparing plot lines from multiple HG Wells novels to decide which one you like the best. Under the WCAG 3.0 proposal, with each product receiving a score, someone with no specific accessibility training can make an accessibility determination in minutes. All they will have to do is look at the scores for each product to derive “Vendor A’s product accessibility score is 3.7. Vendor B’s product accessibility score is 4.2. Therefore Vendor B’s product is more accessible.”
How does this scoring system factor into the trend? Under the current W3C Silver proposal, meeting WCAG 2.X AAA criteria will get products higher scores. If an organization always wants to come out on top of the scoring contest, they have to meet at least some WCAG 2.X AAA criteria. Up until now, WCAG 2.X AAA criteria have been considered aspirational by most development organizations.
Therefore, those companies who have already met WCAG 2.1 AA (which is many larger organizations) are looking at which WCAG 2.X AAA criteria they can add to be ready for when WCAG 3.0 becomes final. This is likely still three years off, but it will also put companies in a better place for when the European Accessibility Act becomes final in 2025. Since making something more accessible is not as simple as flipping a light switch, these companies are getting a head start to be more competitive when it becomes much easier to see who is more accessible.
edited on 1/1/22 to reflect that Lainey Feingold was not involved in the ADP settlement, but her Structured Negotiations process was used.
Hacks into PCs bring to mind words like “Payload”. We manage this website and just the security threats to your basic WordPress website is unprecedented.
A few days ago a new “Attack Platform” showed up for WordPress.
The first inclination is to shrug it off a bit and point out we speak of a website, yet many kiosks are running content and are connected to that very infrastructure. Thus they are at risk.
There are a couple of “goes without saying” precautions that should be considered:
Use a lockdown. There are several from KioWare, PROVISIO, KioskSimple, TIPS and KIOSK Core. These all “lock down” the common entry points like when the OS boots up, where the browser goes, and at what privilege level a user has available (and it won’t be root or admin).
Use a secure OS. Powering off a machine and back up is a critical juncture. Are there USB ports exposed, and which are enabled? Windows Embedded, POSReady and other windows iterations are designed for this industrial type use (also known as unattended).
Physical access to the machine and PC needs to be controlled.
“Tweaking” windows with assigned access and policies is fine but it usually takes multiple tries to finally lock down some of what the lockdowns lock down.
Windows Patch management (or Linux) — how are you going to implement that remotely and unattended?
How do you manage all those terminals.
What about the backoffice? Many “breaches” are into the datastores that the kiosks are building/using back in the office. Security begins at home…
Do you have contractors logging into your network? Take some advice from Target. Eliminate it or force them to log in only on secured terminals, not cheap PCs running freeware Malware protection (which doesn’t always update).
That’s some quick advice.
Here are some interesting and useful whitepapers out there.
ScholarChip and Shuttle Computer Group:
A Winning Combination
Knowing where students are at any given time is of vital importance for teachers and school administrators. Keeping track of attendance is an essential part of a school’s budget, including state and federal financial support, and in some cases, even teacher performance.
ScholarChip, a pioneer of centralized and integrated School Safety and Operations Systems, is a leading supplier of ID card security systems that helps school districts across America automate services like student and teacher attendance, school visitor monitoring, cafeteria point-of-sale activities, bus ride tracking, and others.
Instead of relying on old-fashioned attendance methods, ScholarChip’s automated platform centrally manages large group entry points, physical door access, and visitors, while its notification and alert services gives school administrators the tools they need to act in real time. Its products are technological, one-card solutions that have rapidly grown into an advanced and comprehensive security and multi-point attendance system.
ORIGINS
The company was founded in 2000 and used laptop computers, card readers, and proprietary software to create its flagship products. Knowing that there is constant technological innovation, by the early 2010s, ScholarChip was searching for a more efficient solution. Richard Seow, project manager for ScholarChip, discovered Shuttle Computer Group’s X50 all-in-one computer.
“We needed a very rugged, high-quality computer that would easily integrate so we could turn it into our own product,” said Seow. “Shuttle’s barebones computer came without a hard drive, memory, or operating system, and we were able to install everything we needed ourselves.”
Building their own was the key—and during this time, ScholarChip customized each computer they ordered, and built each kiosk accordingly.
The scenario at the time would typically go like this: new computers were delivered to ScholarChip; once received, each one was unpacked and plugged in. They would then set the BIOS, load the OS, load software, install the card reader, test it, unplug it, repack it, and deploy the system. This process worked for a good long time. And then the company started to really grow.
McDonald’s took one giant leap into its digital future this week, saying it’s switching to self-serve order stations and table delivery for all U.S. in-restaurant dining, and will soon roll out a new mobile order and pay system for the drive-thru.
The huge burger-centric chain said it piloted the new in-store system at 500 revamped U.S. restaurants in New York, Florida and Southern California over the course of about 44,000 orders and apparently liked what it saw. As a result, the new “justforyou experience” will now put vertical tabletop ordering touchscreens at tables, all but eliminating the order counter that has graced the Golden Arches locations’ since day one. Instead, McDonald’s crews will hand-deliver orders to customers tables in their restaurants, thus all but eliminating that much-abhorred line at the counter that has greeted customers all these years, simultaneously turning off millennials everywhere, according to research.
The “justforyou experience” is already in more than 2,000 restaurants elsewhere around the globe as well as the aforementioned 500 U.S. pilot sites. It will now start at locations in Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Seattle, Boston and Chicago, according to McDonald’s. The roll-out for all locations around the U.S. is less date-specific, since most locations are franchisee-owned and McDonald’s said the start-up cost of the new system falls on individual franchisees.
And change is coming for you in drive-thru, too
Of course, most McDonald’s customers never step foot inside the ubiquitous restaurants, but for them a change is also coming in the form of a new mobile ordering and payment system. In fact, the chain said on a new justforyou experience website today that it’s just plain ol’ “raising the bar on everything we do. … offering new ways to order and pay, table service and premium menu choices. Here are some of the potentially game-changing moves underway under the golden archs:
The “justforyou experience” and the audacious promise to “make ordering fun”: This includes the previously detailed tabletop touchscreen self-order kiosks with features allowing for individual order customization galore.
Higher end quality of food: This includes initiatives to make menu items more healthful, like “switching from margarine to butter” in that breakfast staple, the Egg McMuffin, as well as adding more trendier menu items, like guacamole, Sriracha mayo and even “premium” desserts.
Mobile, electronic, kiosk-based, Apple or Android and every other way available to pay: Kiosk payment? Check. Mobile pay? Check. Hands-free pay options? Check … maybe, after testing.
Table-side delivery service: With self-ordering kiosks in the restaurant, the food now comes to you and that line at the counter goes away.
New bolder, hipper look: Not many details on this one, but a promise that the chain is doing a decor refresh, featuring more up-to-date everything, as well as digital menu boards.
The digitization of drive-thru: The chain is currently testing digital drive-thru menu boards that change with the time of day, day of week, and month of year, for that matter plus … (drum roll please) … double lane drive-thrus all around.
In fact, on the new justforyou experience website, focused on all these new initiatives, there’s actually a virtual reality experience visitors can immerse themselves in as part of the all-American chain’s customer introduction to the whole new McDonald’s reality for a digital age.
Shelly Whitehead / Award-winning veteran print and broadcast journalist, Shelly Whitehead, has spent most of the last 30 years reporting for TV and newspapers, including the former Kentucky and Cincinnati Post and a number of network news affiliates nationally. She brings her cumulative experience as a multimedia storyteller and video producer to the web-based pages of Pizzamarketplace.com and QSRweb.com after a lifelong “love affair” with reporting the stories behind the businesses that make our world go ‘round. Ms. Whitehead is driven to find and share news of the many professional passions people take to work with them every day in the pizza and quick-service restaurant industry. She is particularly interested in the growing role of sustainable agriculture and nutrition in food service worldwide and is always ready to move on great story ideas and news tips.
We frequently get questions along the lines of “Can really tall people use your iPad kiosks?“, “Can children use your kiosks” or alternately “We need telescoping iPad kiosks so users can adjust the height“. This is particularly relevant for healthcare iPad kiosks and hospital iPad kiosks as patients may be seated, in bed, in a wheelchair or standing.
The short answer to the first two questions above is “Yes” and the answer to the last question is “You don’t need telescoping kiosks and it will most likely cause your users problems“.
Now allow me to explain why those answers are valid—but first a little background.
Our executive team has over 40 years of experience designing and deploying interactive kiosks for many fortune 500 companies and we have incorporated many of those lessons learned into the lilitab tablet kiosk platform. Prior to launching lilitab our customers often asked us the same questions for full-sized interactive kiosks (the kind you might encounter checking in at airports for example) and we always told them the same thing; height adjustability/telescoping is not a useful feature for the vast majority of kiosk deployments and it will only cause your users problems.
Why? Keep reading…
Good Design Always Wins
Upper 5th percentile male
A well-designed tablet kiosk will position the display at the right height and angle to accommodate the vast majority of people and wheelchair users. In designer parlance this is everyone above the lowest 5th percentile female (i.e. short women) and below the upper 5th percentile male (i.e. tall men). A good example of this are ATMs—they have no height adjustability and yet they manage to serve the vast majority of the public and banks are very sensitive to ADA lawsuits, they have very deep pockets after all. “But wait!” you say, “there are almost aways two heights of ATMs in every bank of ATMs; a lower height one and a taller one“. This is true. However that’s because ATMs are very sensitive about privacy and so they tilt the display back further than they ergonomically need to be, which results in the need for two heights; one for wheelchair users and one for everyone else.
Do They Even Know it’s There?
Lower 5th percentile female.
Most kiosk users are untrained (i.e. this is the first time they are using the device) and informing them of the presence of a height adjustable feature, where it is located and getting them to use it is very difficult. Most first time users walk up to the device and start interacting right away; very few of them will stop to read any instructions or look around the kiosk for a method to adjust the height. This can become a problem if the previous user adjusted the kiosk all the way up or all the way down as the subsequent users will likely not realize the kiosk can be height adjusted and just assume it is not meant to be used by them and keep walking. When consulting for a kiosk client on this very topic a few years ago we determined that most of their customers were not aware of the feature and many of their kiosks were permanently positioned all the way up or all the way down rendering them unusable for most people.
Don’t Overlook ADA Compliance
Wheelchair user.
ADA compliance requires that any user operated feature be operable with one hand and require only 5 lbs of force to operate. This means most would need a mechanical assist such as a gas spring or motor to move the kiosk up and down, anything else would open you up to ADA compliance lawsuits. This adds considerable cost for no real benefit (assuming you can serve the same range of users without height adjustment, which you can see diagrams inline).
For more details on ADA compliance see our previous blog posting on the subject here.
So How do you accommodate users of varying heights?
Well the first step is to identify what a “tall” and a “short” user are. According to our handy dandy ergonomic bible “Human Dimension & Interior Space” the upper 5th percentile male is @6′ 1″ tall and the lower 5th percentile female is @4’11” tall (you might add 1″ to that for shoes). Wheelchair users will fall in the middle so as long as you do not conflict with other ADA wheelchair requirements such as setback or side versus front approach (see our previous blog post here) you should be ok by just designing for those upper 5th percentile male and lower 5th percentile female users.
Adding tilt adjustment will increase the range of users you can accommodate but more importantly tilt adjustment is almost universally understood and easily used. This means that if you add tilt, your users will not find the kiosk in a state they can’t use it (too tall or too short) and they will instinctually understand how to adjust it to suit them just by tilting the display. Another key advantage of a tilting display over a telescoping is ADA compliance. The display only requires one hand and under 5 pounds of force to tilt so it’s ADA compliant.
Ok so what does this mean to the iPad kiosk deployer?
You can rest easy in the knowledge that all lilitab kiosk products are designed such that very tall and very short people can use them comfortably and are fully compliant with all ADA requirements. The lilitab Pro line incorporates user tilt which will help users adjust for glare from overhead lights, something that can be a concern in certain retail settings. The Basic line offers a fixed neck but is still fully ADA compliant and ergonomically compatible with very tall and very short users, by design.
The first kiosk debuted at a university in the 1970s, before Windows was even created. Kiosks have had an interesting past, and with the onset of marijuana and telehealth kiosks, its future may prove equally interesting. Picture from Kiosk Industry website marijuana industry article.
Source: www.kioskmarketplace.com
Good short piece by KMC/Cooper with commentary from Ben Wheeler of RedyRef. Calls out the marijuana Jane kiosk (not made by RedyRef). Healthcare with its pharmacy vending and telemedicine. We are big fans of telehealth. Finally tablet kiosks (especially Windows tablets). Not sure that is going to happen but you never know.
Editors Note: Huge round of thanks to the Metropolitan Airports Commission | Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport for the generous permission in the use of images below.
MSP has been in the news multiple times for its technology. Future Travel Experienceand Aviation Prosbeing the two most notable. Worth noting that apparently the inspiration for airport management came from what the local baseball team, the Minnesota Twins did (consolidate display information systems). Sixteen-Nine did a nice writeup and names some names.
Everybody loves photos and we have some good ones we can share (thanks to MAC).
A large digital billboard at the airport showcases an airplane with the text Safely connecting you to the world and the letters msp. In the foreground, part of an airplanes tail with numbers is visible, highlighting cutting-edge airport digital signage.
A large digital sign on a glass building reads NOW OPEN! Silver Parking Ramp with TRAVEL CONFIDENTLY MSP below. The airport digital signage features a blue sky with clouds background.
A busy airport terminal buzzes with travelers, their luggage in tow. Above, a row of digital signage screens updates flight and security information, casting a glow on kiosks below. Ceiling lights shine brightly over the bustling scene.
A monitor featuring airport digital signage displays information about security checkpoint statuses. The hall is busy with travelers, some walking and others standing. Overhead, a bright yellow sign with a question mark is visible.
A digital screen at the airport displays that the North security checkpoint is closed, guiding passengers to the South. In the background, travelers move about beneath large airport digital signage featuring a prominent question mark.
The airport terminal is vibrant with digital signage featuring flight information, security checkpoint statuses, and event details for a DJ performance. Screens are mounted on a pristine white wall, accompanied by smaller monitors below.
A row of vehicles lined up near an airport terminal entrance, where digital signage indicates accessibility assistance. Modern glass and metal architecture gleams in the background against clear skies.
A person stands at a baggage claim carousel in an airport, picking up a suitcase. The modern interior features wooden ceiling panels and digital signage displaying flight information and advertisements. Other travelers are seen in the background.
A family stands at an airport check-in counter, surrounded by digital screens displaying Self-Tagged Bag Drop and Sky Priority. The area is empty, bordered by red ropes, with airport digital signage highlighting the South Security Checkpoint overhead.
A traveler with a suitcase ascends an escalator in an airport terminal, where sleek digital signage efficiently guides passengers to baggage claim and ground transportation. Modern architecture showcases prominent circular ceiling lights, enhancing the futuristic ambiance.
A person with luggage descends an escalator in a modern airport terminal, where sleek digital signage displays directions to baggage claim and ground transportation. Large screens against a landscape background enhance the well-lit space with contemporary design elements.
A traveler with a red suitcase moves through an airport terminal toward the Delta International Check-In area. Digital signage above guides passengers to agent assistance, self-tagged bag drop, and other services. The terminal is spacious and well-lit.
An empty airport check-in area features sleek digital signage, with screens displaying @mspairport and @suncountryair next to Check-in instructions. It reminds passengers that face coverings are required. The modern space is enhanced by overhead lighting and a linoleum floor.
Touchless operation of kiosk or presentation devices – Available in combination with SiteKiosk Windows and SiteKiosk Cloud or Server
The way people use terminals in public spaces is changing to comply with new hygiene guidelines. The new Smart Kiosk Control feature offers an alternative input for terminals by enabling touchless operation using your own smartphone. Smart Kiosk Control is also a great choice for hosting presentations or to increase accessibility of the terminal.
Functionality of the remote control for terminals
Click for full size Smart Kiosk Remote
Your smartphone works as a remote on the terminal similar to the way a touchpad moves a mouse pointer. Left and right mouse clicks are triggered via on-screen buttons on the mobile device. Your device can also be used to enter text and numbers. Alternatively, separate remote-control interfaces can be generated for your own SiteKiosk or CMS applications (formerly SiteCaster).
Technical Implementation
After scanning a QR code, a website opens on the devices that provide the kiosk controls. Communication takes place via websocket connection between the mobile device and a public server (e.g. SiteRemote) with internal tunneling to the terminal. In custom projects, the communication channel between kiosk and smartphone can be used for any purpose and also employ a custom interface.
NASA Ticketing Kiosks Video – Double Vision Screen Terminal
Wow. Been a long long time since we’ve seen stacked double screens in a ticketing kiosk. Usually, it’s an overhead attractor but this is a new design iteration that makes the old overhead attractor iteration look rudimentary. Worth noting too that the top screen is independently controlled via BrightSign.
Overhead attractors running digital signage “attract loops” as they are called have been around forever. You can see if before and after that originally the ticket stalls had the quintessential tacked-on overhead “nude” display. Didn’t exactly exude super technology that takes you to the moon and beyond. Negative branding in fact. Communicating upscale is always better than communicating very cheap.
You may remember that phase of ATM Toppers where that industry adopted the overhead digital sign tactic. Pretty tough sell with an ATM since its intrinsic value was always just getting cash.
One problem with promotional supplemental digital signage is in a case like this with fixed admission tickets, there really is no opportunity to upsell or modify the order. In fixed ticketing, the objective is to sell more tickets, faster and more efficiently. The buzz phrase is line busting the queue. Maybe in an entertainment venue where proximity and upsell came into play…
Here in this case, the upper screen can prep or pre-instruct the user to have their payment method ready to use and payment methods accepted. By the time they make their way to head of the line and get to the actual ticketing screen, they can then conduct a faster and less error-prone transaction.
Everybody is happy.
My guess is too these units don’t accept cash and that part of the upper prep scheme content is the phrase “E-Payment via CC or E-Wallet Only”.
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex chose us to custom design and supply ticketing kiosks. The design we came up with is inspired by the command consoles of the newer generation rockets. The kiosks literally slip right into the old ticket windows. Not a single screw is used to lock the kiosks into the window frame. In fact, you could remove the kiosk and replace the glass in under an hour. I’ll post more details at a later date.
‘Ship Dining on the Go’ moves touchscreen kiosks
The Slate Online
Students can now pre-order food from convenient locations around campus, thanks to efforts by Chartwells, the company that runs Shippensburg University Dining Services.
San Francisco, CA (RestaurantNews.com) Spendgo, the digital loyalty startup, today announced a national enterprise account partnership with Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. to scale its loyalty
Craig Allen Keefner‘s insight:
The fully branded program will feature custom images of the franchise’s most popular barbecue menu items on a Spendgo touch screen placed at each point of sale register. Customers, who input their phone numbers on the interactive display, will immediately start earning rewards and personalized offers. A separate kiosk tablet station will be set up in each store incentivizing customers who complete an online profile with bonus points.
State newspaper association dedicates hall of fame kiosk
Bismarck Tribune
The association honored the two living members of the hall of fame, Bill Marcil and Sen. John Andrist, R-Crosby, during the dedication.
Sunglass Hut has debuted a new retail brand, Shaded, in the form of a freestanding, open-air kiosk. Targeted at Millenials, the format puts an emphasis on interactivity.
Arbor Australia is looking for a business partner to roll out automated nail art kiosks after it was left holding the rights because its original client went out of business.
Craig Keefner‘s insight:
Of the 30, only 8 delivered – 6 to the US one to UK and one to Australia. The remaining 22 were intended for Queensland, where Glamour Nail was based.
Numerous internet threads with retailers claiming they paid tens of thousands of dollars to Glamour Nail for kiosks never delivered.
The kiosk industry has matured and increasingly is focusing on specific niches rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, industry insiders say.
Craig Allen Keefner‘s insight:
Optimism on where the self-service kiosk industry is these days. Commentators include Ron Bowers of Frank Mayer talking about 4200 SoloHealth units and Frank Olea of Olea with custom kiosk production driving his company to double revenue this year.
Vancouver Airport Authority has announced that its BorderXpress kiosks in use at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) are now able to process visa-carrying travellers including business or tourist visa holders, Mexican travellers with border crossing cards and foreign airline crew members.
MANISTEE — Patients seeing West Shore Medical Center employed health care providers in Manistee have a convenient new option for checking in when they arrive for their appointments. West Shore has installed self check-in kiosks in the lobby of the primary care office, located at 1400 E. Parkdale Ave., and on the first level of …
The Vancouver Airport Authority has announced an upgrade to its BorderXpress kiosks, with new biometric technology from Cross March that enables international
Craig Keefner‘s insight:
Interesting too is the purchase of Digital Persona by Cross Match which consolidates a large range of biometrics
ALPHARETTA, GEORGIA, UNITED STATES, March 1, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ — Launching in Q2, Charge to Charge is the first-of-its-kind payment system designed to address new rules regarding credit card payment acceptance and regulations concerning displaying charging session data in real-time. EV charging manufacturers and consumers can now enjoy the benefits of a turnkey EV charging POS software solution with an online station management portal and digital signage capabilities.
With huge investments being made in EV charging infrastructure in the US and Canada, it was clear that station manufacturers and operators needed a powerful self-contained POS and EMV contact and contactless payment system to ensure local compliance, increase their speed to market, and provide them with the reporting and management tools they need to run a successful EV charging business.
Charge to Charge is easy to install and runs directly on the outdoor-rated payment device, reducing costs and potential failure points. The EMV-certified solution accepts contact and contactless payment cards and popular digital wallets such as ApplePay and Google Pay. The Charge to Charge application is easily integrated into smart charging modules, and APIs are available for third-party app integration. Station operators can use the idle screen digital advertising capability in the management portal to schedule and update ads whenever they want.
Charge to Charge is brought to you by self-service payment industry experts with over 30 years of combined experience. We support you and help you run a successful EV charging business.
Looking for a complete solution? Just answer a few simple questions about your kiosk project and experts quickly explain your payment integration options.
New tool for finding payment solutions released by UCP Inc. Whether you want to operate a kiosk, or you are selling a solution to owner/operators, the right payment solution is extremely important. This tool guides you toward making the best possible choice.
Factors
What is the use case? Examples:
Self order kiosk for restaurant
ticketing kiosk for outdoor venue
Which operating system?
Typically Windows
Android
Linux
Apple
Chrome Flex
Raspberry Pi
Will you own and operate the kiosk?
Or are you selling kiosk solutions to owner/operators?
Where will the kiosks be physically located
Indoors
Outdoors
Sheltered
Next to the ocean?
Wherever
Do you have a preferred processing platform or “merchant provider”
For merchant service provider the potential answer can be so many things. You might answer Fiserv, TSYS, Global Payments, Heartland, Chase, Worldpay etc. Basically all the usual suspects.
However, all of those processors have ISOs (Independent Sales Organizations) which could be Wells Fargo or Bank of America for example which are both Fiserv ISOs.
You might also say something like Priority Payments, which is an ISO of both Fiserv and TSYS. Or Payroc, which is also an ISO of FirstData and TSYS.
You could say they get their merchant services currently through Bank of Nevada or some credit union for example, in which case UCP would need to look at the bank’s website to ascertain what processor(s) they are aligned with.
Is the application you are deployed native to the kiosk or is it cloud-based application
The options for a cloud-based app are different than a local application.
Unattended Card Payments Inc. (UCP) is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. We specialize in selling EMV-compliant card payment terminals and pre-certified software for use in the North American region.
After huge growth in the UK & European markets with our sister company Hemisphere West Europe Ltd, the decision was made to expand into the North American market and offer our signature brand of unbiased and honest advice to a marketplace only just beginning to adopt EMV technology.
What does UCP do?
Unattended Card Payments (UCP) operates a PCI PIN and P2PE validated key injection facility. This means that we safeguard and inject the bank’s encryption keys into card payment devices. Simply put, we are a value-added distributor for top tier terminal manufacturers like Ingenico, Verifone, ID Tech, PAX and others.
As the name suggests, we specialize in unattended implementations.
Our main customers are kiosk manufacturers, transportation solution providers, parking solution providers, automated retail solution providers, quick service restaurant solution providers, automated ticket vending providers for attractions, etc.
Upper 5th percentile male
Lower 5th percentile female.
Wheelchair user.
Well the first step is to identify what a “tall” and a “short” user are. According to our handy dandy ergonomic bible “Human Dimension & Interior Space” the upper 5th percentile male is @6′ 1″ tall and the lower 5th percentile female is @4’11” tall (you might add 1″ to that for shoes). Wheelchair users will fall in the middle so as long as you do not conflict with other ADA wheelchair requirements such as setback or side versus front approach (see our previous blog post 
