ABERDEEN, N.C. — Meridian Kiosks LLC, a manufacturer of kiosks to the North American Market, announced that it acquired the assets of KING Products and Solutions, Inc (KPSI), of Toronto Canada. KPSI is the one of the oldest kiosk manufacturers in the world, initially providing signage solutions since 1944. KPSI was one of the first manufacturers of interactive kiosks and won a prestigious MAC user award in 1995 for the innovative MIKO (Mac In KING Out) kiosk. In more recent times, KPSI was a leading manufacturer of Internet and telephony kiosks for airports, wayfinding kiosks for commercial properties, and retail solutions for major retail customers.

"In today’s economic environment, we’re seeing very good opportunities for consolidating our industry," said Chris Gilder, Meridian’s chief executive. "Most companies are retrenching. Our approach is just the opposite — we see the downturn as an opportunity to gain market share at very reasonable valuations. When we had an opportunity to acquire one of the pioneers of our industry, we moved very quickly to make it happen. Acquiring KPSI not only expands Meridian’s product and segment offering, but also adds critical proprietary software solutions applicable to all of Meridian’s existing clients."

"We take a very structured approach to our business decisions," said Gerhard Renner, Meridian’s chief financial officer. "Our business focus and prudence has allowed Meridian to grow without any outside financing, enabling us to be very flexible, and able to react quickly to take advantage of market opportunities. The acquisition of KING reflects this approach, and will be accretive to our free cash flow almost immediately."

In conjunction with the acquisition, Meridian also announced the expansion of its sales team, led by vice president of sales and marketing Robert Giblett. "Robert is an industry veteran and has played a significant role in increasing sales at each of his employers including a three-year tenure at KING and most recently at Netkey," said Gilder. "He knows how to build and motivate sales teams and has a proven track record of executing. We’re thrilled to have him as part of the team."

Giblett will be joined by director of outside sales Brian Chamberlain, formerly of KPSI; inside sales associate Tony Temple, joining the North Carolina office as part of the business development team; and Randy Haines, director of customer service responsible for service and support, bringing over 14 years experience from KPSI.

"Our stated goal is to make the leap and double in size this year — and we are seeing terrific opportunities to do so, and are on track to make this happen," said Giblett. "Increasing our sales staff allows us to more effectively respond to the needs of our customers and the ever-increasing flow of opportunities created through our strong partnerships. We have the engineering and manufacturing piece down to a science — it was time for our sales team to catch up."

Meridian will continue to operate offices in Toronto for its software and customer service divisions, while centralizing its manufacturing operations to its 65,000-square-foot facility in North Carolina. The software division will be led by the original KPSI team, which will remain largely intact and led by Paul Burden (director of software development) and Luis Gonzalez (KINGnet team leader), combining over 20 years of self-service software development with KPSI. Terms of the transaction remain confidential.

 

SAN DIEGO, Calif. — NCR Corp. is allowing consumers to deposit checks safely from wherever they can get reception on their data-enabled mobile phones, such as an iPhone or Blackberry.

The company today announced an agreement with Mitek Systems Inc., an innovator of image analytics and mobile imaging software, to integrate Mitek’s ImageNet Mobile Deposit software into NCR’s APTRA Passport family of remote deposit capture solutions.

For businesses, this software will allow direct deposit of checks by using a mobile phone’s camera as a scanner, capturing an image of both sides of the check and transmitting those images to the financial institution for deposit. The software is ideal for small-services-based businesses, such as insurance agencies or home repair, that need to process low-volumes of checks from remote locations.

The new NCR APTRA Mobile Passport solution complements the APTRA Commercial Passport remote deposit capture software that allows deposits using check scanners to be sent directly to the FI or via the online banking Web site.

The combined solution gives FIs the ability to provide accountholders with quicker availability to funds and an extra level of convenience, while automatically migrating all images and data into NCR ImageMark Transaction Manager’s single processing platform to provide data validation, balancing and exceptions processing, NCR’s Software-as-a-Service Passport validation or other backend validation systems.

 

ITWeb: Cape Town, South Africa-based Breadbin Interactive has sold 72 of its Freedom Toaster kiosks and says it has received an order for 40 more. The mobile Freedom Toaster kiosks, built with a touchscreen interface, allow users to burn information, music, video, documents and software tools onto CD or flash drive, giving people access to a wealth of free information they did not have in the past.

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Furniture World: Homemakers, a wholly owned unit in the Berkshire Hathaway family of businesses, drove more traffic into its 215,000-square-foot store using a kiosk-based scan event than at any other time in the past year. The kiosks run promotional events to help retailers drive consumers into the store and up to the kiosk to collect personal data for marketing and credit application services. Mail America’s partnership with in-store technology leader, Showroom Technology, enables the kiosks to tie together barcoded print promotions with a consumer’s in-store experience. The barcode scan events can be insured for up to one million dollars, enabling retailers to get creative and develop promotions that catch the attention of today’s cautious consumer.

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In the coming weeks, we'll know whether the current swine flu scare is a real pandemic or (hopefully) something much smaller. Either way, we are guaranteed to become a population with a heightened sense of germ-phobia and awareness, even if only for a short period of time.

Alex Richardson, industry pioneer and current managing director of Selling Machine Partners, wisely points out that 80 percent of infections are spread by touch. For companies that use touchscreens and PIN pads to interface with their customers, then, cleanliness and proper disinfection protocols take on a whole new level of importance.

Here are five tips for making your touchpoints safe for both your customers and your associates:

1. Clean regularly and often. Richardson recommends an hourly sweep of busy areas, using EPA-registered disinfectants on all surfaces. That includes touchscreens, enclosures, scales, scanners, and anything else the shopper might touch. Now, for businesses that clean their surfaces less often than they should even during non-crisis times, once an hour might seem unlikely — focus on stepping up your efforts to the best of your operational ability.
2. Communicate what you're doing with shoppers. This should be done both overtly and covertly. Make sure shoppers see your associates with cleaning supplies in hand, proactively hitting the aisles and the touchpoints. Add messaging to attract loops that spells out what you're doing for them ("Because we value you, this machine is disinfected every X minutes," for instance).
3. Provide the shopper with cleaning supplies. Richardson suggests placing hand sanitizer dispensers at strategic locations near the point of contact with devices — much like health officials do in hospital waiting areas.
4. Consider investing in non-capacitive touchscreens, so that shoppers can use them while wearing gloves, or IR-based touchscreens that use small LEDs around the bezel to determine the location of the user's finger (and therefore don't actually require a full-on touch). Of course, most companies aren't going to buy all new hardware because of this crisis, but think long-term and use this as a reminder of the importance of purchasing technology that serves the widest possible audience.
5. Be understanding. Some people worry more than others, and there are going to be plenty of people who will be distraught over this issue. Instruct associates to be especially patient and understanding — and never dismissive or belittling — with customer concerns. If any part of a transaction is unsettling to the customer, go the extra mile and handle it for them.

Giesecke & Devrient unveils self-service machine for card issuance

29 Apr 2009

Finextra: Giesecke & Devrient presented the first functioning prototype of its new Instant Issuance Kiosk for payment cards at the Visa Europe Member Days in Berlin.

The exhibited product is a self-service machine for private customers, who can use it to issue their own prepaid cards. The machines can be installed anywhere — at train stations, airports, shopping centers, football stadiums, or in the self-service area of a branch bank. The solution enables banks to significantly expand their service offering and improve customer loyalty, while also tapping new business segments and target groups

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SUNNYVALE, Calif. — Fujitsu Components Americaok Inc. has released a new series of ultra low-profile, 24V, receipt and journal printer units that can either be combined together into one modular unit, or mounted separately for design and installation flexibility. Target applications include mini kiosks, banking and POS terminals, and scientific and medical equipment.

The new FTP-627USL525/526 series consists of two units: a 2-inch thermal receipt printer/cutter unit (FTP-627USL525), and a 2-inch journal printer/rewinder unit (FTP-627USL526). The receipt printer unit measures a compact 82 (W) x 150 (D) x 110 (H)mm, while the journaling unit measures 86(W) x 150(D) x 157(H)mm. Both units weigh 350g each.

Designed for medium-duty applications, both the receipt and journal units have output speeds of up to 150mm per second and have an operating life of 100km of paper. The receipt printer unit’s guillotine cutter features its own dedicated stepper motor to deliver 1 million cuts at 20 cuts per minute.

The platen release mechanism on both the receipt and journaling unit resists paper jams and allows drop-in paper loading into a plastic paper bucket for rolls up to 58mm wide and 83mm in diameter. Print capability includes a variety of text, standard, extended and 2D barcodes, logos and graphics at 8dots/mm resolution.

Both units feature a die-cast frame that provides shock and vibration resistance, mounting stability, ESD absorption, and static electricity dissipation. It also enables combined or separate unit use, while ensuring suitability for many types of installations.

 

SURESNES CEDEX, France — IER, supplier of passenger and baggage processing solutions for the air transportation industry, announced it has been selected by Siemens, IT integrator, to equip Malaga Airport's new terminal with check-in and boarding equipment.

Siemens has selected IER for the supply of both types of passenger check-in processes: operator assisted check-in at counters and automated check-in with self-service kiosks, as well as boarding gate control readers.

Nearly 250 IER 506 boarding pass and bag tag printers will equip the new check-in counters and 17 IER 918 CUSS kiosks will be deployed for the self-service automated check-in operations.

 

SURESNES CEDEX, France — IER, supplier of passenger and baggage processing solutions for the air transportation industry, announced it has been selected by Siemens, IT integrator, to equip Malaga Airport's new terminal with check-in and boarding equipment.

Siemens has selected IER for the supply of both types of passenger check-in processes: operator assisted check-in at counters and automated check-in with self-service kiosks, as well as boarding gate control readers.

Nearly 250 IER 506 boarding pass and bag tag printers will equip the new check-in counters and 17 IER 918 CUSS kiosks will be deployed for the self-service automated check-in operations.

 

PADERBORN, Germany — Wincor Nixdorf has concluded a framework agreement with leading German food retailer Edeka to equip some of the group’s stores with reverse vending machines. The recently signed contract with Edeka comprises a total of 600 systems to be used for the return of one-way and refillable containers. The contract is due to run for two years.

The order also comprises a wide range of technology in the rear section, including compactors, as well as services such as installation, start-up and service packs. The 600 systems will be installed both in subsidiary-based operations associated with Edeka’s regional companies and in the group’s independent retail stores.

With some 12,000 stores and expected sales of around 43 billion euros in 2009, the EDEKA Group is the number one food retailer in Germany. Its core business areas include the full product range business conducted by independent EDEKA merchants as well as the discount segment. In total, the company has around 280,000 employees.

A new barcode standard, in the works for several years and now nearing its sunrise date, could greatly improve the shopping experience while bringing added value to both retailers and brands.

The GS1 DataBar is a 14-digit code symbology that can hold more data than a traditional UPC barcode, while taking up much less space. Its diminutive size means that for the first time, it is practical to barcode hard-to-mark products like fresh foods, loose produce and items with very little surface area like individual tubes of lipstick.

The standards organization GS1 US endorsed the symbology in 2005, and has worked with retailers, brands and technology providers in the interim years to speed its adoption. The organization has set a sunrise date — the date when retailers are strongly encouraged to be able to scan the new codes — of January 1, 2010.

"The interest has suddenly spiked in the last six months," said John Wilson, NCR's senior product manager for barcode scanning solutions. "I've been doing a lot of presentations to retailers in the last six months. There are a lot of projects around retail, vying for dollars, and when you have a date of 2010, suddenly everybody says, 'We've really gotta jump on this thing.'"

Major retailers like Walmart, Loblaw's and Winn-Dixie are already up to speed with DataBar. POS vendors like HP, Microsoft, IBM, Wincor Nixdorf and NCR support the technology; Wilson said all of NCR's scanners since 2002 are DataBar-ready.

A happy medium between UPC and RFID

If you've purchased an apple at a Walmart store recently, chances are you've already come across the GS1 DataBar. Steve Arens, director of industry development for GS1 US, said produce and fresh food departments are coming onboard with the program as seasonal harvests roll in — for instance, grape and cherry providers are getting ready for this year's big harvest, and are investing in bags and labels that are DataBar-ready.

In a way, he said, the GS1 DataBar is something of a "happy medium" between traditional UPC codes and the long-term vision of the Electronic Product Code, or EPC, in which RFID-enabled tags give every single product a unique fingerprint.

GS1 DataBar doesn't quite get down to that level of granularity, but it does provide a great deal more data than a typical barcode or a four-digit PLU code. All bananas are PLU-coded 4011, for instance, but with the DataBar, retailers will be able to easily break out Dole bananas versus Chiquita ones.

To ensure backwards compatibility, GS1 DataBar codes can also contain the product's 4-digit PLU. (Photo courtesy NCR)

DataBar codes can also contain much deeper product information, such as expiration dates. Wilson said this makes the technology very attractive not only in fresh produce but in the meat department, as well. "The consumer can be assured that the POS won't let them walk out of the store with something that is outdated," he said.

The shopper will also have a better experience at checkout, Arens said, because he will no longer have to manually enter the four-digit PLUs when using self-checkout, or hope that the cashier's knowledge of produce is sufficient to correctly recognize what's in the bag.

That last point is good news for the store, too: Wilson pointed to a study performed at Dayton, Ohio-based Dorothy Lane Markets, which found that the loss at the POS by cashiers misidentifying produce adds up to one percent of revenue. "That's huge," he said, "especially considering that produce is one of the most profitable areas of the store, if it's properly registered."

PRESENTATION: Watch a 20-minute online presentation that goes deeper into the GS1 DataBar standard

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"The couponing clock is ticking"

For all of its benefits to the supply chain and the customer experience, the GS1 DataBar standard might prove even more useful when it comes to promotions and couponing.

The UPC standard first came out in 1974, but it was never designed to do many of the things it is being asked to do today. Coupons have proven especially problematic, for two reasons: the growing number of manufacturers and the increasing complexity of offers.

Wilson said that when the first barcoded coupons were released in 1985, manufacturer ID codes were five digits long. Today, those codes can be as long as 10 digits, something UPC simply cannot handle. As a result, many of today's coupons require two barcodes to carry the necessary data.

Coupon-based offers themselves have gotten more complex, too. Simple BOGO offers still abound, but so do more arcane "buy three Brand X products and receive this specific item free" deals, which up to now rely on the accuracy of the cashier to execute properly. Coupons barcoded with the GS1 Databar can work with the POS to automatically make sure all conditions are met before issuing the discount.

"The potential for retailers to take advantage of additional data in the POS and supply chain applications is tremendous," said Vic Miles, retail industry technology strategist for Microsoft, whose POS for .NET product fully supports the GS1 standard. "Retailers will now be able to create more complex promotions that match the way consumers want to shop."

BURNABY, British Columbia — TIO Networks Corp. has announced an agreement to offer expedited bill payment and financial services terminals in 10 Family Dollar locations in El Paso, Texas. The kiosks enable cash-preferred customers to make expedited bill payments on their wireless, utility and other accounts. As part of this limited test, customers will also be able to purchase prepaid products and services, transfer money to family and friends around the world, and reload prepaid debit cards.

TIO bill payment is a secure way to access accounts and view balances on select billers without the need for account numbers to be present. Payments are made by feeding cash directly into the TIO terminal’s note acceptor. Once the cash is accepted, TIO uses an Internet link to ensure timely posting of the payment. Family Dollar customers can navigate through TIO applications in either English or Spanish and complete financial transactions by either printing or emailing their receipts.

“We are privileged to partner with Family Dollar, to offer expedited bill payment and non-banked financial services,” said Hamed Shahbazi, chairman and chief executive of TIO Networks. “Cash-strapped consumers can utilize this service to confidently make last minute payments and avoid late fees.”

EE Times: A San Francisco design house has demonstrated a technology for bringing a multitouch interface to large screen displays. Moto Development Group claims its approach can cost effectively scale an iPhone-like capability to LCD displays 60 inches in diagonal or larger. The technology is aimed at a broad range of uses ranging from interactive public signage, kiosks, collaborative computing and gaming. Moto posted a video demonstrating a prototype of its technology on a 19-inch computer display.

Innovative Control Systems, Inc. is a leading provider of car wash and quick lube business management solutions. Providing solutions that assist automotive professionals with increased profitability by increasing customer satisfaction. Our software will improve processes in the wash tunnel and back office allowing for more efficient management. Our goal is to live up to our name by aggressively developing innovative products to meet the demands of a growing industry, keeping our customers competitive and increasing their bottom line.

 

Gizmodo: A couple of researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, tired of the screen vs. button debate, have decided to do away with the distinction entirely. For such an ambitious goal, the solution was extremely simple. A hard acrylic chamber, perforated with set button shapes, is surrounded by latex on both sides. A pneumatic pump pressurizes or depressurizes the central chamber, either depressing or lifting the areas above the button holes. Display duties are carried out through rear projection, and (multi)touch tracking is dealt with via finger-tracking cameras.

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WAKEFIELD, Mass. — The PCI Security Standards Council, a global, open industry standards body providing management of the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), PCI PIN Entry Device (PED) Security Requirements and the Payment Application Data Security Standard (PA-DSS), has expanded its PIN Entry Device Security Requirements program to cover two new types of devices; unattended payment terminals (UPTs) and hardware security modules (HSMs).

Unattended payment terminals are an increasingly popular form of conducting payment transactions and are used in a variety of scenarios such as museum and concert ticketing, kiosks, automated fuel dispensers and car parking facilities. Hardware security modules are non-user facing devices used in PIN translation, payment card personalization, data protection and e-commerce.

Both UPT and HSM hardware devices can now undergo a rigorous testing and approval process by Council labs to ensure they comply with the industry standards for securing sensitive cardholder account data at all points in the transaction process. The evaluation process includes the logical and physical security of each product. The Council will also provide a list of approved devices on its Web site, provide documentation and training for labs evaluating these devices and be the single source of information for device vendors and their customers.

"The Council advocates a multi layered approach to security, based on PCI Standards," said Bob Russo, general manager, PCI Security Standards Council. "The evolution of our PED Security Requirements Program incorporates a comprehensive testing process for UPTs and HSMs so that all components of these devices will now be tested. We are addressing the industry need among vendors and merchants to protect cardholder data in all point-of-sale environments."

 

MarketWatch: Netflix Inc. chief executive Reed Hastings said Thursday that the online DVD rental pioneer expects $1 kiosks to be its main competitor by the end of 2009, surpassing video stores. A growing number of customers who cancel their Netflix subscriptions cite kiosks as a reason why they dropped the service, Hastings explained.

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Times Online: Beginning next week a small revolution in bookselling will make searching for obscure, out-of-print and otherwise long-forgotten books a whole lot easier. Instead of checking in vain on Amazon and then spending weeks trawling the nation's second-hand bookshops, you will be able to go into a shop, say, "I would like a copy of North American Starfishes by Alexander Agassiz, please," and then watch it being printed out in a twinkling.

The bookseller Blackwell is installing a machine on a three-month trial at its store in London that can print out any one of about 400,000 titles within a few minutes. It prints something that looks like a book, feels like a book and, to all intents and purposes, is indistinguishable from the thousands of other titles on the shop's shelves (except for the hardbacks, of course, and the sort of blockbuster fiction that has the author's name on the front in big, raised, shiny letters, but then you can't have everything).

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AOL Canada: The pharmaceutical version of the ATM could be coming to Ontario, as the province's pharmacy college took a step toward allowing drug dispensing machines in places where a pharmacist is not present. On Tuesday, the Ontario College of Pharmacists voted in favor of opening the door to the new technology.

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Home Media Magazine: NCR Corp. has bought the remaining equity in TNR Holdings Corp., which operates The New Release and MovieCube kiosks. NCR had been a minority investor in TNR since mid-2008, when TNR tapped NCR to be its supplier of self-service technology. Blockbuster announced last August that it had partnered with NCR to bring more than 10,000 DVD kiosks to market by the end of 2009, to compete with companies like redbox, DVDPlay and TNR.

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The Dallas Morning News: J.C. Penney is melding its online and in-store presence with something it calls a "smart fixture," a device that hasn't been given a permanent name. The door-frame-sized black structure has a neon light perimeter. Its 52-inch touchscreen runs an application that allows shoppers to scan an item to learn about the item's features, colors, sizes and even washing instructions, and that information can be e-mailed. Future smart fixtures will have credit-card readers attached, making them shopping kiosks controlled remotely from Penney's headquarters. Multiple fixtures may be clustered into self-service checkouts that can be monitored by one associate, similar to how supermarkets do it.

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On the first day of the KioskCom Self Service Expo, even before all the crates are pried open and the show floor becomes a tangle of power strips and duct tape, one room of the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas will buzz with a different vibe.

That’s when dozens of deployers of self-service technology will gather for the Third Annual Customer Facing Technology Buyers Summit. The closed-door, high-level discussion serves as a mini-think tank for deployers and potential deployers of kiosks, digital signage and more to discuss the top issues facing them, as well as to learn from one another how to improve, expand or add to their current customer-facing technology program.

As an educational and networking forum, The Customer Facing Technology Buyers Summit allows its members an opportunity to speak candidly and off the record about issues and programs which may be sensitive or confidential. As such, no press, suppliers, analysts or consultants will be admitted.

"After 13 years of organizing this event, and of leading the charge for kiosks, self-service, digital signage and the like, I often get the impression that some organizations still feel like they are going it alone. You can sense concerns of ‘How am I going to make this work?’ and ‘Who can help me with an unbiased viewpoint?’" said Lawrence Dvorchik, general manager of KioskCom Self Service Expo and The Digital Signage Show.

"The Customer Facing Technology Buyers Summit was developed in conjunction with our Board of Advisors three years ago to offer this type of environment, and to challenge people to share their fears, failures and successes. It’s a safe haven of people who are in similar situations in various industries, and it has been refreshing to hear the feedback from past attendees on just how valuable that portion was to their overall experience and success of their project," he said.

The Self-Service and Kiosk Association is a supporter of the Summit. "While deployers will learn a lot from vendors and educational sessions during the trade show, they can also benefit greatly from time with their peers. The Customer Facing Technology Buyers Summit is like a big support group for end user deployers, especially given that many face extremely similar challenges and decisions. We are thrilled to be supporting this type of user-only forum, and KioskCom Self Service Expo is the best place to host it," said David Drain, SSKA executive director.

Agenda for the May 5 event

1:30 - 3:15 p.m.    Part 1: Discussion of top issues faced in attendee's organizations and deployments.

3:15 - 3:45 p.m.    Dessert break, hosted by Nanonation

3:45 - 4:30 p.m.    Part 2: Interactive Q&A discussion period with a panel of top industry experts, answering questions that arose in the private session as well as any questions from the floor.

The Summit is open to anyone who has deployed at least one customer-facing technology program, such as kiosks, other self-service devices, digital signs and more, or a combination of them.

Attendance is by approval only. Go here to apply online, or call 203-371-6322 with any questions.

Approved attendees also receive a complimentary full-access registration for KioskCom Self Service Expo and The Digital Signage Show, May 5-7.

For more information on the show, read our KioskCom preview and an overview of the Self Service Excellence Awards.

SAN FRANCISCO — Ecast, a provider of place-based interactive media, announced today that its EQ high-definition, flat-panel interactive media delivery solution for the bar hospitality market has been selected as a KioskCom Self Service Excellence Award finalist in the “Best Entertainment/Gaming Deployment” category. Winners will be announced at the KioskCom Expo and Digital Signage Show in Las Vegas, May 6, 2009.

The Ecast EQ award submission highlighted how the company’s interactive media platform reinvigorates place-based entertainment and advertising for the nightclub and bar hospitality market. A solution that offers a departure from the traditional jukebox, EQ is a portrait-oriented, 40-inch full HD flat-panel touchscreen display with a graphic-rich interface that uses Adobe Flash. With the touch of a finger, EQ delivers digital music, games, video, user-generated content, targeted advertising, in-house promotional messages and social media applications to offer unprecedented engagement at the point of purchase. The Ecast interactive media platform ensures content is automatically updated, while the Ecast Central (ECC) SaaS solution provides real-time, remote content management.

The EQ, introduced in September, 2008, was designed to addresses several modern day challenges such as tech-savvy consumers who expect a media experience on par with the Web, as well as advertisers’ needs to reach an increasingly fragmented market that’s on the go. For consumers, EQ addresses the technology habits of a younger generation who use PDAs to share entertainment and information. In addition to the “hip” caché EQ lends with its photo sharing, texting and music features, EQ also gives location owners in-house promotional capabilities, allowing them to advertise their events as well as drink and food specials on the unit. Finally, the EQ offers advertisers a modern form factor with visibility optimized for out-of-home engagement.

“Ecast has upped the ante by delivering the only media platform that effectively targets and engages today’s elusive 21-34 demographic while they are out of home,” said John Taylor, president and CEO, Ecast. “Combining the interactivity of self service with the reach of digital signage and the immersion of the Internet, EQ is the preeminent solution with the added value of measurable ROI.”

Travel Agent: Amadeus has announced a test of a new device, Pass and Fly, as part of a pilot project that simplifies passenger recognition, the crediting of airport passenger points and airplane boarding, through the use of a mobile phone that is near-field-communication-enabled. Amadeus says it is the first time in air travel that NFC, a short-range, wireless connectivity technology, has been used to enable mobile boarding passes. Nice Côte d’Azur Airport, Air France, Amadeus and IER, a technology company, have partnered to test the new mobile boarding pass until Oct. 30.

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ARLINGTON, Va. — Information security has become an increasing concern in the military. Hackers attempt to crack into the Department of Defense global information grid daily.

While the active-duty military responds with new security measures, such as the requirement to log in to government computers with a common access card, traditional Guardmembers with no CAC reader find themselves locked out and unable to do their jobs.

Army National Guard officials began rectifying this situation last year by installing thousands of CAC-enabled kiosks at armories and reserve centers in all 54 states and territories.

More than $3.5 million has been allocated for about 8,400 kiosks around the country.

"These (kiosks) are spread across units in an armory that may only have one computer," said Lt. Col. Rodney Swann, chief of network engineering operations for the Army National Guard. "When you have units that are drilling in that armory, they have no capability to do their work."

As Internet access and e-mail become more important to the job specialties of more Guardmembers, these kiosks will serve a vital role.

The National Guard Bureau provides an integrated CAC reader and keyboard, Swann said. It also provides monitors for 75 percent of the kiosks fielded, and the states have extra monitors for the remaining 25 percent.

"Generally, it’s been received very positively by the (traditional) force that before didn’t have anything," said Col. Bret Slater, chief of information technology plans, programs and policy for the Army National Guard.

The kiosks also will be helpful during Soldier Readiness Processing drills. Guardmembers will be able to access Army and Guard Knowledge Online, as well as other Web sites to identify personnel issues before jumping into line. They can fill out periodic health assessments online to expedite the process of seeing a health provider.

"They know what issues they have and know what they need to do to get things working," Swann said.

The kiosks complement, not replace, the Distance Learning classrooms available in many armories.

"The Distance Learning computers are all personal computers that are put into a specific area that serves a different purpose," Swann said.

The main difference between the two, he says, is that the kiosks will not be equipped with word processing or spreadsheet programs. They are intended for use as an Internet portal.

Understanding the process and setting a proper strategy from the outset is important to the success of any consumer-facing technology rollout. And when it comes to endeavors as complex as deploying digital signage and digital out-of-home (DOOH) media, it becomes critical.

To help deployers and potential deployers become more sophisticated in the kinds of details necessary to go from dark screens to light, producers of The Digital Signage Show have asked Lyle Bunn to bring his popular SPEED training conference to its event on May 5, 2009.

SPEED, an acronym for Structures for Planning, Explanation, Excitement and Deployment, will give attendees "an in-depth look at all of the aspects of deploying digital signage," said Bunn. "While digital signage appears quite simple on the surface, it is actually a deep web of interconnected and complex technologies that all act together in unison to produce the image we see on screen. Without a proper understanding and knowledge of the intricacies behind a successful deployment, failure looms."

"After 13 years of promoting and training organizations on successfully deploying customer facing and engaging technology solutions across all industries, we have noticed one constant to all of the successful projects we have seen," said Lawrence Dvorchik, general manger of The Digital Signage Show. "The proper foundation for the project itself has to be built long before the first piece of technology is purchased."

The Digital Signage Association is a supporter of the event. "We’re pleased to support Lyle Bunn’s SPEED program, and are thrilled that The Digital Signage Show will be the host," said David Drain, DSA executive director. "The best buyer is an educated one. The Digital Signage Show has clearly become an event for real buyers to attend and learn from. Show organizers have focused on this and once again delivered it for end-users. Programs like Lyle’s help the industry move forward, faster, and are a natural fit for The Digital Signage Show."

The core half-day program has been developed to meet the needs of anyone involved in the supply or use of digital signage. It comprises several modules that allow deployers and suppliers of digital signage to better plan objectives, timelines and budgets, as well as define key elements of a digital signage initiative.

Current end-user members of The Self-Service and Kiosk Association or DSA are eligible for the program at no charge as part of their membership benefits. Individuals wishing to register should send an email to Lawrence@jdevents.com. For more information, please visit http://www.thedigitalsignageshow.com/SPEED.asp

All other attendees can register for just $99. Qualified attendees also will receive a complimentary full-access pass for this show and the co-located KioskCom Self Service Expo. For more information or to register, please visit http://www.thedigitalsignageshow.com/SPEED.asp

The SPEED program is set for May 5 at The Digital Signage Show 2009, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. The exhibit hall and other educational sessions will be open from May 6-7, also at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. For more information or to register, please visit http://www.thedigitalsignageshow.com/SPEED.asp.

CSP Daily News: 3M Touch Systems Inc. has teamed with Pump Media Inc. to provide a touchscreen kiosk located on top of a gasoline dispenser. The kiosk combines the best assets of digital signage with the functionality of the Internet, the companies said. Motorists receive television ads while they pump fuel and are invited to interact with the touchscreen to access live directions, traffic, news, lottery winning numbers and special offers and coupons from local businesses.

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SYLVAN LAKE, Alberta — TacoTime, a Kahala Corp. quick-serve restaurant concept with more than 350 locations around the world, recently installed NEXTEP touchscreen self-order kiosks at its newly-opened Sylvan Lake, Alberta, Canada, location.

The restaurant chain, which specializes in freshly prepared Mexican fare, installed two NEXTEP countertop self order kiosks and immediately witnessed increased revenue, according to a news release.

The countertop kiosks, located at the front of the ordering area, enable customers to easily and quickly order without assistance.

NEXTEP also was able to seamlessly integrate with TacoTime’s Speedline POS solution.

WRAL: Meridian Kiosks is acquiring Canada-based King Products and Solutions Inc.

"[This] was a strong, aggressive growth-oriented transaction in an awful environment for a great N.C. company," said Dave Gilroy of Scale Finance, which worked with Meridian on the acquisition.

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The Daily Toreador (Texas Tech Univ.): GameFly, an online video game rental service, recently launched its G-Box Kiosk, the first of its kind at colleges and universities across the nation.

"The kiosk program is a way to extend the GameFly universe into the physical world," said Sean Spector, co-founder and senior vice president of business development and content for GameFly.

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The producers of KioskCom Self Service Expo have announced finalists for the 2009 Self Service Excellence Awards.
 
A winner in each category and an overall best in show will be announced at the awards ceremony on May 6 at 3:15 p.m. during the KioskCom Self Service Expo and The Digital Signage Show at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.
 
KioskCom launched the inaugural industry-wide Self-Service Excellence Awards in 2002 to honor the most successful and innovative self-service and interactive digital media solutions. Over the years, KioskCom has honored more than 200 companies across multiple industries for their leadership, innovations and successes with self-service and interactive digital media solutions.
 
The Self Service Excellence Awards, co-sponsored by the Self-Service and Kiosk Association, are based on the measurements set forth by the deploying organization, and not just the technology suppliers. Past winners include BMW, SONY, Foxwoods Resort Casino, FedEx, AAA, the US Postal Service, Dave & Busters, Avis, Hilton Hotels, Sunoco, SAS, Daimler Chrysler and ExxonMobil.
 
“Each year, the show organizers keep raising the bar and the award nominations keep getting better," said David Drain, executive director of the Self-Service and Kiosk Association. "It’s an honor to win one of these awards, and we’re honored to be a part.” Also at the show, the Self-Service and Kiosk Association inducts individuals into its Hall of Fame who have contributed significantly to the advancement of self-service.
 
Best Retail Deployment

• Columbia Sportswear In-Store Interactive/Digital Media, submitted by Columbia Sportswear
• Gemini Goodyear Kiosk, submitted by Saitech International
• Indigo Next Generation Retail Kiosk, submitted by Indigo Books & Music

Best Travel/Hospitality Deployment

• Balboa Park Information Kiosks, submitted by KioskArts
• Hertz Drives Efficiency and Customer Satisfaction with Self-Service, submitted by NCR Corp.
• Largest Self Service Kiosk Install in History, submitted by NEXTEP SYSTEMS

Best Entertainment/Gaming Deployment

• Army Recreation Machine Program, submitted by KIOSK Information Systems
• Coex Mall Multi-Function Kiosk, submitted by MediaSolution, Inc.
• Ecast EQ Interactive HD Entertainment and Promotion at Point of Purchase, submitted by Ecast

Best Healthcare Deployment

• Adventist Health System Drives Revenue, Efficiencies with Self-Service, submitted by NCR Corp.
• EKiosk: Direct Patient Input of Validated Outcomes Measures, submitted by AutomationMed

Best Other Deployment

• The Library of Congress Experience, submitted by Library of Congress
• NEXTEP SYSTEMS' Deli Express Order System, submitted by NEXTEP SYSTEMS
• Outdoor, Full Payment Media Kiosk Delivers Results, submitted by Innovative Control Systems Inc.

Best Overall Software Solution

• Cabela's E-Commerce Kiosk Program, submitted by Netkey
• Gemini Goodyear Kiosk, submitted by Saitech International
• Nanopoint & CommandPoint Software Platform, submitted by Nanonation

Best Hardware/Enclosure Design

• Cabela's E-Commerce Kiosk Program, submitted by Netkey
• Ford Work Solutions Kiosk, submitted by Frank Mayer & Associates Inc.
• Outdoor, Full Payment Media Kiosk Delivers Results, submitted by Innovative Control Systems Inc.

NORTH CANTON, Ohio — Historically mindful of resource consumption across its manufacturing division, Diebold Inc. is stepping up efforts to strengthen its environmental performance on a broader scale and to positively align conservation strategies with those of customers around the world and the global community. To build a strong foundation capable of supporting the company's current and future goals, Diebold has selected long-time associate James N. Merrell to lead its environmental stewardship initiative by leveraging his broad experience across numerous Diebold operational areas and his strong personal dedication to environmental improvement.

"Climate change is very real and natural resources are actively diminishing. The time is now to take responsibility for the impact our operations may have on the environment and to serve as active participants in the global recovery effort. Diebold's commitment to environmental stewardship will be clearly evident through the leadership of Jim Merrell," said Thomas W. Swidarski, president and chief executive officer, Diebold. "Aligning with our customers and partners around the world also underscores our dedication to providing the highest quality products and services, which can enhance our customers' business processes without causing residual damage to the environment. Beyond our sustainability efforts' positive impact on the environment, the resulting efficiencies and long-term cost-savings make good business sense."

For the past 25 years, Diebold has experienced high environmental performance at its manufacturing facilities by proactively monitoring and managing air and water discharges to minimize the impact on the environment. Its manufacturing teams have also worked to reduce energy consumption through higher efficiency lighting and, in the case of Diebold's Lexington, N.C., facility, reduce the water used in paint preparation by 40 percent.

As director of environmental stewardship, Merrell's initial priority has been to define an all-encompassing strategy and establish environmental policies upon which to build. This includes the development of a performance baseline for resource consumption as well as other strategies to establish where the company stands today to more accurately measure the success of upcoming initiatives. Merrell also formed a global advisory board comprising Diebold representatives from every region of the world, who work to implement policies, collect data, evaluate performance, share information with associates in their respective regions and identify examples of best practices by Diebold associates.

The company also is focused on products and services and is in the evaluation phase of a comprehensive product and service delivery review to find new ways to improve the efficiency of its many solutions. Although Diebold's Opteva line of automated teller machines are among the most energy efficient in the industry, Diebold engineers are continually working to further enhance them.

"An important goal of this initiative is to significantly reduce Diebold's carbon footprint at our locations around the world," Merrell said. "To that end, we've elected to participate in the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), a nonprofit organization that facilitates dialogue between institutional investors, purchasing organizations and senior corporate management from the world's largest companies. By participating, Diebold contributes to CDP's global gas-emissions database, helping formulate information that will motivate governments and corporations to take the appropriate actions to work toward preventing dangerous climate change."

Chicago Tribune: In the market for a Bentley sports car, a Jean Paul Gaultier dress or a cell phone, but don't feel like dealing with a pesky salesperson? Literally at the touch of a button, visitors to the Mondrian South Beach can buy those items — as well as more prosaic hotel gift-shop staples like toothbrushes — from a new lobby vending machine called a Semi-Automatic.

In a postmodern echo of the early 20th century's Automats, the Semi-Automatic peddles a jumble of more than 60 items priced between $10 and $1.2 million in a large, sleek rectangular display.

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ABERDEEN, N.C. — Meridian Kiosks LLC announced that it is certified to the ISO 9001:2008 standard. The standards represents an international consensus on good management practices with the aim of ensuring that the organization can consistently deliver the product or services that meet the client’s quality requirements. The certification of compliance with ISO 9001:2008 recognizes that the policies, practices and procedures of the company will ensure consistent quality in the design and manufacture of kiosks.

"Our team does a tremendous job of designing and building kiosks on a day to day basis to meet and constantly exceed our client’s expectations. We wanted to obtain the ISO certification to be able to demonstrate that we are committed to continual improvement in every part of our business and have the processes in place to accomplish this," said Chris Gilder, Meridian Kiosks chief executive.

The Meridian Kiosks ISO registration covers sales, design, manufacturing, assembly and shipping.

European Investor: As of tomorrow, Scandinavian Airlines customers will be able to travel using only their mobile phones. "Currently, approximately 10 percent of SAS passengers check in via SMS, but our goal for 2011 is that 80 percent of our customers check in off-airport, which means online or via their mobile," said Lars Sandahl Sørensen, a senior vice president for SAS. "It is very important for us that our customers have the smoothest and simplest travel experience possible with us. We are therefore looking forward to rolling out the service later this year, once we have evaluated the trial."

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. — ATM Marketplace, a news and information Web site dedicated to the ATM and financial self-service industries, with collaboration from the ATM Industry Association, launched its first webinar March 31.
 
The "ATM future trends and a lean toward more cash" webinar includes highlights from the recently published ATM Future Trends Report, another collaborative project spearheaded by ATM Marketplace and ATMIA. A full copy of the report also is available for purchase from ATM Marketplace.

The one-hour webinar, which attracted some 400 registrants, is now available for viewing from ATM Marketplace. The webinar recording includes a question-and-answer session with a panel of bankers led by ATM Marketplace editor Tracy Kitten, in addition to an overview of the ATM Future Trends Report and an analysis of cash-use trends led by ATMIA chief executive Mike Lee.

Access to the webinar archive is free. For more information and to register for access to the webinar, click here.

GRAFTON, Wis. — The Sony SnapLab has been helping professional photographers and amateur shutterbugs produce quality prints for years. Next month at the KioskCom Self Service Expo, the kiosk will help show attendees take home a 4x6 shot or two as well.
 
The SnapLab will be in the booth of Frank Mayer & Associates, a full-service in-store marketing company specializing in custom kiosk enclosures and interactive displays. The company produced the enclosure and display component for the Sony SnapLab.
 
“For the past decade, Frank Mayer & Associates Inc. has been a leader in digital-photo kiosk-enclosure design, production and hardware integration with several generations of units in a variety of major national chains,” said Dave Zoerb, senior vice president of marketing. “The Sony SnapLab is the latest example of the continuing evolution of this market and FMA’s continuing contributions to this important application.”
 
Sony introduced several enhancements to the kiosk at last month’s PMA show in Las Vegas. Those enhancements included the addition of remote monitoring and management software, a wireless print-release option, improved scalability, a pattern lamination feature and deployment software.
 
KioskCom Self Service Expo and The Digital Signage Show take place May 6-7 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.

The Hartford Courant: Stop & Shop has deployed new hand-held scanners in several of its Connecticut stores. The purple devices allow customers to keep a running total of the groceries they've scanned and then pay at a self-service station without having to take everything out of their shopping baskets again. Modiv Media Inc., which manufactures the Scan It! system, claims that the portable scanners can shave an average of 12 minutes from a trip to the grocery store, and might also increase the number of times people shop. Supermarkets stand to get more business, too. Shoppers buy an average of 10 percent more during every visit and increase the frequency of their visits by another 10 percent when using the scanners. At that rate, a company representative said, the system pays for itself in a year.

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Health Data Management: Atlanta-based International Medical Solutions has introduced portable patient kiosks for hospitals and physician practices. Connected to an organization's wireless network, the kiosks enable patients to register, update their medication histories, read and sign consent forms, and view educational videos.

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Consumer Affairs: District of Columbia Attorney General Peter Nickles filed suit against several individuals and companies accusing them of a nationwide scam to defraud African-American church congregations of hundreds of thousands of dollars. The suit alleges that the defendants approached numerous congregations offering "free" computer kiosks that they could place in church lobbies to provide community and church information. As part of the agreement to receive the equipment, congregation officials unwittingly signed documents that obligated the groups to long-term lease payments amounting to $50,000 or more. But Nickles' suit alleges the computer equipment was valued at no more than a few thousand dollars, and in some cases, did not function properly.

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TORONTO — VirtuPlay Corp., a developer and manufacturer of coin-operated Internet and entertainment kiosks, has released its INTEVO countertop kiosk.
 
According to a release, the kiosk features a touchscreen; integrated, tamper-proof keyboard and trackball; and full Internet capabilities and touchscreen games.
 
Users can access e-mail, send postcards or video e-mail, and visit various news and social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, as well as sign in to IM accounts.
 
The INTEVO’s guided user interface self-upgrades at no cost to the deployer. Other features include a 500-note bill acceptor, electronic multiple coin accepter, and accented lights that are easy on the user’s eyes.

ORLANDO, Fla. — At the NACHA Payments Conference, Epson introduced a suite of three scanning devices optimized for small business payment processing.
 
According to a news release, the three products include the CaptureOne Single-Feed check scanner, the Perfection V30 flatbed check and document scanner, and the WorkForce 500 All-in-One Scanner with print, copy, fax and photo capabilities. Epson’s Perfection V30 and WorkForce 500 combine customized remote deposit capture software with multifunction scanning and document processing devices for more robust functionality. And Epson says the CaptureOne Single-Feed scanner offers the highest MICR accuracy of any competitive single-feed RDC device in its class.
 
According to Celent, checks represent 75 percent or more of the total receivables for more than two-thirds of small businesses, and RDC is an untapped opportunity in this segment.
 
“Until now, RDC has been too complex and expensive for small business users,” said Bud Weist, vice president of sales and marketing for the Epson System Device Group. “Epson has just made RDC easy, affordable and flexible, with three low-cost check processing options that conform to small business workflow.”
 
The Perfection V30 and Workforce 500 are the only SMB scanners available today with Epson’s SureCapture check imaging software. Designed to automatically handle the check imaging process, SureCapture crops, aligns and matches both sides of the check to prevent item errors, reads the MICR and sends the check data to the bank with all formatting required by the RDC application. The software comes bundled with both scanner models and is simple to install and use.
 
Epson’s CaptureOne Single-Feed scanner is ideal for small business customers processing up to 30 checks per day. It boasts the highest MICR accuracy. With an industry-leading two-year warranty and overnight replacement options to minimize downtime, Epson’s CaptureOne Single-Feed check scanner is the ideal option for banks and ISOs looking to implement trouble-free RDC in a large number of small businesses with geographically dispersed locations.
 
Epson’s Perfection V30 is the only color flatbed scanner available today that offers everything SMBs need to take advantage of RDC. Ideal for small businesses that process up to 10 checks per day, it combines high-resolution color flatbed document and photo scanning with customized check processing capabilities. The Perfection V30 allows users to scan, copy, create PDFs, email documents and photos and, with its unique SureCapture check imaging software, it also captures and formats check images for the unique RDC application.
 
The Workforce 500 offers everything SMBs need to take advantage of the benefits of RDC. In its class it is ideal for small businesses that accept up to 10 checks per day. It allows users to scan, print, copy and fax documents and photos, and, with its unique SureCapture check imaging software, it also captures and formats check images tailored to their RDC application. In addition to check imaging, it offers fast print speeds and laser-quality printing. The device also includes a 30-page automatic document feeder for quick copying, scanning or faxing.
 
Other features include double-sided printing to conserve paper, color faxes up to 3 seconds per page, and it uses up to three times less power than a regular laser printer.

BELLEVUE, Wash. — Coinstar E-Payment Services, a subsidiary of Coinstar Inc., has announced that Stripes, a convenience store chain operated by Susser Holdings Corp., now carries Coinstar’s full range of Pay As You Go products and services at more than 500 locations in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico.
 
According to a news release, Coinstar’s complete Pay As You Go solution features national and regional prepaid wireless programs, long distance cards, gift cards, digital entertainment and one of the industry’s largest portfolios of financial services, including reloadable and one-time use Visa and MasterCard branded debit cards. The Pay As You Go product suite offered at Stripes includes a customized mix of prepaid wireless, long distance and financial services.
 
“Coinstar partners with retailers to determine the optimal product and merchandising mix to match shopper demographics and behaviors,” said Mike Skinner, general manager of Coinstar E-Payment Services. “After analyzing Stripes’ shopper demographics, we adjusted our product offerings to feature a larger selection of financial services, including — for the first time in its stores — reloadable prepaid MasterCard and Visa debit cards, and will be further expanding the product offering over the coming months.”
 
With a full range of customizable technology platforms, Coinstar removes the challenges traditionally faced by retailers offering prepaid products. Retailers can benefit from seamless solutions such as terminals, kiosks and integrated host-to-host options designed to grow with retailers as their operations and businesses expand.

ATLANTA — SoloHealth, maker of EyeSite self-service vision testing and new patient generating kiosks, plans to team with Transitions Optical Inc., Optos, and other leading eye-care  companies to deploy a large number of its EyeSite kiosks in the United States this summer.
 
“We view eye health education as an important part of our mission,” said Dave Cole, general manager of the Americas for Transitions Optical. “As consumers better understand the importance of taking care of their eyes, they’re more likely to make regular appointments. EyeSite is free and convenient, and has real potential to stimulate interest in vision care and increase the number of patients practitioners see.”  
 
According to a news release, EyeSite will be an innovative vehicle to stimulate the eye-care category and drive patients to eye-care professionals through its simple and quick vision assessments.  Manufacturers have the opportunity to market products on the interactive kiosks, which are placed in a variety of locations meant to capitalize on consumer demand and traffic.
 
EyeSite kiosks allow consumers to assess their near and far vision, schedule an appointment with a local eye-care practitioner, and learn about general eye health conditions.  
 
“Self-service is growing in popularity and partnering with SoloHealth, an innovator in the self-service market, gives us one more tool to reach out to patients and consumers,” said Tom Daniells, vice president of marketing at Optos. “Because EyeSite vision screenings do not replace a full eye exam, we feel it will drive traffic to eye care practitioners, resulting in opportunities for increased sales of products and medical services, including our retinal imaging technology.”
 
Established in late 2007, SoloHealth has placed EyeSite kiosks throughout its home base of Atlanta in Walgreens, Kroger, Walmart and regional malls. Since September of 2008, SoloHealth has screened more than 100,000 people.
 
“SoloHealth, combined with these eye care industry leaders, is helping to create new ways to drive additional traffic,” said Bart Foster, chief executive and founder of SoloHealth. “Results have shown that of the people who have used the EyeSite kiosk, over 25 percent have never visited an eye care professional. Many of those have gone on to book appointments. EyeSite self-service vision testing kiosks educate people about the health benefits of seeing an eye doctor on a regular basis.”

Tech Products & Geek News: Redbox is a big player in the DVD kiosk business. But as these DVD-rental kiosks become more prolific, the revenue from individual kiosks is dropping. Redbox has discovered that more locations doesn't mean more places for people to rent from, and each location gets a smaller piece of the rental pie. Now that Blockbuster is branching out and placing its own kiosks, redbox will experience even less traffic at its current locations. Now owned by Coinstar, redbox holds about 6 percent of the estimated $8.2 billion movie disk rental business.
 
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The Malta Independent Online: GasanMamo Insurance has installed the first online travel kiosk in Malta at the check-in lounge in the Malta International Airport. Passengers travelling out of Malta can now take out their travel insurance from a kiosk, which includes a built-in printer. “We always seek new ways to provide our customers with that extra comfort and peace of mind and this new travel insurance service will definitely go down well with whoever arrives at the airport, all packed up and ready to set off for the trip and remembers that he has forgotten to take out travel insurance,” said Julian Mamo, director at GasanMamo Insurance.
 
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WOLLONGON, Australia — iQmultimedia has announced plans to launch its IQ LINK kiosk for information accessibility solution, targeted at light and heavy industry.
 
According to a news release, IQ LINK automatically collects a broad variety of existing company information and makes it available to workforces through a smart, user-centric interface. IQ LINK is expected to be unveiled in late April.
 
IQ LINK allows users with no prior computer expertise and without personal access to a PC to access critical safety information, report issues on-site, and view current notices and advisories. Its dynamic framework allows for the production of new, customized modules per-customer, bringing all essential information into one accessible touchscreen terminal.
 
Its flagship document management module can integrate with existing document control systems, including EMC Documentum, Microsoft SharePoint, Open Text Hummingbird and IBM Lotus Notes. Integration can be tuned to specific customer needs and can be built around almost any existing system.
 
iQmultimedia touchscreen kiosk software is currently deployed with customers in Australia and the United States.

CHICAGO — Allscripts and Fujitsu have unveiled the Allscripts Patient Kiosk, the next generation of patient kiosk technology for physician practices.
 
According to a news release, the Allscripts kiosk cost-effectively enhances how patients interact with healthcare providers. The integration of the Fujitsu PalmSecure biometric authentication solution improves the security and privacy of electronic health records and other sensitive patient information.
 
Allscripts (booth #1303) and Fujitsu (booth #325) will demonstrate their new kiosk April 4-8 during the HIMSS09 Annual Conference & Exhibition in Chicago.
 
"Physician practices are always on the lookout for ways to lower costs while improving patient satisfaction, and the Allscripts Patient Kiosk is the answer," said James Hewitt, chief information officer of Springfield Clinic, a 260-provider multispecialty physician group with 24 locations in Springfield, Ill., and surrounding counties. "Patients love the kiosk because they are in control."
 
Springfield, which co-developed the healthcare solution with Allscripts to work on the medical kiosk from Fujitsu, expects to deploy 50 of the kiosks this quarter.
 
The Allscripts kiosk also will be deployed this month at the George Washington University Medical Faculty Associates, a 550 physician group in Washington, D.C., made up of the faculty of the George Washington University School of Medicine.
 
"We're excited that the kiosk will offer our patients the ability to securely check in, using nothing more than their hand on the Fujitsu reader, pay their co-pay, update and correct any mistakes in their personal information and get an alert about an overdue colonoscopy — all within about two minutes. It's what our patients want and it saves our practice time and money," said Stephen Badger, chief executive of the George Washington University MFA.
 
Allscripts solves the problem of the seemingly endless stream of paperwork that patients must fill out every time they register for appointments. The kiosk eliminates frustration while helping physician practices reduce the costs and overhead associated with traditional patient check-in. The integration of the Fujitsu PalmSecure palm vein authentication solution maintains patient confidentiality, privacy and information security.
 
Through the integration with Allscripts Electronic Health Records, the kiosk helps patients take control of their own healthcare with a dashboard view of all personal information, including a complete health maintenance plan.
 
The Allscripts Patient Kiosk is available now through Allscripts, which provides physician practices a full-service kiosk package, from initial design through development, deployment and maintenance.
 
"Patients want to remove the pain of completing paper forms during every visit and physician practices want nothing more than to find better, faster, more effective ways to complete accurate patient registrations and collect co-pays," said Glen Tullman, CEO of Allscripts. "The kiosk is the latest example of Allscripts' ability to partner with our clients and great companies like Fujitsu to quickly deliver highly innovative new products that transform and improve the delivery of healthcare in America."

The Wall Street Journal: Two former executives from redbox Automated Retail LLC have taken positions at the helm of redbox's new parent, Coinstar Inc., amid a management transition plan set into motion less than two months after the acquisition.

On Monday Coinstar named former redbox chief executive Gregg Kaplan to succeed Paul D. Davis as president and chief operating officer. Davis, who became chief executive and a member of the board on April 1, said Kaplan would help boost the company's self-service operations and product expansion in the nascent self-service DVD rental category.
 
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LONDON — King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in London has deployed a new patient automated arrival system from NCR Corp.
 
According to a news release, the solution is designed to reduce queuing, increase the immediacy and privacy of patient communications and cut down on paperwork, allowing staff to focus on providing the highest standards of clinical care.
 
The queue-busting NCR MediKiosk enables patients to inform the hospital quickly that they have arrived for an appointment, view and update their contact details and complete questionnaires. Receptionists will be on hand to assist patients in using the kiosks if required. Targeted "well being" messages will also be broadcast on digital displays in the waiting room according to the profile of the patients who are present.
 
King's reported that one in seven patients fails to turn up for a scheduled appointment. The majority of patients need follow-up consultations and it is difficult to ensure that they receive correspondence sent by the hospital.
 
By consistently asking patients to check their contact details — including their mobile phone number and email address — at the kiosks, King's will help ensure communications regarding future appointments are received. Additionally, the NCR system can identify patients who miss appointments, allowing staff to reschedule at a more appropriate time.
 
In the next phase of the project, routine information will be relayed to patients prior to their consultation via the kiosks; for example, reminders that they will be asked to provide a urine or blood sample or need to observe a 24-hour fast if they are undergoing surgery. This will help to free up clinicians' time to focus on diagnosing, explaining and treating patients' conditions.
 
From their desktop computers receptionists will be able to monitor whether consultations are in progress, about to begin or delayed via a simple traffic light system. The solution enables individuals to be seen early if slots become free, maximizing the use of the clinicians' time, and alerts patients about anticipated delays using a real-time ticker on the digital displays. It also broadcasts audio announcements to call forward the next patient for his appointment.
 
"King's College Hospital selected NCR due to the depth of its self-service experience in the U.S. healthcare market and the proven reliability of its solutions," said Howard Lewis, ICT project manager at King's College Hospital NHS Trust. "It will help to improve the immediacy and privacy of patient communications as well as reduce queuing and paperwork, enabling our staff to focus on delivering excellent clinical care and enhancing the patient experience at King's."

DAYTON, Ohio — More than 200,000 of the nation's approximately 400,000 ATMs are owned and operated by U.S. financial institutions, and a growing number of those machines are increasingly relying on deposit automation technology. And NCR Corp. says it is playing a critical role in providing that new technology.
 
According to a news release, NCR has deployed more than 10,000 of its no-envelope, “intelligent deposit” ATMs throughout the United States.
 
In 2008, more than 70 percent of NCR’s U.S. SelfServ ATM shipments featured intelligent deposit. According to London-based Retail Banking Research Ltd., NCR’s automated deposit solution was the most widely deployed imaging solution in the United States. Based on sales trends and market estimates by RBR, NCR says it expects traditional envelope-based ATM deposits to be nearly extinct by 2019.
 
Intelligent deposit is touted for reducing fraud, increasing revenue, eliminating paper costs and reducing operational costs.
 
“The days of licking envelopes at the ATM are soon over,” said Michael O’Laughlin, vice president and general manager, NCR Financial Services Solutions. “As with all forms of self-service technology, intelligent deposit ATMs help financial institutions connect, interact and transact with their customers. By reaching the milestone of 10,000 intelligent deposit ATMs in deployment in the U.S., our financial institution customers have validated NCR’s end-to-end deposit automation solution. The growth of this technology shows how powerful this self-service technology can be to improve bank operations and reduce costs, while improving the overall customer experience.”
 
NCR built the first intelligent deposit ATM in 1998 and, according to RBR, has been the worldwide leader in ATMs for 22 consecutive years.

DAYTON, Ohio — According to a survey of U.S. and Canadian consumers commissioned by NCR Corp., patients are growing increasingly frustrated with long waits at doctors' offices and hospitals and are looking to self-service technology as a way to help expedite these interactions.

The annual research study reveals that 74 percent of patients find waiting at a hospital or doctor's office the greatest frustration at a healthcare appointment. In addition, respondents indicated they are inconvenienced by the time and effort required to schedule appointments, pay medical bills and complete paper forms, and they would like to spend less time on these activities.

"Patients desire greater control over their care, and that includes the way they interact with their providers," said Raj Toleti, vice president and general manager for NCR Healthcare and Public Sector. "In today's consumer-directed healthcare environment, hospitals and clinics have an opportunity to increase overall satisfaction and strengthen patient loyalty by leveraging self-service as a way to make everyday interactions faster and easier."

The research findings, unveiled at this year's HIMSS Annual Conference and Exhibition, clearly indicate that patients also want better access to information about their care and are more likely to choose providers that offer multichannel solutions to help them manage associated tasks:

• 62 percent of consumers are more likely to choose a healthcare provider that offers the flexibility to interact via online, mobile and kiosk self-service channels versus a provider that does not.
• 53 percent of consumers expressed interest in booking or changing medical appointments online, through a mobile device or at a kiosk and receiving text message reminders of an appointment.
• 49 percent of consumers said the ability to book an appointment online would be convenient to them.
• 49 percent consumers said the ability to securely receive lab results online would be convenient them.
• "As healthcare providers move to implement electronic health records, self-service will become even more widespread," Toleti added. "Automating patient interactions not only addresses consumer demand, it serves as the entry point for electronic record keeping."

According to NCR, more than four million patients have checked in for medical appointments using self-service technology, resulting in time savings of up to 10 minutes per encounter. In addition, healthcare providers utilizing NCR MediKiosk have seen copayment collection increase by up to 40 percent and insurance claim denials decrease by up to 36 percent. Adopting self-service also can reduce the costs associated with paper-based forms by up to 90 percent and free up staff to focus on patient needs, which can help lead to increased patient satisfaction.

Finextra: NCR Corp. today announced that Banque Saudi Fransi is rapidly expanding its branch network in Saudi Arabia following trials of the first completely self-service 24-hour branches, branded "Fransi Connection," which were designed by NCR.

BSF's existing manned branches also have been remodeled by NCR to provide customers with self-service access to a wider range of quick and simple transactions, freeing up staff to focus on customer acquisition and product cross-selling.

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Computerworld: At a congressional hearing last week, federal lawmakers and retail industry officials contended that the PCI security rules have done little to stop payment card data thefts and fraud. "I do want to dispel the myth once and for all that PCI compliance is enough to keep a company secure," said Rep. Yvette Clark (D-N.Y.), chairwoman of the House subcommittee that held the hearing.

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Sys-Con: Digital signage is the fastest growing marketing and communications medium in the world, second only to the Internet and branded entertainment. Google has pursued a patent on digital signage and has launched a Google TV ads platform, which will likely revolutionize out-of-home and TV advertising in the coming years. APEX Digital Imaging is providing a total suite of digital signage services through a collaboration with the largest companies in the space.

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PADERBORN, Germany — Datalogic Mobile, a global player in the Rugged Mobile Computers and self-shopping solutions market, and Wincor Nixdorf AG have signed a strategic partnership to integrate Datalogic Mobile products into Wincor Nixdorf's solutions offer to its customers and prospects all around the world.
 
According to a news release, the partnership between Wincor Nixdorf and Datalogic Mobile allows Wincor Nixdorf to distribute Datalogic Mobile devices for merchandise operations, in store and warehouses as well as the customer self-service operations like mobile shopping.
 
“Datalogic Mobile is honored to promote this strategic partnership with its worldwide sales organization and establish consistent and profitable relationship with Wincor Nixdorf,” said Gian Paolo Fedrigo, vice president and chief executive at Datalogic Mobile. “Thanks to this partnership, Datalogic Mobile and Wincor Nixdorf will provide retail customers all around the world with complete solutions for optimizing their business processes.”
 
Datalogic Mobile, part of the Datalogic Group, is a global player in the rugged mobile computers market, offering a full range of products dedicated to warehousing solutions, field-force automation and retail in-store. Datalogic Group is produces barcode readers, data-collection mobile computers, RFID systems and photoelectric sensors for the industrial automation sector.
 
“Mobile solutions are a key issue in retail," said Bruno Missoni, mobile solutions manager at Wincor Nixdorf. "The collaboration between Wincor Nixdorf as a provider of store solutions and Datalogic Mobile as a provider of mobility products is therefore of strategic importance to Wincor Nixdorf. With its store solutions portfolio, Wincor Nixdorf meets all store requirements for a highly efficient store management and customer friendly self-service environment. Datalogic mobility products form an essential element in this offer to our customers.”

DENVER — CognitiveTPG, provider of on-demand label and transaction printing solutions, introduced its new line of kiosk printers, the K798 and K799. The K798 and K799 thermal printers incorporate the same platform technology as its A798/A799 Point of Sale receipt printers.

These kiosk printers feature an exclusive full-steel modular frame to withstand the harshest environments and facilitate kiosk construction and maintenance. The compact clamshell design provides significant design flexibility and access to common areas required for media loading and maintenance. This ensures easier integration in retail, self-checkout, healthcare, hospitality, and banking self-service applications.

Unique to the kiosk printer market, the K798/K799 features a self-sharpening rotary ceramic auto-cutter knife with a minimum service life of 2.3 million knife cuts, which is 50 percent longer than many existing offerings. Combined with a 200 kilometer (7.8 million inches) printhead, these kiosk printers deliver unsurpassed performance and reliability.

"With the growing significance of the self-service sector, CognitiveTPG designed a printer mechanism that can work in a kiosk application as well as our single station point-of-sale unit," said Jose Basa, director of new product development. "The modular design allows us to offer the service, flexibility and reliability that our POS customers have enjoyed for over twenty years."

Superior Steel Fabrication, SSF, is a precision sheet metal job shop specializing in fabrication of cabinet assemblies and enclosures. We offer complete project manufacturing services in our 75,000 sq. ft. plant, including engineering support, Amada state of the art cutting, forming and welding equipment, powdercoat and final assembly services. SSF is an ISO 9001-2000 registered Company and can meet demanding production opportunities while maintaining a high level of quality control and compliance to Customer and Industry requirements. 541-242-6420

CHICAGO — Wow Bao, a Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises restaurant concept, has selected NEXTEP Systems to provide touchscreen ordering kiosks for its State and Lake location in Chicago. Two self-order kiosks will offer order and payment options at the restaurant. Wow Bao menu offerings include Asian-influenced steamed buns, broths, salads and specialty sodas and teas.
 
"We're fortunate to be working with the most popular, busiest and (most) innovative top brand," said Tommy Woycik, president of NEXTEP, in a news release. "Wow Bao's self-order kiosk implementation demonstrates their commitment to providing excellent customer service using 21st-century technology."

Metronews (Toronto): The self-serve PharmaTrust kiosks, in test mode at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, have served hundreds of people with considerable success — almost 95 percent of people who inserted their prescriptions and health cards into a machine got their medication in less than five minutes, according to a survey done by the company. "Patients are intrigued by the fact that it is easy to use. It’s quick and they don’t have to drive somewhere and wait for the pharmacist," said Dr. Sharon Domb, director of family medicine at Sunnybrook, where the kiosks have been set up since January.

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Display & Design Ideas: Carnival Cruise Lines is placing interactive digital "aquariums" into empty store windows in six U.S. cities. The promotion, which will run through the end of April, will use computer vision, Flash animation and mobile gaming software to let passersby create and control their own fish in the aquarium using their mobile phones. When visitors first walk past the window display screens, seaweed and underwater plants move in response to their presence. A window sign instructs them to call a number on their cell phones and create a digital fish for the aquarium using voice commands.

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Southern Specialties is a privately owned company founded in 1952. Southern has grown from a small-job shop to a manufacturing corporation that does business throughout the U.S. and Canada and has become an industry leader in precision sheet metal design.Our company is still guided today with the same values that are responsible for our success—quality of work, innovative technology, unmatched integrity and commitment to our customers.
Southern Specialties is quickly emerging as a new leader in the design and manufacture of kiosks and digital signage.

Whether you need help with design, manufacturing, sourcing, or a complete turnkey operation, Southern Specialties is the one to call.

Atlanta Business Chronicle: The Coca-Cola Co. this spring is poised to test new interactive flat-screen vending machines at several Simon Property Group malls across the Southeast. The high-tech venders made their debut last summer in Beijing during the 2008 Olympics. The machines, developed by Coca-Cola and interactive marketing agency Sapient and Samsung, allow consumers to buy cold beverages and be entertained at the same time. The units being tested feature a large-format touchscreen display, allowing consumers to interact and experience their favorite Coca-Cola brands while learning more about Simon promotions.

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