Article

Are interactive screens a smart choice for cities?

Touchscreen technology is playing a bigger role in helping cities become interactive.

December 2, 2013 by Natalie Gagliordi — Editor of KioskMarketplace.com, Networld Media Group

Much like the way smartphones have transformed the way humans interact with the world around them, "smart city" technology is changing the way cities interact with their inhabitants. While there's no single qualifying characteristic of a smart city or the technology that makes it so, often it's an interactive touchscreen kiosk that plays a vital role in getting the job done.

And technology companies are taking notice of the opportunity.

Chicago-based Elevate Digital is one of them. The company has more than 70 kiosks around Chicago that invite passersby to interact with advertising, view tourist information or find directions to attractions. A partnership with Groupon also allows users to purchase daily deals and real-time offers directly from the kiosks.

Elevate Digital has also created a division focused on serving city governments. According to the company, the interactive technology allows cities to offer advanced services while also providing the cities with predictive analytics and an additional source of revenue.

Elevate's CEO and Founder George Burciaga recently spoke with Kiosk Marketplace about the company's technology and its mission to perfect a solution that is beneficial to cities, citizens and even businesses:

Q: Talk a little bit about the technology in your solution.

Burciaga: Elevate Digital has developed a platform that is controlled bymultitouch displays in high-traffic street level settings. The purpose of the platform is to be able to inspire the consumer to engage with apps, content, messaging and other services.

Our entire purpose was to create a digital-based technology, because we are taking physical engagement in a digital setting to build local impact at the device. So we are taking the consumer on an experience that they are creating, and taking them into email, mobile and social.

We have about 120 different applications that fit in this product, from city services to e-commerce-based buying deals.

In our retail division we have 400 displays being pushed across the country with reward programs, deals, incentives and wayfinding. So we are applying this not only to streets but to street-like settings in other categories of business.

Q: Why is this attractive for businesses and cities?

Burciaga:The platform we developed aims to change communication at the street level. The purpose behind our city category is to allow the content to live. It creates the foundation for the apps to survive in an outdoor setting.

Some of the apps, like City 311, will give you a message from the mayor. There's also local attractions, city events, information on how to meet council members ... We have transportation maps that let you take details with you to your mobile device. The apps and services allow the city to understand who is doing what and where and how frequently — it's data that city government has never had before.

The public sector tells a bigger story. We provide services that enhance the way people live in the city.

Q: How does the solution impact the advertising world?

Burciaga:Traditional out-of-home advertising would be your billboard and bus shelter — both have been successful in driving revenue to the private and public sector. But none of them provide a service other than an ad buy.

We want to transform the ad buy to become connective and ensure the advertiser got a sufficient ROI, because they are connected to a real audience, and we can confirm that.

Q: Can you give some details about the data the devices are collecting?

Burciaga:Our service allows the city, in a partnership, to listen to the heartbeat of the city and what it's doing when placed in the right location. We know it works because we have two years of metrics of how often they are being used. Typically our metrics are high — seven times higher than we expected because people are using them frequently.

Q: Has there been any concern with public-use touchscreens and if so have you considered integrating gesture technology?

Burciaga:It's been a non-issue. We have built a service and maintenance structure and our units are serviced regularly.

Gesture is about two years away. We are testing it, and it's likely we will integrate too. We have facial recognition already built in. Gesture technology will help us modify how we connect to the consumer. It won't drive the whole process, just contribute to it. But right now we don't feel it's ready yet.

Q: It's been reported that you are trying to get the devices in place in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas, Boston, Philadelphia, New York, Washington, Atlanta and Miami — how is that mission going and where are you closest to deploying next?

Burciaga:I can tell you that we have singed location deals to move into 15 of the top DMAs in January. We will fall into them rather quickly.

Read more about kiosks in government.

Photo by Bert Kaufmann.