Derek Fretheim is president of Acire Inc., a consulting firm specializing in managing technology systems including self-service kiosks. He’s worked with companies such as NBC, Compaq Computer, Long Beach Transit, City of San Jose and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority to develop self-service solutions. To submit a comment about this article, please e-mail the editor.
Back in 1994, access to kiosks was not really considered with any project. That’s no real surprise, since regulations often occur after something is developed or demand creates equal access rules. Sure, the Americans with Disabilities Act was law, but hardly anyone knew how to decipher it.
Today it is a much different story. Multiple kiosks are found in nearly every grocery store for various types of applications. It’s true for regulations as well. The Americans with Disabilities Act is in full force with a number of rules applying to kiosks.
Signed into law by President Bush on July 26, 1990, ADA is undeniably the most comprehensive formulation of disability rights in the history of the United States or of any other nation. More than 50 million Americans have some kind of physical, sensory, cognitive, or mental disability.
| story continues below... |
advertisement | |
|
|
|
 |
|
SelfServiceWorld.com SPECIAL REPORT
SELF-SERVICE: The State of the Industry Today & the Next Five Years
Price: US$299
|
|
|
The Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in the areas of employment, public services provided by state and local governments, public services operated by private entities, transportation and telecommunications.
|
|
This Coinstar kiosk does not meet current or past
ADA
regulations. |
ADA laws insure that kiosk owners will provide equal access for persons with disabilities. In a self-service kiosk application, this not only applies to accessibility to the kiosk but also to the touchscreen and other peripherals, such as a keyboard, bill acceptor, printer, etc.
ADA law states there must be clear accessibility to the kiosk. The law requires at least 34-inches of clear space directly in front of the kiosk for persons in wheel chairs. If there is a requirement for access from the side, then there must be 34-inches of clear side access as well.
The law also provides ranges of maximum and minimum height for components with unobstructed and obstructed forward reach and unobstructed and obstructed side reach. Unobstructed reach can be defined as a kiosk system that has no large protruding extension which would prevent or hinder a person interacting with the component. Obstructed reach is defined as a kiosk system that would contain a large shelf/counter and/or having a recessed monitor which would limit access to the component by the user.
Placement of components will also determine maximum height. A shelf should range from 28 to a maximum of 32 inches from the floor. This should serve as a good benchmark for input components such as a keyboard, credit card reader, pin pad, etc.
Additionally, individual components or functions may require guidance outside of simple access to the kiosk and its components. For example, if the kiosk has a telephone handset, then ADA specifies the type of handset and functional requirements needed. Likewise, if the application has audio, then ADA defines how to address individuals with a hearing impairment. Lastly, signage elements for components and directions placed on the kiosk will require raised characters and other provisions listed in ADA.
|
|
This Redbox kiosk meets current
ADA
regulations. |
In summary, I have yet to see any project be exempt from ADA regulations, so I am very confident ADA applies to any kiosk project. The process of understanding ADA can be complicated so it is important you conduct proper research to determine if your kiosk meets ADA law.
I encourage companies to use the “if – then” process for every component and function. Build a matrix to insure compliance. The matrix should be something like: If a touchscreen, then the maximum height of the monitor should not exceed 48-inches. If a touchscreen, then these (Specify) type(s) of touch technologies comply with ADA.
The process of understanding ADA can be overwhelming, but with proper research and planning, complying with ADA law can be accomplished.
