Kiosk Receipt Printers FAQ – Native or Cloud?

kiosk receipt printer

Kiosk Receipt Printers – Native and Cloud

Nice article and interview on POSGuys on Do’s and Don’t of Receipt Printers.  They interviewed some product specialists from Star Micronics.

Key Takeaways

1. Don’t assume all receipt printers are made equal or will integrate the same. Some use different languages and the type of application you’re developing will change your integration approach. Additionally, receipt printers aren’t like normal document printers. They have special requirements.
2. There are two main ways to develop a receipt printer into your software. Cloud-based printing setups and native setups. Cloud printing is great because it can run on any operating system since it’s accessed over the internet. It’s also great because it’s a one-shot-and-you’re-done solution, eliminating the need to develop each operating system. BUT it requires an internet connection and you’ll need to host a web server. Security concerns may arise as well. On the other hand, Native printing setups provide flexible connectivity options, including USB, USB Lightning, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or Bluetooth. In particular, Windows and Mac development is usually easier since you use the driver. At the same time, native applications are limited to the operating system they’re designed for and may require different development for each operating system.
3. Don’t save receipt printer integration until the last minute. The later you are in the development process, the less options you’re going to have.
4. Getting a receipt printer integrated is only part of the bigger picture. Don’t forget to consider how your end users will source the hardware you’ve certified, how they will install it on their system, and who will support them if they run into technical issues.
5. If you’re feeling stuck, reach out to an expert. There’s plenty of free resources available for developers and POSGuys can connect you with them.

Excerpt: We’ve been getting a lot of questions from software developers lately asking us how they should integrate a receipt printer into their POS software. We took those questions DIRECTLY to the experts over at Star Micronics! Prefer to read? Find a summarized version here: https://posguys.com/blog/coltons-corn… Want to learn more? Have more questions? Email [email protected] or visit POSGuys.com and we’ll get you connected with the resources you need.

VIDEO

TIME STAMPS

00:55 – Overview of Differences Between Cloud Vs Native

00:01:10 – Native Application Pros, Cons, and Development Best Practices

00:06:28 – Using Cloud Printing for Cross-Platform Development

00:08:41 – Cloud Application Pros, Cons, and Development Best Practices

00:10:52 – Common Mistakes ISVs Make & How to Avoid Them

Full Text of Interview

A Transcript of our Conversation
Please Note: This conversation’s transcript was generated using computer AI. There might be small grammatical errors. Please call us for more information

Colton: Hey everybody, this is Colton with POSGuys.com. Today we have something a little different here today. Over the past year, we’ve been getting a lot of requests from software developers who have been coming to us asking for our opinion on how to develop certain parts of their receipt writer for point-of-sale software. Either for new software altogether or looking to integrate a new printing solution to an existing setup. I thought that the best approach would be to get some experts on the line here. So today, I have two representatives from Star Micronics. They’re one of the industry’s largest printer manufacturers, and they do a ton of work with us here. I’ll pass it over to you all if you want to introduce yourselves, say who you are, and what you do.”

Mark (Star Micronics): Hi everyone, my name is Mark Rasho and I am the integration manager here at Star Micronics. We have one of our integration specialists here, Oreo.

Oreo (Star Micronics): Yeah, so my name is Oreo. Like Mark said, I’m one of the integration specialists here at Star. I usually work with software developers just to make sure that their solutions are integrated with the right approach.

POSGuys: Well, thank you all so much for being here. I really appreciate it. So I’ll start us off here. It’s my understanding that there are two main approaches when you’re looking to develop a receipt printer for your point of sale software. You could either go with a native application or a cloud application, and both are pretty popular nowadays. The cloud is a little more popular now than it has been in previous years. Could you all explain very briefly what the difference is between those two solutions and what some of the pros and cons might be with going either way?

Star Micronics: Yeah, so you’re right that there are two approaches to consider: the native versus cloud-based approach. With native applications, we’re typically looking at an application that’s designed for a Windows or Mac computer, similar to older library software that only runs on Windows. Native applications are limited to the operating system they’re designed for, so if you design an application for Windows, it won’t run on a Mac due to the differences in programming language and operating system.

On the other hand, cloud-based applications remove that barrier entirely. They can run on any operating system because they’re accessed over the Internet. You simply go to the application’s website and can do whatever you need to do, including printing and placing orders. Cloud-based applications are becoming more popular because they’re a one-shot-and-you’re-done solution, eliminating the need to develop for each operating system.

With native applications, you typically have a flexible connectivity type, including USB, USB Lightning, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or Bluetooth. More recently, you’ll probably see USBC, which Android currently uses and iOS is migrating to. With USBC, you have power delivery and faster communication.

The differences between Android, iOS, and Windows typically involve the cost of the devices, with Android being more cost-effective, and the extra step you need for iOS, which requires an MFi approval from Apple to have it in the Apple Store. Windows and Mac development is usually easier as you use the driver, but we also have an SDK that gives you more control compared to the driver.”

POSGuys: At the end there, you mentioned that an SDK provides more control than a driver. Can you give an example of what that might look like?

Star: Yes, let me explain. When it comes to printing applications, one common feature is the ability to open the cash drawer. This can be done with both the SDK and the driver, but with the driver, you only have two control options: always open the drawer or never open it. That means on every transaction, the drawer will either open or stay closed.

However, with the SDK, you have more control. You can program the application to send the command to open the drawer only when it’s a cash transaction, but not when it’s a credit card transaction. That way, the drawer will only ever open when cash needs to be handed to the customer as change. This is just one example of why the SDK offers more control than the driver.

POSGuys: That’s actually a really good example. I’ve been getting a lot of requests lately from developers looking to do something just like that, as well as from end-users. So that’s a really good example.

Taking a step back, back in the day, Windows was king, and everybody had a Windows-based application. That was the bread and butter. Then we started to see these iOS applications pop up. And as Mark mentioned before, now Android is really big. So it’s kind of at this point where customers, the people that are using the software, are expecting to be able to use that software from any device that they use. That’s kind of the set expectation or the gold standard.

And I imagine with the native setup, you must have to develop a separate printing application for each type of device you want to run on, is that correct?

Star: Partially correct. It’s not a hard requirement to create a separate application for every one of those platforms. That’s something that’s becoming popular these days with cross-platform programming languages like React Native, and you have .NET Xamarin or .NET Maui now, since they moved from Xamarin. With cross-platform applications like React Native, you can use one programming language, and with that, you can use that application on Windows, iOS, and Android. Yes, you are still creating three separate applications, but you’re using one programming language, and that makes things easier. So one application you’ve already created for iOS can easily port to Android because it’s just a wrapper around the programming language it uses to make things work on the other operating systems.

It depends on what your solution is and what exactly you have in mind for this solution. It’s usually best to reach out to Chris guys; they will get you in contact with us, or you can reach out to Star directly. Then we would speak with you to get the entire scope of the project and then kind of go over what the best approach would be to develop a solution.”

POSGuys: Yeah, that’s a really good point. Okay, so keeping that in mind, let’s take another step back and look at the other type of setup we were talking about before, which is a cloud application. Could you break down for the people watching this what a typical cloud application looks like and how it works?

Star: Cloud-based applications are usually hosted on a web server and can be accessed over the internet. The biggest difference between cloud and native being that native needs direct communication with the device or the same network. This isn’t a requirement of cloud print as any device, including the printer with internet access, will be able to communicate with the server directly. Typically, there are two ways of connecting a printer to the internet: Ethernet and Wi-Fi. However, Star has created TetherLAN, which is for devices with a cellular application, such as a 4G or 5G device, tablet, cell phone, or hotspot. That device can provide internet access to the printer via USB cable, so there’s no need to have it hardwired or connected to Wi-Fi. A 4G or 5G device is going to start being able to do that, and this is great for franchises who want a turnkey solution, as it opens up more options for them.

POSGuys: That’s a really good point, and I imagine that gives the end users a lot more flexibility with how they want to lay out their stores. In this day and age, end users are expecting to be able to use the software in a number of different ways, and how the changing landscape of what a retail or hospitality application looks like is something that’s really important for our people.

We’ve been in the weeds a lot technically speaking, so I wanted to kind of get us out of that for a moment. I know I see a lot of software developers and end users make some common mistakes, but I’m interested to hear from you all since you are working with these software developers every day. What are some of the really common mistakes that you’re seeing ISVs making when they’re starting to develop their software to work with your printers?”

Star Micronics: I think the biggest mistake that we see developers make or companies make as a whole when they’re trying to develop point-of-sale solutions is that they bring up their drawing board to go about, ‘Okay, what’s this project going to look like? What are the timelines? Stuff like that.’ But they never bring the printing portion in until the very end. So, I don’t know if it never crosses their mind that they’re going to want to print receipts for customers, but we typically see developers reach out to us when they’re in that final stage. They finish developing everything, and now it’s like, ‘Oh, we got to print a receipt,’ and then they’re like, ‘Okay, let’s reach out to the different receipt companies to see, okay, can your receipt printer work with our solution?’ This solution has already been made, so now we’re stuck in the box of, okay, we have to make it work with their solution, right? What I would say is, if you bring the receipt companies in during that initial stage, so that we can see what programming language would be best. Some SDKs are in C-sharp or Java or whatever, and if you’re using something completely different, then now you’re forced to go find a third-party library outside to get your application to work with the printer. But if we’re involved from the very beginning, not necessarily from the start of your project when the idea comes to you, but once we get to that stage of okay, we want to start developing, bring us in. Our integration team usually helps support the entire integration process, so the earlier we’re brought on, the easier things get.”

POSGuys: That’s a really good point, you know. On my side, I can’t even count on my fingers the number of times I’ve run into developers who come to me at the very last minute and say, ‘I haven’t done the receipt printer, and I have people that I need to present this to in a week. Can you help me out?’ And it’s really difficult. The other big thing, um, that my company personally deals with a lot is the Supply Chain management side of things. You know, and if you don’t sort of keep in mind the supply chain from a hardware perspective, you know, especially with receipt printers, and we’ve seen this in the last couple years, and you develop for very, very narrow types of applications that require very specific printers, it can put your end users in a really tough spot, you know? And that makes your software not look good at the end, right, when they’re not able to get the tangible things that they need to run a business. So, that’s a really good example, Oreo. Thanks for bringing it up.

Star Micronics: And, uh, I think one other example is developers think every printer works the same, right? Or when they think of printers, they’re thinking of the document printers, right, like the HP Laser, because everyone is used to like an HP printer, right? Everyone went to school printed with like HP printers, you have to go to the library to print stuff, so everyone is thinking of printers in that way, but that’s not exactly how receipt printers work. They have the emulations that they use, the kind of commands that they understand, right? Some printers are image only, some printers support text, right? So, these are things you need to consider when developing your application because the final format of the contents of the receipts determines what printer you use, right? Because if you’re, if when you’re developing your application, you’re generating the contents as images, then you can use an image printer, but with that, you can’t use a text-based printer, right? So, those are the little things to consider as well before choosing a printer or how best to generate the data for the receipt.

POSGuys: Yeah, that’s a good point. Perfect. Well, gentlemen, that sort of wraps up the list of questions that I get from most of my end users. And I really appreciate you all both for being here. If you’re watching this video now and you have any other questions, I know this was a relatively brief overview, it’s a big topic. So, if you have any questions about, you know, what sort of printers you should be using, what kind of application you should be considering, definitely feel free to reach out to us, POS Guys, and we can get you connected with Star Micronics and sort of get you off on the right foot from the very beginning. And that’s super important, as Oreo had sort of explained. So, with that, thank you all so much for being here.

Star: It’s been a pleasure to have you. Yeah, thank you so much. Appreciate it.”


More posts

And then of course there a Ticket Printers

Whole Food Amazon DropOff and SCO

Whole Food Self-Check Out SCO

Whole Foods Amazon Drop Off & SCO Self-Checkout

We shop at Whole Foods from time to time. Part of our Costco-WholeFoods equation. Seemed like a good time to “check out” the SCO there and the return lockers.  We have also added some video from Marks and Spencers grocery checkout which illustrates a common problem with touchscreens.  For more on SCOs see our Lowes post which includes Target Stores and Home Depot.

Notes on the Wholefoods Amazon SCO

  • Modified unit from NCR (same as Walmart)
  • No cash (unlike Walmart)
  • We didn’t have a chance to test while in wheelchair and do the measurements.
  • They have an “Accessibility Mode” which you can select but other than bring up the diamond navigation there is no audio. Perhaps there is a headphone jack we missed.
  • The diamond nav does tab between interface options but there was no audio. There is an audio button and we made sure volume all the way up but nothing.
  • Additional Comments by TaylorPOS
    • The measurements matter but reach and range (only) are what have been the very problems forever.   Those NCR’s POS readers are way out of use for wheelchairs and highly probable for a lot of little people.
    • It also does not comply with PCI-POI (“must be able to PIN shield using the body”.  As well as ADA 302.8 limited reach and strength and 508 (ICT) 302.2 aka: ADA Visual Accommodation.
    • Seriously, these mfg’s and businesses including IT dept are just clueless to accessibility being correctly provided.
    • The reasons for ADA 309 and 309.4 are in place for very good reasons.
  • Comments from accessibility expert
    • That NCR SCO is a really poor example of how to tackle accessibility, isn’t it??! If I had a ‘rogues gallery’ of horribly designed SCOs, I’d be adding that to it. I saw KIS’s returns kiosk at the NRF Show and it looked really slick, I must start looking out for them. I haven’t been to a Whole Foods for a while, but maybe I’ll stop by one when I’m out and about at the weekend.

  • Comments from NCR  — promised several times but ultimately no response
  • Comments from Whole Foods
Whole Food Self-Check Out SCO

Whole Food Self-Check Out SCO

The Whole Foods Amazon Drop Off Return Locker

  • Nice unit and it was very busy.
  • Returning multiple items took very few minutes.
  • Seemed like some customers tried to open locker before time
  • We watched multiple customers and given the “Pick you Satisfaction” level review at the end they all opted for Very Satisfied.
  • Eventually the locker ran out of space and took itself offline.
  • Definitely free’s up the customer service people to deal with other issues
  • See full post on Amazon Dropoff and Return Lockers
amazon drop off locker

click for full size – amazon drop off locker


Related Posts

Accessibility and Marks & Spencers

Touchscreen Cleaning

Here is a good example of how useless antimicrobial coatings are. And our guess is that over 90% of all touchscreen  touches are made actually by employees.

Kroger Deli

Kroger Deli

Would you believe it if I told you?

bad ada

bad ada

Kiosks – Definition

ticketing kiosk

Kiosks – what are they

not a kiosks

Not a real kiosk though it says it is. Small business is constantly taken advantage of with the “Ok to go cheap” singsong

Kiosks are easy to define but also confusing. We deal in electronic kiosks. Round structures in Turkey where village notices were published is the origin. And then came computers and electronic kiosks.

You’ll note that we often use the phrase “kiosk kiosks”. That indicates that whatever is being called a kiosk, is actually a kiosk.  Many will call a collection of components scattered on a table, connected to touch screen a kiosk. It is not.  The Remote Merchandising Unit or RMU is often called a “kiosk” but that is physical booth and not a machine.

From Investopedia

What Is a Kiosk?

A kiosk refers to a small, temporary, stand-alone booth used in high-traffic areas for marketing purposes. A kiosk is usually manned by one or two individuals who help attract attention to the booth to get new customers. Retail kiosks are frequently located in shopping malls or on busy city streets with significant foot traffic and provide owners with a low-cost alternative to market their products or services.

Google likes this description from KIOSK Information Systems

Retailers want to invigorate sales and entice customers back into physical stores with self-service options that streamline transactions. KIOSK offers a portfolio of solutions for returns, payments, endless aisle, rentals, virtual support services, and more.

Definition of Kiosks – A Long Catalog of Attempts

  • From Cambridge — a small building where things such as candy, drinks, or newspapers are sold through an open window
  • Oxford — a small shop, open at the front, where newspapers, drinks, etc. are sold. In some countries kiosks also sell food and things used in the home.
  • Etymology — 1620s, “kind of open pavilion” (made of light wood, etc., often supported by pillars), from French kiosque (17c.), which is (along with German and Polish kiosk) from Turkish koshk, kiöshk “pavilion, summer house,” from Persian kushk “palace, villa; pavilion, portico.” They were introduced in Western Europe 17c. as ornaments in gardens and parks. Later of street newsstands (1865), on some resemblance of shape, a sense perhaps originally in French. Modern sense has been influenced by British telephone kiosk (1928).
  • 1472 – Mehmed II the Conqueror built the Tiled Kiosk [see Wikipedia]
real kiosks

A real kiosk! KIOSK in Colorado makes this one for Amazon and Whole Foods it appears to us. Click for full size…

The closest “kiosks” to those might be modern-day RMUs or Remote Merchandising Units.  Digital signage displays (airport departure and arrival times) centered in airport terminals are variations of the “informational kiosk”

Definition in Today’s World

Here is a collection of “definitions” which have been proffered, attempted by various entities. Public computer systems by Los Alamos has held up pretty well for 30 years.

  • From Los Alamos Report 1994 –

    Until recently, it was a small, rugged standalone structure often used as a newsstand, bandstand, or other commercial enterprise. The definition is evolving to include computer systems found in public places. These public computer systems are designed to provide an alternative avenue to reach information and services. The user is presented with an attractive structure that has been designed to provide a simple, friendly interface to novice computer users. It performs an easily automated task, freeing personnel from boring, tedious labor. Link

    • Types of Kiosks According To Los Alamos Report
      • They are being used as a primary tool to improve the effectiveness of limited personnel and provide easy and convenient access to a wide range of services. Most of these kiosks are built to perform one of the following functions:
        • To advertise a commercial product.
        • To collect or dispense specific information.
        • To exchange information, funds, and/or services.
  • ChatGPT 2023

    — It is a small, free-standing physical structure used for displaying information or selling products or services. It typically includes an interactive screen or touchpad for users to access information or complete transactions. They are commonly found in public places such as airports, shopping malls, and train stations.

  • Kiosk Industry

    • A self-service kiosk or computer kiosk (some like an electronic kiosk) is a standalone terminal used by customers and employees to provide a self-service channel for general transactions. They can be informational (a wayfinding provides directions, for example), or they can be transactional (e.g., Verizon bill pay).
  • Investopedia

    • Refers to a small, temporary, stand-alone booth used in high-traffic areas for marketing purposes.It is usually manned by one or two individuals who help attract attention to the booth to get new customers. Retail locations are frequently located in shopping malls or on busy city streets with significant foot traffic and provide owners with a low-cost alternative to market their products or services.
  • KioskMarketplace 2023 Census

    • “An interactive, self-serve device provided by a venue, not the user, that helps the user do something that is informational and/or transactional that streamlines, automates or eliminates wait or cost.”

Here is a “Shady Kiosk” from a Dollar General store. Is this a kiosk kiosk? Nope. It is desktop monitor stuck on a table.  Apparently this kiosk “cost” a dollar to make.

What They Are NOT

  • For purposes of market research they are not SCOs at Krogers or Walmart. Those are hybrid POS checkouts.
  • Again, for purposes of market research they are NOT ATMs, though there are now Bitcoin ATMs and those are built by kiosk manufacturers.
  • Those nice Verizon RMUs at airports?  They are not kiosks.
  • Digital signage?  The DS industry likes to insert the word “Interactive” but that is irrelevant for purposes of digital signage.
  • EV Chargers — that gets complicated as there are multiple models and some qualify as a kiosk and some do not.
  • Smart City?  that’s borderline…

Pictures

Videos

Hotel Hospitality Kiosk (by Olea)

Marijuana Vending Kiosk

Farmers Fridge Robotic Vending Machine

farmers fridge vending

Farmer’s Fridge Robotics Vending Machine

A look at robotic food vending — From Retail Systems.

Nice robotic vending for food by Farmers Fridge.  Homepage | Farmer’s Fridge Fresh, Convenient Meals Whether you’re an organization looking to feed your people or looking for a simple way to eat well, we’ve got you covered with ready-to-eat meals. Learn About Fridges Purchase With Purpose We’re thrilled to partner with Feeding America®️ to help reduce hunger in America.

This reminds us quite a bit of the robotic marijuana vending.

Farmer’s Fridge is a Chicago-based company that provides fresh, healthy, and convenient meals through automated vending machines. The company has over 400 vending machines located in airports, offices, hospitals, and universities across the United States 1. The meals are made daily by a team of chefs and nutritionists using seasonal and locally sourced ingredients 2. The company offers a wide range of ready-to-eat meals, including salads, wraps, bowls, and breakfast items 1. Farmer’s Fridge is committed to reducing food waste and promoting sustainability by using compostable packaging and donating unsold food to local charities 2.

Editors Note: Farmers Fridge has been around for a long time. We did our first post back in 2015. Used to be made of wood.  Started in Chicago.  Link to original post

Offerings

  • Salads with more flavor than you’d expect from a bowl o’ veggies
  • Bowls full of hearty grains and fresh produce
  • Snacks, wraps and drinks – AKA, all the good stuff to round out your meal

Farmers Fridge Distribution

Farmers Fridge News

Eater Chicago

From ORD to LAX, This Chicago Company Has Built a Healthier Vending Machine

07.16.23

KTLA Off The Clock

Technically Speaking: Taste testing salads from a vending machine

05.16.23

St Louis Mag

How Farmer’s Fridge is hoping to grow in St. Louis and beyond

05.14.23

WSJ

Do Calories Count If You Eat Them In An Airport?

04.11.23

KTLA

Fresh salads from a vending machine? Yep.

05.02.23

Rich On Tech Podcast

5/6/23

05.05.23

TODAY Show

Farmer’s Fridge dispenses healthy food with a push of a button

04.30.23

Media Coverage

 

Video


Related Posts

ANSI Draft for Electric Vehicles Released for Comment

EV Charging Kiosks

ANSI EV Standards and Codes Draft Released

May 2025 — Progress Report Released by ANSI – updates on EV-related standards, research, and conformity assessment activities, captures suggested modifications to existing gaps, and identifies additional gaps to be considered for future roadmap reports.
https://ev-charging-stations.org/progress-report-released-by-ansi-electric-vehicles-standards


New York, March 31, 2023: The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) released today for public review and comment a draft of the Roadmap of Standards and Codes for Electric Vehicles at Scale developed by the Institute’s Electric Vehicles Standards Panel (EVSP). The roadmap identifies key safety, performance, and interoperability issues; notes relevant published and in-development standards; and makes recommendations to address gaps in codes and standards. This includes recommending pre-standardization research and development (R&D) where needed. It also proposes prioritized timeframes for when standardization work should occur and standards developing organizations (SDOs) or others that may be able to lead such work. Working groups have been developing the draft roadmap since a kickoff event held in June 2022.

Comments Invited by May 1, 2023

The request for comment specifically invites comments that represent critical revisions and needed clarifications on the roadmap content. Comments on the draft roadmap may be submitted to [email protected] by close of business on Monday, May 1, 2023. Use of the comment form (see below) is required to better manage and review comments. The EVSP working groups are currently on hiatus and will reconvene in May to address the comments submitted and finalize the document for publication by the end of June 2023. While all comments are welcome, the EVSP reserves the right to hold disposition of comments in reserve for a future iteration of the document if they cannot be addressed within the time available. This might include, for example, comments on the document’s organization, or issues not addressed.

The draft roadmap and related materials may be downloaded as follows:

  • Working Draft Roadmap of Standards and Codes for Electric Vehicles at Scale (152 page pdf file)
  • Instructions for Using Comment Form (pdf file)
  • Comment Form (required) (Excel file). When accessing the comment form, you may be prompted for credentials; just hit “Cancel” one or more times to download and open the document

Building on ANSI EVSP roadmaps developed in the 2011-14 timeframe, the draft document seeks to describe the current and desired future standardization landscape that will support and facilitate EVs at scale. The roadmap’s primary focus is on light duty, on-road plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) that are recharged via a connection to the electrical grid, as well as the supporting charging infrastructure needed to power them. Medium and heavy-duty EVs are also covered. Topics covered include standards to address high power DC charging, storage (i.e., microgrid, distributed energy resource management systems) integrated with DC charging, vehicle grid integration, high power scalable/interoperable wireless charging, and vehicle-oriented systems. The broad target audience includes vehicle manufacturers, entities that will be installing and operating charging infrastructure; SDOs; U.S. federal, state, and municipal government agencies; electric utilities; and others.

To advance the Biden Administration’s goal for a clean energy future, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (EERE) Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) issued a June 2021 lab call funding opportunity announcement. The lab call included a pillar on codes and standards with the goal to “identify and address challenges and barriers to the integration of EVs@Scale charging with the grid created by uncoordinated development of codes and standards and the rapid advances in vehicle and charging technologies.” An EVs@Scale lab consortium was formed in response with Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) as the lead lab for the codes and standards pillar supported by other national labs. The consortium committed to develop a 2022 roadmap like earlier roadmaps developed by the ANSI EVSP.

The EVs@Scale effort supports funding initiatives associated with deploying a nationwide EV charging infrastructure, including the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program, which provides $5 billion in Federal money to that end. As part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Federal Highway Administration was directed to release a set of minimum standards and requirements for the implementation of the NEVI program. The NEVI Final Rule was issued on February 28, 2023, and appropriate references are included in the EVSP roadmap.

ANSI serves as administrator and coordinator of the U.S. private-sector voluntary standardization system. As a neutral facilitator, the Institute has a successful track record of convening stakeholders from the public and private sectors to define standardization needs for emerging technologies and to address national and global priorities. The ANSI EVSP is a cross-sector coordinating body whose objective is to foster coordination and collaboration on standardization matters among public- and private-sector stakeholders to enable the safe, mass deployment of electric vehicles and associated infrastructure in the United States with international coordination, adaptability, and engagement.

The ANSI EVSP does not develop standards. Rather, it serves as a forum for facilitating coordination among SDOs and others. ANSI’s facilitation of the EVSP is partly supported by VTO/ANL and UL Standards & Engagement.

“Standards and related conformity assessment programs have an important role to play in advancing electric vehicle technologies. ANSI invites all affected stakeholders, regardless of geographic location, to review the draft roadmap and make their views known,” said S. Joe Bhatia, ANSI president and CEO.

For more information, visit the EVSP webpage www.ansi.org/evsp or reach out to ANSI staff: Jim McCabe, senior director, standards facilitation ([email protected]; 212-642-8921), or Christine Bernat, associate director, standards facilitation ([email protected]; 212-642-8919).

About ANSI

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is a private non-profit organization whose mission is to enhance both the global competitiveness of U.S. business and the U.S. quality of life by promoting and facilitating voluntary consensus standards and conformity assessment systems, and safeguarding their integrity. Its membership is comprised of businesses, professional societies and trade associations, standards developers, government agencies, and consumer and labor organizations.

The Institute represents and serves the diverse interests of more than 270,000 companies and organizations and 30 million professionals worldwide. ANSI is the official U.S. representative to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and, via the U.S. National Committee, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). For more information, visit www.ansi.org.

##################################################################

Kiosk Industry participates in three of the EV working groups and has assisted in development.

The KMA Kiosk Manufacturer Association is an Associate Sponsor of the ANSI EV Committee

More Posts

VCOM – Down History Lane and Convenience Stores & Mega Project in 2001

VCOM History

VCOM History

With all the talk about C-Stores and their potential functionality and customer expansion, we thought it made sense to look back at the seminal project for “complete financial services.”  Having a copy of the main 7-Eleven presentation made it a bit easier.  We’ve noted before how C-Stores are beginning to threaten restaurants (hiring product managers from Starbucks e.g.)

The current situation is that when you walk into a C-Store today at least 20 sq feet is dedicated to multiple machines. Mashgin is just the latest solution trying to establish a claim on that space. A couple of ATMs, a bill pay or two and maybe a Western Union money transfer.  Might as well do DMV license registration there too. Throw in some new digital signage while you are at it. We did a second article on C-Store enhancements with digital signage earlier this year on AVIXA.

After all is said and done would it make sense to have a single unit aggregating those transactions?

That’s what 7-Eleven thought 20 years ago.

It may have been the only major deployment for Windows NT in history.  Cost back then per unit was around $40K but that was offset by service placement fees to the other partners like Certegy.

7-Eleven’s director of new business development and e-commerce, said the Vcom program will pay for itself by generating incremental fee revenue as well as, perhaps more significantly, by helping 7-Eleven attract new customers and differentiate itself from the rest of the c-store pack.

VCOM Presentation (and to note the dated nature, it’s in the powerpoint format. Remember that?)

Summary In Brief

  • Pilot Objectives
    • Confirm new technology
    • Enhance self-service check cashing experience
    • Improve financials / check cashing risk models
    • Test effectiveness of marketing programs
  • 94 Units installed in 1Q2001
    • Austin, Temple, Ft. Myers
    • ATM, Money Orders, Money Transfer
    • Check Cashing added in July 2001
    • Marketing programs added in Oct. 2001
  • Under-Banked
    • Primarily Income <$35K
    • 35MM people (14%)
    • 25MM under-served
    • Instant Access to cash
    • 16% of current 7-Eleven customers
  • Target Customer Profile
    • Age 18-45
    • HHI <$50K
    • Male skew
VCOM Category

VCOM Category

 

More Posts

VIDEO

Customer Engagement Strategy Works for Employees Too

Employee Engagement

Solutions to Increase Employee Productivity and Satisfaction

Report on the factors which serve to engage employees on a positive basis.  It would be pretty easy to substitute the word customer instead of employee.  Employees are just as valuable as customers in many ways. See the full article and download the whitepaper.

This whitepaper report explores the ever-changing corporate landscape in the following categories:

  • The Post-Pandemic Office Environment
  • Challenges Impacting the Modern Office Environment
  • Communication Across Departments
  • Organization and Space Management
  • Company Culture and Employee Wellbeing
  • Addressing Challenges for 2023 and Beyond
  • Elevate Your Enterprise With the Latest Technology

Summary

The ever-changing corporate landscape has significantly shifted over the last three years. Employees at every level and industry globally have faced changing work models, significant adjustments to company culture, advancements in workplace technology, and more. What is the driving force for this change? Increased demand for flexibility.

As many employees were forced to adapt to a fully remote work model during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, others were inspired to take on a hybrid or work-from-anywhere model, splitting their time between the office and home. While this shift has brought many benefits, like an increase in work-life balance as well as cost savings on the
everyday commute and office supplies have also brought new challenges to the forefront of the corporate space.

Our research, conducted alongside professionals in a wide variety of industries, serves to assist organizations with best addressing these challenges and adding focus to employee productivity. This helps organizations enhance the overall experience for employees and customers and improve their bottom line. The research outlined in this paper has in turn influenced best-of-breed technology solutions designed to build, expand, and optimize communication and user-engaging channels.

With the latest technology in digital signage for corporate communications, the modern office environment can operate more efficiently. And when corporate leaders are informed on the latest trends impacting their environment, organizations can produce results like never before.

More Coverage

  • Explanatory post on Sixteen:Nine with Tomer Mann of 22Miles.
  • While the modern workplace is loaded with opportunities, it also requires careful evaluation of technology ecosystems to ensure both business success and employee satisfaction. Implementing technologies designed to promote flexibility, collaboration, and visual engagement bring crucial factors like employee well-being and productivity to the forefront of organizational operations. Choosing the right content management software enables businesses to deliver a workplace experience that is just as flexible and adaptable as the employees using them, ultimately eliminating the frustration of fragmentation and elevating the employee experience.

 

Sample Graphic from Whitepaper

Employee engagement factors

Employee engagement factors

More Posts

Sports Betting Kiosk & Gaming News — SuzoHapp Shortlisted

sports betting kiosk

Sports Betting Kiosk & Gaming News

From SuzoHappGood news! We have been shortlisted as a finalist of the “Land-Based Betting & Gaming Product” category at the SBC Awards North America!  The winners will be announced during the ceremony night on May, 11th – Keep your fingers crossed!

The SBC Awards North America rewards and celebrates the very best in sports betting and gaming.

Entries may be edited up until the point of submission; all submissions must be made by March 3, 2023. Please note only submitted entries will proceed to the judging stage.

The shortlist will be announced on March 30, 2023, followed by a review of the nominations by the judges to decide who the winners will be.

SBC Awards Website

SuzoHapp Entry is SBT 500

Sports Betting

This is for our bartop sports betting terminal, the SBT 500+, that we launched this past G2E. With a minimal footprint that fits into existing video poker bar terminals we believe this terminal uniquely enhances the betting experience by allowing customers to place their bets without removing them from the social experience of watching the game by allowing them to bet in their seat at the bar instead while still retaining the anonymity that a kiosk terminal provides.

 

More Information

High Performance / High Quality Components

  • Intel 4-Core i3-8100T, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD (expandable to 64GB/256GB)
  • Elo Touch 15.6” widescreen PCAP LCD
  • CUSTOM MODUS3 80mm thermal roll printer w/ cutter, anti-jam technology
  • Newland FM3080 scanner for phone or ticket
  • Choice of Bill Validators:
    • JCM UBA PRO (500 note cashbox)
    • MEI SC Advance (SCNxx 600 note cashbox)
    • ITL NV200 Spectral (500 note cashbox)
  • Optional Magtek Mini 3-Stripe MSR
  •  Overview
  •  Specifications
  •  Resources

Payment Kiosk – Examples

Bill Payment kiosk by Olea Kiosks is a good example of bill pay kiosk design.

Payment Kiosk Is Here To Stay

Nice writeup by Datacapsystems on payment kiosks, Note the hero image is the standard payment kiosk by Olea Kiosks. The model is the Franklin.

Payment Kiosk standard model by Olea

Payment Kiosk standard model by Olea

Unattended payment kiosks are quickly becoming ubiquitous across industries, including retail, entertainment, healthcare, hospitality, and transportation. As of the end of last year, the U.S. kiosk market was valued at $10.4 billion and is estimated to grow 5.45 percent through 2028. Driving factors include the rise of intelligent technologies that provide customers with fast, efficient, hassle-free experiences. Businesses are also looking for ways to streamline service and product delivery. Kiosks can help your clients achieve those business goals.

Modern, state-of-the-art kiosks featuring interactive touchscreens, sophisticated software, and payment terminals deliver quick, convenient, and cost-effective self-service in various verticals.

Payment Kiosk Markets

Retail: Unattended payments allow retailers to offer self-checkout, sell through vending machines, and enable shoppers to browse inventory, order, and pay without assistance from a cashier or sales associate.

Hospitality: Customers can perform tasks on their own, from ordering food at restaurants to checking in at hotels, purchasing tickets, or making reservations.

Healthcare: From booking appointments, checking in, or making payments, self-service kiosks help ease the burden of requests on healthcare workers while allowing consumers to service their needs efficiently.

payment kiosk at&t

AT&T kiosk — there have been several iterations. This version has a problem with the POS device

The convenience unattended payment kiosks offer for purchasing products and services is why 67 percent of consumers use them. Other reasons why shoppers prefer self-service kiosks over traditional check-out methods include:

  • No human interaction is necessary.
  • Kiosks save time, with some retailers seeing wait times reduced by 40 percent.
  • Consumers find products and information without feeling rushed or judged.
  • Well-designed kiosks provide security and privacy during payment transactions.

Beyond providing consumers with the experiences they prefer, unattended payment kiosks offer businesses several advantages.

  • Efficient Employee Allocation: Kiosks help manage store or restaurant traffic during peak times and allow merchants to assign staff where they are needed most. Additionally, automating or offering self-service can save up to 69 percent of time related to the tasks that kiosks perform.
  • Adaptability and Scalability: Kiosks can adapt to enable new payment methods and support new functionality such as upselling or cross-selling. Businesses can also add more kiosks as they grow – much more easily than hiring and laying off staff as demand changes.
  • Remote Access and Control: Unattended payment kiosks connected to business networks give merchants control to change, manage, or disconnect kiosks remotely.
  • Attract More Customers: When kiosks are the preferred self-service method for a majority of consumers, your client may see a bump in customer loyalty by deploying them.
  • ROI: By lowering operating costs and consistently upselling, merchants can expect a better bottom line. In fact, 20 percent of businesses see an increase in average order size with kiosks.

Update Oct 2023

Dynatouch KUBRA Harris Payment Kiosk Outdoor

Dynatouch KUBRA Harris Payment Kiosk Outdoor — this unit designed by Kiosk Innovations is our guess.

Excerpt:  TEMPE, Ariz.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Harris Computer Corporation (Harris), a renowned provider of advanced enterprise software solutions, and KUBRA, a leading force in customer experience management solutions, proudly announce their strategic alliance. Together, they are poised to reshape customer experiences across key sectors, including utilities, government, and telecommunications.

At the heart of this partnership lies a commitment to deliver a game-changing suite of integrated billing, payment, and customer communications solutions. Harris will seamlessly integrate its utility-specific solutions, designed to enhance customer service, operational efficiency, and financial performance, with KUBRA’s cutting-edge offerings:

As the workforce shortage continues and contactless transactions become even more popular, merchants who invest in self-service will win over competitors who maintain their technology status quo. The interactive technology and cloud services that power unattended payment kiosks are becoming more available and affordable, which means that it will be easier and more cost-effective than ever for small and medium-sized businesses to deploy these game-changing solutions.

Merchants who choose to deploy kiosks will need your help to optimize customer experiences and complement their brands, as well as provide necessary functionality. Your clients will also operate more efficiently if they have a single payment solution that enables transactions across all selling channels, whether in-store, online, mobile or unattended payment kiosks. Contact us to learn more.


Related Posts

Ticketing Kiosks by REDYREF

Kiosk RedyRef

Ticketing Kiosks REDYREF

Reference link on REDYREF. For more information contact [email protected] or contact REDYREF direct. REDYREF has several kiosks that are excellent for ticketing, especially the newest version of the Skyline, including a smaller 22″ version. The Glydways (pictured above)is the larger, 43″ version of the same kiosk. Bazooka is great, too.

BENEFITS OF TICKET KIOSKS

Self-ticketing kiosks can increase sales and revenue while improving guest satisfaction. They help manage foot traffic, and reduce labor costs while enhancing user experience.

– Versatile: Can be used in both indoor and outdoor venues

– Convenient: Gives consumers 24/7 access to a product or service

– Fast: No waiting at will-call to pick up tickets or waiting for an available agent to be free to process an order

– Cost-effective: Reduce staffing needs and other similar expenses / overhead

– Increased revenue: Greater opportunities for hands-off upselling / cross-selling of products and services via incremental sales

HOW TICKET KIOSKS WORK

Digital ticket kiosks integrate specialized components into an indoor or outdoor touchscreen kiosk. Consumers can pay for and print tickets of almost any kind utilizing customized ticketing software. Components can include:

– Keypad
– Credit card reader
NFC / RFID payment processing
– Signature pad
– Receipt printer
– Cash and coin collector / dispenser
– Headphone jack

WHAT INDUSTRIES USE TICKETING KIOSKS?

Indoor and outdoor self-service ticket kiosks are used all around the world by a wide variety of industries. Some of these include:

– Regional transportation authorities (buses, trains, subways)

– Airlines / airports

– Concert, entertainment and sports venues (including theaters, cinemas and stadiums)

– Amusement parks

– Banking / financial

– Parking facilities (lots and garages)

 


More Posts

Kiosk ROI – How To Calculate

caqlculate kiosk roi

How To Calculate ROI on Kiosk Investment

Nice blog by Olea (with numbers) telling the ROI story.

As we see many businesses look to cut costs in our current economy, the scrutiny on spending continues to grow.  In these economic downturns, it’s not uncommon to observe changes in the decision-making process when it comes to purchases like self-service kiosks.

When budgets are being slashed, it is still possible to make a great case for self-service because the machines are designed to help organizations maintain or improve their operational efficiency while reducing costs. We just have to be prepared to demonstrate how we will calculate the Return on Investment and then follow through in reporting those results.

As you work to build a business case for self-service technology, we review a number of data points here and how you can calculate the ROI and memorialize those details in the plan.

Calculating the return on investment (ROI) for self-service kiosks requires a few key steps to determine the financial impact of deploying the technology. Here’s how you can do it:

Step 1—Costs

Detail all the costs associated with self-service kiosks. This should incorporate the hardware, software, installation costs, ongoing maintenance, and support costs.

Step 2—The Savings

Determine the overall savings you expect to realize from implementing the self-service kiosks. This could include savings from reduced labor costs, increased efficiencies, and improved accuracy.

It should also include increased patient satisfaction because that is frequently associated with the deployment of self-service kiosks where the patient has been given more control over his or her visit. In non-healthcare environments, you would consider guest satisfaction or guest experience.

Labor Cost Savings:

Calculate the amount of time and labor currently spent on tasks that the kiosks will handle. This might include things like order-taking, payment processing, and information lookup. Multiply the hourly wage rate by the number of hours saved per day or per week to determine overall labor cost savings.

Savings are also seen in recruiting, training, employee benefits, and turnover. Kiosks don’t require training and they don’t take vacations or call in sick, so organizations do see savings associated with these employment costs.

calculating kiosk roi

Increased Efficiencies:

Consider how kiosks can help reduce wait times and improve throughput. Calculate the potential increase in sales or processing activity by assuming that customers who may have left due to long wait times will now stay and make a purchase. This could also include increased order accuracy and reduced errors.

Increased Collections/Higher Ticket

One of the observations taken from check-in kiosks deployed in healthcare facilities includes increased collections. When patients check-in on a kiosk and their profile comes up with a balance due, facilities are seeing an increase in collections taken at the kiosk vs. the counter check-in. At the counter, a team member would have to ask for that payment whereas the kiosk is programmed to ask for the payment each visit.

In environments outside of healthcare, higher tickets are a common observation. While the research suggests that people order more food, for example, when using self-service kiosks, it is also true that the software on the kiosk can be programmed to make certain offers to guests. The research indicates that organizations typically see 30% greater revenue from kiosks over human order-takers.

Step 3—Calculate ROI

Once you’ve determined the costs and savings associated with the self-service kiosks, you can calculate the ROI using the following formula:

ROI = (savings – costs) / costs

For example, if the cost of the self-service kiosks is $50,000 and the expected savings in the first 6 months is $62,400, the ROI would be:

ROI = ($62,400 – $50,000) / $50,000 = .248 or 24.8%

This means that the kiosk is expected to provide almost a 25% return on investment in the first 6 months.

Consider Other Factors

While the financial impact is an important factor in determining the ROI of self-service kiosks, there are other benefits to also consider. For example, the kiosks may improve other metrics that aren’t always traceable to a direct dollar impact but there are soft cost impacts that influence the customer experience or provide valuable data for future marketing efforts.

Let’s take a moment to specifically look at healthcare.

In healthcare, patients are increasingly expecting a seamless and convenient experience when they visit any healthcare provider. Check-in kiosks can help to reduce wait times, improve the speed of the check-in process and eliminate the need for patients to fill out paperwork. This can result in higher patient satisfaction scores, better patient retention rates, and a more positive reputation for the hospital or healthcare facility.

Another recent observation includes the comment that patients believe that facilities with kiosks appear more modern and provide the image of providing better care.

Improved Accuracy

With self-service kiosks, patients can input their own information directly into the system thereby reducing errors and inaccuracies that may occur with manual data entry.

Improved Data Management

Self-service kiosks can provide valuable data on patient check-in times, wait times, and other metrics that can be used to identify areas for improvement and optimize workflows.

Improved Compliance

Self-service kiosks can help to ensure that patients fill out all the necessary paperwork and provide all required information. This can help reduce the risk of compliance issues and ensure that all necessary information is collected. While each of these does provide some very tangible benefits to the bottom line, it’s important for us to ensure we follow through on our accountability and detail what those hard and soft savings look like.  If you follow through and write up the business case filling in all the numbers, you’ll see how memorializing these numbers will help your cause in the long run.

If you are considering a kiosk project and need some assistance, contact us today. Our team is well-versed in understanding how to help you champion your project.

Bitcoin ATM Kiosk SB401 California Analysis

A yellow Bitcoin ATM kiosk features a screen with digital signage displaying options and instructions for buying Bitcoins. Clearly labeled Bitcoin ATM and adorned with a Bitcoin logo, it includes slots for a card reader and cash deposit.

Bitcoin ATM – California CryptoCurrency Bill SB401

Introduction

California is debating a bill that would harm the bitcoin atm kiosk industry. The gist is the Arbitrary fee cap. The legislature picked a number they thought worked, there is no –to our knowledge –financial basis for the number. It might be derived somewhat from ATM fees, but we don’t know that for certain.  There are many good things in the bill such as safeguards. The industry does seem prone to violations of all sorts and regulation and licensing can mitigate those liabilities.

Negative feedback on the transaction limits and fee caps which presumably would drive bitcoin ATMs “out of business” generally omit the specific details which isn’t very informative. What are the limits and caps now, and how are they supposed to change is probably our biggest question at this point. It appears to us restricting max transactions to $1000 a day per customer is part of it. Also $5 or 2% fee.

Here is the bill itself

We also thank Joe Sawicki and KIOSK Information Systems for encouraging informative discussions.  If you can contribute, please email Craig @ [email protected]

Related News

Background for SB401

  • SB401 requires kiosk operators to be licensed by the California Department of Financial Protection & Innovation (DFPI), a significant change considering kiosk operators are currently not required to obtain a license from the state. Additionally, as we previously discussed, the bill would require kiosk operators to comply with certain specific per customer transaction limits and fee caps.
  • As introduced by Senators Toni Atkins and Monique Limón, both members of the Democratic Party, the bill could have significant implications for the crypto industry as a whole, potentially setting a precedent for other states to follow and lead to increased regulation of the industry. While the bill aims to protect consumers from fraud, scams, and other risks associated with digital financial asset transactions, it could also make it more difficult for crypto kiosk operators to do business in California, or drive them out of the state entirely. The outcome of the hearing remains to be seen and the future of digital financial asset transaction kiosks in California is uncertain.

Video of Testimony by BitAML President

Timeline

  1. March 22nd, First letter deadline (Senate)
  2. March 29th Opportunity to Call in to the hearing to record opposition (we will send more information about this soon but the details are below).
  3. Next hearing is June. (Assembly) There will be another opportunity to submit letters in May and another opportunity to Call in.
  4. The call in option will be during the hearing, which is at 1:30 on 3/29.
  5. One can watch the Senate Banking & Finance hearing live at the Senate’s website.
  6. The call in number to testify under the opposition side will be loaded on the committee website likely next week (not there yet). We assume the Senator will bring the bill up on the later end of the hearing because she has to chair the rest of the committee, but no true way of knowing.
  7. Here are instructions or when the number is listed.

Before and After

Current bitcoin kiosk regulations

  • tbd

Post-passage bitcoin atm regulations

  • https://legiscan.com/CA/text/SB401/id/2692067
  • A robust and vetted TOS
  • Verification that the wallet presented at the time of transaction is in the control of the customer
  • Proper warnings displayed to consumers on the kiosk screen before they complete a transaction (e.g., references to popular scam typologies, the irreversibility of crypto transactions, etc.)
  • Systems and controls designed to detect red flags associated with predatory elder abuse, romance scams, pig butchering etc.
  • Ensuring conspicuous contact details for the operator are displayed on the kiosk screen and/or stickers affixed to the machines in the event that consumers have questions, complaints, or require further information
  • Ensuring that the total transaction cost and fee(s) are displayed on the screen in a simple manner that may be easily understood by the consumer.
  • Detailed line-item, printed receipts available to all customers, which documents the transaction amount and breaks out any-and-all fees
  • Commitment to cooperating with, and educating, members of law enforcement
  • Putting forth arbitrary blanket transaction limits or fee caps is likely not the most effective risk-based mechanism for preventing frauds and scams.
  • From actual bill
    • 3902. An operator shall not accept or dispense more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) in a day from or to a resident via a digital financial asset transaction kiosk.
    • 3903. (a) An operator shall provide an option for a resident to exchange any amount of a digital financial asset for fiat currency.
      (b) If the resident has a balance of fiat currency with an operator that exceeds one thousand dollars ($1,000), the operator shall not dispense more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) in a day at the resident’s request.
    • 3904. An operator shall not collect charges, whether direct or indirect, related to a single digital financial asset transaction that exceed the greater of the following:
      (a) Five dollars ($5).
      (b) Two percent of the United States dollar equivalent of digital financial assets involved in the transaction.

Current ATM regulations

  • Bank-owned ATMs are different than non-bank owned
  • Total ATM fees vary from city to city, ranging from $5.38 in Atlanta at the high end to $4.21 in Los Angeles. [Bankrate Jan23]
  • Licensing requirements
    • California Money Transmitter —  here is the FAQ
  • Non-bank owned ATMs have a different set of ATM operating rules and regulations to follow; and are a lot simpler.
    • These machines are only allowed to dispense cash; no deposits are accepted at these locations.
    • They must display, on the ATM, the logos of the types of cards that are accepted at their machine.
    • The owners of the ATM can charge customers a fee for their transaction; however it must clearly be posted at the machine as well as on-screen during the withdrawal transaction.
    • All non-bank owned machine owners are required to file an annual notice of ownership which is typically done through the ATM processor they signed up with.
    • Some States have their own set of non-bank regulations, check with your ATM Company to be sure they manage this process for you.
    • California — Generally, tax does not apply to automated teller machine (A.T.M.) charges when an access device (commonly known as a debit card or credit card) is used to make a cash withdrawal from, or to engage in any other transaction that is not subject to tax at, an A.T.M. The transaction is not regarded as a sale of tangible personal property but is a nontaxable financial transaction.
  • Video Surveillance

    ATMs located within banking institutions must meet certain requirements under federal law. Any analog surveillance system operated by the banking facility must use a commercial or industrial grade videotape. The tape should only be used once from beginning to end within a 30-day period. The videotape can be recorded over after this period of time, however, the same tape should not be used more than 12 times in total and must be replaced within 365 days from the date of its first use. Once the tape has been used, the banking facility must hold onto it for at least 45 days.

    Lighting Regulations and Statutes

    Banks and other institutions that operate ATMs must comply with U.S. federal laws, namely the Federal Electronic Funds Transfer Act and the Bank Protection Act. These laws, however, primarily address the security of the ATMs themselves rather than the ATM users’ safety. Currently, there is no federal law that requires minimum-security standards to protect ATM users. To remedy this, several states, including California, Texas, Florida and New York, have passed their own laws regarding security standards for ATMs. Most of these state laws set minimum standards for lighting, landscaping, visibility, security, reviews and customer safety tips.

    Non-Bank Owned ATMs

    ATMs that are not owned by a state or federal agency must abide by a different set of rules and regulations. Unlike banking ATMs, these machines must only be used for dispensing cash and under no circumstances can accept deposits. Non-bank owned ATMs must display a logotype or identification symbol alerting the customer as to whether or not his card will be accepted. Owners may impose a surcharge, as long as they clearly disclose it to the consumer both by a sign on the ATM and electronically on the terminal screen. It is possible for anyone to own a cash-dispensing ATM, provided they file a notice of ownership with their local commissioner within 60 days of ownership. Non-bank ATM owners must also file an annual notice of ownership.

Template for opposing, due March 22, which you can quickly complete and submit to Committee.

SB 401 Oppose Template

March 14, 2023

The Honorable Senator Monique Limon
Chair, Senate Banking & Finance Committee
1021 O Street, Suite 6510
Sacramento, CA 95814

RE: SB 401 (Limon): Cryptocurrency Kiosks— OPPOSE

Dear Chair Limon,

On behalf of XXXX we respectfully write in opposition to SB 401, which, as written, would eliminate the cryptocurrency kiosk industry in California or drive it underground.

Cryptocurrency kiosks, oftentimes referred to as crypto ATMs, operate as a convenient, fast, and familiar currency exchange, offering everyday people the opportunity to purchase or sell cryptocurrency at their local convenience stores, grocery stores, or bodegas.

SB 401 sets up a licensing regime for the industry, which will allow the CA Department of Financial Innovation & Protection to approve, audit, and collect information about all crypto kiosk operators in the state. This regime is welcomed by the industry and the consumers that use them. However, SB 401 also sets up an arbitrary fee cap and transaction limit amount, which given the capital costs of owning, installing, maintaining, and operating a crypto kiosk, would drive these machines out of our communities and out of the state. It will also take the small business retailer income, tax revenue, and financial inclusion consumer benefits along with them.

Why do people use Crypto Kiosks?

Crypto kiosks are accessible and convenient, offering one of the fastest modes available to purchase cryptocurrency—allowing those looking for an on-ramp to diversify their investment portfolios to do so in a familiar and expeditious way. Additionally, cryptocurrency is becoming increasingly popular to remit funds cross-borders—an appeal to many that do not have access to a bank account or need to send funds quickly to family and friends overseas. 25% of users that remit funds internationally have used cryptocurrency (CITE), and many are increasingly finding that crypto kiosks are the faster and even more affordable way to do so versus traditional money remittance services.

How do crypto kiosk machines work?

(1) A customer creates an account and agrees to the terms of service and privacy policy; (2) the customer selects the type and amount of cryptocurrency to purchase; (3) the customer completes account registration at the kiosk and undergoes the corresponding Know Your Customer (KYC) process; (4) the customer scans their digital wallet, and the operator performs OFAC/sanctions screening on the digital wallet; (5) the customer inserts cash into the kiosk for the purchased amount; (6) Immediately after the cash is received, the operator sends the purchased cryptocurrency from its digital wallet to the customer’s digital wallet.

Crypto Kiosks Are Safe

SB 401 unfairly targets the crypto kiosk industry, suggesting they are contributing to consumers being defrauded or scammed but this does not solve the root of the issue, which is a lack of understanding generally by the population about scams. Scam and fraud activity are enormous problems across the entire financial services industry. However, the volume of funds people get scammed at a crypto kiosk is de minimis1 compared to central exchanges, money remittance companies, Zelle, and bank accounts2.

Unlike many other financial services, cryptocurrency has unparalleled transparency, which allows law enforcement and kiosk operator companies to coordinate together to freeze assets and return money to victims that come forward. Unlike cash, the blockchain is an open ledger; therefore, all transactions can be traced. Kiosk operators and law enforcement use blockchain analytic tools that can trace the movement of cryptocurrency across the blockchain. Many can identify and blacklist digital wallet addresses affiliated with fraud and do so when needed.

Crypto Kiosks Contribute to our Communities.

The most considerable capital expense of owning and operating a crypto kiosk is the rent an operator pays to house the machine at a local retail business. This can be anywhere between $300-700 per month, which in addition to increased foot traffic and purchases while the customer is visiting the location, is significant income to many small, frequently minority-owned retail businesses across California. California has over 3,6463 crypto kiosks in California, which equates to over $21 million in rent payments to small business retailers alone. This amount does not include the additional supply chain operation costs, including armored vehicle services, security, maintenance/repair, manufacturing, and banking. These costs are not incurred by online exchanges, which send profits overseas or out of state versus redirected back into our state and communities.

Cryptocurrency is a relatively new financial service technology and has no doubt had challenges as it involves and gains more mainstream users in an uncertain economic time–making headlines and increasing the response of lawmakers to create regulations to protect consumers. However, SB 401 will do nothing to solve fraud/scams in the industry, and if anything, will allow scammers to use less traceable services or tools not captured on a public blockchain. Additionally, the arbitrary fee cap will not allow operators to compete and maintain a consumer-friendly market, nor will these machines be able to operate in the state— as the bill does not account for the extremely capital-intensive cost of converting a currency to cash and vice versa instantaneously. For these reasons, we must oppose SB 401.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

 

XXXX {NAME}
XXXXXXX {ORGANIZATION}


More Docs

Cryptocurrency_FactSheet_4_Working_Draft

Cryptocurrency_Kiosk_Regulations_Working Draft


More Posts on Bitcoin ATMs

Kiosk ROI – A Look at RTN Framework

RTN Framework

Restaurant ROI – The Whole Equation

Working with different groups is one of the things that Kiosk Industry strives to do. Whether it is EV standards and ANSI, or EMV with PCI SSC or accessibility with U.S. Access Board, regulatory issues abound with kiosks and need to be clearly communicated.

ROI in restaurants and kiosks is a topic that several restaurant groups are working on.  Everybody wants a magical excel spreadsheet to plug some numbers in and see an outcome or result. RTN’s Restaurant Technology Capabilities Framework (RTCF) is one of those groups we work with in the ROI regard. RTN is a membership community operating under the parent company EnsembleIQ, which also publishes Hospitality Technology Magazine and hosts MURTEC events.

We also recommend the write-up by Olea on ROI. One of the simple equations is:

  • ROI = (savings – costs) / costs
  • For example, if the cost of the self-service kiosks is $50,000 and the expected savings in the first 6 months is $62,400, the ROI would be 24.8%:
  • ROI = ($62,400 – $50,000) / $50,000 = .248 or 24.8%
  • This means the kiosk is expected to provide almost a 25% return on investment in the first six months.

We are conducting a poll on LinkedIn on the how our ROI Calculator should prioritize increases in revenue versus cost savings. We are inviting brands to participate in a session and give us your thoughts.   If interested or opinion email [email protected]

Components of RTN’s Restaurant Technology Capabilities Framework (RTCF)

  • Vision and Strategy
  • Products & Services
  • Manage Human Capital
  • Physical Products
  • Customer Service
  • Services
  • External Relationships
  • Manage IT
  • Manage Financial
  • Market and Sell
  • Risk, Compliance and Remediation
  • Business Capability
RTN Framework

RTN Framework

VIDEO – RTN’s Restaurant Technology Capabilities Framework Official Launch Video

About RTN

Our Mission
RTN is a membership community dedicated to the restaurant technology industry. Through access to valuable benefits and powerful connections, our members shape industry standards and share technical guidance to help restaurateurs succeed and better serve their customers

Our Vision
Purpose-built technology fuels success in an industry built on service and entrepreneurial spirit. The Restaurant Technology Network aspires to help restaurant professionals and solution providers work together to solve problems large and small and inspire bold ideas for the future.

JOIN.
Through valuable membership benefits, RTN connects the entire restaurant technology ecosystem, including restaurateurs, suppliers, consultants and academia. Together, we make the industry stronger.

SHARE.
Through active membership collaboration, we create and disseminate technology standards and technical guidance for our members.

THRIVE.
Through work groups, benchmarking tools, research, networking events, awards, technical education and certifications, RTN solves industry challenges and helps its members prosper.

LINKEDIN


More Posts

Smart City Kiosk News – New Peerless-AV double-sided Outdoor

smart city kiosk peerless av

New Smart City Kiosk by Peerless-AV

Introduction

Updated and new outdoor smart city kiosk by Peerless-AV released.  Good to see enhancements and the evolution of the outdoor smart city kiosk.

Smart City Kiosk projects are ongoing with many of the deployments being managed by OBM (Orange Barrel Media) with its IKE Smart City kiosks. The advantage they have is that they are low-cost since they sell digital advertising. We think the brightness on those units might have been reduced from 2500 NITS which also makes them cheaper. We have never seen IP or NEMA ratings for those units.

In Brief Summary

  • Two High Bright Displays back to back
  • Stainless steel
  • -31 to 140 operating temp
  • IP66 (no mention of NEMA)
  • Side Vents
  • Optional IR touch overlay
  • Wind-tested to 135 mph
  • Of Note — We were surprised to see zero mention of just how bright these Extreme Hi-Brights are e.g. how many NITS?  Not mentioned in the additional media coverage either. You might think a new High Bright would say how bright right?
  • We called into Peerless-AV technical support to find out. It took a minute or two to navigate (Press 1 for Tech Support) and a minute later a human rep (I’m guessing based in Chicago) let me know that it is 2500 NITS.  For reference 2500 used to be the standard for IKE but they have since deployed lower nit screens.  That saves money, but it is not as bright.
  • And thanks to Peerless-AV TS quick and speedy response!

VIDEO

Outdoor Smart City Kiosks from Peerless-AV on Vimeo.

Actual Press Release

AURORA, Ill – March 21, 2023 – Peerless-AV®, a leading designer and manufacturer of innovative audio and video solutions and accessories is pleased to announce the global availability of its new generation Smart City Kiosks. The new Single (KOP55XHB) and Dual-Sided (KOP55XHB2) models have been designed in response to customer feedback and demand.

smart city kiosk

smart city kiosk with speakers – click for full size

Key upgrades facilitate a simplified installation for running power and data cabling while offering a dedicated storage space for media components. The Dual-Sided model is brand new to the range, offering increased screen space and opportunities for revenue-generating digital advertising and wayfinding. These Smart City Kiosks offer supreme versatility in a wide range of verticals, including retail, government,
transportation, and visitor attractions.

“Peerless-AV is pleased to announce that our popular, redesigned Smart City Kiosks are now available and we are already fulfilling orders globally,” said Nick Belcore Executive Vice President of Peerless-AV. “The new dual-sided version is a fantastic addition to the range, enabling advertisers to tailor their digital signage content, and target and engage with a wider audience in outdoor urban environments, from airports and stadiums to bus shelters and shopping centers.”

The KOP55XHB models incorporate one 55″ Xtreme™ High Bright Outdoor Display (XHB554) and the KOP55XHB2 models feature two 55″ Xtreme’s, installed backto-back. The two screens can play content independently or can operate from a duplicate feed.

The Xtreme Displays offer full HD1080P resolution for a bright and crisp picture, even when placed in direct sunlight. Its fully-sealed, IP66 rated design prevents the ingress of foreign materials, such as water, dust, moisture, and insects from entering the display, and has an operating temperature of -31°F to 140°F. The displays can be enhanced with an optional IR touch overlay (KIRP-XHB4), which can detect up to 10 touch points, whether finger, gloved hand, or stylus, all in a convenient plug-and-play design.

Installation simplicity is factored into all design aspects of the Smart City Kiosks. A base cover allows power and data cabling to run upwards from the bottom center, and secure doors allow quick access for maintenance purposes. An IP55 rated media cabinet provides a spacious, enclosed storage area for AV components and integrated fans for active cooling.

The Smart City Kiosk is wind tested up to 135 mph and its stylish, stainless steel and aluminum body, combined with an outdoor rated paint finish, provides the ultimate in corrosion resistance.

smart city kiosk

smart city kiosk – click for full size

The KOP55XHB and KOP55XHB2 models are now available to order in black or silver and with or without 4-inch, 100 watt, waterproof speakers. See them in action at InfoComm 2023 – Booth #1329 in Orlando, FL from June 14-16.

About Peerless-AV
Driving Technology Through Innovation

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 peerless-av.com.

Connect with Peerless-AV® via social media on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube.

Peerless-AV Corp. Contact:
Beky Cann
Director of Global PR
[email protected]
+44 1923 205 658

Media Contact:
Amanda Whited
[email protected]
732-212-0823 x409

Other Media Coverage

Real Life Example project Cherry Creek

currently include Cherry Creek here in Denver

1 – INTRODUCTION
The CCN BID is seeking a media company partner to install, operate, maintain and sell a digital kiosk network of up to 24 kiosks throughout the CCN BID neighborhood. The RFP winner will also be expected to assist in the process for City approval of the kiosk system with the CCN BID. Please note that proposals may include other forms of street furniture at the option of the vendor. If forms of street furniture other than digital kiosks are proposed, vendors must supply a narrative describing the economic and non-economic benefits to the CCN BID of such street furniture.

2 – SCOPE OF WORK
The CCN BID is soliciting proposals relating to the installation, operation, sales, service and maintenance of digital media kiosks at the proposed locations set out in Schedule A. The period of the contract awarded will be ten years from date of signing with two 5 year renewals based on economic performance and “good neighbor” standards. Vendors may propose packages that include signage at all or some of the locations listed on Schedule A and may also propose additional locations for consideration by the CCN BID. Proposals for the kiosk system must meet the following Minimum Criteria:

  • Be of CCN BID approved high aesthetic and structural quality
  • ocus on advertisers with high brand standards
  • Agree, at the request of the CCN BID, to eliminate certain types of advertising from the kiosks including, but not limited to, prohibitions on obscene content and tobacco
  • Agree to meet quarterly with the CCN BID to discuss the content approach for the signage
  • Agree to certain CCN BID local retail-specific content restrictions (ex: no direct competitors of key retailers or businesses may be featured on the sign) and promotions
  • Include a process to quickly address unexpected negative advertiser issues
  • Demonstrate an ability and plan to keep the kiosks cutting edge from a technological and aesthetic perspective for the term of the contract, including an upgrade plan
  • Demonstrate an ability to maintain industry best practices in terms of pitch, lighting and functionality for the kiosk system
  • Include a CCN BID based branding element on each kiosk
  • Include a schedule of kiosk system installation including penalties for non-compliance.
  • Vendor will supply a minimum 10-year pro forma projecting revenue and operating expenses for its proposal, including a revenue sharing plan with the CCN BID. All cost and labor for system installation, maintenance and operation will be the vendor’s responsibility. All required property and liability insurance must be supplied by the vendor.

Worth noting that ADA compliance usually ONLY consists of reach requirement. Cherry Creek is no different and could be short-sighted on their part.

Unusual, too is the requirement that the winning vendor reimburse CCN for their consultant fees ($54K)

Smart City Kiosk Video

Outdoor Smart City Kiosks by Peerless-AV from

 


Related Posts

NRA Chicago Kiosk – 2023 Conversational AI

NRA Chicago

NRA Restaurant Kiosks 2024

In 2024 You can find us in Booth 5536 in the North Building, Here is our portal page.


NRA is our next show (May in Chicago). Visit our NRA page. We’ll be in the Tech Pavilion in booth 6475. If you are interested in a free pass, would like to meet or just reconnecting, drop me an email or call (720-324-1837).  We will also be holding Kiosk Association ADA and Accessibility meeting and dinner Sunday night.

NRA 2023

Click for full size

At the show and booth we will have around 10+ companies represented.  We’ll have tablet kiosks from imageHolders and countertop from Pyramid doing Storm Interface accessibility demo. Also an outdoor capable portable digital signage A-Frame. Pitney Bowes will be in the booth to talk service, installation and monitoring for your self-service devices.

Note from Craig: 
We’ll be exhibiting in Chicago May 20th-23rd at the National Restaurant Show and if you are considering attending we can offer you a free customer invite pass as thanks for stopping by in NY. Our booth is in the Tech Pavilion again (6475).  If you are interested in a free pass or just reconnecting drop me an email or call (720-324-1837).

We’ll have 10 or so solutions we’ll be demonstrating (we have a larger 10×20).  Kiosks, tablets, menu boards, service/installation and accessibility. Information on the show is best viewed on the NRA site here.

Accessibility and Conversational AI Voice assisted self order are featured.

2022 Show Photos – 25 of so different ones

Featured 

Self-Order with Accessibility by Storm Interface (Pyramid Kiosks)

assistive tech swair storm

assistive tech swair storm

Self-order systems are utilizing the AudioPad from Storm Interface. Major users include Mcdonald’s, Southwest Airlines, and Marriott.

Nicky Shaw, the US Managing Director, will be in the KMA booth so stop by and speak with her.

Storm in Mcdonald’s News

Follow Up 10/18 — from Wall Street Journal

  • The technology will be added to all existing kiosks in company-owned restaurants in California, and 25% of existing kiosks in other U.S. states. [company-owned restaurants]
  • McDonald’s only operates around 5% of its roughly 14,000 U.S. restaurants, the company said. The rest are run by franchisees.
  • The company said it would add the new accessibility function to all new kiosks installed in any U.S. restaurant after July 1, including those sold to franchised restaurants.

More Articles


ImageHolders & SapientX

imageHOLDERS kiosks hero

click for full size imageHOLDERS kiosks hero

imageHOLDERS is very well-known in Europe and has opened offices and manufacturing capability in the U.S.  Elevating your customers’ digital experience with best-in-class kiosk solutions.  imageHOLDERS design and build innovative business solutions, making technology more accessible.

SapientX We Are Building the Next Generation of Conversational AI Voice Assistants and Conversational Avatars

  • Current voice systems have surprisingly poor accuracy. Our patent pending system is up to 99% accurate!
  • We speak 40 languages and dialects allowing us to serve 5.5 billion potential users.
  • Our conversational interface needs no user training, functions with or without the internet and will never sell sensitive user data.

Note that these will demo the self-order app in conjunction with AudioPad accessibility as well.

The PC being used in the demo is from Actineon.

For more information on conversational AI be sure and visit our summary post on latest.


Pitney Bowes – Your Managed Services Partner

Too often kiosk service or Point-Of-Sale service, installation, training, and logistics are an afterthought or just another wrap-up detail.  For long-running projects it is crucial. For pilots, it is crucial. The kiosk association is happy to introduce Pitney Bowes as one of our Gold sponsors. They will have multiple people at the upcoming National Restaurant Association tradeshow and if you want to meet with them there send a note to [email protected] — if you need a pass we can help too.

Service Delivery Innovation: Smart, strategic support solutions for your clients and technology

By partnering with Service Delivery Innovation by Pitney Bowes, companies can streamline operations, deploy new capabilities, scale, and accelerate growth. Pitney Bowes has the experience, expertise and service infrastructure to help her plan strategically, act quickly and compete effectively.


Samsung Kiosk and Nanonation Ordering Software

Samsung Kiosk With Nanonation kiosk software

Click for full size Samsung Kiosk With Nanonation kiosk software

New entry in the McDonalds kiosk field. Interesting too since not only does Nanonation provide self-order platform, they also provide robust digital signage and menuing software.  You can actually order these units for the Clover POS system online at https://www.orderingkiosk.net

Real Life Case Study – Complete case study on customer order kiosks’ positive impact on a relatively small retail shop. Most of us like to think in terms of 14,000 kiosks at Mcdonald’s and relegate small businesses to the footnotes.  It’s a challenge aggregating tens of thousands of SMBs literally and dealing with an overall number literally 3X the number of Mcdonald’s.  This is a small bubble tea shop in Kansas City and they have been killing it with 100-200+ orders a day through their kiosks.


Events


Brochures

Recommended Visit


Show Contacts for KMA

Nicky Shaw

Head of U.S. Sales. Nicky heads up the U.S. for Storm Interface. Based in Arizona.

Nicky Shaw
Tel. 480 584 3518
[email protected]
http://www.storm-interface.com

Proudly serving as Chairperson of the KMA Accessibility Committee!

Pete Thompson

A commercially minded engineer who has the ability to communicate confidently at every level and the technical knowledge and organizational skills to ensure that projects are delivered on time and on budget.

Pete Thompson
Vice President of Sales | imageHOLDERS | North America
Book a meeting with me
M: +1 (778) 222 5694
T: +1 (604) 475 7776
E: [email protected]
W: imageHOLDERS
A: Unit 105 -84 North Bend Street, Coquitlam BC Canada V3K 6H1
LinkedIn

Stephanie Joy

Director,Service Marketing and Enablement.
[email protected]
pitneybowes.com
27 Waterview Drive
Shelton, CT 06484

Barney Stacher

Barney Stacher, Head of Sales and Partnerships
SapientX  
Book a meeting 
917.476.7977
www.sapientx.com

Bethany Richardson

VP Business Development
[email protected]
(717) 968-4882
Lockdown software

Kimberly Clisham (Keyser)

CEO Keyser
708-341-2331
[email protected]
Menu Boards Drive Thrus

Jared Epstein

VP Sales Olea
267.243.9519
[email protected]
Kiosks

Resources and Notes

Tech Pavilion Exhibitors

Tech Pavilion Exhibitors

Brands

  • ELOTOUCH touchscreens & kiosks
  • Esper IO Android Solutions
  • Intel Kiosk Technology
  • JAWS Kiosk Software
  • KIOSK & Posiflex QSR Restaurant Solutions
  • KioWare Contactless Touchless Software
  • LG Self-Order & Robotics
  • Nanonation Self-Order & Digital Signage
  • Olea Kiosks Self-Order Restaurant Solutions
  • Panasonic ClearConnect Restaurant Solutions
  • Peerless-AV kiosks & digital signage
  • Pitney Bowes Kiosk Service Installation
  • Pyramid Computer Smart Kiosks
  • Samsung kiosks & digital signage
  • Star Micronics printers & POS

Exhibitors

Kiosk Accessibility Event – M-Enabling Summit

m-enabling sponsors 2023

Kiosk Accessibility News

AI and Digital Transformation: New Paradigms for Accessibility and Inclusion Strategies

Note: Both Tech For All Consulting and TPGi (division of Vispero) are Sponsors for the Summit

Join disability advocates, corporations, government agencies, academia, and accessibility executives at the 11th M-Enabling Summit, the leading all-inclusive conference and showcase dedicated to fostering innovations, solutions, and strategies for digital inclusion.

Participants will benefit from rich and unique networking opportunities with thought leaders, technology providers, innovators and developers of assistive technologies that serve more than one-billion Persons with Disabilities and an expanding aging population globally.

The 2023 M-Enabling Summit will examine how AI drives innovation and automation in multiple areas allowing to scale up digital accessibility in unprecedented ways and review risks for persons with disabilities that organizations need to mitigate.

Practitioners will be sharing how they manage their product lifecycles and digital transformations to support their accessibility journeys and help achieve their organizations’ Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) objective. Case studies will illustrate how accessibility features of products and services are leveraged to better serve persons with disabilities and older persons in work environments, for digital products and services, urban and transportation environments, e-commerce, leisure, social or educational activities.

A unique venue for dialogue and cooperation, the 2023 M-Enabling Summit will feature panel discussions, open conversations with innovators and disrupters in digital inclusion, instant polls, networking meetups, brainstorming and live debates among disability advocacy leaders, business executives, accessibility experts, and information technology and assistive technology providers.

On day three of the Summit, the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP) will host a thought leadership Expert Forum on integrating accessibility in organizational maturity.

Key Topics

  • How AI Will Transform the Digital Accessibility Eco-system
  • The Future of User Interfaces
  • Extended Reality and Assistive Navigation Apps and Services
  • New Enablers for Inclusive Workplaces
  • Marrakesh Treaty: Addressing Gaps in Adoption at a Global Level
  • W3C-WAI Update on Web Accessibility Guidelines
  • The Impact of AI on Assistive Technologies
  • Implementation and Impact of the European Accessibility Act
  • Global Accessibility Regulatory Trends
  • Drivers and Solutions for Inclusive Digital Gaming
  • Usability Testing and Research
  • Latest U.S. Legislative and Regulatory Developments
  • IoT for Independent Living
  • The Impact of AI on Accessibility Testing
  • AI for Users’ Online Safety
  • Latest Advances of Social Media Accessibility
  • Technology Watch: Neurotechnologies and Brain-Computer Interfaces for Persons with Disabilities
  • Inclusive Retail and Customer Service

 

More Posts

News from Advanced KIosks

advanced kiosks

Advanced Kiosks Newsletter

  • Advanced Kiosks celebrates Exceptional CPARS rating
  • Partnership and Reseller resources
  • Advanced Kiosks becomes a Gold Sponsor of KMA.Global
  • New 32-Inch Pedestal Kiosk
  • Visitor Management System – Visitor Check in / Check out
  • New Product Alert: AK CityGuide
  • “Ask AK AI”, our new Support Assistant
  • Office Extension impacting organizations
  • More Customer news

View these stories and more in our latest Q4 Newsletter: https://advancedkiosks.com/advanced-kiosks-newsletter

CUSTOMER NEWS

Custom Tribute Solution For Roslyn Cemeteries

In the historic cemeteries of Roslyn, WA, an innovative project is underway, transforming the way they connect with and preserve the legacy of the past. This initiative, a collaboration with Advanced Kiosks (and customized variation of the Tribute Station), integrates cutting-edge kiosk and software technology to create an interactive digital archive. The Roslyn Cemetery kiosk serves as a gateway to the rich histories of individuals resting in these sacred grounds, allowing visitors and families to explore and contribute to a living tapestry of memories.

The kiosk is not only a digital storyteller but also a navigator, guiding users to specific grave sites with ease. By entering a name, visitors can access detailed profiles, complete with photographs and stories, bridging the gap between past and present. This project is a shining example of how technology can enhance connection to history, bringing communities together to celebrate and remember their shared heritage.

Western Ohio Regional Treatment & Habilitation Center

According to its website, The W.O.R.T.H. Center utilizes a cognitive intervention program from the National Institute of Corrections known as Thinking for a Change (TFAC). The program has been researched and shown to be effective with criminal offenders.

​The center reached out to Advanced Kiosks for a secure and convenient solution for their 106 residents to access treatment software. After weighing several options, they opted to go with four Countertop Kiosks loaded with Office Extension Lite, which offers the same features of Office Extension 3.0 in a smaller, more affordable package designed for shorter interactions in low-risk environment.

City Of Fresno, Calif.

A few hundred miles north of Paramount, the City of Fresno’s Economic Opportunities Commission has procured a quantity of seven Office Extension Lite Kiosks in order to connect residents with services. Founded in 1965, Fresno EOC offers services addressing almost all facets of human services and economic development, including preschool education, vocational training, senior citizen hot meal services, and preventative health care.

Using the kiosks, residents can apply for services, contact the organization, view food distribution schedules and more. Additionally, they can do so in a variety of languages by utilizing our Translation feature.

Celebrating Our Customers

We are thrilled to share the latest updates and stories from our valued customers in this month’s newsletter. Our “Customers” page, a vibrant tapestry of success stories and innovative collaborations, has recently been updated with new highlights and in-depth case studies. These updates not only showcase the diverse range of industries and challenges our customers navigate but also highlight the creative and effective solutions we’ve developed together.

These case studies not only reflect the flexibility and adaptability of our products and services but also our commitment to understanding and addressing the unique needs of each client. The stories reveal the impact of our collaborative approach, highlighting how customer feedback and insights lead to innovation and improvement in our offerings.

Whether you are a long-time client or new to our community, these customer highlights and case studies are a testament to what we can achieve together.

City Of Paramount, Calif.

The City of Paramount recently deployed the Office Extension 3.0 solution to improve the delivery of government services.

Using the intuitive Office Extension interface (shown below), residents can apply for and renew business licenses, request public records, and view city job opportunities. They can also pay water bills and parking tickets as well as receive information on rebate programs designed to incentivize the replacement of traditional grass with drought-tolerant landscaping.

Office Extension Impacting Organizations Across Industries

Organizations of all types face a common challenge in today’s economy. In spite of the price of everything from rent and utilities to office supplies and labor on the rise, those organizations need to find ways to provide services without a large capital investment.

One of the ways they are meeting that challenge is with Advanced Kiosks’ Office Extension Software. Office Extension 3.0 is a complete solution of hardware and software which can be configured to a deployer’s needs, allowing them to combine the automation of services and paperwork with the convenience of 24-hour customer access.

Customers can fill out forms, scan documents, look up services, check in to appointments, and print forms and documents as needed, instantly sending those forms and scanned documents to the deploying organization. The solution also provides weekly reports and notifications, Keeping the organization up to speed on its kiosk operations.

Office Extension Software is allowing these and dozens of other organizations to reshape the way they serve their clientele. Whether it’s assisting customers with form filling, scanning documents, checking appointment availability, or printing forms on-demand, Office Extension 3.0 is there to help. This dynamic solution not only enhances the user experience but also aids in information accuracy.

Want to see how Office Extension 3.0 can benefit your organization? Contact us today!

More Links

Healthcare Kiosk – Check In for Radiology with AI

Discover the future of medical visits with CIVIE + Kiosk Groups AI-driven radiology check-in kiosk. Seamlessly automate the check-in process with a dynamic screen showing X-rays and patient options, revolutionizing efficiency and creating a streamlined healthcare experience.

Healthcare Kiosk Check-in with AI for Radiology

April 7, 2025 — REVOLUTIONIZING RADIOLOGY CHECK-IN WITH AI 🤖
Kiosk Group and CIVIE have joined forces to transform radiology departments nationwide. 🏥 Our custom kiosk solution uses AI to automate check-ins, streamline patient workflows, and sync seamlessly with RIS/PACS systems — delivering faster, smarter, and more efficient care from the very first tap. ✨🩻💡

Contact Aaron at [email protected] 

👉 🛠️ Hardware Designed by Kiosk Group. ⚙️ Software Powered by CIVIE AI.

Obvious Question — What is RIS PACS?

RIS (Radiology Information System) and PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System) are essential technologies in modern radiology departments, designed to manage different aspects of patient care and imaging workflows.

RIS: Radiology Information System

A RIS is a specialized software system focused on the administrative and workflow management aspects of radiology. Its core functionalities include:

  • Patient Management: Tracking patient data from registration to discharge, including scheduling appointments and monitoring treatment progress14.

  • Workflow Optimization: Facilitating radiology workflows by managing orders, tracking imaging procedures, and generating reports36.

  • Billing: Automating billing processes, storing financial records, and processing insurance claims4.

  • Integration: Often integrated with Hospital Information Systems (HIS) and Electronic Health Records (EHR) to unify patient data across departments25.

RIS is primarily used by administrative staff, radiologists, and technologists to streamline operations and ensure accurate recordkeeping.

PACS: Picture Archiving and Communication System

PACS is a medical imaging technology designed for the storage, retrieval, distribution, and display of medical images. Key features include:

  • Image Management: Handling digital images from modalities like X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, etc., using the DICOM standard for interoperability13.

  • Accessibility: Allowing radiologists and clinicians to securely access images for diagnosis, consultation, or treatment planning5.

  • Efficiency: Eliminating the need for physical film storage by providing digital solutions for archiving and sharing images15.

  • Integration: PACS integrates with RIS, HIS, and EHR systems to provide seamless access to both imaging data and patient records24.

PACS is primarily used by radiologists for analyzing medical images and collaborating with other healthcare professionals.

Integration of RIS and PACS

When integrated, RIS and PACS create a unified system that enhances efficiency in radiology departments. Benefits include:

  • Streamlined Workflows: Reducing redundancy by linking administrative data with imaging records14.

  • Improved Patient Care: Providing a comprehensive view of patient history, ensuring faster diagnoses and treatment decisions4.

  • Cost Savings: Minimizing errors and manual processes through automation14.

Together, RIS focuses on managing patient information while PACS handles medical imaging data. Their collaboration ensures optimal radiology operations and better healthcare outcomes.

More Healthcare Kiosk

Trivia

MUMPS, which stands for Massachusetts General Hospital Utility Multi-Programming System, is a programming language and database system primarily used in the healthcare industry, particularly for managing electronic medical records (EMRs). 

Here’s a more detailed explanation:

Facial Recognition – Steak N Shake, Sam’s Club and Amazon

facial recognition retail and restaurant acrelec america

Facial Recognition Turning Retail On Its Face

acrelec kiosk

Thibaud with ACRELEC America

Very nice writeup on Retail and Restaurant on facial recognition by Thibaud Denolle of ACRELEC America. You can contact Thibaud at his LinkedIn or by email.

Summary of Facial Biometrics in Retail

  • Technology Overview: Facial biometrics uses AI for identity verification via facial features.

  • Real-World Applications: Brands like Steak n’ Shake and Sam’s Club enhance customer experience and efficiency.

  • Benefits: Reduces wait times, improves loyalty programs, and offers personalized interactions.

  • Challenges: Raises privacy concerns and potential job displacement.

  • Future Outlook: Continued evolution expected, with a focus on transparency and data security to build consumer trust. Balancing technology with human interaction is crucial for success.

  • What technology does Amazon Go use to enhance the checkout experience?  Amazon Go uses “Just Walk Out” technology, which combines facial recognition, computer vision, and sensor fusion. This allows customers to pick up items and leave the store, with their accounts automatically charged, significantly reducing wait times and minimizing the need for human staff.

    1. Steak n’ Shake: Implemented a biometric check-in and checkout system for easy order review and loyalty tracking.

    2. Sam’s Club: Increased adoption of its Scan & Go mobile checkout system, allowing customers to scan items and pay via their smartphones.

    3. Amazon Go: Utilizes “Just Walk Out” technology for a seamless shopping experience without traditional checkout lines. What are some real-world examples of brands using facial biometrics in retail? Real-world examples of brands using facial biometrics in retail include:

       

    4. What challenges do retailers face when implementing facial biometrics technology?

      Retailers face several challenges when implementing facial biometrics technology, including:

      1. Privacy Concerns: Ensuring consumer trust by addressing issues related to data security and transparency about how biometric data is used.

      2. Regulatory Compliance: Adhering to privacy regulations, such as the Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), to avoid legal issues.

      3. Balancing Automation with Human Interaction: Maintaining a positive customer experience while reducing human staff, as some customers may miss personal interactions.

Resources

ISE Digital Signage Barcelona

ISE Europe

ISE Europe Digital Signage Tradeshow

The Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2025 event will be held from February 4 to 7, 2025, at the Fira de Barcelona, Gran Via. ISE is a world-renowned annual tech show for the systems integration and audiovisual industry. The ISE Europe website includes information about the event, such as registration details, exhibitor lists, floor plans, and hotel booking options. It also features the latest news, testimonials, and statistics about the event. Here is the main registration link.

To get your free pass for the show, use the code AVIXAatISE2025 during registration on ISE’s website or simply click here.

If interested in more information or meeting contact Craig at [email protected]

The networking mixer by Sixteen-Nine is sold out.

If we went, then these are the 23 companies and booths that we would stop by and visit.

Members

APACs

  • DOTCOM
  • EKAA Technology
  • Glory Star
  • Marvel
  • MUXWAVE
  • Rcstars
  • Micron optoelectronics — Hall 2,  2D400, —
    55” Transparent OLED Touch Display
    65” Interactive Conferencing Touch Display
    81” Wide Format Interactive Display (21:9)
    86 ”Active Pen Writing IFPD
    Metal Mesh PCAP Touch Screen
    Transparent Flexible, Conductive Films

Interesting

Why is ISE Europe So Valuable?

ISE (Integrated Systems Europe) is an extremely valuable tradeshow for the audiovisual and systems integration industry. It is recognized as the largest AV and systems integration show in the world

The event’s value is evident in its consistent growth and widespread appeal:

  1. Scale and Attendance: ISE 2024 attracted over 1,400 exhibitors and 73,891 unique visitors from 162 countries, with a total of 172,627 in-person visits. This massive scale provides unparalleled networking and business opportunities.
  2. Industry Coverage: The show covers a wide range of technologies across seven dedicated zones, including audio, AV broadcast, digital signage, lighting, and more. This comprehensive coverage makes it a one-stop event for industry professionals.
  3. Business Impact: 43.75% of ISE’s visitors are senior leadership and C-suite decision makers, with 41% authorizing purchases. This high-level attendance translates to significant business potential for exhibitors.
  4. Global Reach: Visitors come from over 170 countries, making ISE a truly international event. This global representation offers exposure to diverse markets and perspectives.
  5. Educational Value: ISE features an extensive conference program, including nine sector-specific thought leadership events and CEDIA educational courses. This provides valuable learning and professional development opportunities.
  6. Technology Showcase: The event consistently features the latest technologies, with artificial intelligence being particularly prominent in recent editions. This makes ISE an essential platform for staying updated on industry trends.
  7. Media Coverage: ISE generates substantial press and media coverage, including 13,658 online editorial articles with a reach of 1.387 billion. This exposure can significantly boost brand visibility for participants.

Industry professionals consistently rate ISE as highly valuable, with many stating that it eliminates the need to attend other trade shows due to its comprehensive nature

The show’s growth from 120 exhibitors in 2004 to over 1,400 in 2024 further underscores its increasing value and importance in the industry

More Articles on AVIXA

Related Posts

Self-Service Trends 2025

kiosk market research 2019 numbers

Self-Service Trends 2025

“AI for Kiosks and More: Must-Know Self-Service Trends for 2025” by DynaTouch provides insights into the latest trends shaping the self-service kiosk industry in 2025. The rapid technological advancements, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI), have significantly influenced self-service kiosks, transforming both customer interactions and internal processes.

Key Trends

  1. Meaningful AI Integration AI is revolutionizing how companies operate and interact with customers. DynaTouch emphasizes integrating AI in an innovative, safe, and meaningful way rather than merely for buzzword appeal. AI can enhance customer interactions and streamline internal processes. The company is committed to safeguarding user data while effectively utilizing AI to improve its solutions.
    1. Generative AI – Coming soon to kiosks – Kiosk Industry
    2. Kiosk Wayfinder with AI CMS Widgets
    3. Clover POS AI Assist for Self Ordering Kiosk
  2. Data Privacy With the increasing concern over data breaches and new privacy laws, data privacy has become a focal point. Users are cautious about how their information is used. DynaTouch highlights the limitations of basic “Kiosk Mode” options and stresses the need for dedicated kiosk management software. This software offers robust security features, such as user session management and restricted browsing, to protect user data and prevent unauthorized access.
    1. Critical Privacy Considerations For Kiosks 
    2. Kiosk Privacy Is About To Get Far More Complicated – Feature
    3. Legal Decisions Kiosks, Biometrics, Privacy
  3. Personalization Personalization is becoming an expectation in self-service kiosks. DynaTouch is exploring technologies like SmartVX, which allows for customized video content tailored to individual customers. This technology can enhance user experiences by providing personalized interactions, such as personalized videos at the end of utility bill payments with unique usage stats and payment history.
    1. How To Use Self-Service to Enhance the Customer Experience
    2. Personalization, Restaurant Tech Stacks and Stingray Kiosks by …
    3. Digital Signage Kiosk Wayfinding Companies

Additional Resources

The webpage also offers several helpful resources for organizations considering implementing self-service kiosks:

Conclusion

Self-service kiosks are poised to rise in 2025, driven by advancements in AI, enhanced data privacy measures, and increased personalization. DynaTouch is at the forefront of these trends, ensuring that its solutions not only meet but exceed customer expectations. As technology continues to evolve, self-service kiosks will play a crucial role in providing users with smarter, simpler, and more secure solutions.

Related and Resource Self-Service Trends

 

Kiosk Hall Of Fame 2025 Nomination Kenneth Larsen

KT Group’s CEO Kenneth Larsen Nominated for Induction into the Kiosk Hall of Fame

KT Group is proud to announce that its founder and CEO, Kenneth Larsen, has been nominated for induction into the prestigious Kiosk Hall of Fame 2025. This honor recognizes Kenneth’s 20 years of leadership, innovation, and impact in the self-service industry.

The Kiosk Industry Association selects Hall of Fame nominees based on their dedication to advancing the industry and shaping its future. Kenneth’s visionary leadership has positioned KT Group as a global leader, delivering over 28,000 kiosk terminals across multiple industries, including retail, ticketing, pharmacy, and betting.

“This nomination is a testament to the hard work of our entire team and the strong partnerships we’ve built over the years,” said Kenneth Larsen. “As we celebrate our 20th anniversary, I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved, and how those achievements have put me in contention for such a prestigious position. But we always look ahead as a company, and so I’m excited for the future of kiosk innovation, and the part KT Group will play in that innovation.”

Since founding KT Group in 2005, Kenneth has played a pivotal role in revolutionizing large-scale kiosk deployments. After forging strategic partnerships in China, Kenneth’s forward-thinking approach led KT Group to expand internationally, leveraging industrial production powerhouses to deliver kiosks that find the balance between cost efficiency and quality engineering. Today, KT Group’s self-service solutions are integral to some of the world’s leading businesses, ensuring seamless customer experiences across high-traffic environments.

As KT Group continues to push the boundaries of self-service technology, this nomination serves as recognition of both past achievements and future ambitions. Voting for the Kiosk Hall of Fame 2025 is now open, and supporters can cast their votes through the Kiosk Industry Association’s official portal.

About KT Group:

KT Group is a globally recognised provider of full-turnkey self-service kiosk solutions designed to meet the diverse requirements of clients. With expertise centered on crafting self-service kiosks and digital signage terminals that exceed client expectations, KT Group has solidified its position as a leading international manufacturer in the field.

More KT Group Articles

Digital Kiosks for Smart City – Analysis

digital kiosk smart city

Digital Kiosks for Smart City

We see these digital kiosks for smart city projects at least once a month. Today Dallas issued one and it bears analysis to understand.  We run a separate Smart City website and LinkedIn group for Smart Cities. We post RFPs and RFIs there.

Summary of Deal

  • 150 kiosks in play
  • potential $770K payoff to cancel CBS Group (in place since 2006)
  • All costs are borne by deployer + 12% cut of advertising revenue to city
  • Resembles 2018 RFP (see link below). Apparently no takers?
  • Accessibility – a cursory nod to “should be in compliance and your problem if not”  — Accessibility, usability and inclusion – creating a welcoming and inclusive technology for our community at large. Kiosks must be accessible to persons with disabilities and adhere to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (“ADA”) and other relevant legal requirements; including, but not limited to, serving individuals with visual and/or hearing impairments.
  • Texas has some odd “blacklists”

Who Are The Usual Suspects?

  • OBM (Orange Barrel Media) with its IKE kiosks, 19 cities and 500 kiosks. Double-sided 65″ at 3000 NITS. 100 employees
  • CityBridge (LinkNYC) — Intersection and Boldyn are partners. Started in 2014 and supposed to have 7500 kiosks in NYC by 2023.  Currently there are 2,000.  NYC expected $500M in revenue but in 2021 CityBridge defaulted $70M payment. They restructured the franchise agreement and haven’t disclosed the revised agreement. LinkNYC revenue is estimated between $5M and $1M a year.  See recent news on LinkNYC facelift
    • 78% of New Yorkers see LinkNYC content and ads every week5.
    • The network generates more than two billion ad impressions every month5.
  • CIVIQ Smartscapes: Offers smart kiosk solutions designed to address urban needs such as improving city mobility, wayfinding, public Wi-Fi, emergency alert systems, smart lighting, and environmental monitoring13.

  • Smart City Media: Provides a platform for Internet and mobile applications, IoT sensors, and location-based media to engage local residents, empower small businesses, and help tourists13.

  • SmartLINK: Offers kiosks that provide event monitoring, security alerting, Wi-Fi, wayfinding, communications, environmental monitoring, and traffic study solutions13.

  • Soofa: Uses a web-based platform allowing locals to share information and cities to communicate directly with residents about local events and emergencies1

Editor Notes

  • Worth noting LinkNYC has been plagued in the past by “bad content”. Latest article — Pxxxvideo on smart city terminals? YouTube, Instagram, Tumblr, Facebook and 100 new ones. Companies pay for bandwidth used. LinkNYC still has problems. Our recommendation is Sitekiosk for content filtering.
    https://kioskindustry.org/pornvideo-and-kiosks/

Premise:

The City of Dallas is seeking proposals from qualified firms with extensive experience in designing, implementing, fabricating, installing, operating, maintaining, replacing, upgrading, and removing interactive digital kiosks. These kiosks will be primarily located on City of Dallas sidewalks and other rights-of-way and public areas in locations as approved by the City. The kiosks will provide information of interest to both residents and visitors.

The city is seeking a ten-year contract agreement with up to two (2) five-year renewal options subject to vendor contractual compliance. The City reserves the right to negotiate a term other than referenced above if it adds value to the City. The City and the selected vendor will mutually agree upon the final contract term.

An interactive digital kiosk terminals featuring specialized components that provide access to information and applications for emergency notification, communications, commerce, entertainment, navigation, event promotion, activities, education, and services for residents and visitors that are available to the public to be used at locations throughout the City of Dallas

IV. Scope of Work

The City of Dallas is seeking proposals from qualified firms with extensive experience in designing, implementing, fabricating, installing, operating, maintaining, replacing, upgrading, and removing interactive digital kiosks. These kiosks should provide information, including (but not limited to) services for residents and visitors, activities, and upcoming events. The kiosks will primarily be located on City of Dallas sidewalks and other public right-of-way areas in business districts and other locations approved by the City including but not limited to parks, trail entry points, convention center district locations, etc. The determination of the suitability of any location for placement of a digital kiosk shall be made solely by the City. Approval of each kiosk location is subject to the sole approval of the City, which approval may be withheld or delayed for any reason at City’s sole discretion.

All services and responsibilities of the digital kiosk vendor as described herein will be provided at no cost to the City of Dallas. The awarded firm(s) will be responsible for the design, implementation, fabrication, installation, operation, maintenance, repair, and replacement of all kiosks and kiosk components. City reserves the right to annually audit the selected vendor’s compliance with the agreement, including a third-party audit of the selected vendor. The selected vendor shall agree to allow City or its agent access to any materials necessary to conduct such an audit.
The kiosks shall serve the following public purposes, at a minimum:
1. Wayfinding – providing information regarding civic and cultural institutions, transit amenities, restaurants, retail, and other business
2. Public information and emergency messaging – serving as a central dissemination point for public information to enable real-time posting of City communications
3. Increased vibrancy and visual interest of City streets – promoting placemaking in Dallas through City events and programming

Creating a supportive environment for retail and entertainment commerce – furthering economic development within our community

Enhanced visitor experience and brand perception of Dallas

Accessibility, usability and inclusion – creating a welcoming and inclusive technology for our community at large

Kiosk Requirements

  • Kiosks must support English and Spanish at a minimum, and additional language selections shall be included if requested by City to address community needs.

  • Kiosks must be accessible to persons with disabilities and adhere to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (“ADA”) and other relevant legal requirements; including, but not limited to, serving individuals with visual and/or hearing impairments.

  • Kiosks shall accept content in various formats, including Adobe PDF, documents created using Microsoft Office Suite, web links, maps, images, and other content and formats from the City for presentation on the kiosks.

  • Kiosks must include interactive, easy-to-use features that appeal to a broad population with ease of navigation.

  • Kiosks will provide Wi-Fi internet service free of charge to the public for a minimum radius of 150 feet around each kiosk, with bandwidth and IP connections sufficient to support a minimum of 100 users at each kiosk, scalable at up to 200 users in high-traffic areas. Kiosk providing free Wi-Fi internet service must include a City of Dallas Terms of Service “Splash Page” prior to access. Kiosks must provide capability for: (a) wired connectivity with a minimum 1 gigabyte connection speed; (b) cellular provider sim network card via integrated hardware of the proposed solution; or (c) standard 4G/5G cellular via hotspot or cradle point (or similar) device. Proposed solutions must be capable of supporting streaming video based on the standards associated with each connectivity type. Proposers shall include detailed network connectivity specifications including: (a) any minimum upload/download requirements; (b) device connection types for each of the capability methods described above; (c) provide list of cellular provider exclusions, if any exist; (d) LAN port specifications.

  • The selected vendor will be responsible for all actions and expenses required to secure site approvals, permits, electrical access, installation, repair, and any other cost required to install, maintain, or operate the kiosks. Likewise, the selected vendor will be responsible for all actions and costs required to restore damage created or caused by the vendor or its agents or employees, or damage created or caused by the kiosks. Vendor shall be responsible for restoration of all city right of way or other property to a condition acceptable to City upon removal of any kiosk, either during the term of the agreement or at the end of the term of the agreement.

Kiosk Number and Location. The selected vendor may install up to one hundred and fifty (150) kiosks at locations approved by the City in its sole discretion. No more than fifty (50) kiosks may be installed in any one calendar year.

  1. Special Requirements

As a condition to awarding this agreement, and upon execution of the agreement with the City, the selected proposer may be required to pay the City an amount equal to the termination fee payable by the City under the City’s existing static kiosk agreement with CBS Outdoor Group, Inc., dated January 3, 2006. If the City chooses to terminate the existing static kiosk agreement, the termination fee as of the date of this solicitation is estimated at $770,833.33, and the successful proposer will pay no more than this amount. The final payment amount will be determined by City prior to contract execution. If payment of this fee changes the terms of your proposal, please indicate what those changes would be. The early termination fee is reduced by $20,833.33 per month until the termination by expiration is reached on June 30, 2028.

Here is the actual RFP for review — 01 – Digital Kiosks Specifications

Related Digital Kiosk Smart City Links

Addendum

ADA

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design have several key differences:

Scope and Definition

The 2010 Standards expanded the definition of “disability” to include major bodily functions, not just limitations in major life activities9.

The 2010 Standards broadened the scope of the ADA, increasing the number and types of persons protected under the law6.

Technical Requirements

Reach ranges: The 2010 Standards changed the maximum reach range to 48 inches for both front and side approaches, compared to the 1991 Standards which allowed 54 inches for side approaches11.

Toilet centerline: The 2010 Standards allow a range of 16-18 inches from the side wall to the center of the toilet, whereas the 1991 Standards required an absolute 18 inches11.

Clear floor space: The 2010 Standards increased the clear-floor-space requirements for water closets in toilet rooms11.

Additional Provisions

The 2010 Standards include new requirements for elements not covered in the 1991 Standards, such as recreation facilities, play areas, and swimming pools8.

The 2010 Standards introduced a “safe harbor” provision for elements that complied with the 1991 Standards before March 15, 20128.

The 2010 Standards added provisions addressing ticketing, service animals, communications, and mobility devices like Segways11.

Implementation

The 2010 Standards provided an 18-month grace period for implementation, similar to the original ADA, allowing facilities to choose between the 1991 and 2010 Standards during this time11.

The 2010 Standards became mandatory on March 15, 2012, setting new minimum requirements for newly designed, constructed, or altered facilities4.

These changes reflect an effort to broaden the ADA’s protections, clarify technical requirements, and address new accessibility concerns that have emerged since the original act was passed in 1990.


Addendum Texas Laws

Texas has implemented measures that allow for the cancellation or avoidance of contracts with entities that boycott energy companies, specifically those in the oil and gas industry.

In August 2022, Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar announced a list of financial companies that boycott energy companies3. Under Texas Government Code Chapter 809, these listed companies are subject to divestment provisions. This means that state entities may be required to divest from or avoid contracts with companies on this list.

The law defines a financial company as a publicly traded financial services, banking, or investment company. After extensive research, the Comptroller’s office identified 10 financial companies and nearly 350 individual investment funds that are subject to these provisions3.

Texas has implemented a similar policy regarding gun rights, alongside its measures protecting oil and gas interests. The state has enacted laws that restrict government entities from doing business with companies that discriminate against the firearms industry13.

In 2021, Texas passed SB 19, which prohibits state agencies and political subdivisions from contracting with companies that endorse discriminatory practices and policies aimed at firearm industries, including the ammunition industry, or firearm trade associations5.

This law has had significant impacts:

  1. Major lenders have left the Texas municipal bond market because they wouldn’t support the manufacturing of AR-15 style weapons1.

  2. The reduced competition in the bond market has reportedly cost Texas taxpayers an estimated $300 to 500 million in extra interest1.

  3. Companies contracting with Texas governmental entities must verify in writing that they do not and will not discriminate against firearm entities or firearm trade associations during the term of the contract4.

These measures apply to contracts valued at $100,000 or more4. The policy aims to protect the firearms industry from what Texas lawmakers perceive as discrimination by financial institutions and other companies adopting ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) policies13.

It’s worth noting that as of February 2025, these laws continue to be in effect and have influenced business practices in Texas, despite the additional costs to taxpayers.

Self Service Europe – Poland, Italy & Spain

Inside a Dunkin coffee shop, dimly lit with a bright self-service kiosk reminiscent of those in Europe on the right. A sign reads STATE COLLEGE RUNS ON DUNKIN near stairs to the left. A PICK UP sign hangs above.

Self Service Europe Kiosks Come of Age

It’s easy to think of and see US iterations of self-service, but we Americans often forget (and sometimes dismiss) that Europe is a hotbed for self-service. Counterless kiosk-only restaurants are the norm, and instead of 3 or 4 kiosks, you can see 10-15. (In the US, see McDonald’s Counterless with only Self-Order Kiosks (with Cash, too).) Other examples include lockers (see lunchtime in China video).

Introduction

Europe self-service is something to watch! Pretty easy to watch the big companies like McDonald’s, Yum Foods, Inspire and others.   And we think US companies at that point.  Worth noting KFC has over 30,000 restaurants worldwide. Less than 4000 in the US. Everybody likes chicken apparently 🙂  From Digital-Signage.blog

Our tagline — Europe – Are they Behind or Ahead in Self-Service? The US seems to be falling behind Europe and China for that matter. All the cool stuff is there. I know there is residual US pride at play but best to get over it and get with it. Competition is good!

Insight

Europe has consistently led in technology and design. We examine primary design and technology advances in Europe.  Today, we look at m4b in Poland and also Acrelec in Italy. Europe has also embraced “counterless”. Instead of counters with 4 or 5 kiosks, they tend to do no counters and 15-20 kiosks. Looking for examples of COB displays being used in drive-thru outdoor. Europe leads the way there as well. European providers also utilize Chinese manufacturing much more than “Made in USA” stuff. Acrelec, for example, has facilities in China.

Europe has always led in technology and design. We examine major design and technology advances in Europe.

  • Actual AI drive-thru technology that works and isn’t just “talked about” for stock price.
  • Innovative outdoor designs
  • Counterless – Employee Free Zones
  • Next generation menu boards
  • SCO Self Checkout

Part I – Poland

Pictures from Poland

We’ll start with pictures from Poland.  We are not going to show a few things which provide distinct competitive advantage. These are from mb4.pl

Videos from Poland

AI Voice Ordering
Putting Together a KFC

Resources & Brochures from Poland

ITALY and KFC



 

Kiosk Industry November 2024 Press Release

iaapa kiosk

Kiosk Industry November 2024

Self Service November 2024

Westminster, CO – November 15, 2024 Come see us in Orlando next week for IAAPA 2024 #5727. 1100 exhibitors and 40,000 attendees. Did we mention free passes? We have those too. See landing page for Code.   PRnewswire Here is APNews.

Our booth at IAAPA features a strong lineup of partners, including Pyramid kiosks (two units), RedyRef (two units), AcquireDigital, & TPGi. TPGi will be showcasing a demo from imageHOLDERS. In the digital signage pavilion, you can also find 22Miles and Elotouch, further demonstrating our commitment to collaboration and innovation. Don’t forget too that several members are in digital signage pavilion (22Mikes and Elo). Our next tradeshow after IAAPA is NRF in January.

We want to say thanks to new members Crane CPI, SKG Manufacturing, EasyPay, Ventus (Digi), POSBank with great POS systems and DPL WIreless for their support. Membership has grown such that we are now limiting entry. Having someone with experience to talk to is great, but there is only one of us.

Thoughts this month – tariffs in February are high probability. Chinese prices go up (60%) and so do the US prices. Not sure who wins there. We have 45 Shenzen participants and monitor (whatsapp). Also — bitcoin has gone thru the roof thanks to election. People on the move this week include Dot Pad and Olea Kiosks.

Latest
• WIreless Modems and Router Suppliers
• Kiosk Manufacturer – SKG
• JCPenney Kiosk – Innovative Use of Handheld M60 by Elo
• Redbox Shut Down – An Obituary
• Picking a Kiosk Manufacturer – Tips
• Security Stadium Biometrics – Fan Experience, Safer, Data Insights
• Hospitality Breach News – P2P Encryption for Payment Processing
• Airport & Airline Accessibility ADA Kiosks
• C-Store Retailers Employee Training and Self Service
• Restaurant Kitchen Employee Hygiene
• Wristband Printing Wristband Tickets

Contact [email protected] with questions or contacts. We accept no financial commission or paid advertising.

About Kiosk Industry
Your best source for opinions, insights, news, and market trends for self-service kiosks, digital signage, POS, and more. Learn from the experts. We are a “co-op” of over 700 companies.

About the Kiosk Association

Our mission is to inform and educate. Accessibility, ADA, PCI, UL are some of our focus points. Join us for informative Q&A webinars and weekly or monthly update emails (no ads).
Thanks to the companies who make this possible.


AP News Posts

Self Service Kiosk News for October 2024 from the Kiosk Manufacturer Association

Kiosk Industry News December 2023 from Kiosk Industry and Kiosk Manufacturer Association

Self Service Kiosk News September 2024

Kiosk Industry News for Nov. 2023 from Kiosk Manufacturer Association

InfoComm 2023 Preview Kiosk Association

China Tablet Manufacturers – MiniPC & Media Players

Panera tablet kiosk

China Tablet Manufacturers

Along with Chinese kiosk manufacturers and Chinese display technology, we have a large interest in Chinese tablets along with media players, AIOs and Mini-PC

We use multiple resources such as the website Thin Client – Media Players and well as online database lists

China Tablet Resources

  • From China database — https://list.ly/list/9n0F-chinese-touchscreen-display-kiosk-companies-vetted
  • Wintouch is the best industrial Panel Pc Manufacturer and Tablet Pc supplier In China,Wintouch was founded in 2011.We are dedicated to product customization services in hardware devices for industrial control solutions and tablet PCs, In industrial control solutions devices, we focus on the products of panel PCs, industrial monitors and touch panels; in the field of tablet PCs, we cover Android tablet PCs, kids tablet PCs and rugged tablet PCs. We meet customer needs with a professional team to help you realize your product customization needs.
    We recommend contacting Cheng (aka Dora) cheng [email protected]

    Industrial Panel Pc
    The panel PC can be installed with Android/Linux system, which has touch function and is reliable and durable.

    Industrial Monitor
    Industrial monitor connected to industrial PC or box computer, with touch function makes operation more convenient.

    Touch Screen Panel
    Capacitive touch Screen Panel, high hardness capacitive multi-touch technology, multiple sizes and shapes.

    HMI Pcs
    (Human Machine Interface)
    Human-computer interaction makes the automation of the Internet easier, more convenient, and more flexible.

    Kids Tabelet
    Kids Tablet PC with protective case and pre-installed children’s applications

    Rugged Tablet
    Cost-effective rugged tablet, with high drop resistance and durability, suitable for harsh environments such as construction and outdoor adventures.

    Tablet Pc Solution
    Tablet PC is a good partner in educational use, enterprise application and medical field.

    Our contact there is Dora He
    [email protected]

  • Since 2002, Centerm is a global leading provider of smart terminal products and solutions, including VDI endpoint, thin client, mini PC and smart biometric terminal. Based on over 20-year powerful innovation abilities, Centerm forms on the unique advantage in the areas of cloud computing, VDI artificial intelligence, biometric Identification, fintech and related industrial applications, providing a total solution including hardware software and service. Centerm enterprise thin clients enjoyed continued strength and ranked No.3 in worldwide.
    Cassie Fujian Centerm Information Co.,Ltd.

    Overseas Dept Sales
    WhatsApp:+86-15705918731
    WeChat: +86-17606040117
    Skype: cassie_here
    Email: [email protected]
    Website: https://www.centermclient.com/
    Add: 20/F Block A Star-net Science Plaza, #33 Xingang Road, High-Tech District, Fuzhou, Fujian, China

  • linkedin.com/in/funpad-linky-90713618b
    [email protected]And I hope that my company’s products can increase sales and reduce labor costs for my customers.
    Our products have EU export certification and CE certification. As a professional supplier, we hope to seize every opportunity for cooperation.
    Here is the company’s official website:www.FUNPAD.com

    Self checkout kiosk
    Taking simplicity, safety and flexibility to new levels. FUNPAD commercial display solutions make every team more effective, and every meeting more productive.

    FUNPAD was established in 2015, is a high-tech enterprise, focusing on the research and development of intelligent devise in retail and catering industry. The company’s product concept is touch screen+, which combines touch screen with industry hardware, integrates application software, and launches a variety of intelligent devices to meet the needs of different application scenarios.

    FOUNYA was established in 2009, Is an enterprise integrating product design, production and technical support. FOUNYA has cooperated with Lenovo, BOE, TCL, Alibaba and other groups to provide ODM/OEM services. The company has passed a number of management system certifications, including ISO9001:2015, ISO14001:2015, ISO45001:2018, as well as the American SA8000 social responsibility standard, and the international RBA system certification.
    6500+ Total Employees

  • Mar 30, 2024 – glorystargroup.com – 8
    Glory Star Group | commercial android tablets | touchscreen computer | kiosk tablet | touchscreen signage |

    We are the leading provider and manufacturer for industry focused touch solutions.

    We are the pioneer of display screen and all-in-one touch interface, the company has more than 800,000 units of installation in fitness, retail, self-service and building automation industry globally. We offer customization of tablets allowing you direct access to engineers with a broad selection of screens from 4.3” to 43”. We bring engagement to users through the use of tablet technology.

    Glory Star provides the broadest selection of OEM kiosk tablets, commercial tablets, and all-in-one touch computers for different markets, including building automation, industrial automation, interactive kiosks, healthcare, office equipment, retail displays, transportation applications and point of sale devices.

    Glory Star Group was formed in a time where huge technological advancements were made and continues to thrive by adapting to the trends in technology in 1984.. Mr. Cheung, the founder of Glory Star Group, after graduation from National Taipei University of Technology, moved to Hong Kong at the age of 25 with USD200 in his pocket and a passion for success. The business in its early stages started by trading calculators and smoothly transitioned to reselling the world’s first cell phone, the Motorola DynaTAC 8000M. Weighing in at 2 pounds (picture this – the heaviest phone at the moment is the iPhone Pro Max weighing at 0.49 pounds!), it was one of the biggest breakthroughs in technology and the hefty price tag to acquire one was $3,995 USD at the time.

    Mar 30, 2024 – cjtouch.com – 1
    CJTouch All In 1 Pc

    Founded in 2011. By putting the customer’s interest first, CJTOUCH consistently offers exceptional customer experience and satisfaction through its wide variety of touch technologies and solutions including All-in-One touch systems.

    CJTOUCH makes available advanced touch technology at a sensible price for its clientele. CJTOUCH further adds unbeatable value through customization to meet particular needs when required. The versatility of CJTOUCH’s touch products is evident from their presence in varying industries such as Gaming, Kiosks, POS, Banking, HMI, Healthcare and Public Transportation.

More China Tablet Articles

Post Office Kiosks Rolling Out – Multi-functional Services

imageholders

Post Office Kiosks Being Deployed

imageHOLDERS announces new deployment with Post Office in UK. Partnering with Ricoh, Intelligent AR and Meld CX.  You may remember MeldCX from hotel check-in integrations. Also typically Chrome so shows up on Thinclient.

Nice article on Dorset News — The gradual nationwide rollout is set to begin in Spring 2025. Neal Newbrook, propositions manager at the Post Office, said: “Post Office is committed to enhancing customer service across the network, working in partnership with our Postmasters and retail partners. “Introducing these new self-service kiosks will make it easier and more efficient for customers to access the mail products they require. “We’re excited to work with imageHOLDERS on this key project that will help postmasters and our retail partners meet evolving customer needs.”

Pictures – the kiosk lineups are illustrative of their go to market ranges – our key sectors are Healthcare, Aviation, Retail, Hospitality and Post and Mail.

 


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

imageHOLDERS Partners with Post Office for Nationwide Rollout of Self-Service Kiosks

Revolutionizing Customer Service Across the UK

Dorset, 20/11/2024 – imageHOLDERS, a leading provider of self-service kiosk solutions, is proud to announce its new partnership with Post Office for the rollout of self-service kiosks in Post Office branches across the UK. This collaboration will support Post Office’s aim to enhance customer service, increase accessibility, and streamline transactions at Post Offices nationwide.

Post Office, a cornerstone of British communities, serves millions of customers every day. To continue delivering high-quality service while adapting to evolving customer expectations, Post Office has chosen imageHOLDERS’ state-of-the-art kiosks to provide an efficient, user-friendly, and inclusive self-service experience.

Collaborating with industry-leading partners Ricoh, Intelligent AR, and Meld CX, this self-service kiosk collaboration provides expertise in advanced automation and intelligent design to elevate the functionality and user experience of the kiosks. Ricoh brings extensive service capabilities, reaching, installing, and supporting 4,000 + devices across the estate, while Intelligent AR provides postal software solutions rooted in a deep understanding of the customer journey.

Meld CX offers remote kiosk and device monitoring to deliver real-time support and self-help, ensuring maximum uptime.

Together, these partnerships ensure that Post Office remains at the forefront of innovation in customer service by providing streamlined, responsive solutions.

Enhancing Customer Experience with Cutting-Edge Technology

The rollout of self-service kiosks will allow customers to quickly and easily perform a variety of tasks, including:

  • Postal services – sending parcels, purchasing stamps
  • Home shopping returns
  • Electronic pre-advice and overseas services
  • Printed confirmation and tracking details

By automating these routine transactions, the kiosks will reduce queues, improve service efficiency, and free up staff to assist customers with more complex needs.

The kiosks will be equipped with intuitive touchscreens and designed with inclusivity at the forefront, ensuring ease of use for all customers, including those with accessibility requirements.

Delivering Accessibility and Innovation

As part of its commitment to providing an inclusive customer experience, imageHOLDERS will work closely with Post Office to ensure that the kiosks meet the highest standards of accessibility. From ergonomic design to accommodating assistive technologies such as screen readers and braille interfaces, the self-service kiosks are built to serve every customer equally.

“We are thrilled to partner with Post Office to help deliver more efficient and accessible services to customers across the UK,” said Richard Satchell, CEO of imageHOLDERS. “Our self-service kiosks will not only reduce wait times and improve customer satisfaction but will also ensure that these essential
services remain inclusive to everyone, regardless of their abilities.”

A Nationwide Transformation

The nationwide rollout is set to begin in Spring 2025, with self-service kiosks being introduced in a select number of Post Office branches before expanding to more branches across the country. This partnership signifies a major milestone in both imageHOLDERS’ and the Post Office’s ongoing missions to modernize service delivery, enhance customer experiences, and meet the changing needs of today’s consumers.

“Post Office is committed to enhancing customer service across the network, working in partnership with our Postmasters and retail partners,” commented
Neal Newbrook, Propositions Manager, Post Office. “Introducing these new self-service kiosks will make it easier and more efficient for customers to access the Post Office mail products they require. We are excited to work with imageHOLDERS on this key project that will help postmasters and our retail
partners meet evolving customer needs.”

About imageHOLDERS

imageHOLDERS specializes in creating innovative self-service kiosks and device enclosures for a wide range of industries, including healthcare, aviation, retail, and public services. With a focus on combining cutting-edge technology with ergonomic, user-friendly design, imageHOLDERS works to provide seamless and inclusive digital experiences that enhance both customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.

For more information on this partnership or to schedule an interview, please contact:

Freya Storey – Marketing and Communications Manager, imageHOLDERS
T: +44 (0) 1202 892863 E: [email protected] A: 42c Cobham
Road, Ferndown Industrial Estate, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 7QG, UK

More Post Office Kiosks imageHOLDERS related content:

 

How Kiosks Work – Redemption Ticketing Kiosks

how kiosks work

How Kiosks Work – Example of Redemption

How kiosks work is often asked question.  Kiosks perform a multitude of functions in a multitude of verticals.

In this video the owner gives you and operational walkthru demonstrating the efficiency the kiosk brings to table.  And seeing how important installation and service are to the equation.  Seeing how it works is so much better than pretty blah-blah language describing it in usual marketing 101 terms (think hackneyed terms like “frictionless” or synergy).


The People’s Choice Family Fun Center upgraded to Semnox’s state-of-the-art systems, enhancing both guest experience and operational efficiency. With the introduction of RFID cards and self-service kiosks, guests enjoy faster, smoother visits, while the center saves on labor costs and boosts revenue!

John Sarantakis, President of The People’s Choice:
“Working with Semnox has been a great experience. During the conversion, they brought in their people making the installation seamless. We didn’t lose any revenue and that just doesn’t usually happen, especially when switching over to a new system.”

Watch the transformation unfold!

Editors Note — this unit won 1st place at IAAPA show in 2024 — 1st Place, Parafait Klassic Pro Kiosk – Session/Slots Bookings with Automatic Waiver Management   Semnox Solutions LLC  2036   “Truly operator less, requires no labor, sell variety of products. Comes in variety of kiosk formats (outdoor, indoor, big). Robust technology.”

 

 

Redemption kiosks are commonly used in various settings to provide customers with a convenient way to redeem rewards, coupons, or loyalty points. Here are a few examples:

  1. Casino Redemption Kiosks: These kiosks allow casino patrons to redeem their loyalty points for cash, free play, or other rewards. They are often located throughout the casino floor for easy access.
  2. Retail Store Kiosks: Many retail stores have kiosks where customers can redeem digital coupons, loyalty points, or gift cards. These kiosks can also provide information about ongoing promotions and special offers.
  3. Amusement Park Kiosks: In amusement parks, redemption kiosks are used for guests to redeem tickets or points earned from arcade games for prizes. These kiosks help streamline the prize redemption process and reduce wait times.
  4. Supermarket Kiosks: Some supermarkets have kiosks where customers can redeem loyalty points for discounts on their purchases. These kiosks can also print out coupons that can be used at checkout.
  5. Movie Theater Kiosks: Movie theaters often have kiosks where customers can redeem points from loyalty programs for free tickets, concessions, or other rewards.

These kiosks enhance the customer experience by providing a quick and easy way to access rewards and incentives.

More Redemption Kiosk posts

Service Cost Kiosk – So How Much Does It Cost?

So How Much Does it Cost to Service a Kiosk

Questions we are asked include just what are the usual service and maintenance costs associated with a kiosk.

Determining the service cost for a kiosk involves several factors. We’ll put all the “details” aside for now.

kiosk service costs

kiosk service costs

Here is real life “current” example of request.

SOW SCOPE OF WORK_Final

Here is fairly close outline of factors.

Hardware and Installation

  1. Type of Kiosk: Different kiosks (e.g., informational, transactional, interactive) have varying hardware requirements.  Is it a complex unit or simple unit?
  2. Installation: Costs can vary based on the complexity of installation, including site preparation and setup.

Software and Licensing

  1. Software: The cost of the operating system, applications, and any custom software.
  2. Licensing: Ongoing costs for software licenses and updates.

Maintenance and Support

  1. Routine Maintenance: Regular checks and servicing to ensure the kiosk is functioning properly.
  2. Repairs: Costs associated with fixing any hardware or software issues.
  3. Technical Support: Availability of support services for troubleshooting and assistance.

Connectivity

  1. Internet Access: Costs for wired or wireless internet connections.
  2. Data Plans: If the kiosk uses cellular data, the cost of data plans.

Security

  1. Physical Security: Measures to protect the kiosk from theft or vandalism.
  2. Cybersecurity: Software and services to protect against digital threats.

Utilities

  1. Power Consumption: The cost of electricity to run the kiosk.
  2. Cooling: If the kiosk generates heat, the cost of cooling solutions.

Content Management

  1. Content Updates: Costs for creating and updating the content displayed on the kiosk.
  2. Content Management System (CMS): Software for managing and scheduling content.

Location and Environment

  1. Location: Costs can vary based on whether the kiosk is indoors or outdoors.
  2. Environmental Factors: Additional costs for weatherproofing or climate control for outdoor kiosks.

Compliance and Regulations

  1. Regulatory Compliance: Ensuring the kiosk meets local regulations and standards.
  2. Accessibility: Costs associated with making the kiosk accessible to all users, including those with disabilities.

These factors collectively determine the overall service cost for a kiosk, ensuring it operates efficiently and meets user needs.


More Kiosk Service Costs

Self-Checkout Innovation – A look back over last ten years

self-checkout innovation

Self-Checkout Innovation – Germany

A very informative paper (88 pages?) on self-checkout innovation over the last few years.  Thanks to Zahdan of Pyramid Computer (one of the featured examples) for pointing this out.

self-checkout pyramid

Click – self-checkout pyramid

The guide summarizes the status and future of self-checkout (SCO) systems in retail. It notes that SCO systems are becoming increasingly popular as they offer several advantages to both retailers and customers. For retailers, SCO systems can help to reduce labor costs, improve efficiency, and free up staff to focus on other tasks. For customers, SCO systems can help to save time and avoid long checkout lines.  

SCO Self Checkout Summary

“Self-Checkout Inspiration Guide” is by the EHI Retail Institute. It celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Self-Checkout Initiative and provides a comprehensive overview of self-checkout systems in retail. Here are some key points:

  1. History and Development: The guide traces the evolution of self-checkout systems in Germany, highlighting the initial skepticism and gradual acceptance by both retailers and consumers.
  2. Market Insights: It provides detailed market analysis, showing the increasing adoption of self-checkout systems in various retail sectors, including food, non-food, and DIY stores.
  3. Technological Innovations: The guide discusses the latest technological advancements, such as AI applications, digital shopping carts, and theft prevention measures.
  4. Case Studies: There are numerous examples from practice showcasing how different retailers have implemented self-checkout solutions. This includes interviews with retailers like Edeka and Ikea, who share their experiences and insights.
  5. Future Outlook: The guide looks ahead to future trends in self-checkout technology, emphasizing the importance of continued innovation and adaptation to meet consumer needs.
  6. Components and Solutions: It also covers various components and solutions related to self-checkout systems, such as payment systems, RFID checkouts, and mobile self-scanning.

Overall, the guide is a valuable resource for retailers looking to implement or improve their self-checkout systems, offering practical advice and highlighting successful implementations.

Table of Contents SCO Checkout

  • Preface
  • The status quo of self-scanning
  • Impressions from food retail
  • Interview with Edeka
  • Self-checkout in non-food retail
  • Impressions from non-food retail
  • Interview with Ikea
  • Smart Stores
  • Digital shopping carts
  • Components & Solutions
  • SCO terminals in the Schubert Edeka store
  • Semi-Assisted Checkout Solutions at C&A
  • Mobile self-scanning at Coop CH
  • Teo Grab & Go Darmstadt
  • Self-service terminal in the Schreyer farm shop
  • Self-checkout at Poco
  • SCOs at Thalia
  • RFID checkout at Amarak
  • Edeka Offenburg
  • Payment systems at the self-checkout
  • Receipt printer
  • Outlook76Theft prevention
  • Artificial intelligence
  • KPMG study
  • Looking to the future
  • Publication details

Excerpts

Why don’t retailers in Germany offer self-checkout terminals or self-scanning solutions? This was the question that gave rise to EHI’s Self-Checkout Initiative back in 2014. Wincor-Nixdorf had put the question to EHI at an in-house fair in Germany’s Eastern Westphalia region. And to be honest, we had no answer at that time. Self-checkout terminals were well established in other countries, but in  Germany  they were few and far between. Ikea, Real and a few independent grocers had made a start, but that was it. Thus it was high time to take a closer look at the question.

A number of companies were quick to offer their support, and the EHI Self-Checkout Initiative was born. The first task was to conduct a major survey of consumers in Germany. The results were surprising: few people had ever used a self-checkout system, but those who had were very satisfied. And non-users expressed considerable interest. Our first big customer survey therefore clearly showed that the demand for self-checkout systems went beyond what retailers had been offering.

This study was followed by further retailer surveys and talks with retail employees, plus many roundtable discussions and events. Within a short time, a large community devoted to self-scanning and self-checkout came into being

History: The first prototype of a self-checkout terminal was developed in the early 1980s by the American David R. Humble, head of the IT company CheckRobot in Florida. The terminal was first installed in a Kroger store in Atlanta in July 1986. This “CheckRobot” was a big attraction at EuroShop 1990 in Düsseldorf. It was presented in a cooperation project with the south German checkout counter manufacturer Harr (photo)

 

More self checkout articles

Peerless-AV Notable Projects – dvLED Walls Airports, Outdoor Drive Thru

dvled video wall peerless
At Peerless-AV, we take immense pride in the successful partnerships we’ve built as an installation team. From transforming drive-thru experiences to advancing virtual production technologies, and enhancing airport operations, our client success stories highlight our commitment to delivering high-quality, custom solutions that meet unique project needs.Here are some memorable installations we’ve been fortunate to be involved in and a first-hand perspective about the outstanding results from our clients!

BigFoot Java

Overview

BigFoot Java, a Pacific Northwest coffee chain, upgraded its drive-thru experience by installing Peerless-AV® Outdoor Digital Menu Boards (DMBs) at its 24/7, double-sided locations. Previously, updating static menu boards was labor-intensive and time-consuming. The new digital boards, integrated with cloud-based CMS, allow remote content updates, improving efficiency and reducing maintenance costs. With weatherproofing (IP66 rating), high brightness (2500 nits), and glare reduction, the DMBs ensure visibility in all conditions. The installation, completed in one day per location, enhances the drive-thru’s appearance and customer experience while eliminating the need for printed updates.

 

BigFoot Java drive-thru digital menu boards

 

Client Feedback

Kimberly Brecko, CEO of EcoDigital Media:

“We knew Peerless-AV would be the best partner for a long-term scalable solution, including service after sale. We worked together during a very challenging supply chain time in history. Our goal was to provide the most reliable outdoor displays to BigFoot Java. We know many of the internal partners at Peerless-AV, developing trust and keeping afoot of logistics, sometimes daily. We created a strong partnership with a great company, and are very pleased with the high-quality displays that are met with very positive feedback by those in the field experiencing them from installation to present.”

Sony DPMC

Overview

Sony’s Virtual Production Lab at the Digital Media Production Center (DMPC) in Los Angeles is a state-of-the-art facility for testing top-tier cinematography equipment. Ahead of its May 2023 opening, Peerless-AV partnered with Sony to design and install a custom mounting system for a large dvLED video wall. The wall, featuring both flat and curved sections, replaces a green screen and provides a versatile backdrop for production teams. Peerless-AV created a SEAMLESS Bespoke dvLED Mounting System to ensure seamless integration and high-quality visuals with minimal color shift. The installation, completed in just 10 days, includes 162 Crystal LED B-series cabinets, offering over 13 million pixels — more than 1.5 times 4K resolution. The lab’s opening highlighted Sony’s commitment to advancing virtual production technologies.

 

Sony DMPC case study

 

Client Feedback

Jason Metcalfe, Project Manager of the installation and Solutions Sales Engineer at Sony:

“Peerless-AV was a logical choice for mounting support. We had a lot of confidence in the quality of Peerless-AV’s products and knew they would align with our intricate design needs. Their in-house engineering and install resources were critical to support this complex and high-profile project.”

Kevin O’Connor, Senior Director, Cinematic Production Solutions, Sony Electronics:

“As a result of this installation, our demo facility achieved an advanced level of immersion sure to wow those testing Sony’s product lineup. We couldn’t be happier with the final product, and we are so excited to show it off.”

Monterrey International Airport

Overview

Peerless-AV collaborated with POP Media Technology to install 29 large dvLED video walls throughout Monterrey International Airport as part of a major remodeling project. The goal was to improve wayfinding and communication across busy areas like terminals, check-in points, and boarding gates. The installations featured Absen KL 2.5 LED displays for optimal clarity and durability, and were mounted using Peerless-AV’s SEAMLESS Mounting Systems, allowing customized, secure, and efficient integration. The project enhanced the airport’s aesthetic and functionality, providing travelers with clear flight information and dynamic content, while ensuring seamless, gap-free displays for a modernized experience.

 

Monterrey Airport case study

 

Client Feedback

Gabriel Lopez, Sales Director, at POP MT: 

“From previous experience, we knew that any mount provided by Peerless-AV would provide a quick and easy install with reliable, quality performance. However, we also knew the importance of taking time with the project specs and planning stage, without rushing. There were a lot of building regulations and construction considerations so conducting careful site evaluations and taking vital measurements early on, then collaborating on installation steps for the entire mounting structure meant all would go smoothly when it came to placement of the cabinets.”

These client success stories represent just a few examples of how Peerless-AV works hand-in-hand with industry leaders to create cutting-edge solutions that exceed expectations. We look forward to continuing our partnerships and helping businesses achieve their goals with innovative, customized AV solutions.

To learn more about our services and products, visit peerless-av.com/

Research – Kiosks Mean Fewer Employees – Let’s Be Honest…

kiosks mean less employees

Small business owners cut costs by 1.38 million

From Chosun Biz Xmas Day 2025 — The Korea Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises conducted a survey on 402 companies utilizing kiosks for the ‘2024 Small Business Kiosk Utilization Status and Policy Discovery Survey,’ and reported on the 25th that 93.8% responded that ‘the introduction of kiosks helps management.’ Respondents noted that they saw effects such as labor cost reduction and decreased work burdens through the kiosks.

Typically, the stance on this has been deflective by noting higher and faster sales create better jobs and more employees.  Generally that is true but those conditions are not the same for small business. They may have 10 tables total (or less). Half their business might be take out.

Some place like a supermarket may replace 3 employee checkout lines with two pods of six self-checkout.  Probably net increase of ten employees (service and techs) with sales.

  • A study by Chron showed that self-checkout kiosks process about 60 items per hour, while cashiers can process around 40 items per hour. This means self-checkout can be about 50% faster under ideal conditions.
  • However, factors like unfamiliarity with the technology, unexpected errors, and the need for staff assistance can slow down the process significantly.

Summary

  • It was determined that small business owners saw a cost reduction effect by using kiosks (self-service machines) to reduce more than one employee.
  • Among the 294 companies that answered that labor costs had been reduced, an average of 1.2 employees were cut, and they noted a reduction in monthly labor costs of about 1.38 million won.
  • Problems — 29.6% of the companies reported experiencing difficulties after implementing kiosks. The difficulties they encountered included technical problems like order errors, inability to contact customer service during late-night hours, challenges in utilization due to lack of digital skills, and customer complaints.
  • Among the 294 companies that answered that labor costs had been reduced, an average of 1.2 employees were cut, and they noted a reduction in monthly labor costs of about 1.38 million won.
  • 29.6% of the companies reported experiencing difficulties after implementing kiosks. The difficulties they encountered included technical problems like order errors, inability to contact customer service during late-night hours, challenges in utilization due to lack of digital skills, and customer complaints.

61.4% of the responding companies noted that the installation and operating expenses of kiosks were burdensome. The average purchase cost of kiosks was about 3.56 million won ($2500 USD) for stand-type and about 1.33 million won for table-type. If kiosks were lent, the monthly average cost was about 100,000 won ($1000 USD) for stand-type and about 190,000 won for table-type.

In addition, respondents identified necessary government support related to kiosks, including training on kiosk utilization for small business owners, guidance on how customers can use kiosks, support for kiosk maintenance and expansion of after-sales service (A/S) channels, and regulation of kiosk fees.

More Posts

Wendy’s Kiosks Deployed ACRELEC

wendys kiosk self order acrelec

ACRELEC Deploys new kiosks at Wendy’s

New deployment for Wendy’s by ACRELEC America

We had talked with Wendys at NRF 2022 and they told us then they were very dissatisfied with their current provider reliability and the complete lack of remote monitoring. Cheap price becomes not so cheap when the kiosks run out of receipt paper and the application requires it (unlike gas stations for reference).  Downtime and expensive field service over and over. Suddenly they are very expensive kiosks in reality.

Generally you will always get a better unit buying from someone who makes it for a living, and not someone who sells them for a living (aka reseller). People have make cheaper and the sellers have to add their margin. Dell used to add 30% margin.  Wendy’s was trying to aggregate purchases thru fewer vendors with them sourcing what Wendy’s wanted.

The new kiosks are compact and attractive. Nice to see the accessibility addition of AudioPad. Smart!

Comments on the LinkedIn Post

Today we are launching our first hashtagkiosk pilot with The Wendy’s Company in the U.S.!

It’s been an incredible journey with one of the most iconic brand ‍

Congratulation to a team 2000% commited to deliver Luke Peirsel , Samuel MALKA and Thomas Tavrides thank you very much it makes me proud to be part of this team! ✌️

Kevin Dubler that was very nice to see you at the install and looking forward to launch cash payment next week with the best handlers in the world GLORY

More ACRELEC US Posts

Video

Restaurant Self-Order Europe – Ordu and Lazenby

ordu lazenby kiosk europe

New Europe Kiosk Partnership

Overview – Irish-headquartered Ordú, a provider of advanced online ordering systems for the food service industry, today announces a new €1.5 million investment with global kiosk manufacturer Lazenby Group. Over the next three years, this collaboration is forecasted to generate €9 million in additional revenues for Ordú. It will facilitate the expansion of Ordú’s service offerings across various sectors including fast food, hospitality, pubs and restaurants, retail, and pharmacies. Please see full details in the press release below.

Editors Notes:

  • The Lazenby “Safe Touch” kiosk hardware is pitched as self-sanitizing. Not much information on exactly what it does or how though it appears to UV light.  That comes with caveats. And oily fingers? That is still soap and water once a day we think.   The UK suffered thru terrible news articles a few years back for sure.
  • Lazenby is a significant player in the UK market for sure.
  • It looks like, in the UK, a few people have fallen out with xxxxxxxx (who have done a number of the QSR kiosks in the past), so this may have allowed Lazenby Group to grab this deal.
  • Europe has been generating quite a bit of news.  The Popeyes deal in Prague most notable — Popeyes Chicken Kiosk Locations in Prague Thanks To ACRELEC

 


PRESS RELEASE

Ordú to create 10 new jobs as it secures €1.5M partnership with Lazenby Group

  • Ordú is an online ordering system for various sectors including fast food, hospitality, pub and restaurants, retail and pharmacies
  • Lazenby Group create kiosk solutions for diverse industries with clients such as the NHS, Holiday Inn, Disney, Nestle, and Greggs
  • With the new investment, additional headcount and new technology, Ordú expects to generate €9 million in revenue over the next three years

Dublin/Galway, 3rd October 2024: Ordú, a leading Galway-based provider of advanced online ordering systems for the food service industry, today announces a new €1.5 million investment in its partnership with Lazenby Group.

Over the next three years, this collaboration is forecasted to generate €9 million in additional revenues for Ordú. This investment will cover the recruitment and support of staff, including the creation of 10 new jobs in product development within the next 12 months, and the rollout of new technologies.

Established in 1963, Lazenby Group is a leading global kiosk manufacturer, serving various sectors with clients such as the NHS, Holiday Inn, Disney, Nestle, and Greggs. Known for its premium, high-quality and innovative solutions, including the industry-disruptive self-sanitising Safe-Touch kiosk technology, the company has set new benchmarks for hygiene and efficiency in retail, hospitality, healthcare, aviation, and more.

Lazenby Group sought a software partner to streamline its operations to enable growth plans across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Ordú was selected for its cutting-edge software and established market presence in Ireland and the UK. Additionally, targeting the pharmacy sector, where Ordú is also expanding into, was a key focus.

Moreover, Ordú’s software incorporates a smart upselling engine, driving a notable 20% increase in order value. By integrating Ordú’s software, Lazenby Group can expand its market reach significantly, with the capacity to manufacture and sell 3,500 kiosks annually, a significant increase from their previous annual sales of 2,000 kiosks.

Furthermore, this partnership facilitates the expansion of Ordú’s service offerings across various sectors including fast food, hospitality, pubs and restaurants, retail, and pharmacies. With an impressive client roster including Pita Pit Ireland, PG Chips, Four Lanterns, and CBE in Ireland and the UK, Ordú is positioned to introduce its technology to a much wider audience. The incorporation of Safe-Touch kiosks with self-sanitising kiosk technology marks a pioneering initiative in Ireland.

Ordú recently won silver in the Best in Retail and Consumer Goods category at the 2024 Digital Media Awards for its work in boosting operational efficiency for large retail businesses.

Andrew Dewdney, CEO of Ordú said: “Joining forces with Lazenby Group, a leader in kiosk technology, marks a pivotal moment in Ordú’s growth trajectory. Our partnership will not only elevate Ordú’s service portfolio but also introduce innovative solutions like Safe-Touch to our clientele, enhancing in-store customer experiences and upholding impeccable hygiene standards in the post-pandemic landscape. As we expand our team and merge our areas of expertise, we’re committed to enhancing our product and service capabilities, ensuring a seamless and safer digital journey for our valued customers.”

Steven McWilliam, Commercial Manager of Lazenby Group, said: “Ordú’s impressive customer base and industry expertise make them an obvious partner for us in Ireland. This collaboration holds tremendous potential and strengthens Lazenby Group’s foothold in the QSR hospitality sector. We are delighted to partner with an ambitious company like Ordú to bring our products to market. By streamlining our operations, this partnership enables Lazenby Group to deliver superior solutions, enriching our customers experience and driving revenue growth.”

-ENDS-

Image captions

  1. Pictured at the announcement that Ordú is to create 10 new jobs as it secures a €1.5M partnership with Lazenby Group are L-R: Steven McWilliam, Commercial Manager of Lazenby Group and Andrew Dewdney, CEO of Ordú
  2. Pictured at the announcement that Ordú is to create 10 new jobs as it secures a €1.5M partnership with Lazenby Group are L-R: Andrew Dewdney, CEO of Ordú and Steven McWilliam, Commercial Manager of Lazenby Group
  3. Pictured at the announcement that Ordú is to create 10 new jobs as it secures a €1.5M partnership with Lazenby Group are L-R: Steven McWilliam, Commercial Manager of Lazenby Group and Andrew Dewdney, CEO of Ordú

About Ordú:

Founded in 2020, Ordú is an enterprise-level online ordering system tailored for large multi-chain food retailers and quick-service restaurants. With a focus on innovation and customer satisfaction, Ordú offers flexible and user-friendly solutions to enhance the ordering experience for businesses and consumers alike.

About Lazenby Group:

Established in 1963, Lazenby Group is a leading provider of kiosk solutions, offering design, manufacturing, and installation services to clients across various industries. With a reputation for excellence and innovation, Lazenby Group is committed to delivering cutting-edge solutions that meet the evolving needs of its customers.

Ruth Marnell

Comit Communications & Marketing Limited,

D4 Nutgrove Office Park, Rathfarnham,

Dublin 14, Ireland.

Tel: +353 1 2993000

Mob: +353 86 0749049

www.comit.ie


More Europe Kiosk Related Posts

Europe Kiosk News – Advantech Acquires AURES

AURES kiosk Advantech

ADVANTECH Finalizes AURES Acquisition

Introducing the “ADVANTECH-AURES” Brand to the Global Market

TAIPEI, Taiwan – Oct 4th, 2024 – ADVANTECH (TWSE: 2395), a global leader in AIoT and artificial intelligence, announced today that it has finalized its acquisition on block shares of AURES
Technologies SA, a French Company renowned for its POS and KIOSK Brands. On October 1st, 2024, ADVANTECH has closed block trade of 1,430,381 shares from the major AURES shareholder and
subscribed the first tranche of convertible bonds of EUR 2,500,000 of principal amount.

ADVANTECH and AURES will officially join forces under the new Brand “ADVANTECH-AURES” after this acquisition. The new Brand will honor the spirit and value proposition of AURES while being empowered by ADVANTECH and will debut on the market with a clear mission to provide value-driven products and services. The goal of ADVANTECH-AURES is to initiate growth from the retail and hospitality sectors and expand its products and solutions into the broader “Intelligent City Services” market, with the vision of becoming a leading player in this field.

MC Chiang, the newly appointed CEO of AURES and Vice President of ADVANTECH Service-IoT Group, stated that this partnership enables both companies to leverage their combined expertise to enhance product offerings and expand into rapidly changing markets. AURES has a strong heritage of product innovation and leadership, with well-established Brand and channel networks across Europe, Australia, and the US, complemented by Service Support through RTG in the US. Through this collaboration, ADVANTECH-AURES aims to deliver a broader range of product portfolios, focusing on quality, design, and integrated AIoT solutions.

Reflecting the journey that began in October 2023 when AURES and ADVANTECH first forged their partnership, Patrick Cathala, Founder and Chairman of AURES, said:” For 35 years, we are proud of
what our teams have accomplished; AURES has been dedicated to creating high-quality products and serving our customers with passion. This alliance is built on a foundation of meticulous planning and a
shared vision for future growth. With the ADVANTECH-AURES Partnership, we are entering an exciting new phase alongside ADVANTECH. Together, we are stronger.”

The completion of block trade on October 1st would result in the mandatory filing by ADVANTECH of a tender offer with the French AMF (Autorité des Marchés Financiers) on all the outstanding shares of AURES not held by ADVANTECH, except for treasury shares, on the same financial terms as the Share Acquisition, i.e. at a price of EUR 6.31 per share.

# # #

About ADVANTECH

ADVANTECH has the corporate vision to “Enable an Intelligent Planet”. The company is a global leader in the fields of IoT intelligent systems and embedded platforms. To embrace the trends of AIoT and artificial intelligence, ADVANTECH has fully deployed its sector-driven strategy, focusing particularly on seven major sectors. This deployment aims to nurture market sectors and enhance core competitiveness. In the meantime, ADVANTECH integrates its existing product group – the AIoT + Edge computing hardware platform – with the mature WISE-IoT software platform. Together with our industrial AI solutions and business expertise, this integration will form an “orchestrator” model for seamless industrial chain connections, benefiting both our partners and clients. ADVANTECH is also working with business partners to co-create business ecosystems that accelerate the goal of industrial intelligence. (https://www.ADVANTECH.com)

About AURES Technologies

Founded in 1989 and listed on Euronext Growth, AURES Technologies is a developer and manufacturer of IT hardware solutions (POS & KIOSK) and applications for all Point of Sale and Service sectors. Its comprehensive ranges of POS terminals and systems – and interactive KIOSK Solutions – are designed for the worlds of Retail and Commerce, the Hospitality sector (hotels, restaurants and food services), Leisure and Transport, Public Services and Industry.

AURES has a global presence, with headquarters (HQ) in France, subsidiaries in the UK, Germany, Australia and the USA, and a network of partners, distributors and resellers in over 60 other countries. (https://www.aures.com).

ADVANTECH-AURES Contact:
Yannick-Florence WAELLY
Communications & PR Manager
+33 (0)1 69 11 16 60 (65 LD)
[email protected]


More Posts