FOUR QSR TRENDS DRIVING DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION INVEST IN TECHNOLOGY TO BOOST YOUR HOSPITALITY VENUE CONTACTLESS PAYMENTS IN UNATTENDED KIOSKS APRIL/MAY 2021 ISSUE 31 AUTOMATING MANUFACTURING RESILIENCY NOT RESISTANCE FOUR SURPRISING WAYS COVID-19 HAS FORCED THE WORLD TO INNOVATE THE SMART TECH RETURN FOR INDOOR ENTERTAINMENT AND EVENTSCONTENTS 2KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE A round up of some of the latest kiosk and digital signage news to hit the editor’s inbox. Dan Lyman at TNS Payments Market considers four rising trends helping QSRs optimise operations and drive continued digital transformation. Dayle Guy of Epson (UK) Ltd discusses how a mobile point of sale (mPOS) printer can enable operations to add another level of customer engagement, supporting business health and wealth. 2KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE 06 NEWS 04 EDITOR’S NOTE 18 FOUR QSR TRENDS DRIVING DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION 22 HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF MOBILE OPPORTUNITIES TO DRIVE GROWTH 14 AUTOMATING MANUFACTURING RESILIENCY NOT RESISTANCE Publisher: Abacus Communications Editor: Laura Vallis Advertising: Lloyd Vella www.kdseurope.com Abacus Communications Limited 1 Tudor Business Park, Waterhouse Lane, Kingswood, KT20 6EN ISSN 2756-1097 Would you like to contribute to KDS? Please submit news stories, articles, press releases and industry expert opinions to Laura Vallis editor@kdseurope.com. Please include high resolution (300dpi+ CMYK) images. We publish all news and articles that adhere to our editorial guidelines free of charge. This ensures our content is unbiased and relevant to our industry. The views expressed in the articles and technical papers are those of the authors and are not endorsed by the publishers. The author and publisher, and its officers and employees, do not accept any liability for any errors that may have occurred, or for any reliance on their contents. All trademarks and brand names are respected within our publication. However, the publishers accept no responsibility for any inadvertent misuse that may occur. This publication is protected by copyright © 2021 and accordingly must not be reproduced in any medium. All rights reserved. Ian Millington of adi Automation, discusses how an accelerated adoption of technology can help fix supply chain vulnerabilities and boost business prospects in 2021.CONTENTS 3 KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE 24 CONTACTLESS PAYMENTS IN UNATTENDED KIOSKS Peter Alcock at NMI looks at how kiosk operators and payment system integrators are supporting unattended contactless payments, as adoption accelerates and contactless payment limits in the UK increase. With Britain’s phased reopening plan allowing for indoor venues to operate, safety is still of paramount importance. Matthew Margetts at Smarter Technologies, shows how smart technology can be applied in different sectors of the hospitality industry. We talk to David Pearce, Star Micronics EMEA about the printing technology available for order and pay apps and web-based ordering systems for the return of hospitality. A round up of promotions, structural changes and new recruits across the kiosk and digital signage industry. 36 THE SMART TECH RETURN FOR INDOOR ENTERTAINMENT AND EVENTS 40 INVEST IN TECHNOLOGY TO BOOST YOUR HOSPITALITY VENUE 44 MOVERS AND SHAKERS Laura Tate at Kardome, looks at the various touchless solutions for interactive kiosks and displays, with many providing benefits that go beyond immediate safety concerns. Adam Pomeroy, Luminous Group, takes a look at the top COVID-19 tech trends and how they will remain part of our lives in the future, post-pandemic. 28 HOW TOUCHLESS TECHNOLOGY IMPROVES CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT 32 FOUR SURPRISING WAYS COVID-19 HAS FORCED THE WORLD TO INNOVATE4KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE magazine (KDS), is the leading technical journal for manufacturers, integrators and deployers of self-service terminals and digital signage integrators. Previously known as Kiosk Solutions, our team at KDS understands the industry’s growing demands and responded by expanding into kiosk’s complementary digital signage and wayfinding markets and rebranding accordingly. Published six times a year, KDS reaches a readership of 25,000 individuals throughout the UK and Europe, comprised of customer service directors, design engineers, project managers, CIOs, CTOs, CFOs and many more. This presents a unique opportunity to reach a qualified audience not available through any other channel. Independent KDS is an independent publication, aiming to offer an objective view of the industry. Articles may present newsworthy acts and/or opinions of named companies, but all measures are taken to ensure that articles within KDS report the objective facts without bias. Editorial We welcome contributions and submissions of news, features, thought leadership posts and interviews from companies and individuals regarding the kiosk and digital signage industry. Send your story to the editor: Laura Vallis at editor@kdseurope.com. All editorial that we receive from third parties is subject to the editor-in-chief's ultimate approval, and submission of an article is no guarantee of publication. To ensure that all articles meet the editorial policy, we reserve the right to edit the whole or part of any material selected for publication. You can find our editorial policy on our website by clicking HERE. Advertising If you would like to discuss one of our advertising or advertorial packages please contact sales@kdseurope.com.A huge thanks to all those that took time out of their busy schedules to congratulate us on our new look KDS Magazine. As always, we take your feedback seriously and while we’re over the moon at the positive comments received, we endeavour to continue to improve the magazine going forward. This issue has plenty to be going on with. Dayle Guy at Epson (UK) Ltd, takes a look at how a mobile point of sale printer can enable operations to add another level of customer engagement, while Peter Alcock at NMI discusses how kiosk operators and payment system integrators are supporting unattended contactless payments. Meanwhile, Laura Tate at Kardome, looks at various touchless solutions for interactive kiosks and displays. We also talk to David Pearce at Star Micronics EMEA about printing technology available for order and pay apps and web-based ordering systems ready for the return of hospitality. As we emerge from the restrictions that the pandemic thrust upon us, we look at lessons learned. Dan Lyman of TNS Payments Market considers the rising trends helping QSRs to optimise operations. Adam Pomeroy at Luminous Group, takes a look at the top tech trends and how they will remain part of our lives in the post-pandemic future and, as we look forward, our feature on automating manufacturing resiliency by Ian Millington, adi Group, discusses how an accelerated adoption of technology can help fix supply chain vulnerabilities and boost business prospects in 2021. With safety at the forefront of the UK’s phased reopening plan, Matthew Margetts at Smarter Technologies shows how smart technology can be applied in different sectors of the hospitality industry, keeping us safe whilst unlocking the events and entertainment industry. The reopening also gives us the potential to stage KDS 2021 at the end of the year. We are presently working with the venue and their health and safety teams and will announce next steps as soon as we are able, but would welcome interest in speakers and seminar topics, as well as your thoughts on attending a live event this autumn. If you have ideas or would like to get involved, please contact sales@kdseurope.com. We’d be delighted to hear from you. Enjoy the read! Laura Vallis Editor Kiosk and Digital Signage Magazine FOREWORD 5 KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE EDITOR’S NOTELED manufacturer Absen has announced a brand-new LED display series designed to be used in medium to large DOOH installations. Boasting a 10,000- NIT brightness, and with a 1280mm x 960mm standard panel size and three other optional sizes, there are six new models of the Aurora Series. Weighing only 25kg per sqm, the Aurora series follows in the footsteps of Absen’s continued product innovation. The Aurora Series is 50% thinner and lighter than its predecessors, thanks to a new engineering approach which resulted in a reduction of nearly 25% of all steel materials, reducing transportation costs and simplifying installation. Aurora is a fan-less LED display that offers a 40% reduction in power consumption compared to previous models, making it one of the company’s most energy-efficient models to date. In addition, Absen’s renowned maintenance features are continued on the Aurora Series, with front and rear installation a simple and fast two to three-step process. With front and rear module assembly and access, further maintenance of the series is simple wherever the Aurora is installed. Thanks to the high contrast ratio, which boasts diversified and saturated colours with smooth transitions, the series is designed to display a high image quality even under direct sunlight. And at a 3,840Hz refresh rate with 16bit grayscale, advertisers can be assured that vivid, eye-catching images are guaranteed with the Aurora, no matter where it is placed. Philips’ monitors have launched their new open-frame touch monitors (B1TFL Series) – interactive displays designed for installation in public places. The new B1TC Series includes two models: the 23.8in (60.5cm) 242B1TC and the 21.5in (54.6cm) 222B1TC. They rely on Advanced In-Cell Touch (AIT) technology and projected capacitive touch, which ensures better transmittance and outstanding response rates, for a faster touch experience on up to 10 points simultaneously. The in-cell touch technology allows a slim, 3-side frameless design, while the IPS technology ensures wide viewing angles. The display features an anti- glare coating, which, combined with the full HD resolution, offers great images. Its 3H resistance protects it against scratches. The natural, fluid and fast touch responsiveness meets the needs of any home, office or educational application, thanks to the plug and play compatibility with Windows 10 and different Android and Linux versions. The new B1TFL series comprises four models. All feature projected capacitive (P-Cap) touch technology for fluid responsiveness that can easily detect 10 fingertips at once. This technology also works with gloves, making it exceptionally versatile and suited for public places. Another specific feature is edge-to-edge overlay glass with 7H scratch resistance, essential for a safe and durable touch experience and easy cleaning or disinfection in both indoor and outdoor environments. All four models are rated IP65 (front only) and feature side seal foam for protection against water and dust. NEWS IN BRIEF FLYING TIGER DEBUTS MISHIPAY’S MOBILE SCAN & GO SOLUTION Flying Tiger Copenhagen is launching MishiPay’s mobile self- checkout solution, which offers the potential for the revitalisation of the high street after a tough retail year. Using MishiPay’s new ‘Scan & Go’ technology, customers at 30 Flying Tiger Copenhagen stores in Denmark, Norway and Sweden can now scan and pay using their smartphones, leaving them free to exit the store without having to wait in line at a conventional checkout. The global pandemic has accelerated the adoption of mobile- based checkout solutions. By eliminating the need for shoppers to touch store hardware and simultaneously avoid the need to wait in line, MishiPay’s mobile self- checkout system can help to keep both customers and staff safer. The technology can be integrated quickly and seamlessly into existing payment and order management systems, without the need for investment in any additional hardware. MishiPay has created a customer experience that also frees staff from the checkouts to help customers on the shop floor and assist with operations elsewhere in the store. 6KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE ABSEN LAUNCHES AURORA SERIES PHILIPS’ NEW OPEN FRAME TOUCH DISPLAYThe municipality of Bussigny, in the Swiss canton of Vaud has a population of approximately 9,000. The town authority had worked with Solmani on digital signage projects in the past and approached the Swiss AV solutions provider to implement an outdoor digital signage solution to improve communication with citizens in various locations. It would also demonstrate progression in the adoption of new, technological innovations. The outdoor solution needed to be able to withstand the elements, being exposed to extreme all-weather conditions all year round. Since the solution was to be installed in a public environment, it also had to be impact resistant to protect against potential damage from vandalism. Furthermore, it needed to offer the best image quality so content would always be clearly visible, even in direct sunlight. Solmani specified Peerless-AV’s KOF555 Outdoor Digital Menu Board with integrated 55in Xtreme High Bright Outdoor Display, and sourced the products from Stilus. The KOF555 offers a simplified installation with an ultra-slim and elegant design that protects and ventilates displays and AV equipment. The structure is rugged with a pedestal base designed to withstand 24/7 use and to allow mounting to existing footing or into concrete. Captive security fasteners prevent unauthorised access and vandalism. Axiomtek has introduced the DSP500, a 4K digital signage player powered by the 9th/8th gen Intel Core i7/i5/i3 or Pentium processors. With the support of the Intel Movidius Myriad X VPU and Intel Distribution of OpenVINO toolkit, this digital signage player meets the diverse needs of computer vision and AI workloads. In addition, the DSP500 features EDID function and three HDMI 2.0 ports that can easily support diverse advertising content in retail areas. The low-power DSP500 is ideal for multi-display applications, such as video walls, digital menu boards, digital directory boards, and self-service kiosks. NEWS IN BRIEF BRIGHTSIGN HARDWARE COMPATIBILITY WITH ADOBE BrightSign has announced that its hardware is now fully compatible with Adobe Experience Manager Screens. Adobe is the latest in a growing list of content management system (CMS) platforms to build in native support for BrightSign media players. Jeff Hastings, CEO, BrightSign, said, “We greatly value our partnership with Adobe and this latest milestone speaks volumes about our mutual commitment to deliver the very best digital signage capabilities to our customers. Full interoperability and support across both the Adobe and BrightSign ecosystems give users a best- of-breed solution capable of accomplishing virtually any digital signage application.” Adobe Experience Manager Screens is designed to help organisations seamlessly connect to online and in-venue experiences, transforming digital signage in public places for the world’s biggest brands. Experience Manager Screens enables responsive, interactive digital signage with easy-to-use content creation and publishing tools, with the added benefit of cloud-based functionality built for scale and agility. Shelby Britton, Group Manager, Product Marketing, Adobe Experience Manager, Adobe, said, “BrightSign’s hardware is widely used throughout the industry to power digital signage experiences in a wide range of use cases. It’s a win-win for our collective customer base to have access to some of the most robust digital signage tools currently available.” 7 KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE SWISS MUNICIPALITY BUSSIGNY INSTALLS OUTDOOR KIOSKS DSP500 4K DIGITAL SIGNAGE PLAYER FROM AXIOMTEK Publish your news and company announcements here Contact: editor@kdseurope.comNEWS IN BRIEF 8KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE ViewSonic has introduced a new pre- assembled solution kit with a movable flight case for its All-in-One Direct View LED Display (108in and 135in), a comprehensive solution that delivers premium value with higher efficiency, mobility and flexibility. It can be moved easily and set up in less than 10 minutes, offering users short-term rental options and more diverse application scenarios at galleries, commercial events, exhibitions and other sites. Dean Tsai, Head of LED Display & Projector BU, ViewSonic, said, “In 2020, ViewSonic launched a new product line, All-in-One Direct View LED Display, which offered an integrated solution, new to the industry and received positive feedback. So more people can benefit from this innovative product, we are introducing a new pre-assembled solution kit for the All-in-One Direct View LED Display, making it easier to move and set up, fulfilling more types of demand, and meeting diverse application scenarios.” ViewSonic has integrated the display, image stitching, power supply, and control systems into one device, offering easy installation, operation and maintenance. Its minimalistic design, with 35mm ultra-slim ID and frameless edges of only 10mm, comes in a wide range of large screen sizes - 108in, 135in, 163in and 216in. The pre-assembled solution kit with a movable flight case is available in 108in and 135in. The movable flight case packaging design allows it to be transported easily and securely from one venue to another. VIEWSONIC INTRODUCES NEW PRE-ASSEMBLED SOLUTION KIT TRANSPARENT POWER DELIVERY Zytronic has introduced a method of delivering power through glass, invisibly. ElectroglaZ is a patent- pending technology that opens up new opportunities for low power devices and applications without using wires. Ian Crosby, Sales & Marketing Director, Zytronic said, "ElectroglaZ is completely transparent and can be used to 'magically' power a near-limitless variety of low power, electronic and electrotechnical devices embedded within a glass panel. Potential applications include LED lit display cases and shelving units for museums, art galleries and high-end retail stores." ElectroglaZ can also deliver low power, (sub 50V/3A), to USB sockets, induction charging pads, motors, fans, security cameras and sensors, air monitoring units in HVAC systems, and small displays. Industrial designers may also combine it with Zytronic's patented, multitouch projected capacitive technology (MPCT), to add multi- user touch interactivity and tangible object recognition in 'smart' tables and other design-led furniture. To bring a third dimension to touch, Zytronic's ZyBrid contactless sensing technology detects user interactions up to 30mm away from the surface of the glass. Zytronic's ElectroglaZ technology is a bespoke lamination of two or more conductive yet completely transparent glass panels. This arrangement allows the transfer of power across the inner conductive coatings within the insulated surfaces of the laminate. QUANTUM SIMPLIFIES WITH STORNEXT Quantum Corporation has announced a new StorNext architecture and line of StorNext appliances that simplify how organisations manage, store and protect their video content, imagery and business-critical data. The Quantum H4000 Series of appliances combines the latest hardware technology with the company’s signature StorNext software, the world’s fastest file system for video workloads. This offering is based on a simplified and converged architecture that accelerates time to value, reduces power and cooling costs, eliminates networking complexity and makes it easier to deploy StorNext for edge processing and remote production. Matt Leib, Research Director, Infrastructure Systems, Platforms and Technologies Group, IDC, said, “IDC’s forecast for global data creation and replication shows a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23% over the 2020-25 forecast period. With this type of data growth, customers across a wide range of applications need simplified and consolidated architectures such as StorNext to store more data in less space and at lower costs.”NEWS IN BRIEF 9 KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE BrightSign has collaborated with Bluefin International, Inc. to deliver a pair of video wall solutions with integrated digital signage capabilities. The BrightSign built-in multi-screen displays come in two configurations; a 13.3in 3x1 display and a 15.6in 3x1 display. Randy Guy, CEO at Bluefin said, “Traditional video walls can be very effective for businesses to increase visibility, but they often require significant up-front investment and cost more over time due to increased energy consumption. Our displays are very efficient and come equipped with BrightSign’s highly reliable media player capabilities already on board for a great solution that works right out of the box.” Each of the new Bluefin solutions comes in a 3x1 configuration. The 13.3in displays are stacked vertically to create a narrow column that can be installed in either landscape or portrait orientation, while the 15.6in displays are stacked laterally for an aspect ratio similar to a traditional TEVANO LAUNCHES AI-POWERED HEALTH SHIELD Tevano has announced the launch of Health Shield, a visitor health screening device. With proprietary hardware and software designed and developed in North America, Health Shield has been developed to help business owners, public officials and organisations across industries, protect the health of the public and their staff through fast, efficient, non-contact entranceway health screening. Using thermal imaging, Health Shield is able to carry out split-second temperature sensing with near- perfect accuracy. AI-powered facial recognition detects the presence of face masks and has alerting options including SMS, localised alarms, detailed on-screen messaging and turnstile lockdown. It can be customised by operators to ensure specific safety guidelines are met and also backed by recorded data. Cloud-based subscription software allows for the management of multiple devices. All visitor data can be aggregated, logged and made accessible in real-time, via a single dashboard to ensure compliance and reduce potential liabilities. David Bajwa, CEO, Tevano, said, “We are highly encouraged by the initial market response to Health Shield. This pandemic has fundamentally changed how people view their personal safety in public environments. By providing businesses with the tools to monitor customer and employee health in real-time with an efficient, non- invasive method of screening, people will have a far higher level of confidence to more safely go about their daily lives. Much like the metal detectors we’re all used to seeing at airports, the health scanning devices can also act as an ongoing deterrent to those who may wish to enter buildings even if they know they’re feeling ill.” INTEGRATED VIDEO WALL OFFERING display in landscape orientation. Both solutions are powered by a single HS144 module; BrightSign’s Built-In SoC Series 4 media player that supports 4Kp60 video and features a low-profile form factor for easy integration into OEM commercial products. Jeff Hastings, CEO at BrightSign said, “Bluefin has done a great job of integrating our Built-In SoC solution into two configurations that are versatile enough to be used in virtually any business setting. Our latest collaboration with Bluefin is another great proof-point of the collective value we bring with this best-of-breed solution for a variety of video wall applications.” MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL The THAT store, a futuristic shopping experience located at the Mall of the Emirates, Dubai, opened its doors this year. The store incorporates innovative digital elements that elevate the traditional shopping experience. One of the most notable and eye-catching innovations at this store are the Mirandda powered smart fitting rooms. The latter is equipped with Smart Mirrors- a digital solution provided by Blue Rhine Industries. This organisation is a leading provider of digital and static signage as well as system integration solutions in the UAE. The Mirandda Smart Fitting Room solution, developed by the Spanish digital signage software manufacturer, ICON Multimedia, supports the omnichannel strategy of this new concept store, which aims to attract customers to physical areas, creating 360º shopping experiences in its facilities to increase sales. The solution features an interactive experience that automatically detects the items brought into the room by the customer and can instantly display options in terms of size and colour to the viewer. The smart mirrors also automatically suggest outfits that match the item that was brought into the changing room. The mirror is equipped with cutting-edge functionality that allows customers to make requests for other garments, without leaving the fitting room. These requests made via a dedicated THAT Store app connected to every Smart Mirror and are received by the in-store employees on their mobile devices. The employees can then immediately respond to these requests thus reducing lead times at the store. These mirrors significantly improve in-store experience, provide tremendous value and utility as well as strengthen the interaction and engagement between the customer and the brand. Next >