Magazines Archives - 2010 February

Intel unveils ‘holographic’ digital signage prototype
Story 13 - Retail Technology

Leading semiconductor chip manufacturer, Intel Corporation, unveiled a multitouch, multi-user Intelligent Digital Signage Concept prototype at the National Retail Federation’s Convention in
New York City, USA, last month. The breakthrough product is slated to take retailers and consumers alike beyond the one-way communication channel that is today’s digital signage industry.

The 7.5ft tall interactive system, which comes with CognoVision’s anonymous video analytics system that can determine a consumer’s gender, approximate age and time of day, among other features, can help retailers better identify their consumer, allowing them to customise their ads accordingly.

Said Joe Jensen, general manager of Intel Embedded Computing Division:“As stores seek more competitive advantages over online retailers, digital signage has become a valuable technology for dispersing targeted and interactive content to shoppers … We designed the Intel Intelligent Digital Signage Concept to show that retailers can engage and interact with consumers in a more personal and compelling manner through new usage models such as augmented reality and interactive product explorations, which in turn could yield an increase in revenue and customer loyalty.”

The prototype’s holographic touchscreen allows customers to tour the store virtually, shop and read reviews, and share feedback with family and friends.

Jose Avalos, Intel’s digital signage director, added: “Over the past three years, we’ve invested in digital signage, but last year we decided this really needed to be an area of focus for us.” The
prototype, he continued, was designed to “motivate the industry towards advance usage models that address users’ needs in a retail environment”.

While the system is a demo unit that showcases the company’s Core i7 processors, Avalos maintained: “The proof-of-concept looks at applications three to five years down the road, but
the computing element can be used for today’s digital signage.”

The system also operates on a Microsoft Windows Embedded Standard 2011 software, which has been optimised for digital signage technology, the company revealed. “We started working with
Microsoft last year, and the response we’re getting from the partnership announcement is just tremendous. It indicates a shift in the industry where large corporations and multinationals
are starting to come into the market. I think it will help with industry fragmentation,” Avalos said.

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