Hardware

Cantaloupe intros micro market kiosk for low-vision users

The 46 kiosk is fully ADA compliant for individuals with mobility challenges or in a wheelchair and/or those with vision impairment. Photo provided by Cantaloupe Inc.

February 15, 2023

Cantaloupe Inc., a digital payments and software services company that provides end-to-end technology solutions for self-service commerce, has introduced a kiosk, "The 46," developed by Three Square Market, a recent Cantaloupe acquisition.

The 46 kiosk — named for its large 46-inch screen size — is compliant with The Americans with Disabilities Act height standards, with a button that drops the screen to an accessible height for individuals with mobility challenges or those in a wheelchair. The kiosk also features built-in speakers, an audio jack and braille overlay for blind and low-vision users.

The 46 comes built into a custom cabinet fixture.

"For companies, accessibility can be the deciding factor for what type of kiosk to use in their space, and having one of the most accessible kiosks in the industry is a big differentiator for our customers when they are responding to RFPs," Jeff Dumbrell, CRO of Cantaloupe Inc., said in the press release. "The 46 really is a game-changer."

While Cantaloupe offers accessibility features on other kiosks, The 46 is unique in offering an ADA-compliant height button for wheelchair access. Additionally, the kiosk has fully integrated audio and visual accessibility features for those with vision impairments.

"Low vision individuals and those with complete vision loss love The 46," said Chris Ingram, an accessibility expert and founder of Argh Accessibility, a technology consulting firm that worked with 32M in creating The 46 and continues to work with Cantaloupe. "With training, we've found that high level screen reader users can be as fast as a sighted person when using the kiosk."

"A lot of companies are interested in incorporating accessibility into their machines, but halt that work when they realize how much time and effort it takes," Ingram further noted.

"The size of the screen is a large plus," Patrick Martin, president and owner of Live Better Marketplace in Tallahassee, Florida, said in the press release. Martin noted that while only a handful of his customers need the accessibility features, he himself has a central vision loss and is a Florida Business Enterprise Program (BEP) participant, so having an accessible kiosk is very important to him.

"The success we've had with The 46 illustrates how prioritizing accessibility in the product design process creates an overall superior experience for everyone," said Jessie Brooks, who manages a micro market location serving 12,000 customers at the Bolling Air Force Base in Washington D.C., and has had The 46 kiosk installed since February 2021.