LOS ANGELES, Calif., October 10, 2019 — Olea Kiosks of Los Angeles welcomes the Franklin Bill Payment kiosk as the newest addition to its self-service line-up. This secure and versatile kiosk is built to accept payments of any kind, anywhere.
The Franklin Bill Payment kiosk has the ability to accept and dispense dollar bills, dispense coins, check acceptance and take credit card payments. Because it’s a modular solution, it can be customized in a number of pre-designed configurations which make it easy to deploy in situations with first to market opportunities or where time is of the essence.
This kiosk was introduced for those industries that have a high number of cash-paying customers. “In the past, cash-handling kiosks were very costly to deploy, but with this solution, we’ve implemented some standardizations, which makes complete self-service operation attainable,” explained Frank Olea, CEO of Olea Kiosks. “The unit can be equipped with several different models of bill acceptors and dispensers to accommodate all manufacturers. In addition, we work with a suite of turnkey application providers including M3t Financial Services, Nanonation, Self-Service Networks and Dynatouch that can be integrated into the kiosk,” added Olea.
The Franklin is perfect for any cash-paying application including simple bill pay, bill breaking, ATM services, and check cashing. With its loyalty features like club enrollment with card printing, point redemption, promotional games, TITO ticket printing for promotion vouchers, and bar code/QR code scanning for text/email promotions, it’s an ideal candidate for casinos as they can deploy the same look and feel across a variety of guest services.
The Franklin will be on display at the JCM Global booth 4039, at Global Gaming Expo (G2E) in Las Vegas, October 15 to 17. Olea Kiosks can also be seen at work in a number of other booths demonstrating a range of applications including player loyalty, player games and tournaments, sports betting applications and food ordering. You can find more information here:
Olea Kiosks Inc., is a Los Angeles-based self-service kiosk manufacturer in business since 1975. Its technologically advanced, in-house manufacturing and services have made it an industry leader.
Example of smart city kiosk this one by Peerless-AV
Detroit — Dozens of interactive booths with free Wi-Fi, suggestions for dining and shopping or finding an open shelter bed for the homeless might soon be sprouting up downtown.
The Downtown Detroit Partnership has entered into a 15-year agreement with Ohio-based IKE Smart City that calls for the installation of at least 30 kiosks in the city’s core and neighborhood districts, said Eric Larson, the partnership’s CEO.
The new technology is planned amid tensions in Detroit over privacy concerns tied to the use of traffic-mounted cameras, real-time feeds to the police department’s crime center and facial recognition software.
The kiosk technology — often equipped with high-definition security cameras — has also raised privacy concerns in some cities over unwanted surveillance and other features that may provide a user’s personal information to third parties.
Detroit is believed to be the first city deploying IKE kiosks without cameras, Larson said, but the terminals can be retrofitted later on “if everybody is comfortable with it.”
Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh opened its temporary sportsbook in December 2018 with six self-serve betting kiosks, a feature that had been rarely seen in the large, glitzy Las Vegas casinos patrons might have visited. For customers, there was a sharp learning curve.
“At first, people didn’t even know where to put money in,” Andre Barnabei, the casino’s vice president of gaming, recalled last month, three days after Rivers debuted its larger, permanent sportsbook.
He was speaking a few steps away from a row of 27 Kambi betting kiosks that had just been fully occupied during much of a September football weekend. Six more sports betting kiosks are scattered in other parts of the casino.
The Rivers’ emphasis on the technological alternative to betting windows, with their human, conversational ticket writers, may be out of the norm from what’s traditional in Nevada, but it’s part of a national trend as state after state legalizes sports betting and new sites open.
A dozen kiosks is common, but some have many more
Whether a small casino in Indiana, a mid-sized one in Mississippi, or a large operator in New Jersey, it is common to have anywhere from eight to 20 self-service kiosks in operations that have opened in the past 18 months. Operators say they reduce lines, speed things along, allow bets 24/7, enable in-game wagering, and appeal to younger bettors accustomed to doing everything in life digitally.
Self-serve kiosks, after all, have increasingly insinuated themselves during the 21st century, whether at airports, hotels, fast-food restaurants, convenience stores, health care settings, or elsewhere. They have for years been a part of casino operations relating to player loyalty programs, and the ever-expanding sports betting world is catching on.
Pennsylvania’s casinos may be bigger into the alternative than anyone. Parx Casino in suburban Philadelphia has 18 kiosks in its recently upgraded sportsbook, and Philadelphia’s SugarHouse Casino is expanding its number of kiosks from 12 to 22 in a new sportsbook about to open.
And much smaller Presque Isle Downs and Casino in suburban Erie, Pa., has 50 of them spread around the casino.
“The guests love it,” said Presque Isle’s general manager, Kevin O’Sullivan, estimating about 95% of bets placed at the Churchill Downs Inc.-owned property are by kiosk.
For first-time users, he said, “it only takes one of us to run through the screens for a minute or two, and they take it from there. The kiosks are definitely king … We’ve got them very well spread out, with locations where a person can just pop in quickly and place his bet so as not to tie up the ones in the sportsbook area.”
Nevada just has a different betting culture, historically
The relatively small William Hill sportsbook locations throughout Nevada have commonly made use of kiosks for years, but in the more opulent sportsbooks on the Las Vegas Strip and elsewhere, the self-serve devices are creeping in only a few at a time.
Charles Cohen, IGT PlayDigital vice president of sports betting, says the explanation lies in the longtime habits in the only state where sports wagers have historically been legal.
“The reality is it’s about the culture and style of experience that people associate with Las Vegas sports betting that makes it more of a personal, over-the-counter experience,” Cohen said. “The kind of training and expertise that ticket writers have at the windows there is very high, because they expect to have conversations with customers about the bets they’re placing.
“These guys are experts. There’s a certain social environment to the sportsbook where ticket writers are almost like hosts, and so the experience of walking into a sportsbook in Las Vegas is defined by that personal interaction.”
That’s a point agreed on by Derek Stevens, owner of the Golden Gate and D Las Vegas casinos and a large sports bettor himself. His two properties have added a total of nine betting kiosks in the past year, though they’re still seldom used compared to betting windows.
“Initially, the amount of wagering taking place on the kiosks is very modest,” he said. “It is certainly not anything similar to what I’ve read or seen on the East Coast. I think there’s an element in Las Vegas where customers are more accustomed to the windows, more accustomed to asking for information from ticket writers. From our perspective, it’s a great opportunity to provide great customer service and interact with the customer.”
Stevens is in the process of developing the Circa casino in Las Vegas with a mammoth sportsbook as a focal point, and “I’m certainly going to have kiosks — the only question is how many.”
Big bettors better off at the window
There’s one other key distinction in the Las Vegas sports betting world: the more customary large wagers placed there. Due to regulatory concerns, primarily related to money laundering, operators set limits on how much can be wagered on kiosks – such as a $3,000 maximum win through any kiosk bet at Pittsburgh’s Rivers.
Also, Cohen noted, large bettors can get slowed down instead of speeded up by kiosk use.
“People don’t want to stand there for five minutes feeding in bills to make a bet,” he said.
He said hundreds of IGT betting kiosks are in nine states, and casinos typically want a mix of kiosks and sports betting windows, with the balance varying depending on the nature of the casino.
“When you add kiosks into the environment, your volume of wagers goes up,” he said. “However, you can max it out, getting to the point where you have so many kiosks that most of the time they’re not being used, and it doesn’t have an incremental benefit.
“On a big game day, though, it’s different, when you’ve got a small period of time, a couple of hours, where 80% of the wagering is going to happen. You absolutely need to make sure people can get their bet down quickly.”
IGT is among a number of firms that are increasingly involved in providing the software platforms for sports betting kiosks in a big way, with Kambi, SB Tech, Stadium Technology Group, SG Digital, and others profiting from new business as legalization expands state by state.
In the case of IGT, it customarily contracts with a casino operator that then also partners with a sports odds provider, because IGT does not have a U.S. odds-setting operation. Kambi, meanwhile, provides both odds and kiosks for casinos in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and elsewhere.
Kiosk adoption parallels rest of the world’s betting
Max Bichsel, U.S. director for Kambi, said the kiosks have for years been a popular mechanism for placing sports bets around the world, depending on the country, and it was just a matter of time and legalization before they became common in the U.S.
Kambi has hundreds of the kiosks placed in different states, and on average they represent 80% of the retail bets handled by those casinos, Bichsel said. The average size of the bet is smaller, though.
“Your high-value player with tens of thousands of dollars is going to the window — if you’re betting hundreds of dollars you’ll go to the kiosks,” he said. “There’s lots more volume on the kiosk but larger average handle over the counter.”
Though Bichsel said kiosks will never eliminate the need for or value of ticket writers, it is also customary for sportsbook counters to close down late at night, once the key televised games end. The casinos never shut their doors to customers, however, including potential sport bettors.
“A kiosk can be 24/7 and someone can still get a bet down,” he said. “There’s a lot of benefits for the customer.”
One of the benefits identified by Rusty Johnson of Fort Collins, Ky., visiting the Rivers Casino before his Cincinnati Bengals took on the Steelers at nearby Heinz Field last Monday, was just how many betting options he could see on the kiosk compared to the odds boards above the betting counters.
In that respect, scrolling through the kiosk menu is not much different from what players experience in states like New Jersey and Pennsylvania with legalized online/app sports betting. So Johnson got a small bet down on Bengals receiver Tyler Boyd’s number of catches, which would have not been a clear wager to him at the window, unless he knew to ask.
“There’s a lot of stuff on there you can look at and take your time, a lot of different options,” Johnson said, though he acknowledged he also had to ask for help from Rivers Casino staff the first time he used the machine.
Barnabei said the casino has up to three “ambassadors” available during busy times to assist customers at the more than two dozen kiosks and speed things along. By providing that service, he said, the sportsbook has actually expanded its number of employees due to kiosks, rather than reducing them.
The Rivers has already expanded its number of kiosks three times since opening, yet it still has nowhere as many as smaller Presque Isle. As to whether it will need to keep increasing — the kiosks each cost “about 8 grand,” according to Barnabei — it will all depend on demand.
“That would be a great problem to have,” said Bill Keena, the casino’s general manager.
Gary Rotstein Gary is a longtime journalist, having spent three decades covering gambling, state government, and other issues for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, in addition to stints as managing editor of the Bedford (Pa.) Gazette and as a reporter for United Press International and the Middletown (Conn.) Press. Contact Gary at gary@usbets.com.
Sports Betting Kiosks A Growing Favorite All Over U.S. — But Not In Vegas was last modified: October 8th, 2019 by News Editor
Until May 2018, a federal law known as the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) limits most legal sports betting to Nevada and three other states. That (PASPA) was overturned by the Supreme Court in favor of New Jersey, allowing state-sponsored betting.
What to Expect in a World Where States Can Legalize Sports Betting
Anticipating PASPA’s repeal, a handful of states have started the process by passing enabling legislation. Pennsylvania is one notable example. These changes to the law are paving the way for states to start offering legal sports betting in the next couple years.
What can we expect the future of sports betting to look like? According to a May 2017 Oxford Economics report, legalized sports betting is projected to generate $8.4 billion in new tax revenues, create more than 200,000 new jobs and add over $22 billion to the nation’s GDP. With a budding new industry on the horizon, businesses are working tirelessly to capitalize on the new opportunities being presented in the world of sports gambling.
Casinos will need to be well-prepared for the influx of new customers that will be flocking to their venues in hopes of placing their first legal sports bet. As a result, many casinos are finding that sports betting kiosks provide the needed automated self-service solution to handle a higher volume of sports wagers without requiring the need for additional customer service staff.
The Impact of Sports Betting Kiosks
With such anticipated economic growth in the gambling industry, casinos will need to do their best to streamline their betting services. Sports betting kiosks will be a key factor in perfecting this process as they will improve the customer experience and will increase betting revenues for operators.
Wagering kiosks will improve the customer experience by cutting down wait time. Customers will not be waiting in line to place a bet. With multiple betting kiosks available, customers will be able to place a wager whenever they please. In turn, this will also increase revenue with more total bets placed.
Where can I place a legal online sports bet?
New Jersey sports betting sites
New Jersey sports betting kicked off in June 2018, less than a month after the fall of PASPA. Online sports betting officially went live in New Jersey on August 6, 2018 when DraftKings Sportsbook launched. FanDuel Sportsbook launched its mobile app three weeks laster.
Pennsylvania sports betting started late in the game considering it had a law on the books in 2017, only launching in November. The Keystone State changed its law to allow legal sports betting anywhere within the state.
Legal sports betting in Nevada did not change after the Supreme Court decision. Many Nevada casinos feature online and mobile sports betting platforms allowing you to wager anywhere in the state.
Geolocation technology on your device will ensure that you are located in Nevada before allowing you to bet. Bettors also must first establish an account in-person at a physical casino location before betting online. This includes verification of identification and a minimum cash deposit of between $50-$100 to fund the account.
West Virginia sports betting sites
West Virginia opened its sports betting operation in September. Only two public sportsbooks opened in 2018, and another started up at The Greenbrier, a private resort. West Virginia sports betting added the ability to bet via mobile in December 2018.
Rhode Island’s sports betting operation runs through the state lottery in partnership with William Hill, so the well-known bookmaker will provide the state’s app technology.
Mississippi sports betting sites
Sort of. Mississippi sports betting must be done within a land-based or water-based casino. However, state regulations allow for mobile wagering while on casino property, though only one tribal casino has launched it.
Benefits of Betting Kiosks
Line queue management for burst cycles
Increased betting revenues for operators
Higher wagering levels
Operators optimize their labor costs
Accept cash, winning tickets, and vouchers
Provide ADA accessible betting options for customers
Background – Fixed odds betting terminal
A fixed odds betting terminal (FOBT) is a type of electronic slot machine normally found in betting shops in the United Kingdom. The terminals allow players to bet on the outcome of various games and events which have fixed odds, with the theoretical percentage return to player (RTP) being displayed on the machine by law.[1] Typically slot machine FOBTs have an RTP of 90% to 94% depending on the chosen stake, and standard roulette FOBTs have a long-term average RTP of 97%.[2] Fixed odds betting terminals were introduced to UK shops in 2001.[3]
The most commonly played game is roulette. The minimum amount wagered per spin is £1. The maximum bet cannot exceed a payout of £500 (i.e. putting £14.00 on a single number on roulette). The largest single payout cannot exceed £500.[4] Token coins can be of value as low as five pence in some UK licensed betting offices (LBOs).[citation needed] Other games include bingo, simulated horseracing and greyhound racing, and a range of slot machine games.
Like all casino games, the ‘house’ (i.e. the betting shop) has a built-in advantage, with current margins on roulette games being between 2.7% and 5%.
Excerpt: Kiosks that handle cash and other forms of payment are the most complex of self service kiosk designs. Don’t trust just anyone to design and manufacture your next financial service kiosk. Led by Olea Kiosks we work with best-in-class partners to bring you a complete bill payment solution.
New Franklin Payment Kiosk
Payment Solutions cover a large range of situations from the simple purchase to more complex deployments.
We offer two turnkey solutions at this time: The Caddo and also the The Creek. Bill payment available for purchase, lease or operation (revenue share) and beginning at $30K complete solution.
We offer three different base + custom models for bill payment.
Applications range from your basic bill payment (paying your Comcast bill for example) to alimony to robust mobile bill pay.
Some of the strongest growth the kiosk industry is seeing these days is in the self-order arena, specifically in fast-food restaurants. Those transactions are typically $20 or less, right in the sweet spot for cash usage.
Billpay kiosks are growing in popularity as well, targeting underbanked consumers or those who don’t have the ability to pay bills online. Some of the deployed applications include water bill payment, electricity bill pay, gas bill pay and light bill pay. 30% (and rising) of the US population is lower class living in apartments, renting housing. 25% of the US population is unbanked or underbanked according to a 2017 survey by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp and that number is considered low. Again, the type of people who are likely to favor cash.
So if credit cards are the only payment option, a company that relies on self-service kiosks may be missing out on substantial revenue opportunities.
Still, accepting cash does present obstacles deployers need to overcome. And with the use of alternative forms of payment on the rise, deployers need to plan for those as well.
News Release — Here is preliminary presss release on the Franklin
Olea Kiosks Introduces The Franklin Bill Pay Kiosk
LOS ANGELES, Calif., October 9, 2019 — Olea Kiosks of Los Angeles welcomes the Franklin Bill Pay kiosk as the newest addition to its self-service line-up. This secure and versatile kiosk is built to handle payments of any kind, anywhere.
The Franklin Bill Pay kiosk has the ability to accept and dispense dollar bills, dispense coins, read checks and take credit card payments. Because it’s a modular solution, it can be customized in a number of pre-designed configurations which make it easy to deploy in situations with first to market opportunities or where time is of the essence.
This kiosk was introduced for those industries that still have a high number of cash-paying customers. “In the past, cash-handling kiosks were very costly to deploy, but with this solution, we’ve implemented some standardizations, which makes complete self-service operation attainable,” explained Frank Olea, CEO of Olea Kiosks. The unit can be equipped with several different models of bill acceptors and dispensers to accommodate all manufacturers and compatibility with almost any software application.
The Franklin is perfect for any cash-paying application including Bill Payment, Retail Transactions, Ticketing, Food Ordering, and Hotel Check-in which makes it an ideal candidate for casinos as they can deploy the same look and feel across a number of different guest services. (if we can get the Casino page updated we can link it here)
The Franklin will be on display at the JCM Global booth 4039, at Global Gaming Expo (G2E) in Las Vegas, October 15 to 17. Olea Kiosks can also be seen at work in a number of other booths demonstrating a range of applications including player loyalty, player games and tournaments, betting applications and food ordering. You can find more information here:
(add in link to events page from Olea web site–I’m hoping I can complete this page this afternoon–If not, we can write this up as a blog post and link to that–it’s details regarding the various booths and applications in which one can see Olea at G2E)
Olea Kiosks Inc., is a Los Angeles-based self-service kiosk manufacturer in business since 1975. Its technologically advanced, in-house manufacturing and services have made it an industry leader.
G2E is the premier Gaming show held every year in Las Vegas. It is a longstanding tradition for kiosk companies to be at this show. This year the G2E will be highlighting casino gaming, hospitality, player loyalty kiosks, check-in, food self order, digital signage and sports betting kiosks. Here is a preview of G2E from Olea Kiosks perspective
Here is one of the promotional videos that will playing on one of the Olea kiosks. The new poker mixes in other genres likes sports and more in a fantasy poker game.
Here is the current list of Olea kiosks on the floor at G2E. Traci and Daniel will be at the show on 10/15 & 10/16.
Olea Kiosks Introduces The Franklin Bill Payment Kiosk
LOS ANGELES, Calif., October 10, 2019 — Olea Kiosks of Los Angeles welcomes the Franklin Bill Payment kiosk as the newest addition to its self-service line-up. This secure and versatile kiosk is built to accept payments of any kind, anywhere.
The Franklin Bill Payment kiosk has the ability to accept and dispense dollar bills, dispense coins, check acceptance and take credit card payments. Because it’s a modular solution, it can be customized in a number of pre-designed configurations which make it easy to deploy in situations with first to market opportunities or where time is of the essence.
This kiosk was introduced for those industries that have a high number of cash-paying customers. “In the past, cash-handling kiosks were very costly to deploy, but with this solution, we’ve implemented some standardizations, which makes complete self-service operation attainable,” explained Frank Olea, CEO of Olea Kiosks. “The unit can be equipped with several different models of bill acceptors and dispensers to accommodate all manufacturers. In addition, we work with a suite of turnkey application providers including M3t Financial Services, Nanonation, Self-Service Networks and Dynatouch that can be integrated into the kiosk,” added Olea.
The Franklin is perfect for any cash-paying application including simple bill pay, bill breaking, ATM services, and check cashing. With its loyalty features like club enrollment with card printing, point redemption, promotional games, TITO ticket printing for promotion vouchers, and bar code/QR code scanning for text/email promotions, it’s an ideal candidate for casinos as they can deploy the same look and feel across a variety of guest services. (if we can get the Casino page updated we can link it here)
The Franklin will be on display at the JCM Global booth 4039, at Global Gaming Expo (G2E) in Las Vegas, October 15 to 17. Olea Kiosks can also be seen at work in a number of other booths demonstrating a range of applications including player loyalty, player games and tournaments, sports betting applications and food ordering. You can find more information here:
Olea Kiosks Inc., is a Los Angeles-based self-service kiosk manufacturer in business since 1975. Its technologically advanced, in-house manufacturing and services have made it an industry leader.
About Global Gaming Expo Global Gaming Expo (G2E), the largest gathering of global, commercial and tribal gaming professionals in North America, showcases the latest developments in gaming technology and features new educational content that is fast-paced and actionable. Attendees will experience firsthand the new products and innovative technologies showcased on the expo floor. G2E has everything you need for your casino floor and across your entire operation—from traditional casino fare to non-gaming amenities and digital products—G2E is where business growth is accelerated.
About AGA The American Gaming Association is the premier national trade group representing the $261 billion U.S. casino industry, which supports 1.8 million jobs nationwide. AGA members include commercial and tribal casino operators, suppliers and other entities affiliated with the gaming industry. It is the mission of the AGA to achieve sound policies and regulations consistent with casino gaming’s modern appeal and vast economic contributions.
G2E Kiosks – Olea At The Show was last modified: October 8th, 2019 by News Editor
Notable updates — Charging Kiosks and Digital Signage Kiosks and FID Kiosk
PARABIT KIOSK SYSTEMS
PARABIT SYSTEMS KIOSKS
Parabit designs, fabricates, and integrates enclosures and software that allow you to efficiently and effectively authenticate physical identities and manage facilities. Custom kiosk solutions provide comprehensive, enterprise level visitor registration, notifications, tracking, reporting, as well as other features including automated interaction with dynamic data sources and integration with building access control systems.
Enhance your brand with custom kiosks to improve security, provide a quick charge for mobile devices, offer on-demand visitor information, and enhance customer service.
Boost your front-line security by safeguarding your employees and tenants. Self-service kiosks are particularly fitting for high traffic areas and unsupervised lobbies.
Display customized FIDs in your airport, or bus and train schedule info at transit stations. Our WayFinding software helps your visitors to navigate to indoor and outdoor destinations.
Mobile device charging stations provide visitors and passengers a way to get recharged. Since we have become so dependent on our tech devices, providing the convenience of charging stations is essential. Our designs offer up opportunities for advertising, providing you a revenue-generating opportunity.
Telephone Kiosks
Our kiosks offer convenient and reliable customer assistance. Constructed with vandal resistant materials.
Once upon a time in cold Russia of 2000 something important happened. A new payment system was born. It would soon dominate the whole country, become part of daily life of every single Russian, and spread across the borders to neighbouring Ukraine, Belarus and various X-stans.
The invention so ingenious that it is still unclear why it did not take off in comparable cash markets of Africa or South-East Asia. System so smart and obvious that many would not believe it was born, designed and engineered in Mother Russia. There is no other region on Earth that would have it to this day. I am still amazed at that too.
In the late 90s, early 00s there were no smartphones, iPhone was still years ahead, and the population was increasingly accepting the idea of the personal mobile phone. Mobile phones were becoming cheaper and cheaper, and everyone got a chance to own one.
Mobile operators issued scratch-cards with the airtime value, and you could buy those either in the telco offices, or through their agents. Scratch-card had a value, and you were supposed to dial the number on the card, scratch and enter the PIN from it (guided by the voice instructions). Much like in Kenya now and before, or the rest of Africa, the agent network was the main force for the operators, and the scratch-card — the main vehicle.
The history has many names of the first companies and persons that were responsible for the birth of this new payment system, and some of them are still very much active in the fintech space even today. Anyways, a machine was designed to sell airtime and accept cash for it. It is called payment terminal — literally, when crudely translated from Russian, and up to this day there is no obvious English name for it. For the lack of such thing anywhere else. I call it — payment kiosk, ATM-like machine, payment box, etc. And then show a picture.
Hackers caused havoc at four restaurant chains in the U.S. over the summer after compromising their payment systems with malware that stole customers’ payment card information.
In the last two days, McAlister’s Deli, Moe’s Southwest Grill, Schlotzsky’s, and Hy-Vee disclosed publicly that their networks were infected with point-of-sale malware copying data from cards used in person at certain locations.
McAlister’s, Moe’s, and Schlotzsky’s together have around 1,500 locations spread across the U.S. and are owned by the same parent company, Focus Brands.
Payment Card Theft via PoS Malware – Four more chains hit was last modified: October 5th, 2019 by News Editor
Excerpt: It’s called “biometrics”—a type of artificial intelligence that maps the features of the face with such accuracy, it not only can identify that person but detect their sexual orientation and, in the most advanced versions, even gauge their emotional state. Casinos in Macau and elsewhere are now testing the technology as a way to identify card cheats, problem gamblers and more. Does this go beyond surveillance to spying?
Last month, Macau’s Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) acknowledged that “two to three” gaming operators in the world’s top casino market are testing facial recognition technologies, presumably to identify and eject criminals, card cheats, compulsive gamblers, underage players, dishonest employees and others whose presence in a gaming hall may be unwelcome.
DICJ head Paulo Martins Chan made soothing sounds about “strictly adhering” to privacy rules, but that may not ring true in Macau, which takes its orders from Beijing, or in the market’s billion-dollar casinos, where corporate concerns have sometimes overruled privacy concerns.
Besides, in an era where cameras are always looming, is privacy becoming obsolete? These issues are at the heart of a new report, published in June in the UNLV Gaming Law Review.
The report, And the Eye in the Sky is Watching Us All: Privacy Concerns of Emerging Technological Advances in Casino Player Tracking, looks at innovations in video surveillance, biometrics and other technologies— gesture recognition, too—that author Stacy Norris said have reached “an almost Orwellian level of intrusiveness.
Good writeup on acquisition by 365 Retail. Micro Markets have held steady and last year it was Slabbkiosks that was purchased. It’s an interesting market in that the main competitors share a lot of the same people and origins. Its a lot like the thinclient market in that respect.
The logistics of storing, heating and refrigeration of foods for certain period of time can be daunting, especially in the age of delivery of super fresh. We like the Amazon model in high traffic areas where inventory turnover is very short-lived.
Then there are the new vendors such as Square and others which entering the market and on the technology edge pushing the more conventional micro market vendors. Much like supermarkets like Kroger and Safeway must now battle online groceries. When the dust settles who is the new king?
In corporate environments we can see micro-markets evolving into employee spaces that include telemedicine and HR options.
We should highlight that one of our sponsors, OptConnect, is very involved in micro markets. We recommend contacting OptConnect for more information. Image courtesy of OptConnect.
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Micro Market Kiosk article excerpt
365 Retail Markets’ recent purchase of one of its largest competitors, Company Kitchen’s self-service technology division, marks the first significant acquisition in the micro market industry and a milestone in one of the kiosk industry’s least celebrated rising new verticals.
Micro markets are not one of the larger interactive kiosk applications, but they do demonstrate the interactive kiosk’s unique ability to transform an everyday customer experience — in this case convenience purchases — for millions of consumers. 365 Retail Markets’ acquisition of Company Kitchen’s tech division demonstrates the degree to which interactive kiosks are contributing to the acceptance of self-service technology for daily activities.
New York Mets fans attending games at the team’s Citi Field home field can now purchase snacks and beverages at a self-checkout kiosk that uses a biometrics-based identity verification system to process payments — and check that buyers of alcoholic drinks are of legal drinking age.
The Mets have teamed up with food and beverage provider Aramark, biometric identity verification provider Clear and self-checkout kiosk provider Mashgin on the project.
Smart City RFPs and Digital Signage RFPs go hand-in-hand and lots of cities are looking at new infrastructure. We track those. These days that means smart transit, smart transportation, smart lighting, automation, EV vehicles, Self-Driving. It’s a big basket for sure. Part of IoT trends in self-service.
Craig is a senior staff writer for Kiosk Industry Group Association. He has 25 years of experience in the industry. He reviews Smart City and Smart RFPs from around the industry.
New York MTA commits $5.2B to subway accessibility With the investment, stations that serve over 60% of the system’s ridership will be accessible in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
WMATA News — DC transit agency issues RFPs for digital communication upgrades [not verified yet 9/18]
List of budgeted projects
Smart Cities NORTH CAROLINA Smart Cities OHIO IT – Smart City Project COLORADO Smart Cities Initiative OHIO Smart City Transportation Projects CALIFORNIA IT – Smart City Project COLORADO Smart City Initiatives Plan FLORIDA IT – Smart City Project COLORADO Video-sensor Smart City Project SOUTH CAROLINA Video-sensor Smart City Project SOUTH CAROLINA Smart Cities Initiative – Transportation System Improvements VIRGINIA Smart Cities Initiative – Transportation System Improvements VIRGINIA Community Network Connectivity WASHINGTON Expanded Community Connectivity WASHINGTON Expanded Community Connectivity WASHINGTON Community Network Connectivity WASHINGTON Connected Vehicles Systems OHIO Central Transit Signal Priority and Emergency Vehicle Preemption (Federal) VIRGINIA ITS Master Plan Implementation Program WASHINGTON Intelligent Transportation Systems VIRGINIA
Kansas City Comprehensive Smart City Partnership with Kansas City, Missouri. The City seeks to partner with a firm to provide a fully integrated suite of sensors, networks, and data and analytics platforms that will result in the City becoming the first true Smart City in the world. Due Date: Extended to August 7, 2pm.
Oct 15 — Link — IoT and Smart Agriculture Are Building Our Future Cities Today The 9.6 billion people expected to live on the planet by 2050, and with 70 percent of them in urban areas, IoT is pushing smart agriculture in smart cities.
4/9/18 — announced last week the city’s plans for LinkNWK, a communications network of sidewalk kiosks that will provide residents and visitors of Newark with free gigabit Wi-Fi, mobile device charging, free phone calls to anywhere in the U.S., access to municipal services, maps and directions, and real-time local information on city streets. There will be no cost to taxpayers or users as it is supported through advertising on the Link kiosk displays.
City council is mulling a resolution that will allow New York City-based Smart City Media LLC. to install about 25 digital kiosks to provide information to residents and tourists. These kiosks – called CityPosts — will stand about 8-feet tall and have 55-inch screens on both sides, chief marketing officer Mike Mainthow said in a phone interview today.
LinkNYC Will Show Bus Arrival Time Info — LinkNYC’s 55-inch screens in those Brooklyn neighborhoods will now show arrival info for buses that are a short walk away from a particular kiosk.
The company is now building “smart city” infrastructure near Denver, Colorado, with the goal of turning the area into a “smart city” by 2026. The initiative is part of a larger Panasonic program Panasonic called CityNow. Although the definition of a “smart city” varies depending on who you ask, the term typically describes a metro area that prioritizes the use of technology in its infrastructure.
Part of the smart cities movement includes managing how people travel and use the transportation network, as well as how cities collect data from vehicles and group travel patterns for better land use and transportation policy decision making.
Oct 14, 2017 – As an urban technologist, I’m often asked to give an example of a compelling smart city application that real people are using. But to be honest, …
Apr 16, 2017 – Cities have a way to go before they can be considered geniuses. But they’re getting smart pretty fast. In just the past few years, mayors and …
Interconnected technology is now an inescapable reality – ordering our groceries, monitoring our cities and sucking up vast amounts of data along the way.
IEEE Smart Cities is a global, multi-discipline cross-IEEE effort, through which IEEE seeks to help municipalities around the world address urban population …
Jun 19, 2017 – When envisioning all the possibilities of smart cities, it’s also important to consider the difficulties that could arise in creating them.
Variations on Project Example
Here is one for public safety circa March 2018 in California.
The City of xxxxxxxxxx (“City”) seeks to partner with technology providers who are working to improve and enhance the urban environment through the use of smart city technology. For this Request for Proposals (“RFP”), the City seeks up to four Firms/Teams that can implement and demonstrate how camera, video, motion, and other sensor technology can be an effective tool in addressing public safety. Working in collaboration with the City and the xxxxxx County Sheriff’s Department, these Firms/Teams will demonstrate solutions that can enhance public safety in the City. This pilot project will allow the City and the SD to assess the utility, data management needs, cost effectiveness, and overall success of a smart city public safety program that could be scaled citywide in designated areas of the City. The size and density of the City, along with its large visitor population (especially during special events) provides a great environment for the testing and implementation of cutting-edge public safety technology. Up to four Firms/Teams will be selected.
The selected Firms/Teams will design and implement a demonstration project for deployment over nine months. At least one location in the City will be assigned to each Firm/Team for implementation. The selected Firms/Teams will be provided a $10,000 stipend, distributed at determined milestones during the nine month duration of the pilot program. Selected Firms/Teams shall be required to comply with the City’s Privacy Guidelines. In addition to public safety applications, the City encourages camera and sensor applications that can provide insights about how people interact in the City. For example, innovative companies are using cameras and sensors to measure volume and direction of pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicle trac. Such programs can inform city planning and other municipal operations as collected data can be used to increase pedestrian and vehicle safety or increase economic activity. In addition, the City welcomes technologies that protect privacy, such as use of anonymized data and real-time image scrambling.
Smart City RFP Digital Signage was last modified: October 8th, 2019 by News Editor
DENVER — The Denver Broncos, in conjunction with Aramark, formally unveiled concessions improvements at Empower Field at Mile High. They released a nice video going thru the various changes.
The key changes are to increase speed of service. In the video you can see Aramark highlighting the self-order stations from Appetize (made by Olea Kiosks).
“Empower Field at Mile High is constantly looking for ways to improve the fan experience, and we are confident that with Aramark as our concessionaire we can modernize how fans enjoy food and beverages at our stadium events,” Stadium General Manager, Empower Field at Mile High, Jay Roberts said. “We are also thrilled to debut several newly renovated concession stands on Sunday, which is the first step in a multi-year process to improve speed of service while also adding more variety to the menu.”
“We’re excited to expand our partnership with the Broncos and undertake this transformation of Empower Field at Mile High’s dining experience,” Jay Morrison, District Manager, Aramark’s Sports & Entertainment division, said. “We have a long, proud history of serving Denverites and, with our close ties to the community and knowledge of the local food scene, I’m confident we will deliver an innovative, dynamic and engaging food and beverage experience for everyone attending events at the stadium.”
This is a fairly comprehensive look at purely financial service kiosks and the segments. Driving it all is the new portal, PaymentKiosk.com, which we have launched at Olea and which details turnkey, priced, offerings for bill payment, cash2card and more. If you are looking to purchase or you require someone to operate, we will help you.
This whitepaper addresses many of those areas and includes quotes from Dylan Waddle, chief operating officer with Norman, Okla.-based M3t Financial Services, Tom Smith with Self Service Networks (cash2card, gift cards and vending automation), Doug Shipley of Glory Global Solutions and Brandon Mintz of Bitcoin Depot. Research and current data is presented for underbanked and non-banked customers. I hope you find it helpful.
Cash Provisioning For Bill Pay Kiosks
Although it remains to be seen if the use of cash as a form of payment will eventually disappear, don’t expect it to happen any time soon.
Consumers used cash in 26 percent of transactions last year, according to the Federal Reserve’s 2019 Diary of Consumer Payment Choice. Although that’s down from 30 percent in 2017, it’s a far cry from total elimination.
Another few tidbits from the Fed report: Participants in the study used cash for 35 percent of in-person payments, and cash represented 49 percent of payments under $10. Of all the cash payments reported, the study found, 80 percent were for payments below $25.
Underbanked, non-banked and the kiosk industry
The “Franklin” Bill Pay Kiosk
Well, let’s start with those figures on cash payments. Some of the strongest growth the kiosk industry is seeing these days is in the self-order arena, specifically in fast-food restaurants. Those transactions are typically $20 or less, right in the sweet spot for cash usage.
Billpay kiosks are growing in popularity as well, targeting underbanked consumers or those who don’t have the ability to pay bills online. Some of the deployed applications include water bill payment, electricity bill pay, gas bill pay and light bill pay. 30% (and rising) of the US population is lower class living in apartments, renting housing. 25% of the US population is unbanked or underbanked according to a 2017 survey by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp and that number is considered low. Again, the type of people who are likely to favor cash.
So if credit cards are the only payment option, a company that relies on self-service kiosks may be missing out on substantial revenue opportunities.
Still, accepting cash does present obstacles deployers need to overcome. And with the use of alternative forms of payment on the rise, deployers need to plan for those as well.
Utility Bill Payment Example Eliminating the hurdles
Although it’s certainly much simpler to only accept cards as payment, a successful kiosk project is likely to involve the ability to accept cash as a form of payment.
“As a business decision, I don’t believe that excluding paying customers is an effective way to win business,” said Thomas Smith, CEO of Providence, R.I-based Self-Service Networks. “If a customer wants to purchase your products and services, there should be no barriers created that would prevent them from making that purchase.”
In fact, the ability to accept cash may be critical to a project’s success. Chicago’s Department of Finance, for example, began rolling out self-serve kiosks in 2007, allowing citizens to pay for everything from parking tickets to utility bills. The kiosks accept a variety of payment methods, but 47 percent of those payments are made in cash.
“Since the beginning, cash has always been most popular at the kiosks,” Tina Consola, first deputy director of the department, told the trade news website PYMNTS.com. “It’s important to serve customers who primarily pay in cash, because they may not have access to a checking account or credit card.”
Aside from the obvious security concerns, one of the main issues when it comes to accepting cash is the quality of the cash itself. Most of us can recall at some point in their lives trying to purchase a soft drink or candy bar from a vending machine, only to see their dollar bill rejected time and time again.
“Unless the operator is using a high quality bill acceptor from MEI or JCM, lower quality notes may not be accepted at a high rate, thus reducing revenue generated by the unit,” said Dylan Waddle, chief operating officer with Norman, Okla.-based M3t Financial Services, a provider of cash management software solutions.
In addition, the issue of dispensing change presents another challenge (and expense).
“It is always easier to round off transaction amounts to the nearest dollar to lessen the burden of dealing with coin,” Waddle said.
“Over the past 10 years, M3t has been testing new and innovative ways to deal with coin and even the most sophisticated methods still have issues with coins jamming in transition to the customer,” he said. “Coins also drive a much larger footprint for the kiosk unit itself, so if they can be avoided, it is much preferred.”
Cash Collection
The “Austin” Freestanding Bill Payment Kiosk
Other concerns are the expense and time involved in pulling cash from a kiosk and taking it to the bank. At the very least, those tasks can take an hour or more per day, while for busy locations it can mean hiring an armored car service to handle the cash.
Whatever the challenge, though, the use of cash isn’t going away. If the kiosk itself doesn’t accept cash, merchants may be forced to provide an alternative payment channel for those who prefer to conduct business with currency.
“Legislative pressures forcing brick and mortar retailers to accept cash is definitely a growing trend,” Smith said. “In fact, our beloved Rhode Island is one of the first states (if the only) to pass a law to require cash acceptance at brick and mortar retailers.”
And legislation affects insurance for cash services. In Colorado and other states which have legalized marijuana one of the biggest problems is hiring insured cash collection services. There are workarounds but this has put a damper on the cannabis kiosk since most of the transactions are cash.
Bitcoin Kiosks – Hidden opportunities?
Although accepting cash can certainly complicate a kiosk project, doing so can reap some unexpected benefits. Along with the potential for increased sales, kiosks can simplify the cash management process.
“Cash accepting systems can reduce cash shrinkage because employees rarely touch or count money,” said Douglas Shipley, OEM Sales Manager, North America with Glory Global Solutions. Glory is a provider of secure, efficient payment systems, cash recyclers and instant, highly accurate identity verification and authentication solutions.
“Glory cash automation machines accept, count, sort and dispense change while keeping an accurate accounting of cash on hand,” Shipley said. “Counterfeit bills detection is also built in.”
The addition of cash acceptance to self-serve kiosks also speeds realization of revenue because the funds may be immediately available for deposit, Shipley said. Credit card payments, on the other hand, require processing time as well as the imposition of fees by banking institutions.
Although accepting cash can certainly complicate a kiosk project, the growing number of payment channels is opening up new markets for kiosk providers as well.
Bitcoin kiosks, for example, is one of the fastest-growing segments in the world due to the increased popularity of cryptocurrency. Those devices allow users to buy and sell bitcoin and similar cryptocurrencies with cash.
“Our company expects to have over 1,000 Bitcoin ATMs deployed by the end of 2020,” said Brandon Mintz, CEO of Atlanta-based Bitcoin Depot. The bitcoin kiosk industry is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 46.6 percent by 2024. Mintz’s company recently acquired competitor DFW Bitcoin.
Reverse ATMs, Gift Card Kiosks and Cash2Card Opportunities
There are also situations a consumer might want to convert their cash into a payment card. Maybe they want to purchase an item online and don’t wish to use (or don’t have) a credit or debit card. Maybe they want to give someone a gift, but feel that cash in an envelope is a bit tacky. Whatever the reason, Self-Service Networks caters to those consumers with its GiftWise Cash-2-Card and gift card vending kiosks. Those devices allow consumers to convert cash into a payment card, gift card or other digital asset.
The opportunities for kiosks that accept cash are many, but getting the most from them requires a kiosk that is designed to accept cash, backed by a vendor who’s experienced in supporting those deployers who include those in their kiosk fleet.
Olea Financial Kiosks Portfolio
Olea Kiosks offers a number of kiosk models that can be customized to accept cash, print receipts, dispense tickets and more. The company’s Franklin Bill Pay Kiosk, for example, is designed to simplify cash transactions. Standard options include a high-capacity bill acceptor, bill dispenser, cash recycler options, high speed bulk note acceptor, coin dispenser, multiple biometrics and receipt printer. Olea’s Austin Kiosk is engineered for light and medium bill payment, featuring a 15” or 22” All-in-One computer in either portrait or landscape as well as an EMV credit card terminal and POS-style receipt printer. The Austin can be customized to support card issuance for gift card and Cash2Card applications.
Olea can assist you with a complete range of financial services including processing, EMV payment, turnkey financial software, solution servicing, financing, cash collection services and even revenue-sharing options. We are your complete financial services partner.No matter what the challenge when it comes to accepting cash, Olea offers a payment kiosk solution to meet that challenge. Contact us at 800-927-8063 or email info@olea.com. We stand ready to help.
Hope you enjoyed the writeup and if you have any questions drop me an email at craig@olea.com
We welcome Evoke as our latest KMA sponsor. Evoke works in all types of complete kiosk solutions as well as OEM standard models for people such as McDonalds.
WHO WE ARE
Evoke have been at the forefront of interactive digital technology since 2003 and work with some of the world’s biggest brands designing and manufacturing the latest in self-service solutions.
At our purpose-built UK headquarters, we combine dynamic workspace, showroom, warehouse, factory and production lines. In total we have over 50,000 sqft of the very latest energy efficient facilities where we are investing in extensive R&D and creating a dynamic, flourishing workplace.
Our highly trained production engineers work to continuously improve lean manufacturing processes and we deliver large scale roll outs of the highest quality to locations all over the world. With a culture of innovation and the best talent from around the country, evoke creative have the experience and capacity needed for your digital transformation.
We’ve won awards for our cutting edge design, our manufacturing quality and our people-centric business.
Evoke works with forward-thinking businesses around the world to design, manufacture, and implement the latest digital solutions both out-of-box and as part of our bespoke service. Our product range includes everything you need for your digital transformation: self-service ordering, digital signage, interactive experiences, video walls, RFID and payment, all supported by tried and tested software solutions and integrated with your existing systems.
Today Peerless-AV announced a partnership with BIMsmith, a free cloud platform with a suite of tools for building professionals to discover and download building product data. In utilizing this software, Peerless-AV’s products can now be easily added to digital designs, offering architects and building professionals the necessary data, specifications, and certifications when designing a building.
Below please find the press release with more information.
New software offers ease in implementing Peerless-AV solutions into digital designs
AURORA, Ill. – September 18, 2019 –Peerless-AV®, an award-winning designer and manufacturer of innovative audio and video solutions and accessories, is pleased to announce the availability of Building Information Modeling (BIM) content for its products through a new partnership with BIMsmith®, a free cloud platform with a suite of tools for building professionals to discover and download building product data.
With BIM data now easily accessible, architects and other building professionals can integrate highly realistic models of Peerless-AV products directly into their digital designs, rather than drafting them independently or using generic placeholders. Each digital model includes all the necessary data, specifications, and certifications that professionals need from manufacturers when designing a building. The files are also modeled for compatibility with industry standard design tools like Autodesk Revit, further establishing Peerless-AV as a simple yet valuable information source in the designer’s everyday workflow.
“Innovation at Peerless-AV stretches back over 75 years since our founding,” said Nick Belcore, Executive Vice President, Peerless-AV. “We are thrilled to continue that legacy by providing the architecture and design community with intuitive digital design tools. Teaming with engineers and architects to create our Revit files, we are able to provide more relevant architecture data and fully interactive models. These offerings truly set Peerless-AV apart as the leader in audio visual innovation.”
By partnering with BIMsmith, the entire Peerless-AV BIM library is also accessible to thousands of building professionals on the BIMsmith Market platform, a cloud tool for building product research and selection.
“The name Peerless-AV carries with it a long history of quality and reliability that is highly important to building professionals,” said Benjamin Glunz, CEO, BIMsmith. “We are excited to bring their products to the BIMsmith platform.”
The Peerless-AV digital models include a wide selection of display wall mounts, video wall mounts, kiosks, outdoor TVs and more. The entire Peerless-AV BIM library can be found at www.peerless-av.com/BIMlibrary.
For over 75 years, passion and innovation continue to drive Peerless-AV forward. We proudly design and manufacture the highest quality products, ranging from outdoor displays to complete kiosk solutions, digital signage mounts to wireless systems. Whether a full-scale global deployment or 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.
About BIMsmith
BIMsmith, the leading cloud-based building product discovery and selection platform, cultivates global business-to-business relationships between building industry professionals and building product manufacturers. Through direct integration of real product data into the BIM workflow, BIMsmith continues to shape the future of building science technology, placing its clients at the forefront of BIM innovation while addressing the true needs of industry professionals. Learn more about BIMsmith at https://www.bimsmith.com.
HONOLULU (KHON2) — The city’s Department of Customer Services announced that its new self-service kiosks for renewing vehicle registrations appear to be catching on with the public after the first six months.
Since the freestanding, self-service kiosks were rolled out in February at select Safeway supermarkets, more than 18,000 residents have used them to register their vehicles, make their payments, and walk away with all of their documents in hand in just a matter of minutes.
“We want residents to know that they no longer need to stand in line, or wait 10-to-14 days of processing and mailing time to get their registrations and emblems,” said Customer Services Director Sheri Kajiwara. “Everyone who has used the kiosks so far has shared positive comments.”
The kiosks are available 24/7 and can process motor vehicle registrations quickly.
In addition to renewing vehicle registrations at self-service kiosks, residents can also opt to register online or by mail as alternatives to waiting in line at a satellite city hall.
An estimated 54 percent of O‘ahu motorists continue as “walk-in and wait transactions” at satellite city halls.
The self-service kiosks are the newest of the three options to walking into a satellite city hall to renew a motor vehicle registration. A key feature of the self-service kiosks is that they instantly process and print registration cards and stickers, as well as accept renewals up to 10 months past due. Late registrations will be assessed a standard $16 fee and all renewal transactions require that a current safety inspection be on file.
Manufacturer of angling equipment, BUBBA came to Frank Mayer and Associates, Inc. with several guidelines to consider when developing merchandising display designs, including a design that would fit a small retail footprint, a look that endorsed the sport fishing lifestyle, and imagery that could be easily updated in the field.
The company also required an interactive component to allow consumers to use the product and understand the ergonomics associated with the BUBBA knife’s handle and blade.
Custom peg hooks and slat wall designs not only allow for heavier electric knives without sagging but offer unique product configurations based on each dealer’s needs.
Frank Mayer and Associates, Inc. delivered on all BUBBA’s requests, and hundreds of units were shipped to dealer locations across the country.
polytouch® 32 PE4000 maximizes sales and customer convenience
Freiburg, Germany, September 9 2019 – Pyramid Computer, a leading manufacturer of self-service kiosks, today announced the new polytouch® 32 PE4000, the world’s first system to combine four self-service kiosks on a single pedestal.
Ideal for quick service restaurants (QSRs), cinemas and airports, the innovative 4-in-1 solution features four 32-inch touchscreens, quadrupling the number of potential user interactions and sales opportunities from a single installation. The patent-protected design is very stable and has an attractive, space-saving central pedestal which accommodates the four Intel® based PCs. The pedestal is constructed from high-performance continuously cast aluminum.
“Quick service restaurants (QSRs), cinemas and airports are calling for kiosk systems which allow multiple customers to place their orders or check-in with greater convenience and speed,” said Patrick Hagemeister, US Sales Manager, Pyramid Computer. “The polytouch® 32 PE4000 meets the growing demand for more powerful solutions, capable of addressing high and highest usage frequency applications, busting queues even during extreme peak times.”
Pyramid has produced more than 30,000 polytouch® kiosk terminals for deployment in the retail, hospitality and leisure industries over the last six years. In the US the company’s polytouch® kiosk brand is used by a growing number of customers including the major cinema chains AMC and Cinemark. This is for a range of applications such as self-ordering and self-checkout, ticket printing, QR- and barcode scanning.
Pyramid designed the new polytouch® 32 PE4000 with one PC per touchscreen display to maximize the reliability of the complete system. At the same time, the performance of the individual applications per display increases. A removable cover in the pedestal allows quick access to all PC-units for maintenance purposes. The 4-in-1 solution also significantly reduces investment costs compared to several individual systems.
Added Patrick Hagemeister: “We can deliver the PE4000 with an automatic dispensing unit on request. This enables us, for example, to offer fast-food and fast-casual restaurants a system that automates their complete order process and locates customers. Here we rely on our Pyramid Location System (PLS).”
The polytouch® 32 PE4000 can be branded and customized to a very high degree to create a highly individual look. Depending on the application it can be fitted with a broad range of peripherals such as 2D or 3D scanners, thermal printers, or payment modules of many makes and models. For special applications that may involve AI technology, Pyramid can even integrate peripherals such as cameras into the display frame to achieve the best results. In all cases, Pyramid will work very closely with all parties involved to determine the best hardware configuration, no matter the complexity of the application.
About Pyramid Computer Pyramid Computer has focused on the development and manufacture of high performance and tailor-made IT solutions since 1985. The company has produced more than 30,000 customized kiosk terminals for QSR and retail customers throughout the world. In addition, it has developed a uniquely precise system for localization and automation in hospitality and retail – Pyramid Location System. All products including IT hardware, indoor localization, and network & security and industrial PC & imaging products are manufactured in Germany for shipment and installation via worldwide OEM and distribution partners.
Pyramid announces world’s first 4-in-1 self service kiosk was last modified: September 19th, 2019 by News Editor
Vispero®, the world’s leading assistive technology provider for the visually impaired, is excited to announce an addition to the Vispero family: JAWS Kiosk. A collaboration between The Paciello Group (TPG) and the Freedom Scientific brand (owned by Vispero), JAWS Kiosk is focused on delivering accessible kiosk solutions whether it’s through incorporation of Freedom Scientific’s industry-leading screen reading software, JAWS®, or by utilizing TPG’s accessible design and technical implementation services. Beginning with the June 2019 release of JAWS, JAWS software will revolutionize self-service kiosk accessibility.
“Kiosk accessibility has always been a consideration but is becoming a standard rather than a ‘nice to have.’ In order to meet this growing demand, the kiosk team leverages industry-leading accessibility software from Freedom Scientific, expert consulting capabilities of The Paciello Group, and a strong kiosk industry knowledge base,” explains Matt Ater, Vice President of Business Development at Vispero and a subject matter expert on user experience when developing solutions for people who are blind or have low vision.
JAWS has been modified in order to meet the specific needs of an accessible kiosk deployment. New kiosk-specific features of JAWS include:
Thinner version of JAWS for closed environments
Locked down features for use in closed environments
Support for Storm Assistive Technology Products (NavPad™, NavBar ™ and AudioNav™)
Multi-language/Multi-voice JAWS support
User session management
Auto start JAWS upon insertion of audio device
Session end is automated upon withdraw of audio input (Auto Stop)
Compatible with kiosk system software
Fully customizable through JAWS scripting
Does not require an internet connection for full functionality
“Storm Interface are proud to be working in cooperation with TPG and JAWS Kiosk”, said Storm’s SEVP Peter Jarvis. “The application of Storm Assistive Technology Products (NavPad™, NavBar™ and AudioNav™), fully supported and integrated within JAWS, will bring a new dimension of accessibility and a powerful contribution to independent living. A truly impressive combination!”
Spearheading this initiative is Laura Boniello Miller, who recently joined Vispero after spending the past six years driving strategic sales for KioWare Kiosk Software where she built partnerships with kiosk hardware manufacturers, kiosk device manufacturers, and kiosk application developers. Laura is the co-chair of the Kiosk Manufacturer’s Association Accessibility working group and an author of multiple articles on the accessible kiosk user experience. According to Miller, “Vispero is committed to the kiosk accessibility space and now brings kiosk experience to these efforts. The kiosk team leverages JAWS software and The Paciello Group’s accessibility expertise to help customers create a complete accessible kiosk solution.”
About Vispero: Vispero is the global leader for assistive technology and accessibility solutions. Freedom Scientific® and The Paciello Group, both Vispero brands, have a long history of innovation for customers with accessibility needs. Freedom Scientific is the leading provider of assistive technology products for those with vision impairments, offering brands such as the market leading screen reader JAWS for Windows and ZoomText screen magnifier. The Paciello Group is an accessibility solutions provider passionately dedicated to helping organizations make their technology equally accessible to all people. Other Vispero brands include Enhanced Vision and Optelec. For more information, visit www.vispero.com.
About TPG team
TPG partners with organizations around the world, to provide them with both strategic and targeted expertise that enables them to realise their accessibility goals. With our partners we believe we can create a positive impact on global accessibility.
Announcing the newest addition to Vispero: JAWS Kiosk was last modified: September 19th, 2019 by News Editor
Now Amazon allows customers to pay for online purchases at Western Union. This is part of Amazon Paycode. This should be a great convenience for the underbanked and nonbanked populace that struggles with the usual credit cards. Plus many of them use WU for wiring money currently. Maybe they spend some at Amazon now.
1) What is Amazon PayCode? Amazon PayCode is a new payment option that enables you to pay for Amazon orders with cash. You can shop online and pay at a participating Western Union® agent location near you. After you pay, we will ship your order to the shipping address specified at checkout.
2) How do I shop with Amazon PayCode? If Amazon PayCode is available for your order you will see it as a payment option at checkout. You will be asked to provide additional information that is used to process your payment at a Western Union agent location. The price at checkout will be updated to reflect the price in your local currency. Upon completing your order on Amazon, you will be provided a code and instructions on how to make your payment at a participating Western Union agent location.
3) Where is Amazon PayCode enabled? Amazon PayCode is currently available in the following countries and regions: Barbados, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Federated States of Micronesia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Palau, Peru, Philippines, Kenya, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, USA and Uruguay. We are continuously working to launch additional countries, please check back frequently for updates.
Amazon.com Inc. AMZN, -0.74% said Wednesday it is launching Amazon PayCode in the U.S., which allows customers to pay for online purchases in cash at Western Union Co. WU, -0.52% locations. Amazon said 80% of Americans live within five miles of one of Western Union’s 15,000 locations. Western Union’s stock rallied 3.5% in premarket trading, while Amazon shares slipped 0.2%. The ecommerce giant said Amazon Cash, which allows customers to load cash into their Amazon Balance for making online purchases, is also now available in cash-loading locations. Amazon said PayCode has already been available in 19 countries.
An in-depth look into the market for child support enforcement technologies.
Background
Market Analysis
Child support enforcement is the legal process through which a parent supports their child monetarily following the end of a marriage or relationship. Specifically, the non-custodial parent makes ongoing, periodic payments to the custodial parent for the financial benefit of the child. The majority of child support payments, which are court-ordered, are collected through direct wage withholding. Employers are responsible for reporting newly hired and terminated employees, withholding child support payments as ordered, and remitting payments to the state. Child support represents an intersection between the judicial system, employment authorities, and human services programs.
Information Technology
Several information technology systems are required to support a state’s child support program:
AChild Support Enforcement System automates management of the program, specifically providing caseload management, document management, and information sharing. Each state is required to have this system.
A State Disbursement Unit (SDU)is a payment processing center for child support payments. It processes checks received from employers and non-custodial parents before disbursing the funds to recipients.
A New Hire Reporting System is a central location for employers to report newly hired employees to the state shortly after hiring. This system helps child support agencies issue income withholding orders.
Procurement Landscape
There is significant variation between states in terms of which of the above technologies they procure externally versus developing in-house. Most states contract out to a vendor for one or two systems, while there are nine confirmed states that have vendors for all three. These states include Delaware, District of Columbia, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas. Overall, there are nearly 90 confirmed contracts throughout the country related to the three main child support technologies, including 24 child support enforcement systems, 38 SDU’s, and 25 new hire reporting systems. Four states currently have no confirmed contracts for anything – Hawaii, Montana, North Dakota, and Utah. Furthermore, 18 states are actively procuring one or more of these systems, meaning formal solicitations have been released or are being reviewed. The following states are currently accepting proposals:
In terms of contract values, there is approximately $1.5 billion in the collective market for child support technologies. Breaking this number down by technology, the average value of child support enforcement systems is about $36 million. California holds the most expensive contract for this technology at almost $125 million with Deloitte. For SDU’s, the average contract value is about $32 million. Ohio’s contract with Systems and Methods is the most expensive at approximately $165 million. Compared with these technologies, new hire reporting is generally less lucrative of a service. The average contract value is only $1.2 million, with Texas holding the most expensive contract at nearly $8 million with Maximus.
Indeed, Systems and Methods and Maximus, along with Conduent and Stellarware, are top vendors in the market for child support technologies. Systems and Methods and Maximus each have 15 confirmed contracts, while Conduent has 12, and Stellarware has 9. Other notable vendors include Protech Solutions, Informatix, Deloitte, and Accenture. Additionally, over half of all child support IT contracts have terms that range between five and ten years, including with renewal options.
Child Support Technology – Procurement Landscape 2019 was last modified: September 17th, 2019 by News Editor
As smart cities rise in popularity, government IT leaders must also contend with the additional security questions these raise as well.
City leaders are flocking to smart city devices and technologies with myriad purposes and functions, ranging from air quality monitoring, alleviating traffic congestion, and improving government performance. However, city IT leaders must also remain measured in their approaches to these new technologies, especially considering the increased cost in managing more devices and the potential for greater threats penetrating these networks.
Several speakers at the Smart City Expo Atlanta conference addressed this issue, as more and more cities look to explore and embrace these technologies. Smart city technologies have been proliferating as of late across the country. One example is Columbus, Ohio, which received $50 million in grant funding and $520 million in private investment to use toward autonomous vehicle testing, new transportation models, and open source data systems. Additionally, the state of Ohio recently opened a testing ground for autonomous vehicles as part of ongoing efforts to invest in advanced transportation. Ohio is not alone in these endeavors, however, as Utah has invested $50 million in connected and autonomous vehicle infrastructure, and Louisiana passed legislation allowing autonomous semitrailer trucks on its public roads.
Deltek previously released its Smart Cities Report in 2018 highlighting several major trends and areas in which these technologies are being utilized and procured by city and county governments. Specifically, the report examines five different market segments or major categories, including smart transportation, smart emergency response, smart & big data, smart citizen engagement, and smart connected facilities. The report shows that procurement activity in these areas has increased over the past few years, as well as which cities and counties are leading the way.
Despite this growing popularity in smart technologies, as noted above, this is not without justified concerns. To go along with the question over securing these devices and networks they operate on, many organizations using these technologies are now amassing huge amounts of data that must be collected, managed, effectively shared, as well as kept safe.
Ultimately, it appears that smart technologies in cities and counties are here to stay, and these initiatives hold great potential to improve the lives of citizens, however local government IT leaders should maintain a measured and methodical approach to how they embrace them by ensuring IT security architecture is in place and capable, establish effective data governance policies, and balancing innovation with security.
Dylan Waddle – EMV & Mobile Payment Technology, Business Growth Strategy, PCI Compliance, IOT, SAAS
The M3t EMV Cloud Kernel is designed to easily connect unattended kiosk terminals and POS solutions to a level II / III approved kernel for processing credit and debit card transactions. The kernel was certified for use in the U.S. in January of 2018 and is now connected to over 3,000 terminals across the country. As a cloud based solution our technology no longer relies on a specific operating platform on the terminal itself, providing our customers ultimate flexibility.
Vispero is the world’s largest assistive technology provider for the visually impaired. Although officially formed in 2016, our brands Freedom Scientific, Enhanced Vision, Optelec, and The Paciello Group, share a long, rich history as industry leaders dating back to 1975.
We develop and deliver innovative solutions that enable blind and low vision individuals to reach their full potential – to gain an education, obtain employment, succeed in professional careers, and live independently throughout their lives.
Vispero ADA
Vispero is proud to operate in 90 countries worldwide, with products localized in over 24 languages.
As the prevalence of age-related eye diseases like macular degeneration steadily rise, assistive technology plays an increasingly vital role, resulting in a growing demand for low vision devices and services. Vispero is uniquely positioned to address these challenges head-on by providing the tools necessary to meet the needs of the low vision population through our far-reaching distribution network.
Our family of brands deliver a superior line of optical and video magnifiers; wearables; scanning and reading devices; and easy-to-use software. Vispero’s partnership with key organizations and advocacy groups keep us in the forefront of the low vision industry.
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This was a massive collaboration between several teams and organizations. I couldn’t be happier and more proud of all the folks involved, from software and hardware engineers, product managers, fellow designers, and our operations and brand folks. So to them, I say thank you
Jon Kantrowitz
@jkantro
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As to what I did – I was the design lead responsible for the human interactions, user flow, and tablet user experience, which is the primary engagement for riders. Can’t wait for our early feedback from our field research this week.
asked here’s a bit of a breakdown. But first context again: This is being run as a trial in Toronto Airport; We leveraged existing kiosk hardware that we use in driver green light hubs, which we further modified for speed, cost effectiveness, and operations.
UBER Kiosks at Pearson International was last modified: August 25th, 2019 by News Editor
FRANK MAYER AND ASSOCIATES, INC. NEW GOLD SPONSOR OF KIOSK MANUFACTURER ASSOCIATION
Frank Mayer and Associates, Inc. will experience added benefits as new Kiosk Manufacturer Association gold member.
GRAFTON, WI – A longstanding member of the Kiosk Manufacturer Association (KMA), Frank Mayer and Associates, Inc.recently upgraded to gold membership status. The new sponsorship level includes participation in a variety of industry trades shows such as the National Retail Federation 2020 as well as access to market research and RFPs that come in through the KMA website.
US Access Board ADA and Accessibility Meeting with Randy Amundson standing next to Director David Capozzi
In addition, Frank Mayer and Associates, Inc.’s Technology Director Randy Amundson serves as chairperson for the KMA’s ADA and Accessibility Committee. Each year, the committee meets with the US Access Board in Washington, D.C., and in 2019, the group will present a preliminary outline of the Kiosk Industry Code of Practice which will combine all ADA regulations and technologies into one document. An exciting new addition to the document is a proposed framework for voice command.
Frank Mayer and Associates, Inc. is a leader in the development of in-store merchandising displays, interactive kiosks, and store fixtures for brands and retailers nationwide. The company helps retailers and brands utilize the latest display solutions and technologies to create engaging customer experiences. For more information on Frank Mayer and Associates, Inc., visit www.frankmayer.com.
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CONTACT: Cheryl Lesniak, Integrated Marketing Manager Frank Mayer and Associates, Inc. 1975 Wisconsin Ave., Grafton, WI 53024 (262) 834-1489 | cheryl.lesniak@frankmayer.com
Gold Sponsor News – Frank Mayer and Associates, Inc. was last modified: August 25th, 2019 by News Editor
CTS to Debut Automatic Kiosk at Epic’s Users Group Meeting
CTS is Re-Engineering their Iconic Patient Check-In Kiosk and Expanding Their UV-C Disinfecting Technology
Menomonee Falls, WI: Connected Technology Solutions (CTS) will join other hand-selected companies at Epic’s annual Users Group Meeting (UGM), where the kiosk manufacturer plans to showcase two newly developed products.
This year, CTS is using the exhibition time at UGM to debut a newly developed kiosk that uses facial detection capabilities to prompt height adjustments, 90 degrees of rotation, and smart privacy panels that turn from clear to opaque when a patient first approaches the kiosk. The company will also be showcasing their tablet kiosks which now integrates with CTS’s proprietary CleanTouch™ UV-C disinfecting technology.
Sulliven Weiss, Research & Development Team Lead at CTS shares, “The team on these developments is helping project CTS into the future in more ways than one. Most kiosks are relatively static mechanical boxes, but we’re approaching this with a more dynamic mindset, using cutting edge automation to our customers’ advantage.”
About Connected Technology Solutions: Connected Technology Solutions (CTS) is the thought leader in branded user experiences including point of purchase kiosks, digital signage, interactive displays and retail fixtures, with an extensive roster of clients in the healthcare, retail, hospitality, transportation industries and more. Recognized for its outstanding creative talent and innovative engineering, the Wisconsin-based company has won numerous prestigious awards for its customized software and hardware design, implementation, and customer service and support since its founding in 2002. CTS is the parent company of CTS Healthcare Services and Mighty Touch. For more information, visit connectedts.com.
CTS to Debut Automatic Kiosk at Epic’s Users Group Meeting was last modified: August 25th, 2019 by News Editor
Featuring Peerless-AV’s Xtreme™ High Bright Outdoor Displays, the new Volta charging station features a slim airfoil-like silhouette design focused on both user experience and community impact. Throughout the charging process, the station communicates real-time status updates to users using emotive and intuitive external lighting, too.
Peerless-AV® and Volta Bring Next Level Electric Vehicle Charging Stations to the Market
Partnership redefines the newest generation in free vehicle charging
AURORA, Ill. – August 14, 2019 – Peerless-AV®, an award-winning designer and manufacturer of innovative audio and video solutions and accessories, announced the newest generation of electric vehicle charging stations, created in partnership with Volta. Together they provide a seamless, simple and free charging experience that fuels transportation while inspiring positive change in the adoption of electric vehicles. This completely reimagined charging station is powered by forward thinking partners seeking meaningful and measurable brand building opportunities.
“We are proud of our partnership with Volta and are grateful for the opportunity to play an important role in their vehicle charging network that addresses the needs of drivers, site partners, advertisers, and the overall community,” said Nick Belcore, Executive Vice President, Peerless-AV. “Utilizing the latest technology, including our fully-sealed Xtreme High Bright Outdoor Displays, and an exquisite design, we are able to draw more attention to the stations, thus creating more awareness and opportunity for clean energy.”
This latest generation of electric vehicle charging station features a slim airfoil-like silhouette with a design focused on both user experience and community impact. Throughout the charging process, the station communicates real-time status updates to users using emotive and intuitive external lighting. The station includes dual displays built to meet the needs of brick-and-mortar locations seeking amenities that increase consumer traffic.
The new Volta charging station features Peerless-AV’s 55″ Xtreme™ High Bright Outdoor Displays. The ruggedized, optically bonded, and fully-sealed weatherproof design offers the utmost protection against all extreme outdoor conditions, such as rain, snow, sleet, dust, insects, and pressure washing. The Xtreme High Bright Outdoor Display is also equipped with ambient light sensors to automatically and gradually adjust the screen’s brightness based on the surrounding conditions, providing a clear, crisp picture, in the brightest direct sunlight.
“Working with Peerless-AV helps Volta to lead the industry in developing the most heavily used, future-forward, and economically compelling charging network,” said Scott Mercer, Founder and CEO, Volta. “The dual displays are key to inspiring and converting communities into buying an electric vehicle.”
New charging station locations are confirmed and coordinated using data modeling to map current demand and predict future growth. With stations in nine of the nation’s top twenty electric vehicle markets, regional networks are thoughtfully expanded to lead local electric vehicle market penetration. With this new generation of free charging stations installed around the U.S., Peerless-AV and Volta are looking forward to continued innovation and making communities better by using technology as a force for social change.
For over 75 years, passion and innovation continue to drive Peerless-AV forward. We proudly design and manufacture the highest quality products, ranging from outdoor displays to complete kiosk solutions, digital signage mounts to wireless systems. Whether a full-scale global deployment or 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.
About Volta EV Stations
Founded in 2010 out of a passion for advancing electric transportation, Volta has mastered the art and science of developing cutting-edge electric vehicle charging networks. Volta is accelerating the electric vehicle movement by providing seamless, simple and free charging experiences. Thoughtfully located along the paths of daily life, Volta chargers are the most heavily used in the industry. With the support of forward-thinking brand partners, Volta delivers free charging solutions to real estate owners, power to the electric vehicle community and impactful brand stories to everyone. For more information on Volta, please visit www.voltacharging.com.
Charging EV Stations – Peerless-AV and Volta Bring Next Level Electric Vehicle Charging Stations to the Market was last modified: August 25th, 2019 by News Editor
TECA Corp., Chicago IL: The presence of the ETL-Listed Mark on an electronics enclosure cooler shows that the cooler has undergone and passed testing to rigorous industry product safety requirements. It is an important step in the product cycle because it demonstrates a commitment to the safety and quality of the product. With new certification for the 24 vdc & 48 vdc input products (AHP-1200 and AHP-1800 series), TECA announces all versions (AC and DC input) of our two most popular legacy product families are now ETL listed (Intertek) to UL & CSA safety standards.
Click for full size
Ideal for outdoor kiosk projects and other outdoor enclosures, the 525 BTU/HR Model AHP-1200-Series and the 1100 BTU/HR Model AHP-1800-Series are both are available for indoors, outdoors, AC input and DC input. As always, environmental mounting hardware and gasket are included. Optional drip pans, heat function and various temperature control choices are available as well. TECA now offers these legacy products as UL/CSA certified cooling solutions whether used in systems with AC or DC power input.
Nice demo of Alexa self-order integration by Pyramid Technologies. Includes employee voice command and response sequences with Alexa combined with beacon technology for locating the customer.
SAFECRACKERS OF THE past put a stethoscope to a safe’s panel while turning its dial, listening for the telltale murmurs of the interlocking components inside. It turns out that modern safecracking, despite all its electronic upgrades, isn’t always so different. But now those involuntary murmurs are electric, and the combination they betray takes the form of ones and zeros in transit between a lock’s silicon chips.
At the Defcon hacker conference Friday, security researcher Mike Davis will present the results of years of research into a family of electronic safe locks all sold by Switzerland-based lock giant Dormakaba. Over the last two and a half years, Davis has found techniques to crack three different types of the Kaba Mas high-security electronic combination locks the company has sold for securing ATM safes, pharmacy drug cabinets, and even Department of Defense facilities, representing millions of locks around the world. Davis found that he could open many of those ATM and pharmacy locks in as little as five minutes with nothing more than an oscilloscope and a laptop. The technique also leaves no physical trace—other than the safe’s contents disappearing.
Unlock ATMs in Minutes article continued
Davis says he initially warned Dormakaba about the vulnerability of its Cencon locks two years ago, and shared findings about the other models over the following months. But fixing the vulnerabilities that Davis has exposed won’t be easy. Davis says that in at least some of the locks, there’s no hardware capable of encrypting the locks’ combinations to prevent his attack. Even if a software update could prevent Davis’ attacks in some cases, it likely would have to be implemented across millions of locks around the world, an expensive process sure to take years.
But Davis says he also isn’t giving anyone a simple playbook to replicate his attacks. He’s not publishing the code for his power analysis program, for instance, and he believes it would take significant, sophisticated work to recreate even the simpler techniques he pulled off. “I’m not looking to expose the locks that protect the nuclear codes,” Davis says. “I don’t think I’m giving anyone a loaded gun.”
Simon Mall Outdoor Kiosk Digital Wayfinder and Digital Signage Review
Craig is a senior staff writer for Kiosk Industry Group Association. He has 25 years of experience in the industry. He contributed this article.
Well we went back to the mall yesterday and while we were there we checked up on the digital signage unit installed at the brand new Simon Outlet Mall. There are 10 of them spaced out around the outlet mall which was just completed 2 years ago and is the next generation outdoor shopping mall with over a 100 shops. Coloradans like being outdoor.
When we last checked before, it was winter and the units seemed just fine. Yesterday in Colorado it got to 95 and this unit is oriented to face West and East and direct sunlight.
The unit receives no mitigation or shelter from the sun or the heat.
While we there another customer wanted to try using our side of the unit because the other side wasn’t working. It was non-functional.
On the sunny side it was quite nearly impossible to read the display thru the glare, and yes, the screen was very hot.
On the software side I do like the interface and I will given them an A for the wayfinding.
Digital Wayfinding ROI
On the hardware side, the unit is attractive, it was relatively inexpensive to purchase, but it fails here in Colorado. Another example of the budget not matching the objective. Now they need to replace the units and the overall costs will likely triple. Should have just got well-designed unit and paid the relatively low extra money.
For site location of the unit, I can understand the way they oriented it as direct right angle but the rest of the outlet mall is not laid out in right angles so they could’ve easily added 15 to 30 degrees of offset i order to avoid the direct sunlight.
Definition of not working is the screen was blacked out and when you touched it white spots would appear. The screen was very hot for sure. That was the status of the East side which had been heated up and blacked out.
Sun is the biggest enemy of LCD displays. It will cause them to heat up, discolor, and eventually turn black. The sun hits the display surface with 1250 watts/m2 of energy, which will cause the temperature of the Liquid Crystal cell to increase significantly, even on the coldest of days. This can have the effect of literally causing the Liquid Crystals to boil and turn black, what is known as solar clearing.
We have all probably seen our phones turn off because they are “too hot” and need to cool down before use, but outdoor displays don’t have the luxury of taking a break when they are too hot. QSRs, media companies, and transit stations rely on the display being on and visible no matter what the ambient conditions are. Keeping LCDs cool is critically important to providing a 24/7 use in all environments, where temperature fluctuates and direct sunlight is always an issue.
LCDs have very low reflection and absorb almost 98% of the solar energy. This means that viewing an LCD outdoors works great because of the low reflection, but keeping it cool is the biggest challenge.
Good advice.
Simon Outlet Mall Digital Signage Wayfinding Outdoor Kiosk West facing afternoon
Hardly able to read and extremely hot to touch.
Simon Outlet Mall Digital Signage Wayfinding Outdoor Kiosk East facing morning
LOS ANGELES, Calif., October 10, 2019 — Olea Kiosks of Los Angeles welcomes the Franklin Bill Payment kiosk as the newest addition to its self-service line-up. This secure and versatile kiosk is built to accept payments of any kind, anywhere.
A security loophole is allowing fraudsters to break the £30 spending limit for contactless bank cards.
Ideal for quick service restaurants (QSRs), cinemas and airports, the innovative 4-in-1 solution features four 32-inch touchscreens, quadrupling the number of potential user interactions and sales opportunities from a single installation. The patent-protected design is very stable and has an attractive, space-saving central pedestal which accommodates the four Intel® based PCs. The pedestal is constructed from high-performance continuously cast aluminum.
Vispero®, the world’s leading assistive technology provider for the visually impaired, is excited to announce an addition to the Vispero family: JAWS Kiosk. A collaboration between The Paciello Group (TPG) and the Freedom Scientific brand (owned by Vispero), JAWS Kiosk is focused on delivering accessible kiosk solutions whether it’s through incorporation of Freedom Scientific’s industry-leading screen reading software, JAWS®, or by utilizing TPG’s accessible design and technical implementation services. Beginning with the June 2019 release of JAWS, JAWS software will revolutionize self-service kiosk accessibility.
Amazon.com Inc. 
