Thursday, March 28, 2024

Mad Systems showcases new touchless technology

Mad Systems Inc. demonstrated their latest offerings for museums, theme parks, and visitor centers during a recent webinar entitled “Touchless Technology.” This webinar was the latest installment of their AV++™ Webinar Series. The technology innovators revealed three options for contact-less options with touchscreen-type applications. These non-contact solutions are designed to allow clients to include safe interactive exhibits after the COVID-19 peak. 

“Ultimately, we have at least four solutions to deal with touchscreen exhibits, “says Brandy Alvarado, Business Development Manager for Mad Systems. “For some people, touching is still acceptable. So for those visitors we can use touchscreens as they stand. In cases where IR bezels are used, we can move those further away from the screen, and existing touchscreens can be upgraded for non-touch use by adding an IR bezel. That touch overlay is moved away from the monitor or monitors, for a touchless option. Interactive content designers would need to account for an adjusted parallax and make sure any ‘buttons’ are big enough to accommodate this change to the monitor.

“Another very affordable development is our Facial Tracking system built into our QuickSilver™ touchless interactive media servers. Patrons stand in front of the touch screen, look at the screen, and their facial movement is used to guide the cursor. To activate a button, just look at it for a second or so and the selection will be made.”

We can also provide an alternate way for users to interact with a touchscreen by adding one of our sensors. Graphics could be included on or off-screen to indicate possible selections for users to activate content. All users would need to do is break the plane of the sensor, and the selection is made. Sensors provide an additional touchless method for controlling an interactive.

Lastly, with the help of QR codes, Mad’s flexible QuickSilver™ system can allow for BYOD (Bring-Your-Own-Device) capabilities. Alvarado explains that, “QuickSilver™ is designed with all kinds of user interfaces; it was easy for us to add a BYOD type of interface. Activate the camera on your phone or tablet, scan the QR code mounted with the interactive or show on the screen and the controls for the interactive will come up on your device. With all of these options, there’s clearly no reason for visitors to be fearful of your exhibits.”

During the live demo portion of the webinar, which can be viewed on Mad Systems’ website and YouTube channel, the team takes you through the Mad Lab to showcase these latest developments.

“We’ve introduced several compelling alternatives to consider as a solution for designing a healthier and more sanitary experience for patrons,” says Maris Ensing, Founder and Engineer. “As we now know, the COVID virus can stay on surfaces for a very long time. We’ve taken a very serious look at this and designed solutions to future-proof venues and make them safer. We want people to go back to a life that is closer to ’normal’, and that means that we have to make some changes. When it comes to theme parks, museums and visitor centers,and even office settings and trade shows, we need to create safe environments where people can be entertained and educated without ongoing concerns about catching this virus. We have to do something to get our lives back to a better kind of normal.”

For more information about Mad’s Touchless Technology go to www.madsystems.com or to their social media platforms.

Submit news to: [email protected]

Joe Kleiman
Joe Kleimanhttp://wwww.themedreality.com
Raised in San Diego on theme parks, zoos, and IMAX films, InPark's Senior Correspondent Joe Kleiman would expand his childhood loves into two decades as a projectionist and theater director within the giant screen industry. In addition to his work in commercial and museum operations, Joe has volunteered his time to animal husbandry at leading facilities in California and Texas and has played a leading management role for a number of performing arts companies. Joe previously served as News Editor and has remained a contributing author to InPark Magazine since 2011. HIs writing has also appeared in Sound & Communications, LF Examiner, Jim Hill Media, The Planetarian, Behind the Thrills, and MiceChat His blog, ThemedReality.com takes an unconventional look at the attractions industry. Follow on twitter @ThemesRenewed Joe lives in Sacramento, California with his wife, dog, and a ghost.

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