Month: April 2020

We are in an oxymoronic time, where we must practice restraint and responsible social distancing., but also find find ways to continue commerce. 3D Wayfinder recognizes it’s responsibility as a member of the business community, but even more as a part of the wider humankind. Digital signage and wayfinding software have a part to play in finding a balance between caution and business continuity. Our response to COVID-19 is also shaped by this sense of duty.

A long-term response to COVID-19

3D Wayfinder is introducing a special program to enable organizations to make an inexpensive investment to keep their clients and staff safe. ALL OUR LICENSES ARE 45% MORE AFFORDABLE. This applies to projects that are initiated in the months of May and June. The aim of this offer is to encourage people to consider wayfinding software, even if they didn’t deem it necessary before.

Get a working application in a month!

Time is of the essence and we aren’t in the business of wasting it. You can get yourself a fully working wayfinding solution in a month! We have a dedicated and passionate team that is focused on delivering a quality product as fast as possible, without sacrificing quality. All we need from you are the plans of the building and instructions in the design of the User Interface.

Mobile applications

An effective response to COVID-19 is based on reducing unnecessary human contact. Here’s how we can help out. Mobile applications is the most direct way to communicate with people. A mobile app is easily downloaded and will guide people safely to their destination. You can place QR codes throughout the building to give people additional information. As a result you can reduce direct contact between clients and staff to urgent situations only. In case of an emergency you can send out a push notification with instructions. The statistical data received from people’s movements also makes it easier to plan your venue to ensure everybody’s safety.

Web application

The best thing about a web-based application, in the context of social distancing, is the ability to pre-plan your movements before leaving home. Your facility’s visitor’s can get exact instructions and not endanger themselves and others by wandering around. A web-based 3D model gives people a life true idea of what the building and hallways look like. Clients can scan QR codes on walls to access relevant pages of your website. We can also integrate existing functions of your website to create dynamic new opportunities.

Kiosk solutions

For obvious reasons touchscreen kiosks can be tricky. Thankfully there already are antibacterial touchscreens. Also, voice activated kiosks are an option. Kiosks are useful for conducting transactions without human contact. You don’t need two people face-to-face to register for an appointment, pay for one or print a prescription. Hospitals and other healthcare installations would greatly benefit from solutions like these.

In times like these it can be hard to know what exactly is the right response to COVID-19. People in positions of leadership are criticized for doing too much, and for doing too little. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t. While we hope for the best, we definitely should stay on the side of caution. Consequently, creating options that ensure your clients’ and staff’s safety should be a priority for all employers. This isn’t the first and won’t be the last time that we face a challenge like this.

You can contact us here or get a quote here!

Our goal at 3D Wayfinder has always been to bring affordable products and services, without sacrificing quality. Accordingly, we have made a few updates in our 3D model rendering. We are constantly updating our software to enhance your experience and to stay competitive in the venue management and digital signage market.

Like in motion pictures, computer graphics create images at a certain frequency – frames per second (FPS). This dictates how we perceive motion and the smoothness of it. For example, early silent films had a FPS of about 16-24. This was enough to give a lifelike representation of movement, that would amaze people. Our usual frame rate is 30 FPS, because anything larger is unnecessary. In addition, FPS also affects the performance of the devices that process it. Obviously, the higher the FPS and the level of detail, the more resources a device has to allocate to display it.

Our 3D models have a varied level of detail, according to the client’s wishes. For instance, a 3D model of a hospital can contain chairs, people and beds with pillows and blankets.

More Detailed Shadows Without Reducing Performance

In order to reduce pressure on the device’s GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) we have stopped the rendering of shadows for every frame. The position of a theoretical sun in the model is always the same. Therefore the shadows stay the same as well. There is no need to waste resources on rendering shadows again and again. The shadows still change according to the number of floors displayed. This allows the device to save energy and use it’s processing power for other needs.

Moreover, we added an option to increase the level of detail for shadows. Until now we used a 2048×2048 image for shadows, which is fine for smaller projects. Now it is possible to increase size from our settings page depending on the hardware capabilities of your project. This doesn’t reduce the device’s performance in a significant way, but does offer a more realistic experience.

These might be a small changes, but we believe that fine-tuning details like these make us the market leader!

Airports, harbors, railway stations and other junctions can be massive facilities. For example, the Shinjuku Station in Tokyo is one of the busiest in the world and services a million (!) people daily. The large number of commuters, staff, supplementary businesses and the train traffic itself need to be organized efficiently. This is the reason why wayfinding for transportation hubs should be considered.

Comprehensive venue management systems and wayfinding for transportation hubs

Finding your way in a crowded unfamiliar place under time pressure can be a stressful experience for anyone. Having an intuitive 3D model of a transportation hub online helps people preplan their movements and also reduces the need for staff. But 3D Wayfinder solutions are so much more than just pointing people in the right direction. There are nearly endless ways to integrate the needs and functions of a a facility into our systems.

Making life easier for travelers

The kiosk solutions are an excellent example of that. Kiosks can be used to print tickets or identification cards. In the Sepinggan International Airport we created a solution that allows people to scan the barcode on their ticket and get directions exactly to the gate they need. Furthermore, it’s possible to create an integrated solution that guides travelers beyond the transportation hub. Showing relevant public transportation schedules, taxi contacts and their fares or even weather forecasts.

Untapped business potential

Implementing 3DWayfinder solutions also means opportunities for all the businesses involved with the venue. You can have local sales and special offers for the cafes, stores and restaurants. A flight is delayed? Why not have a discount for those passengers in a nearby Starbucks! With the mobile app it is easy to notify people about these kinds of special offers. Also, the mobile app is useful for letting people know about delays or other important announcements.

Increasing the venue’s efficiency

Another important aspect to consider is the managerial opportunities. It is possible to remotely control things such as lighting, humidity and ventilation. Remotely locking or unlocking doors in times of emergencies could quite literally save lives. The kiosks, website and mobile app users also provide valuable information about how travelers move and which facilities are the most popular. These insights can help make the facility more customer friendly and efficient. This in turn will increase the venues popularity over time.

Wayfinding for transportation hubs is certainly a way to take your operations to a whole new level. There are always ways to improve and to automatize certain functions. Making finding your way in a busy terminal, and therefore increasing customer satisfaction, should be a priority for all transportation hubs. Combining this with increased business and streamlined operations will be a winning combination.

Get in touch with us to learn more!

We are facing a global public health crisis that is unprecedented. The effects of this event will have long term consequences in the social, economic, political and technological spheres. I have no doubt that we will emerge from these hard times sooner or later. It is up to us as individuals, workers and leaders to make sure that we learn from our past mistakes. Using wayfinding at a time of a pandemic can be a way to reduce human contact and to save lives.

Staying safe in these trying times

COVID-19 spreads through small respiratory droplets produced when people breathe, speak or cough. The virus isn’t airborne per se, but standing close to someone that is infected is dangerous. The best way to curb the spread of the virus is social distancing, washing your hands regularly and not touching your face with your hands.

Many countries and enterprises have enacted measures to limit people’s movement and contact with varying results. People in the most affected areas like Europe and China are advised to stay home as much as possible. This in return means that e-commerce is booming. Everything from toilet paper and food to spare parts for machines are ordered online. Yet there are some instances where leaving the house is unavoidable.

Reducing risk through 3D Wayfinder solutions

You might need to visit the doctor in person, conduct business that might not be safe to do online or buy something essential that just isn’t available online. Making sure that these kinds of interactions are safe for everybody involved is of the utmost of importance. Using 3D Wayfinding solutions can be a useful tool in this regard and can make a small difference.

Using large screens or kiosks to guide people through buildings is an obvious way to reduce human contact. Although using kiosks should be done with caution, as it is a possible point of spreading the virus, so proper hygiene must be applied. Having an online version or a mobile app with a 3D model of the building, that tells people which corridors to use or where to find certain services saves time and is safer.

In addition to wayfinding, there are many ways to integrate other features into your solution to keep people safe. A mobile application used by a firm’s employees is a good way to communicate and to give urgent information to everybody or to specific people. For example, in case of a fire, it is possible to show people the safest route to evacuate. Or you might need to remotely lock certain doors or shut down electricity . This is also possible to integrate into your unique solution.

It is quite certain that this won’t be the last time that we face a global pandemic that requires social distancing to stay safe. Now is definitely the best time to think about your employees’ and customers’ safety and invest in it. Customers will undoubtedly recognize and gravitate towards companies that value their health. Using wayfinding at a time of a pandemic and beyond will be a worthy investment.