With kiosks becoming more and more common it’s no surprise to see them evolving and improving as the days go by. New technology is not only being invented and re-imagined all the time, it is also becoming more affordable and accessible for companies across the globe. In today’s piece, we take a look at the technology that will shape the future for kiosks:
RFID
Radio Frequency Identification is fast becoming the nation’s favourite technological advancement – especially in the field of shopping and supermarkets. To simplify the checkout process, customers no longer need to manually scan all their items at the end of their shop; instead they scan as they move around and simply load their full shop onto the checkout in one fell swoop.
This technology is being implemented in thousands of kiosks and carrying out a variety of tasks previously thought to be unchangeable. One such application includes baggage handling at airports – check in kiosks are now commonplace but once you check in your luggage; you are still hoping that it will arrive on the same flight as you do! RFID tags would allow users to print tags with detailed information attached to them making the sorting process much, much easier!
Digital Signage Personalisation
At one time, digital signage was thought to be a concept best kept to those who had more money than sense but now it’s quite the opposite. They have become so affordable that they are being used for a number of purposes that we never thought could justify the usage of previously expensive tech.
For example, obtaining accurate customer feedback can be a tiresome task for staff but self-service kiosks have produced a reliable solution. To simplify the task of collecting data, kiosks and digital signage are now used as feedback points in many shops, outlets and businesses for users to rate their experience – thereby increasing the feedback obtained exponentially and allowing the business to develop.
NFC
Near Field Communication (NFC) is a very similar concept to Bluetooth communication in that compatible devices can link to one another based on a common application or function. Modern NFC is far more advanced than Bluetooth, however, and can be used for much more complex tasks than file transfer or music streaming.
NFC can now be used to process payments or transfer huge files/documents at the tap of a compatible device – Apple Pay and Bump are major advancements in the NFC field. Experts estimated over 50% of devices would be NFC compatible by the end of the year and when you look at your mobile phone or smartwatch, you can’t help but agree they were right.