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KioskCom Interactive Kiosk Excellence Awards: The most creative/best use of an input device in a kiosk application

Kiosks that are designed for outdoors locations face unique challenges. That's why the vast majority of indoor kiosks fail when placed in outdoor conditions. A major challenge when deploying an outdoor kiosk is designing a touchscreen that can stand up to the harsh elements.

July 11, 2004

Editor's note: On Tues., April 27, the KioskCom Interactive Kiosk Excellence Awards 2004 were handed out at a reception and ceremony at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas, Nev. The KioskCom Interactive Kiosk Excellence Awards were established in 2002 to honor, recognize and promote the best interactive self-service kiosk implementations over the past year. The 2004 awards honored kiosk excellence in 11 different categories. This is the sixth of 11 profiles covering the winners and runners-up in each category.

Input devices for the outdoor kiosk

Kiosks that are designed for outdoors locations face unique challenges. That's why the vast majority of indoor kiosks fail when placed in outdoor conditions. A major challenge when deploying an outdoor kiosk is designing a touchscreen that can stand up to the harsh elements.

Mark Cambridge (Zytronic) and Peter Kaszycki (Pro-Tech) accept their First Place Award for their Duraview Kiosk in KioskCom's most creative/best use of an input device in a kiosk application category

The DuraView outdoor kiosk touchscreen from Pro-Tech and Zytronic - winner of the most creative/best use of an input device in a kiosk application category - is designed for direct use in harsh, outdoor environments and provide a level of "durability" that is required for outdoor installations.

"In terms of the DuraView kiosk, what makes it truly stand out from the competition is that Pro-Tech is the only kiosk provider that offers, as a standard product line, an line of kiosks that are specifically designed for use in outdoor environments," said Peter Kaszycki
president of Pro-Tech.

According to Kaszycki outdoor environmental factors include direct sunlight, direct rain and snow, varying ambient temperatures (below zero to over 100 F), air-borne dust and dirt, and the physical abuse associated with an un-attended kiosk in an outdoor area.
 
The touchscreen is the most used, the most common and the most critical element of any successful kiosk application, explained Kaszycki, Protech, along with Zytronic, made this input device more robust, suitable for use with and without gloved hands and capable of operating even when wet we have allowed kiosks to be deployed in virtually any type of environment. The touchscreen is no longer a limiting factor.

"We are honored that the industry has recognized the significance of having a "robust, indestructible" input device such as the DuraView touchscreen. After all, the number one input device for all kiosks, regardless of the application, is the touchscreen," said Kaszycki.

The future of photo kiosks

Photo machines are located in many retail environments from drugstores to superstores to convenience stores. In fact, digital camera sales are expected to nearly exceed film camera sales by 2008 and there will be great opportunity for retailers to service these customers.

QuickPIX units can be tailored to the branding needs of individual retailers.

Kiosk Information Systems QuickPIX - the runner-up in the most creative/best use of an input device in a kiosk application - is helping retailer tap into the booming photo kiosk market.

QuickPIX, manufactured by KIS in partnership with TouchPoint Solutions, Inc., is a complete, self-contained photo finishing station with a small footprint designed for placement in a wide range of retail locations including stores, supermarkets and drugstores.

Each unit incorporates full point-of-sale functionality including photo printing, cash and credit card processing and the issuing of receipts. QuickPIX models feature 10 different digital input devices providing interface to almost any digital camera made today.

"Retail leaders and consumers have quickly embraced the photo kiosk as a natural outgrowth of the digital camera revolution," said Rick Malone, president and CEO of KIS. "The uniqueness of QuickPIX makes the experience of editing, printing and paying for your own digital photos quick, fun and easy."