News

Postage kiosks await delivery

February 24, 2002

MINNEAPOLIS - Efficient customer service and enhanced security are the goals of a new line of self-service mail collection kiosks unveiled by the Intelligent Kiosk Company Inc. (IQk) on Nov. 14.

The kiosk, which can be either freestanding or built into a wall, features a touchscreen and voice assistance in English, French and Spanish. Customers can obtain postage for letters or packages and deposit their packages in the machine for later delivery.

For security purposes, a digital camera captures a customer's facial image off a driver's license or passport. The image is run through a criminal database and anyone who shows up on that database will be denied access to the kiosk. In addition, suspicious packages or envelopes can be quarantined from other mail until authorities can evaluate the package. IQk officials did not explain how the machine would determine which packages are suspicious.

IQk officials said the kiosk has already passed several beta tests and is available for delivery to postal and private mailing services.

"IQk has successfully tested several of these self-service mailing kiosks designs in over 500 locations in 38 U.S. states and in Canada," Marshall Masko, IQk president and chief executive officer, said in a news release. "We have mailed and managed the collection of several million packages for one of the major postal companies in the U.S. proving the (kiosks) work."