News

Visualplanet showcasing latest touch sensor tech for interactive vending at ISE15

Tech partners to showcase intelligent digital signage vending kiosk solutions at this year's show in Amsterdam.

February 4, 2015

Large-format touch sensor provider visualplanet will showcase its latest touch technology product, the Single User touchfoil, deployed within a range of live applications at ISE 2015 in Amsterdam.

On display will be a touch-enabled, smart vending machine from visualplanet partner VE Global Vending Inc. incorporating the latest touch sensor technology for heavy-duty applications. The VE CONNECT interactive vending machine will demonstrate the benefits to the vending experience when enabled by the Single User touchfoil, the company said. Visitors can be entertained and engaged with fun interactive apps while buying from the machine.

With advances in technology, digital information is being increasingly used to activate customer relationships within the retail sector, visualplanet said in the announcement, and, when incorporated with a vending machine, touchscreens create a dynamic and personalized shopping experience.

Visualplanet's latest innovation has been engineered to meet the specific demands of the retail vending sector, the company said.

Dan Spencer, product manager, visualplanet, said, "Our Single User touchfoil development has focused on the vital performance characteristics within the retail arena: the ability to work consistently through thick glass, low maintenance and reliability in the field. Small-format touch sensors have become an integral part of our day-to-day lives, so consumers demand a natural touch experience on a large-format screen that replicates the experience with which they have become so familiar. Furthermore, design plays an increasingly important role in our customers' product development process; our behind-glass sensor offers a superior design aesthetic as well as heightened security and reliability, combining progressive design and glass selection with optimized performance."

Working in partnership with VE Global Vending, visualplanet created an enhanced bespoke product that will become a standard component of VEGV's future interactive touchscreen vending machine solution. Based in technology center Cambridge in the U.K., visualplanet custom designed a touchfoil that works through glass up to 20mm thick. Positioned inside the VE CONNECT interactive vending kit, on the back of the glass, the touch sensor is protected within the unit, so it is designed to be robust, reliable and able to withstand heavy daily usage.

The intelligent remote monitoring of the machine status and inventory — combined with the interactive user interface — means that screens can be changed on-demand or scheduled based on criteria, such as day of the week, or time of day for a single machine, or the network. Programs can even be tied to online campaigns to build loyalty and customize the offer based on anonymous demographics. Advanced analytics and reporting allow inventory to be managed more effectively, with discounts or bundling offers being applied to slow-moving or about-to-expire line items, the company said.