Eching, Germany – A new open pluggable specification (OPS) compliant modular solution designed to make digital signage applications more connected, intelligent and secure, has been launched by Kontron. It results, says the company, in devices that are easier to install, use and maintain.
Through use of Kontron´s KOPS800 series modular digital signage solutions, companies are expected to achieve higher levels of customer satisfaction from users of their digital signage-based systems, through increased uptime provided by remote management capabilities that enable easier upgrades and scheduling of repairs.
Real-time information obtainable from the pre-validated content creation and content management software supported by the Kontron KOPS800 is said to give companies access to actionable business data. it is also able to provide viewers with a dynamic, media-rich experience tailored to their needs. The result of all this is a solution that can significantly increase business profitability, says Kontron.
Designated the Kontron KOPS800, the new system is based on the OPS specification created by Intel® to help standardise the design and development of digital signage applications that use LCD, touch screens or projector display technologies. As an industry-standard system solution that can be docked into any OPS-compliant display, the Kontron KOPS800 simplifies development, reduces implementation costs and speeds the time-to-market of a wide variety of enhanced functionality and graphics-intensive digital signage. This helps customers to deliver a richer user experience for information and retail systems that will be part of the retrofit of discrete legacy systems worldwide.
The Kontron KOPS800 system has at its core the Kontron COMe-bSC6, which delivers a proven Computer-on-Module (COM) solution that provides high-end graphics and display support features. Utilising the Kontron COMe-bSC6 gives OEMs a modular approach that enables optimised and cost-effective scalability of application-specific implementations in terms of graphics and processing performance. It also offers a clear migration path that maps out upgrades for future digital signage requirements, thereby future-proofing customers’ technology investments.
This totally OPS v1.0 compliant system integrates the powerful 2nd Generation Intel® Core™ processors (up to 2x 2.7GHz), and is pre-validated for use with a Microsoft Windows Embedded OS (such as WES7 Pro 64-bit) and Intel® Audience Impression Metric (Intel® AIM Suite) technology based on Anonymous Viewer Analytics (AVA) software.
Digital signage systems employing the Kontron KOPS800 with the AIM Suite and running a content management system (CMS) can simultaneously play high-definition video while gathering valuable viewer demographics without invading their privacy, to push custom-tailored messaging to the target audience which results in delivering a rich, immersive user experience that can offer significant infrastructure cost savings.
“Manufacturers of digital signage applications will find the Kontron KOPS800 system an ideal solution that simplifies device installation, usage, maintenance and upgrades overcoming many of the market fragmentation issues that have plagued the industry,” said Kevin Rhoads, vice president, Embedded Products Business Unit, Kontron. “Kontron is known as an innovator of scalable embedded technology and the KOPS800 helps to future-proof designs by enabling interoperability and networking connectivity with other equipment. Plus, the pre-validation of the AIM Suite software fully supports the dynamic content requirements of a wide range of companies that are deploying smart and connected digital signage systems.”
To illustrate how the Kontron KOPS800 is integrated with other devices, a simplified example of a fast food ordering kiosk application explains the advancements it delivers. After the Kontron KOPS800 (which includes a Microsoft WES7 Pro 64-bit OS) is plugged into any OPS-compliant display, the developer has access to the pre-validated Intel® AIM software and content creative and management software.
This enables the system to push tailored information to the customer as well as communicate information about user preferences back to the business in real time. For instance, when a mother with a small child goes to the kiosk to order food, the Intel® AIM Suite software allows it to recognise the aspects of the buyer, and is able to display a promotional screen about healthy child meals with a toy. The customer has the choice of either buying the promoted items or going to the regular menu.
The kiosk is equipped for credit card or cash transactions, provides a receipt and then communicates the order to the kitchen. When ready, a staffer gives the selected meal to the customer and scans the barcode on the receipt to confirm that the meal has been delivered. At the same time that the order is communicated to the kitchen, this customer data is also communicated to the corporate marketing team enabling them to have important customer data on the effectiveness of their kiosk promotions.
“At Intel, we created the Open Pluggable Specification to help standardise the digital signage industry, so innovative companies such as Kontron can eliminate the integration issues between the computing engine and the display,” said Jose Avalos, director of visual retail at Intel. “Now, OEMs can deliver rich multimedia content, and system owners can track and measure viewer response to deliver real-time, customised content and gather actionable marketing data to make informed decisions on the fly.”
The Kontron KOPS800 is based on the Intel® Core™ i7 processor architecture and the Intel® 6 Series HM65 /QM67 chipset. It features a comprehensive range of externally accessible I/O including Gigabit Ethernet RJ-45, two USB 3.0 ports, a HDMI connector and audio jack. The Kontron KOPS800 also supports OPS JAE interconnect I/O such as HDMI, DisplayPort and USB 2.0 and 3.0. For added security, it supports Intel® vPro with Intel® Active Management Technology and features 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi for wireless connectivity. It also offers up to 8GB of dual channel DDR3-1600 non-ECC system memory and 80GB mSATA HD integrated storage.
