Article

Signs point toward interactivity at Chicago show

At Digital Retailing Expo, information travel is a two-way street.

June 4, 2006 by Valerie Killifer — senior editor, NetWorld Alliance

Besides boasting bright lights and big messages, many digital signs at the third-annual Digital Retailing Expo, May 17 and 18 in Chicago, had something else going for them: They could take as well as they could give. True interactivity between sign and users was evident in a significant number of applications, and innovators of multiple applications evidently were concerned with attracting broad consumer bases through advanced service initiatives.

Alex Richardson, managing director of Selling Machine Partners, compared the two styles of digital signage - image-only and interactive - to black-and-white versus color televisions.

"Nobody knew they needed a color TV until they saw it," Richardson said. "To put any kind of consumer device in a store that is not interactive is like buying a TV that is not in color and stereo. You're missing out on the senses."

Exhibitor Impart Media Group has launched a series of touchscreen displays used as destination, transportation and information guides in airports and hotels. The systems have the ability to display security breaches, Amber Alerts and visual paging in airports. Similar systems with recipes and food guides are being tested now and will be used primarily in Dole nutrition centers. "The need for self-service terminals is growing," said Tom O'Rourke, executive vice president of market development for Impart, citing a lawsuit where a hearing-disabled passenger missed an audible page.

Richardson said the four key consumer elements for digital signage success - attraction, interaction, transaction and satisfaction - are uniquely poised to facilitate interactivity.

"That's why I think the world of digital sign and kiosk is merging. They share those four points," he said. "The reason why we saw so many more software solutions (at DRE) is because the technology can be managed by the same system that manages the kiosk - we don't need two pieces of software."

Digital signage has always been about giving information, but coupled with touchscreen technology, the signs are now being designed to serve multiple purposes. And a display that is interactive "ties the person to the experience" much better than one that isn't, said Mark Weshler, senior vice president and CMO of Ovation In-Store.

The Ronin Wireless Technologies Sealy Touch display gives consumers an interactive approach to picking out the perfect mattress.

At the Ronin Wireless Technologies booth, attendees lined up to try the Sealy Touch, a touchscreen display the company designed for Sealy Posturepedic. Using the Sealy Touch system, consumers navigate a field of questions designed to pinpoint the best type of bedding for them.

"Nobody likes buying a mattress, but they have fun doing this," said Jeffrey Mack, Ronin president and CEO. Mack added the giant size of the touchscreen was Sealy's idea, and that the company didn't want something the consumer would walk past and ignore." The Sealy Touch also acts as a sales tool for Sealy Posturepedic employees and can be managed from one central location.

During the expo, NextWindow introduced their latest product, 2400 Series touch panels. The panels can turn any 32-inch to 65-inch plasma or LCD screen into an interactive training, boardroom or education application, with full mouse capability that requires only the touch of a fingertip or any other device.

"I want somebody to write software that people care about. We would all benefit if they did," said Anthony Uhrick, NextWindow's vice president of sales and marketing North America. "The world's ahead of us in terms of interactivity, I think. There are not many creative concepts (coming) out of the U.S."

Not everyone is seeing the signs, however.

"I wouldn't call (interactive signage) a trend as people using iPods are a trend, yet," said Francie Mendelsohn, president of Summit Research Associates. "In terms of our research, we haven't done that much. We haven't felt the need to split it out into a separate entity. I think that digital signage has its place Â… but I don't see that (interactive digital signage) is going to completely replace the other."

The key, said Richardson, is to get everyone pointed in the same direction.

"We want big customers to think we have a good industry that's focused and not fragmented," Richardson said. "I think retailers are still numbed by the number of software and hardware providers that are out there. They're going to look for trusted brands."

Tom O'Rourke from Impart Media Group demos an interactive digital sign designed for airports that can show live, Web-fed video of destination cities as well as other data.

For deployers of such developing hybrids, the case will come down to business-case justification.

"That's the question I didn't see answered (during the expo)," Richardson said. "Also, how do we take this from a nice-to-have to a must-have?"

Also at the show

When it comes to interactive digital displays, Four Winds is making it easier for consumers to preview items such as movies and CDs before they commit to buy. In some cases, all it takes is a barcode and the touch of a finger. They have an extensive list of video, music and book items, which can be found for review in their interactive touchpad media stations. The stations have been installed in more than 150 military bases, 250 museums, airports, aquariums, resorts and zoos. Richard Chandler, vice president of corporate sales, pegs additional sell-through for scanned titles at two to three times higher.

Ovation In-Store was promoting its series of interactive digital signs. Ovation pushed to market the proprietary hardware and software system for the first U.S. Biotherm cosmetics store located in Glendale, Calif. After a customer completes a makeover, her picture is taken using a digital camera embedded in a counter mirror. The photo is then uploaded to the store's four looped LCDs and displayed on rotation for 15 to 30 minutes. The consumer's unique profile, including details such as the color of lipstick or eye shadow used during the makeover, is put on a digital file that can be recalled at any time. Other Ovation In-Store clients include Neutrogena, Reebok and Motorola.

DIGIT Professional is adding a personal touch to its products, although currently only in The Netherlands. The company partnered with Bison International to create the Bison Kiosk, an interactive digital display designed to help consumers find the right adhesive for their project. The system includes a 15-inch TFT/LCD touchscreen linked to the shelf layout so customers can see at a glance exactly where to find a product.

Nanonation's Brian Ardinger controls a digital sign with his cell phone. The application is a product of his company's recently announced partnership with LocaModa.

One of the most talked about partnerships at the show was the collaboration between Nanonation and LocaModa, who joined to create a mobile-enacted interactive digital display. With their cell phones, consumers can access multimedia content on Internet-connected signage, typically to be located in a retail window. "We blended two technologies to create a brand experience," said Brian Ardinger, vice president of business development, Nanonation. LocaModa opened up its StreetSurfer platform interfaces to Nanonation in order to enable mobile solutions based on Nanonation's Nanopoint platform. Now, Nanopoint can extend the reach and power of the Web by creating a closed loop between brands and the mobile consumer.

LocaModa's solutions work on any cell phone and any network, and do not require any downloadable software.

SMART Technologies unveiled Instant Expert. The digital display includes a two-way digital camera and sound dome, and relies on Internet connectivity for use. Consumers in a retail establishment anywhere in the world equipped with Instant Expert can use the device to receive live, person-to-person help with a specific product question. SMART Technologies combined resources with four other companies to produce the software, which can be used in b-to-b environments as well as b-to-c.

To put any kind of consumer device in a store that is not interactive is like buying a TV that is not in color and stereo. You're missing out on the senses. --Alex Richardson, Selling Machine Partners

SMART and Carnival Cruise Lines also touted their virtual concierge interactive bulletin board and wayfinder. The touch-enabled digital signage screen is used by guests on Carnival Cruise Lines to access information about deck plans, onboard events, meal times, shipboard staff, shore tours and port-of-call information.

Springboard Retail Networks is trying to make everyone's trip to the supermarket more efficient. The company's concierge system has a built-in barcode scanner that scans products as they are placed in the shopping cart. The scanned items are then removed from shopping lists. The interactive display includes store maps for shoppers. It operates using a USB key that is wirelessly connected to the retailer's back-end infrastructure. The back-end system also includes a Web server, providing shoppers with at-home access to the system through a secure site.

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Standing behind its reputation as a leading producer of computer monitors and professional displays, Samsung Electronics displayed its MagicNet software during the expo. The software enables a person to control up to 254 screens of digital signage from one server. It allows users to show different content on different displays, at different times, on a schedule set up to a month in advance. Users also have the ability to view current programming on any selected MagicNet display. The software works best when used at hotels or conference centers, where several events happen at once. The multiple displays do not require much training and can handle frequent updates.

GestureTek Inc. showed off its gesture-based control software. The software has made a big impact in the gaming industry. GestureTek's video gesture control technology was licensed by Microsoft for their use with the Xbox 360. GestureTek also has partnered PLAYSKOOL to produce the ION Educational Gaming System, designed to inspire kids to get active alongside their favorite television show characters.

Delphi Display Systems brought its ruggedized pump-top display panel, which will broadcast content that is trying to change the way Americans interact at the pump. GSTV has partnered with ABC to broadcast important news, sports, weather and traffic updates while consumers fill up their vehicle's engines. Store specials also will be advertised through the outdoor display system.