TRANSPORTATION

From checking out at the grocery store, to ordering food at a restaurant, or finding their way at an airport, people want fast and convenient self-service options.

In recent years, Olivier Raulot, founder and CEO at iNUI Studio, observed how innovation leaders across many industries have been searching for hygienic self-service options. “The need for touchless technology solutions is real and increasing,” Raulot shares. “Businesses successfully delivering upon this—not only for health and safety but to provide delightful experiences—will establish their brands as people-centric and forward-thinking.”

Advancements in computer vision and touchless technology are changing the game, giving users the safe and simple experience they’re looking for. And businesses gain all sorts of new opportunities to grow sales, reduce costs, and streamline operations.

The potential use cases for interactive, touchless screen solutions are boundless, and many organizations around the world are taking the leap.

The potential use cases for interactive, #touchless #screen solutions are boundless, and many organizations around the world are taking the leap. @airxtouch via @insightdottech

Smart Self-Service Options from North America to Europe

One example is the Bergen, Norway Airport and Tourist Information Center, where iNUI Studio, a Luxembourg-based deep tech company, has deployed its AIRxTOUCH KIOSKs throughout the terminal and visitors center. The interactive touchless screen solution is engaging locals and international travelers alike as they plan their visit.

Anders Nyland, CEO of Visit Bergen, believes that good digital technology is synonymous with good hospitality, which is achieved by delivering new and engaging visitor experiences. Nyland saw an opportunity to make helpful and promotional information more accessible by positioning iNUI’s interactive displays in high-traffic tourist locations.

Now Bergen visitors can safely and easily use these touchless kiosks to navigate the area confidently, book a fjord tour, or find the best restaurants nearby. And the Bergen tourism bureau can more effectively promote businesses and destinations today and into the future (Video 1).

Infinite Options with Touchless Technology

The flexibility and scalability of iNUI Studio’s touchless kiosk solutions also offer great experiences in other use cases, including foodservice and the corporate office.

For example, St-Hubert, a Canadian restaurant chain famous for their spit-roast chicken and legendary BBQ sauce, was the first North American quick-serve restaurants (QSRs) to roll out the AIRxTOUCH solution. The company’s goal was to offer customers a self-service experience through interactive digital screens. The result is a highly hygienic and engaging experience where diners can order their favorite menu items without physical contact, through intuitive gestures. St-Hubert wins by improving customer satisfaction, creating repeat business, and upselling menu items.

Another shift the world has experienced as a result of the pandemic is the adoption of hybrid and remote work. Maintaining social cohesion for employees in that context can be quite challenging. For that reason, fast-growing law firm Arendt decided to implement 29 AIRxTOUCH kiosks throughout their corporate offices in Luxembourg.

This solution enables Arendt to seamlessly communicate valuable of information to more than 1,000 employees such as corporate news and events, real-time traffic conditions, the cafeteria menu, respond to surveys, and more. Employees can interact with informative and social content through the touchless screen experience.

The company sees strong enthusiasm from their staff in using the new communication tools. The usage statistics are promising, and this new format allows them to communicate more creatively on a wide variety of subjects.

Easing Touchless Interactive Screen Adoption

Because interacting with digital screens with hand gestures is not always intuitive, Raulot believes adoption requires non-intrusive technology that doesn’t require a learning curve. “We intentionally preserve the gesture behaviors users have when interacting with touchscreen devices, with our gesture recognition technology,” says Raulot. “For touchless adoption to grow, it’s critical to have well-designed software aligned with specific usage context and taking users’ psychology into account—especially avoiding cognitive biases.”

Enabling this is iNUI’s proprietary computer vision engine that processes images in real time with low CPU/GPU consumption. It also delivers an impressive touchpoint accuracy of less than 3mm when interacting with the kiosk, preventing erroneous clicks and delivering an intuitive user experience.

According to Raulot, partnerships with Intel and Samsung provide both essential technology and marketing opportunities for iNUI Studio and its solutions. “Intel brings the computing performance and reliability with its compact Intel^® NUC mini PC and the technical support we need,” says Raulot. “Samsung, our digital display provider, not only elevates the experience of our solution but also the international visibility of our product with demos in their showroom.”

Interactive touch-free digital screen technology is the next wave in self-service, delivering safe and delightful user experiences and new ways for businesses to grow and thrive.