Article

Why use kiosk development software?

For creating a kiosk system, kiosk-based application development software has some advantages worth considering.

March 19, 2002

Creating software for kiosks requires special techniques. Relying on non-kiosk development tools to create a kiosk system might hinder software development as the developers struggle to make their tools conform to a kiosk environment. Even after they create a kiosk system, there are chances that unforeseen problems could jeopardize the kiosk system.

Using development tools specifically designed for creating kiosk systems eases development of a user-friendly, stable and secure application within a reasonable amount of time. In the long run, such tools might save a company money spent in development.

Just ask Jonathan Arfin, president and chief executive officer of Torrance, Calif.-based SeePoint Technology Inc., a maker of

Who makes it? Here's a partial list of companies making kiosk software development tools: Degasoft Ltd. - Kudos Designer First-Wave Inc.- Kiosk Communicator KAL - Kalignite Moonrise Systems Inc. - Netstop Netkey Inc. - Netkey Creator TouchVision- TouchVision Eyepoint kiosk operating system Visible Advantage Corp. - Kiosk Advantage and Visible Advantage Interested in kiosk software? Then you may be interested in browsing our Software Research Center.

interactive kiosk systems. He said that after working at two companies trying to develop kiosk operating systems using other development tools, he sought a specialized kiosk development system. The tools he found gave him immediate advantages.

"We can quickly prototype customer solutions before even booking the deal. This really gives us a leg up on competitors who just propose what they are going to do," said Arfin.

There are several kiosk development platforms on the market. In Arfin's case, he chose the Netkey Creator development platform made by NetKey Inc. of Branford, Conn.

What's so different about kiosks?

Typically, computer software, whether for home or business, is designed for people who use the application frequently. These users have time to learn the software.

Kiosk software, on the other hand, must be designed to run on public systems that may host hundreds of users each day. Customers will use the software once, and only for a short period of time, which means they won't have the time to spend learning it.

Halldor Sigurjonsson, vice president of product development for London-based Degasoft Ltd., maker of the Kudos kiosk development platform, said, "Developing applications to be used on public terminals definitely has some differences from traditional PC or Web application development. Because of the public access to kiosks, applications running on these terminals need to be easy to use, extremely stable, and above all, very secure."

Due to these requirements, kiosk development platforms provide tools, such as templates and drop-in button objects, that promote rapid development of easy graphical user interfaces (GUI). Advanced tools provide the capability for the kiosk application to interact with peripheral devices such as keyboards, mice, touchscreens, printers, smart card and credit card readers.

The code that comes with a kiosk-based development platform to create these interfaces and use peripherals may be more stable and less prone to errors than the code made using other means. Stability is vital, as a kiosk system must stay up and running in order to do its job.

"A potential user of a kiosk who experiences difficulties using the service because of errors will simply walk away disappointed," Sigurjonsson said.

Also included in kiosk development platforms are security features, such as the ability to lock customers out of the operating system's desktop or to prevent users from executing keyboard shortcuts or even running any programs but the ones required by the kiosk application. Though many operating systems give the ability to do this, kiosk development software can speed up the process and make it more thorough.

Vital and fast

Shelly Stratten, vice president of San Jose, Calif.-based Streak Technology Inc., a company that manufactures kiosk systems, said that she finds kiosk-centric development software essential.

"Providing the proper backbone of software will make or break a kiosk roll out," she said.

SeePoint's Arfin said that the design application lets him quickly turn customers' existing Web content into kiosk-friendly applications. In addition, the simple design environment speeds up development.

"We do not have to spend much time making a kiosk interface and can utilize existing libraries and digital assets that our customers already have developed," he said.