Tag: digital signage

We have all seen QR codes in product labels, marketing ads, on business cards, in logistic labels, self service solutions and many other places. Today you can even get it free on online platforms like QR Code-Monkey . But did you know that QR code is very handy in indoor tracking and wayfinder software?

Here are five ways we can apply QR code to make life easier for end users:

1. QR code helps you avoid viruses!

QR code scan allows to use indoor positioning software on your phone with out need to touch kiosk glass. This option is in use especially in healthcare industry. It is easier for older people as well, as you do not need to download anything to your smartphone. After scanning QR code you can open HTML page with map and use it like on self-service kiosk but on your phone. And there is no fear that you can catch viruses by touching public use self-service kiosks.

2. QR code on 2D & 3D wayfinder software UI!

Self-service kiosks are often pricey and placing it in every floor is out of the question. This is especially case in big hotels, hospitals and universities with more than 5 floors. Even departments stores like to use this option for their visitors and they have self-service kiosk on every floor. Placing QR code on kiosk UI then visitors can easily scan it and carry on their journey with map on phone. There is no need to find another digital signage stand, you have it now on your smartphone. When done, you can easily close HTML page and no software stays on your phone.

3. QR solution for city blocks or old town map!

I understand, first question is: “but everyone can use Google maps?”. Yes of course, it is absolutely an option. But there are time when city or business centers with multiple buildings want more customized solution. This allows to use unique design and better search option, for example tourist attractions. When outdoor self service kiosk can be vandalized or climate is not very welcoming for hardware then QR code can be user proof solution. Then tourist can scan QR code from printed outdoor city maps and get map to phone. Outdoor we can use GPS tracking and get live movement on software making it like customized Google maps.

4. QR code with native app!

Using QR solutions and ibeacons with native app gives a lot more option. iBeacons gives you live movement on map, knowing exactly where visitors are positioned. For example, if we cover parking lots with QR codes, then client can save their location and app remembers your location. After shopping you can get direction back to your car with out hassle. You might think: “But I have never seen this anywhere”. In reality, it is used extensively in Middle-Eastern countries where department stores are huge. You can apply this practice in many other sector, for example in healthcare. To find a way in hospitals you scan QR code, specially made for specific floor and hospital wing. Scan it, get your location and find quickly way to next doctor cabinet. Same way you can apply it in larger business centers.

5. QR code inside indoor positioning software!

Indoor positioning software is not a place you put extended information of companies and stores. Simply, people just use kiosks for direction, read quick intro or look when businesses or stores are open. In this case it is good option to use QR code to give extra information or listed company e-store link. If store is closed, visitor can still check kiosk and scan QR code to open e-store link on smartphone and save it for later purchase.

You have QR code project in mind or idea but not sure id it can be done.

Contact us or get a quote from us we will find just right solution for you!

3D Wayfinder team.

We have tested 3D Wayfinder integration with Digitalsignage.com software. Integrating wayfinding with digital signage media management gives additional purpose for advertising screens.

DigitalSignage.com is created by MediaSignage Inc. It is free digital signage software. Including signage player and media content management. Their software is used in over 200 countries. Since the first release, the software has been installed on hundreds of thousands of PCs.

DigitalSignage.com software is web-based. So it is really easy to use 3D Wayfinder as a part of the media player screen layout. Let’s say, that there are top and bottom advertisement banners on the portrait screen and wayfinding application is set-up on the middle of screen.

Screensaver mode

More advanced integration is switching advertisements with wayfinding application. This is something, we call “screensaver mode” when creating layouts for 3D Wayfinder. With Digital Signage software the simple way is to switch between wayfinding and advertising screen. Digital signage itself lets you create switching timelines, channels and content. We do not go into that much. Because there are plenty of examples in their documentation.

More sophisticated way to change between 2D map and screensaver can accomplish with event and triggers. Under Digitalsignage.com documentation http://docs.digitalsignage.com/ look for remote values. It describes what should be include in your app to be able to send event to their server.

Two functions that are important in 3D Wayfinder events case are ‘onSessionStart’ and ‘onSessionEnd’. They both are used by our statistics module. But if you do not have any need for statistics then you could overwrite these functions.

With signage free version you can use our 2D map with ease. Just include HTML component into your campaign and add link to your project.

From documentation we could find out that signage players HTML component does not support webgl. But according to docs we should be able to get out 3D maps working with Browser component and signage player should be working on windows machine. Browser component is available for enterprise users.

We have recently experimented with a Raspberry Pi 3 Model B, to see how it can work as media player for digital signage display or wayfinding information kiosk. As a result we can say, it works well with 2D wayfinding maps and with 3D Wayfinder Advertisement Module.

What is Raspberry Pi?

Raspberry Pi is a small credit card sized linux based open source computer. It is equipped with:
– Broadcom 64-bit quad core CPU clocked @ 1.2 GHz,
– 1GB of RAM,
– built-in WLAN and BLE modules,
– HDMI output.

But everything is soldered to the board hence there is no option to upgrade, except for the microSD card. You can also have a nice box for it, so it doesn’t look like a hackers development board.

Compared to other small form factor computers like Intel NUC or Gigabyte BRIX, it is much cheaper. Raspberry Pi with a nice case and microSD card would cost about 50..70 USD. The NUC or BRIX boxes start at 110..130 USD new, and you still need to equip them with a hard drive (SSD/HDD) and memory module(s) (DDR3/DDR4 SO-DIMM RAM) which would cost you about an extra 30 USD for a 32GB SSD and ~25 USD for DDR3 or ~30 USD for DDR4. Totalling up to about 165..190 USD.

Raspberry PI plays in Full HD, so it is not a problem to use large resolution screens.

Enable WebGL

For 3D the Raspberry is still a bit weak and by default it doesn’t have WebGL enabled. To enable WebGL you have to:
1. Open up the terminal application (or command prompt if you prefer to call it that)
2. run command sudo raspi-config
3. navigate to Advanced Options
4. enable GL support.

The GPU on the Raspberry PI 3 Model B doesn’t support floating point textures, so we cannot use transparent textures.

To build wayfinding or digital signage project based on Raspberry Pi you need to use a special linux distribution that opens a browser in full-screen mode instead of the regular desktop interface.

At the same time the kiosk based on Raspberry Pi is quite bullet-proof. There’s no need to worry about excessive power consumption as it actually only consumes about 3.7W under full load and only about 1.4W when playing a FullHD video, which is roughly 10% of the Intel NUCs ~38W while under full system load and ~18W while watching a FullHD video.

It boots up fast from a microSD card which can be easily replaced when it wears out or breaks.

Although remote managing a kiosk that uses a Raspberry Pi can prove to be quite a cumbersome task as you cannot use regular GUI remote management tools like Teamviewer or LogMeIn. The fastest way to remote manage the Raspberry Pi is to use SSH, which is a CLI (Command Line Interface) and this might scare-off most of the users that are not used to poking around via a CLI.

We are pleased to announce that 3D Technologies R&D has launched a service for software developers to visualize and interact with 3D floor plans. For example users can create Wayfinding, Smart House and Architecture visualization solutions. Using 3D Wayfinder floor plan application will save development time and gives users out of the box floor plan. The solution runs on touch-screen kiosks, mobile devices and websites, which makes it well scalable.

There are many areas where indoor wayfinding solution is useful and even unavoidable, such as shopping centres, transportation stations, sports facilities, hospitals, university campuses, etc. All of these facilities have different kinds of integration needs. This service enables developers to focus on these needs and not to waste time on additional development.

3D Wayfinder takes advantage of the possibilities offered by HTML5 and WebGL, that work on all modern web browsers. Taavi Juursalu, the company’s CTO says: „Our JavaScript API enables developers to intersect and send map specific events, so customizing the map is as easy as the Google Maps API. “

The platform is currently in beta version and therefore free of charge. The company’s Sales and Marketing Manager Rainer Saar adds: „3D Wayfinder for Developers is one of a kind tool in the World today that helps to widen Digital Signage and indoor wayfinding possibilities. Our service enables any developer to start creating applications without the need for specific skills in 3D field“.

3D Technologies R&D is also offering a full wayfinding solution with 3D floor plans and customer specific software development service. Today, 3DWayfinder helps to find the way in many shopping malls and transportation hubs across the World.

We are pleased to invite You to join us at Integrated Systems Europe 2014 trade show.

There are a lot of new exciting technology solutions and we want You to have the opportunity to see all of them. In 2013 ISE attracted over 44,000 attendees, where 894 exhibitors occupied more than 33,000 square meters of total net floor space. There were more than 1,000 new products launched and because of that it is one of the most waited and important events in the industry.

When and where?

4-6 of February in Amsterdam. Information about location, opening hours & admission prices You can find by clicking here.

How to register? 

All the information about the registration You can find from here.

You can find us at booth: 8-F312.

Hope to see You there.

Today we are presenting 3D Wayfinder at Hospitality Technology Day in Meriton Grand Conference & Spa Hotel.

It’s a first time event specialized on introducing the possibilities of Digital Signage in hospitality sector.

Where is people there’s always a question of orientating – 3DWayfinder for hotels and spa’s.

3D Technologies R&D presented it’s 3D Wayfinder software at Rock IT Con 2013 fair from 24-25 of August. It was a first time event specialized on bringing together IT companies from Russia and Estonia. Our software got a lot of attraction by many companies and also by visitors from the street. We had a good opportunity to present some of our projects on our partners ML Novator’s kiosk.

Now we have a reseller in Hong Kong and Macau area, Look Easy Group Limited. In case of any queries from this region please contact Mr. Nuno Duque at nuno@lookeasy.asia

After finishing WebGL version of 3DWayfinder software we are planning to create one very useful tool for administrating the content. This is Map Generator, which enables users to create and change 3D maps by themselves. Hopefully this tool will be ready to use from third quarter of 2013.

We are happy to announce that Estonia will be attending COMEX to host an exposition of the latest breakthroughs in e-services.

With a population of about half of Oman’s, Estonia has gained an international reputation as an e-society.

At COMEX 2013, Estonia will be presenting their both innovative solutions for the public sector, as  well as solutions especially tailored for SMEs. The latter include products and services from the financial and logistics sector as well as cloud-based ERP solutions. The Estonian delegation includes Estonian ICT Cluster, Nortal, Net Group, 3D Technologies as well as the Estonian Information  System’s Authority.

About COMEX