COULD VOICE AND GESTURE REPLACE TOUCH? IS VIRTUAL LEARNING THE FUTURE OF WORK? SEAMLESS PATIENT JOURNEY OPTIONS AT VACCINATION CENTRES FEBRUARY/MARCH 2021 ISSUE 30 A NEW LOOK FOR THE KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MARKET WHY THE IoT IS KEY TO RETAIL’S POST-COVID RECOVERY TOP FIVE WAYS TO DIGITALLY TRANSFORMKiosk Printing Solutions Star Success Customers around the world include: Premier Inn, Sun International, Coop Switzerland, P&O Ferries, Subway, Eurotunnel to name just a few. As a leading installer of packaged and modular specialist kiosk printing solutions, Star offers a wide range of industry-leading products. With over thirty years’ experience in the kiosk industry and an unrivalled reputation for reliability, Star has a highly experienced Hardware Engineering Team that can provide the technical expertise and flexibility required to develop customised products. This wealth of experience pushes the boundaries in POS and tablet POS printing to bring the most advanced kiosk solutions. With customers worldwide across retail and hospitality, Star’s solutions meet the demands of even the most compact kiosk designs, while offering high performance printing that remains unrivalled today. Star Micronics EMEA Star House, Peregrine Business Park, Gomm Road, High Wycombe, Bucks. HP13 7DL, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1494 471111 • Fax: +44 (0) 1494 473333 • Email: Sales@Star-EMEA.com www.Star-EMEA.comA round up of some of the latest kiosk and digital signage news to hit the editor’s inbox. John Tait, TNS Payments Market, looks at enhancing the customer experience to stand out from competitors with digital strategies. Social distancing has affected work across many sectors – particularly when it comes to training. Andrew Richardson, Mediaworks looks at the options. In our fast-changing world, where new tech lives or dies based on the user experience, will voice and gesture replace today’s touch systems? Gene Halsey, TES America investigates. Duha Faidi, Sedco, investigates vaccination campaigns and the centre’s queueing techniques. CONTENTS 3 KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE 06 NEWS 04 EDITORS NOTE 14 TOP FIVE WAYS RETAILERS CAN DIGITALLY TRANSFORM 22 IS VIRTUAL LEARNING THE FUTURE OF WORK? 18 TOUCH, DON’T TOUCH 26 A SEAMLESS PATIENT JOURNEY AT VACCINATION CENTRES 10 WHY THE IOT IS KEY TO RETAIL’S POST- COVID RECOVERY 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 2398-2837 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. James Bristow, Cradlepoint, considers the possibility that changes in consumer behaviour may linger even when lockdowns and social distancing are a thing of the past.4KIOSK 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: www.kdseurope.com/guidelines. Advertising If you would like to discuss one of our advertising or advertorial packages please contact Lloyd at sales@kdseurope.com.Over the past few months, we’ve been busy working on fantastic new design and branding for Kiosk Solutions. We’ve listened to our readers, our contributors, and our advertisers and are incorporating the complementary markets of digital signage and wayfinding into our magazine. To reflect this change we now have a new look and a new name: Kiosk and Digital Signage (KDS) magazine. We also have a brand new website (www.kdseurope.com)! Working closely with the magazine team, the online crew continues to bring you the most interesting news and informative features from our fabulous contributors, across all of our media channels, whether online or offline. While we may look a little different, you can be sure that we remain committed to pursuing the latest industry-relevant commentary, thought-leadership and challenging articles. We have some great features in our first rebranded issue of KDS, however, the Covid-19 pandemic persists in concerning us all. Looking at retail, James Bristow of Cradlepoint considers the possibility that changes in consumer behaviour may linger even when lockdowns and social distancing are a thing of the past, while John Tait of TNS Payments Market, looks at ways of enhancing the customer experience to stand out from competitors. The physical distancing that Covid-19 has enforced on our lives means that we have had time to embrace alternative training techniques. Andrew Richardson, Mediaworks, looks at virtual learning and whether it will continue post-Covid. As we go the print the the UK’s Prime Minister has announced the 4 Stage plan to exit lockdown. His plan offers us the potential to stage KDS 2021 at the end of the year. We are excited by the prospect and have already received some early support from the market. We are presently working with the venue and their health and safety teams and will announce next steps as soon as we are able. I hope you enjoy this first issue of KDS. Drop me an email at editor@kdseurope.com – I’d love to hear your thoughts and get your feedback on our new look magazine and website. We look forward to hearing from you. Laura Vallis Editor Kiosk and Digital Signage Magazine FOREWORD 5 KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE EDITOR’S NOTEContactless kiosks will be popping up across the UK rail network this autumn to make donating to charity easier than ever before. Worldline, a European market provider of payment and transactional services, and kiosk innovators Evoke Creative announced the first product release in what will be a long-term partnership – a charity donation kiosk to support Network Rail’s ‘Route out of Homelessness’ charity initiative this winter. This initiative was recently set up by Network Rail who has just signed the first pan-industry homelessness charter as part of its work to help homeless people across Britain. The charter brings together The Big Issue Foundation, Crisis, End Youth Homelessness, Railway Children and Shelter who have united to fight homelessness and rough sleeping across the UK. 2020 has brought challenges for many people across the UK and the charities that support those in need have seen a dramatic dip in their fundraising revenues due to the cancellation of many fundraising events. Meanwhile, the number of those who are in need of support is only set to grow as the UK grapples with the effects of COVID-19 on the economy. The kiosks, which will be installed at Glasgow Central, Leeds, Manchester Piccadilly, Birmingham New Street and Reading stations, allow people travelling through the stations to quickly and easily donate from £3 to £15 by simply tapping their cards onto the payment terminal. A transaction that takes just a few moments. NEWS IN BRIEF THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT FOR TATTERSALLS BrightSign players are powering a new installation at Tattersalls auction houses that shows how a historic sales environment can retain its traditional and classic ambience whilst embracing digital AV technology to enhance the visitor experience. Tattersalls is the leading blood- stock auctioneer in Europe. The orig- inal display systems at the auction sites have functioned well for around 20 years but had finally come to the end of their working life. Consist- ing of individual LED segments in hardboard enclosures, the displays across all sites looked tired and were inflexible to use. Seeking something more sophisticated, Tattersalls turned to Spectra Displays, who proposed a complete turn-key system based on BrightSign players, blending functional, high-tech displays into the auctioneer’s historic buildings, which it is legally required to pre- serve under the UK’s Listed Building regulations. Using BrightSign XT1144 players, the Spectra digital signage takes a video feed from a camera on the main ring and displays it with text overlaid onto the live footage on LED screens from Spectra’s indoor WM range and outdoor HV range. At all sites, the screens show the bid number, prices in the appropriate currencies plus horse traits and breezing videos, where bidders view the horse running at moderate speed. Different screens show the same core content, with the presentation adjusted to suit the size of the monitor. For instance, the smallest screens display just the current lot number and horse price in guineas. There is a ticker of previous lots sold and the value they sold for in guineas on some displays. Content is also streamed online for the benefit of remote bidders. KOMET: A NEW KIOSK SOLUTION Among AURES Technologies’ new customised and turnkey offers is KOMET. KOMET is a multi- environment and multi-function kiosk solution designed for several sectors: including retail, hospitality and catering, food and beverage, and leisure services. Wall-mounted, standalone (fixed to the floor), in single or double- sided configuration, the KOMET kiosk range allows for the efficiency of the customer journey at the point of service. The KOMET Kiosk family incorporates some AURES’ high- performance, upgradeable OEM equipment and sub systems, such as the YUNO Kiosk (27in). Offered in portrait mode, the touch screen orientation boosts the customer experience guaranteeing good visibility together with smooth and efficient navigation. Featuring modular technology, this hardware is available with a choice of three different processors in order to adapt to the requirements of various software and application platforms. Equipped with a projected capacitive panel, the KOMET’s screen(s) are multi- touch and resistant to liquid splashes and dust which, frequent in many environments (IP54 protection standard). 6KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE TAP AND GO CHARITY MADE EASYWith customers such as Google with 277 kiosks deployed over 120 cities in 44 countries, Time Data Security (TDS) provides a cloud-based visitor management solution that can be self- service operated via kiosk, tablet or from reception. The Quick Register Portal streamlines check-in processes and allows businesses to upload multiple invites, view arrival status, generate pre- registered lists and send QR codes for quick check-in. With the recent Covid-19 pandemic in mind, it is essential that any organisation utilising a digital visitor management solution at such a pivotal time for workplaces, has a solution that is accurate, reliable and consistent. TDS Visitor as a visitor management software solution, combined with Star, is able to achieve just that. Together with long term partner and kiosk specialists Evoke Creative, TDS provides two kiosk solutions for simple and efficient user experiences: a free-standing kiosk - a self-supporting unit that allows visitors, contractors and guests to check-in, capture photos, sign NDA’s and print visitor badges without requiring receptionist assistance. With QR code scanning functionality, the kiosk facilitates high volumes of rapid check-in processing; and a counter- mounted kiosk - delivers self-service visitor processing and management. This touchscreen-enabled device provides visitors and guests with a solution that is optimised for high levels of visitor traffic processing. For the free-standing and counter- mounted kiosks, TDS turned to Star and integrated the specialist packaged printer TSP743II HI X with CloudPRNT. With a built-in HI X interface, the printer is cloud-ready and with its unique multifunctional capability offers a versatile printing solution. SmartLabs’ SmartTUBE 7 has brought additional functionality to IPTV/OTT operators. The company has announced the latest version of its Service Delivery Platform, SmartTUBE 7, which will enable IPTV/OTT operators to make simpler updates to the software on client devices, gain a powerful tool for additional advertising income and get server software updates automatically. Key features of SmartTUBE 7 include SmartLabs’ ADS (Advertising Decision System), a system for dynamically inserting ad units into Linear TS and OTT video streams. It also includes SmartTube Recommender, a system that uses machine learning for automatic generation of video content recommendations. In addition, the SmartTUBE Device Manager delivers a module for managing firmware and applications on IPTV/OTT devices including Linux, Android STBs, mobile and SmartTV platforms. The new system also features CI/CD support, a toolset for automatic software release deployment in clouds. TES America LLC, announces it has finalised the acquisition of certain assets from 3M Touch Systems, a subsidiary of 3M Company. With the purchase, TES also acquired the iconic MicroTouch brand of touch monitors. The brand is to be relaunched, bringing back a cultural icon that created the world’s leading touchscreen technology nearly 40 years ago. TES has outfitted MicroTouch with an all-new look and is expanding the line of capacitive touch monitors, including adding all-in-one, multi-touch computer systems equipped with TES’s latest patented technology. NEWS IN BRIEF ZYTRONIC’S MPCT IN EMERGENCY DIGITAL SIGNAGE Zytronic has announced that its multitouch projected capacitive sensor has been integrated into a new digital signage totem that also benefits the community in which it is installed. Slovenia-based digital out of home (DOOH) systems manufacturer, Infinitus has chosen Zytronic’s touch technology to create a user interface that enables members of the public to view medical information, call the emergency services and obtain rapid access to an in-built automated external defibrillator (AED). Infinitus has added many features to its latest imotion Safety Point twin- 75in totems, including NFC, WiFi, cameras, and sophisticated sensors to gather and display local weather and air quality information. Furthermore, an interactive module on the side of the unit enables public access to an AED and emergency support. “The usual locations for these outdoor digital totems are accessible public spots,” explains Damjan Oven, CMO at Infinitus. A 18.5in ZyBrid multitouch sensor includes three machined apertures for emergency SOS buttons and heartrate monitor. Each of these holes has a precision chamfer to both sides, which enable Infinitus to mount and seal the mechanical buttons. The 6mm thermally toughened glass used in the touchscreens incorporates anti- reflective enhancements on both sides to maximise display clarity, even when viewed in direct sunlight. 7 KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE MANAGING THE VISITOR LIFECYCLESMARTTUBE 7’S NEW FEATURES TES AMERICA RELAUNCHES MICROTOUCH BRANDVentola Projects is set to illuminate new territories in 2021 after its products were approved for use in Australia and New Zealand with further developments expected for the USA. And the expansion builds on continued export growth across the US, Europe and the Middle East for the Leicestershire-based business. The company, which manufactures its LED VAvR lighting product in the UK, has enjoyed strong success overseas in recent years. Distribution is already set up across the US and the Middle East and Ventola has decided to extend IEC compliance of his products to the Australasia region. “We’re delighted to kickstart the year with growth into new territories alongside plans to further expand existing export markets,” said Ventola Projects founder, Mick Ventola. “With orders already on the periphery, we look forward to seeing our business network evolve in Australia and New Zealand, as the UK looks to bolster its trade links worldwide.” Computer-controlled and low- voltage, Ventola’s VAvR lighting operates as a quick, efficient and multi- function system, with multiple lighting effects lending itself naturally to a variety of entertainment propositions. Here in the UK, Ventola Projects enjoys a strong relationship with Ten Entertainment Group (TEG), which is perhaps most commonly associated in consumer minds with the Tenpin brand, with 46 sites across the UK. Most recently, Ventola installed a VAvR experiential projection & LED lighting system at TEG’s Printworks venue in Manchester, as new and ever more inventive visual effects within the bowling experience evolve. “Lighting is just one of a number of visual effects that are playing a huge part in transforming the bowling experience across the industry,” said Graham Blackwell, CEO of Ten Entertainment Group. “We’ve worked with Ventola Projects for a number of years, with their VAvR LED products helping to grab guests’ attention and enhance the enjoyment of families seeking to relax and unwind at our venues across the UK.” CashGenic, the cash automation solution from Innovative Technology, was launched in May 2020 as an affordable solution for those customers wanting to pay by cash safely and hygienically and to enable businesses to adhere to social distancing measures. The solution is a compact, all-in-one countertop device ensuring easy customer access, with pay-in and pay-out managed by staff via a mobile tablet device with no software integration required. Commenting on the first UK CashGenic success story, Andy Bullock, Senior Business Development Manager said, “Our first installation was completed in partnership with our UK supplier CC Dynamic (branded as £XCHEKKA) and installed by Maggi Electronics at a local fish and chip shop, The Top Chippy in Manchester, North West England. The owners are delighted with the results as it has removed the need for staff to manage cash, allowing them to use their time more efficiently. Helping them to follow social distancing advice is another positive effect.” In the first Spanish install, toy shop staff are saving 30 minutes a day counting cash by using Cashgenic. Antonio Rodriguez, Business Development Manager for ITL Spain said, “Our first Spanish install was at EurekaKids in Barcelona. The shop is finding a number of benefits, but the key advantage is the significant reduction in time spent counting cash, saving them around half an hour a day.” CashGenic is also being utilised in butchers in Germany, with the first install having started at Peter Raabe in Pinneberg. Thorsten Labusch, VP of Sales & Business Development in Germany commented, “In a recent customer survey conducted by the butchery Peter Raabe we have seen that customers like to, and want to, pay with cash. They found that 78% of customers pay with cash and more than half thought that separating the goods and money handling made sense from a hygiene point of view.” NEWS IN BRIEF NOMAD DIGITAL LAUNCH ENGAGE PORTAL Nomad Digital has launched its brand-new Engage Portal solution, that deliver on-demand, managed-content directly to passenger devices, such as tablets, smartphones, or laptops. A solution designed specifically for transport and rail environments, by transport software experts, the Engage Portal is a platform for new services that can be distributed to hundreds of trains, in real-time, maximising existing investments. As a passenger, the Portal will bring you content, ranging from simple static pages, updated as required by the operator, to rich interactive media providing a second to none customer experience. Operators will benefit from the ability to distribute the content to the vehicle in a planned, controlled manner, both efficiently and economically. The content is hosted, accessed and browsed all using Nomad Digital’s onboard systems, rather than using valuable WiFi bandwidth. This will assist with WiFi and data management and can increase commercial potential with digital advertising. 8KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE VENTOLA LIGHTS UP NEW TERRITORIESREVOLUTIONISING CASH PAYMENTS WITH CASHGENICThe new AIRxTOUCH KIOSK SERIES 2 is a touchless interactive kiosk solution that offers the same experience as a touch device except for the fact that the user doesn’t have to touch the screen to use it. The user only has to move a few centimetres from the display to navigate precisely through the various menus. This solution offers a clear advantage from a sanitary point of view. To design this solution, iNUI Studio combined a Samsung 55in 4K screen – the QH55 – in a metal stand with AIR TOUCH optical sensors and a powerful processor. The SERIES 2 is robust, more compact and 82% faster than the previous generation. Due to its nature and the uses it allows, it is particularly suitable for hotels, fast-food restaurants (QSR), transportation and public spaces. Based on powerful proprietary image processing algorithms, the patented AIR TOUCH technology delivers exceptional mid-air interaction (5cm from the screen). Allowing click, double-click, drag and drop, slide, zoom interactions - with a precision of 3mm - it is as easy to use as a conventional touch device. The solution integrates a 55in Samsung QH55R display. Thanks to the Dynamic Crystal Color technology, the image quality is optimal, with a billion shades of colour, contrast ratio, high brightness and anti-reflection treatment that ensure good readability even in high light conditions. Immersion is further enhanced by HDR10+ compatibility and UHD (4K) resolution enabling professionals to bring all their commercial content to life, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Panasonic has integrated the latest version of AcroSign CMS with BrightSign. “Panasonic AcroSign is a leader in Japan’s CMS market, and we are pleased that AcroSign version 3.0 is now integrated with BrightSign players,” comments Jeff Hastings, BrightSign CEO. “The partnership enables amazing visual quality for multi-display installations. The AcroSign cloud service, with an on-premise option, adds extensive security for customers. We look forward to seeing the BrightSign/ AcroSign collaboration bring forth immersive environments and beautiful visual effects in 2021.” NEWS IN BRIEF CONCEPT PARTNERS WITH UNILED Concept Group, a UK-based sign and large format LED display specialist, has announced an exclusive partnership with UniLED, a UK market specialist for digital screen services and products for the digital signage and digital out-of- home (DOOH) industry. The formal partnership will see UniLED act as Concept Group’s service, maintenance, and software arm to provide an enhanced level of support to its UK-based LED customers, covering the DOOH, sports, transport, corporate, and retail markets. UniLED already maintains over 4,000 screens in 500 locations across the UK, totalling over 25,000sqm of digital real estate. The company has been at the forefront of the digital revolution, providing the DOOH industry with a range of market-leading products and services, from ad-serving and verification technology to 24/7 monitoring and support. “We’re delighted to formally announce our partnership,” said David Neale, director at Concept Group. “By combining our expertise in full turnkey project design and integration with UniLED’s service and maintenance capabilities, we are able to provide customers with unrivalled end-to- end service to help push the digital signage industry forward.” COLOUR BLIND FRIENDLY TESTS ViewSonic Europe Ltd and TÜV SÜD announce TÜV SÜD testing of a colour blindness feature in monitors. ViewSonic’s colour blindness feature consists of two modes - colour filter mode for colour vision deficiency (CVD) users and simulation mode for creators to deliver a colour blindness friendly experience. “ViewSonic is happy to partner with TÜV SÜD in developing this groundbreaking testing together. We are proud of the strides we have made in enhancing the user experience in the new world of high definition visual media,” said Bonny Cheng, COO at ViewSonic. “ViewSonic’s vision for the ColorPro series not only includes accurate colour representation, but also helps and assists with multimedia accessibility for CVD users. TÜV SÜD conducted rigorous tests on ViewSonic’s colour blindness feature including colour recognition confirmation, colour filter software and colour simulation to establish a high-quality testing method for the industry.” 9 KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE SAMSUNG AND INUI LAUNCH TOUCHLESS DISPLAY SOLUTION ACROSIGN NOW INTEGRATED WITH BRIGHTSIGNNext >