< Previous10 Kiosk and Digital Signage D igital placemaking, where location- specific digital services contribute to more meaningful destinations, is reaching new heights as cities find innovative new ways to connect digitally with residents and visitors. London’s exciting Wembley Park neighbourhood is at the forefront of digital placemaking, utilising digital signage to showcase a series of interactive digital PlayDays events which turned the physical urban landscape into a playable surface. On 16 and 17 August 2023, in a first for London, visitors to Wembley Park were able to use custom joysticks and jumbo buttons to enjoy a series of short games played on two 9m tall, 360° wraparound digital screens on Olympic Way, directly opposite the iconic Wembley Stadium. The concept was developed, in partnership with Wembley Park, by creative exec Iain Simons, Director of the Walt studio, which has experience from across the arts, technology and entertainment sectors. Simons has previously worked with the BFI, OKRE and Spitalfields Music Festival, as well as being founder and creative director of northern England’s acclaimed GameCity Interactive Entertainment Festival and co-founder of the National Videogame Arcade in Nottingham. “Wembley Park is a hugely exciting area and we’re thrilled to have been able to work within, and with it. While the new neighbourhood is full of impressive technology and beautiful digital assets, it’s built upon a site with incredible history – all around one of the most iconic buildings in the world, Wembley Stadium. With PlayDays we aimed to bring something new to Wembley Park, taking the first steps in creating original ways for people to experience and play with the space they’re in;” says Simons. The PlayDays event concept followed a workshop earlier in the year in Wembley Park’s community hub The Yellow, where children and young people focused on game creation and making controllers from a variety of household objects for the public realm. Their vision came to life on the digital canvas of Wembley Park through PlayDays. Walt’s Iain Simons comments: “We were inspired to create an experience that could involve players of all ages – and one that wasn’t just for gamers but for all those living around and visiting the Wembley Park neighbourhood. The goal was to turn Wembley Park into a giant outdoor arcade using its digital signage assets. We used digital placemaking to connect people to the urban landscape in new ways.” During the PlayDays events, players were able to interact with a collection of digital ‘creatures’ in a series of 90-second games. Very young players made the creatures jump around and tickled them, while older players guided Using digital signage to create a playable neighbourhood www.wembleypark.com/playdays We were inspired to create an experience that could involve players of all agesKiosk and Digital Signage 1112 Kiosk and Digital Signage them through mazes to find their friends and completed colour memory, balance and speed-count challenges. Players could digitally collect the creatures they met and even had the opportunity to name some of them. Simons comments, “The big practical and technical challenge here was to create an interactive framework that makes the smallest possible demand on the existing teams and infrastructure - AND can be easily used by artists and the community. We developed a new framework called ‘Gene’ that can operate entirely autonomously, allowing real-time reflection of users’ input without needing any physical access to the devices. A combination of low-voltage interfaces, low- bandwidth messaging and a variety of video game frameworks has resulted in it being hugely flexible, extensible and easy to use. “On the input side, we worked hard to create a framework that can accommodate a wide variety of interfaces, that can be embedded almost anywhere in the neighbourhood itself. For the first PlayDays events, these have been simple, wireless buttons - but the framework is in place to receive input from anything. What excites us most is starting to explore new ways of playing that can work with those. Empowering community groups to be able to use the place they live in creatively in new ways is the goal. For us, the most exciting digital signage isn’t about creating the most exciting visual display - it’s about transforming the signs into something reflective of the action going on around them. Less like signs, more like mirrors.” As Wembley Park’s Cultural Director, Josh McNorton, echoes Simon’s views commenting; “Digital placemaking is creating fresh ways of experiencing and interacting with the Wembley Park neighbourhood. Our PlayDays events showcased a new way to interact with digital assets in the neighbourhood, such as the digital totems. We want all residents and visitors to enjoy the environment in different ways, making the most of its urban digital infrastructure.” The partnership between creative exec Iain Simons and Wembley Park is part of the neighbourhood’s wider digital placemaking strategy and follows the popularity of a range of digital assets delivered in Wembley Park. Examples include the Shadow Wall from Jason Bruges Studio, where passersby can dance with their digital shadow as they traverse the 29m-wide Royal Route Underpass courtesy of the custom printed circuit boards (PCBs) specifically developed Digital placemaking is creating fresh ways of experiencing and interacting with the Wembley Park neighbourhoodKiosk and Digital Signage 13 by Jason Bruges Studio for use inside the artwork. The neighbourhood is also currently home to a range of digital artworks delivered by acclaimed multi-disciplinary artist and poet Claire Luxton, whose captivating ‘Messenger’ installations are presented across digital screens along Olympic Way, White Horse Square and the 21m wide Bobby Moore Bridge. In addition to the free public art on display on the digital signage, the lighting system along Olympic Way has also been utilised for cultural placemaking in a range of ways. The banners along the walkway are capped by programmable lights that can change colour and brighten or dim the banners’ illumination. The use of the banners and lighting was integral to the sequential artwork ‘A Guiding Light’, one of the Wembley Park Art Trail’s winter 2022 exhibition installations. Created by light artists Douglas Green and Louisa Smurthwaite, the artwork, which depicted the 12 hours of the moon rising and 12 hours of the sun setting across the 34 seven-metre-tall banners, was supported by projections of a star field on the ground below. Digital lighting systems have also been developed to great effect in other parts of the 85-acre estate with Brent-based light artist Yoni Alter creating an immersive walk- through experience upon the Flanagan Lawrence-designed acoustic Sound Shell stage, adding thousands of LED lights to form a beautiful, ever-changing light installation as part of Winter at Wembley Park in 2022. A dazzling Christmas tree made of light also wowed yuletide crowds in Wembley Park back in 2021, when 100,000 low-energy kinetic lights pulsed in rhythm, while younger visitors played in the neighbourhood’s light maze. Digital components also played a major role in Wembley Park’s 2020 RISE event, which celebrated the impact of Brent on London’s culture, from its music and activism to its rebellious spirit. Josh McNorton continues; “Many neighbourhoods already make good use of traditional signage for promotion and wayfinding but so much more can be achieved when that signage is digital. It can be repurposed to underpin cultural and digital placemaking activity, as we’ve shown with the PlayDays events in Wembley Park. Digital signage is a major asset for driving interaction and engagement with residents and visitors. That’s something that cities are beginning to understand and embrace, and we are proud to be leading in this field.” 14 Kiosk and Digital Signage T echnology is ever-evolving in every aspect of our lives. Museums are one of the sectors you might not immediately connect with technological advancements, with their focus on preserving history. Today’s museums are looking at how they can include apps, digital interactivity and virtual reality (VR) in their exhibitions, to encourage further visitor engagement. In Italy alone, over half of museums were planning to introduce augmented reality (AR), even before the dip in visitor numbers during the pandemic. With recent data from Statista estimating that there will be 1.7 billion mobile AR user devices in use across the world by 2024, this is a key technological advancement which museums need to tap into to stay relevant. Multi-touch screens developer Zytronic has collaborated with its clients to provide some of the most interesting innovations in technology used in museums in recent years. Key findings: >The National Museum of Singapore is using technology to bring historical drawings to ‘life’ and encourage curiosity in flora and fauna. >The National Library of Korea is allowing the general public to engage with protected, ancient texts via projective sensor technology. Mark Cambridge, CEO, Zytronic – www.zytronic.co.uk Future past: making exhibitions more interactive with technology The National Library of Korea is allowing the general public to engage with protected, ancient texts via projective sensor technology.Kiosk and Digital Signage 15 >The Louvre embraced virtual reality with their immersive Mona Lisa experience. >The Smithsonian asks us to question our knowledge of mobile phones and their development through interactive games and group chats with fictional characters. Story of the Forest: National Museum of Singapore The Story of the Forest is a gorgeous immersive art exhibition, based in the National Museum of Singapore. The installation utilises 69 pieces of art from the museum’s most prized collection: the William Farquhar Collection of Natural History Drawings. These drawings have been turned into 3D interactive animations through the use of some creative technology. Created by teamLab, a digital art collective from Japan, the Story of the Forest takes you through the colonial history of Singapore, right up to modern day. Visitors can walk through the exhibition and view the gorgeous animated drawings. The installation begins with darkness, the images slowly revealed as you walk through the black space. The interactive element is introduced via an app, downloadable from the Apple or Google Play stores. Once downloaded, the app allows you to snap a photo of the animated drawings and discover further information about the animals pictured. The app has a section titled ‘My Collection’ where you can store images you have taken and work towards discovering all the interactive elements of the exhibition. You can also take a closer look at each individual animal and discover more about its rarity level and species. This display functions as a kind of interactive safari, taking you through various habitats. It has Zytronic helped in the development of the ‘Digital Book’ exhibit16 Kiosk and Digital Signage been a permanent exhibition at the museum since 2016, proving its popularity with visitors! https://www.instagram.com/p/Cq9tIA2P2al/ Real sense library: National Library of Korea The South Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism aims to continue facilitating public access to important historical artefacts. The ‘real sense library’ is part of this initiative, based in the National Library of Korea. The exciting technology used in this exhibition allows visitors to have a more ‘hands-on’ experience of artefacts that are usually kept locked away from the general public, due to their historical and cultural importance. Priceless items such as important documents and ancient texts can now be accessed in a safe way by visitors. Zytronic helped in the development of the ‘Digital Book’ exhibit, a uniquely interactive installation which utilises the look and feel of a real book that visitors can physically touch and turn the pages of. The ancient text is then digitally projected onto this large-scale book, giving the illusion that visitors are actually handling the priceless artefact! Zytronic’s innovative touch technology means that the contents of the book responds to touch gestures from up to 50mm away from the surface of the sensor. A single touch sensor was embedded behind the stack of paper pages and transmitted through the paper of the physical book itself. This truly modern idea highlights how the power of technology can increase access and unlock experiences once thought impossible for people who aren’t specialist historians. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=- PL2XbroPZ0 Mona Lisa: Beyond the Glass: The Louvre, Paris Running from 2019-2020, Mona Lisa: Beyond the Glass, marked The Louvre’s first foray into virtual reality (VR) exhibitions. In collaboration with HTC VIVE Arts, the installation brought new life to Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous painting through the use of ground-breaking technology. Visitors were able to interact with a digital imagining of Mona Lisa by wearing a VR headset. The subject of the painting is famously mysterious – not much is known about Lisa Gherardini, also known as La Gioconda. But this experience allowed for a new and layered understanding of the woman behind one of the most recognisable paintings in the world. The aim of the installation was to invite viewers inside the universe of the painting and help them understand the historical world in which Da Vinci existed. VR experts worked to bring the Mona Lisa to ‘life’, using infrared, x-ray and 3D-modelling technology. They mapped the face seen in the painting and created an entire environment around the figure. Viewers can now see a digital version of the Mona Lisa moving and posing, as she might have looked when Da Vinci was painting her. Visitors were immersed in the iconic painting in an entirely new and unique way, lending a new level of interactivity to art and history. Cellphone: Unseen Connections, The Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C. The Smithsonian’s new exhibition, focused on our mobile phones and their evolution, began in June 2023. The installation asks visitors to consider their connection to their phone and what it means to them. Harnessing the power of interactive technology and projective display, the experience includes an interactive group chat which visitors can contribute to, as well as a graphic novel which covers three gallery walls. Visitors can hear stories from a diverse range of people about how they have contributed to the development of our phones. The huge graphic novel charts the influence of mobile phones on our modern lives and introduces visitors to a number of characters. Visitors can then ‘chat’ with these characters via an interactive group chat and voice their own opinions about the topics discussed. Visitors can also play interactive games and learn how to repair a mobile phone, via a virtual programme. This exhibition submerges museum-goers into the world of mobile phone evolution, while also asking questions about our dependence on technology in our extremely connected world. The interactive elements help to engage imaginations and bring a new understanding to an object we use and rely on in our everyday lives. Look out for innovative exhibitions like these ones the next time you visit a museum.Kiosk and Digital Signage 1718 Kiosk and Digital Signage I n the bustling streets of London, Ad-MOTO, a groundbreaking start-up, is rewriting the rules of out-of-home (OOH) advertising and sustainable deliveries with a unique approach. Founded by entrepreneur Paul Vickery, the company aims to disrupt the traditional advertising industry using electric delivery scooters equipped with three high-definition TV screens, creating a mobile advertising platform that stands out in high footfall city centre locations. The birth of Ad-MOTO Ad-MOTO’s journey began with a vision to combine ultra-modern lightweight HD TV screens, purpose-built custom technology, and the world’s best electric delivery scooter, the V-MOTO Super Soco CPX. The company partnered with us to bring this innovative idea to life. The project was a joint voyage of discovery. The team faced challenges such as defining a vague brief, dealing with project creep, and navigating connectivity, power and toughness issues. The goal was not only to create a revolutionary advertising platform but also to benefit self-employed gig riders by offering cleaner, greener, safer and quieter electric scooters. The technological challenges Ad-Moto engaged us to develop a kiosk-like solution that could withstand the challenges posed by electric motorbike usage. The team at Exe Squared opted for a Raspberry Pi as a low-power device to run the system, coupled with Laravel PHP framework on a Linux Cloud server for advert management. The choice of screen technology posed a significant challenge. LED dot matrix displays were initially considered but proved unsuitable for displaying text clearly. E-ink screens, while meeting power and toughness criteria, lacked vibrant colours at an affordable price point. Eventually, LCD screens from a Chinese supplier emerged as the optimal choice – power-efficient, bright and purportedly tough. Overcoming challenges The development process was marked by several challenges. Project creep forced the team to adapt to changing requirements, including the sudden need to display videos on low-powered screens. Connectivity issues required a seamless switch between WiFi and Three screens on a motorbike? A mobile advertising platform for the city Henry Massey MD, Exe Squared Limited – exe-squared.co.ukKiosk and Digital Signage 19 4G, a feat not accomplished with the exact hardware used. Power management became critical due to the limited battery capacity of the electric motorbikes. The team restricted screen brightness and speed to optimise power usage. Unforeseen problems, such as Pis locking up due to power adapter limitations during 4G connections, required innovative solutions. Ensuring toughness was another hurdle. The ad boxes had to withstand the rigours of daily use, from riders prioritising deliveries to encountering bumps and vibrations. A rapid redesign addressed these issues, incorporating lead locks and 3D-printed cases to secure connectors. Current success and future prospects As of now, Ad-MOTO boasts 50 bikes displaying 400 hours of adverts daily, totalling 150,000 individual advert plays. With over 400 riders signed up and more bikes on the way, this number is expected to surge. Ad campaigns for major companies like ITV’s Big Brother, eToro, CV Library, and a trial with Deliveroo have received positive feedback, validating the success of Ad-MOTO’s innovative approach to urban advertising. Ad-MOTO’s fusion of cutting-edge technology, sustainable transportation and impactful advertising is transforming city landscapes and rider experiences. As the company continues to grow and expand its reach, it sets a precedent for the future of out-of-home advertising in urban environments.Next >