The following video was picked up from a Slashdot article. It displays a system that allows a user to control the interface on a screen without having to touch anything at all. The controller does not have attach devices to track coordinates either. Static electricity sensors pick up the coordinates and movements of the individuals' hand. Technology like this will trump motion sensitivity any day of the week because it makes the experience interactive, but takes away the need for external gadgetry and solicits a reaction without the need for touch. Pretty slick! Especially for those who are afraid of getting Swine Flu by using a touchscreen sign. 

Digital signage has fantastic potential, potential which, in my experience, is rarely realised by the majority of digital signage users.

End-users often like the idea of digital signage. Retailers may see the advantages of being able to quickly update content to advertise, for example, umbrellas when it’s raining. Schools may be impressed that they can schedule healthy eating messages to play at lunch time. However, once the system is installed they don’t have the time or know-how to get the most from their installation. The IT technician who said he could create some content on an old version of Photoshop he had at home starts to resent spending his evenings trying to knock something half-decent together.

After a few months screens often end up playing unsuitable, stagnant content or, worst of all, no content at all.

In the UK, I see a lot of screens either blank or playing content which is not suitable and which will, as a result, have a minimal or negative effect on viewers. The text is too small to read, the content is designed for TV and does not work without sound, the content doesn't fit in with the dwell time. The list of deficiencies goes on.

Resellers, integrators and digital signage hardware and software companies may not care too much what happens to the screens after they have installed them and been paid. After all, it’s not up to them to make the most of the kit. Or is it? In the longer term, I think this lack of interest in the content on screens may well do damage to those companies’ sales and to the industry in general.

If end-users’ screens are utilised with fresh, high-quality content they are much more likely to view digital signage as a success, upgrade existing kit and invest in more kit further down the line. They are also more likely to recommend digital signage to others.

At the recent Screen Media Expo in London I saw a number of companies promoting 3D screens – the industry is still struggling to get innovative, affordable content playing on normal 2D screens, let alone on 3D screens!

What do you think? Do you agree or disagree? Please comment below.

Lewis Holmes is Head of Digital Signage Content at Switched-on Media, a UK based digital signage content producer.

The Digital Signage industry offers a wide array of career possibilities in a tough economy. Software programmers, stock photo and video content creators and graphic designers are just a few of the many skilled men and women that will be needed as this fledging advertising industry increases in momentum.

A customer that desires to begin advertising using Digital Signage has two principle ways to go about using the medium of Digital Signage. One can go with a company that serves as a consulting firm, that will manage the account and advertisements, including the design and layout of one’s ad, or one can purchase the software and manage one’s own advertisement, controlling the ad layout from a personal computer. Both avenues still require the acquisition of screen real-estate and that is a topic for another discussion. The later seems to be the more relevant market considering the vast number of small business owners seeking more effective means of getting their products or services noticed. One could argue that the back bone of Digital Signage is quality and user-friendly software. Quality and user-friendly software is easily navigable, packed with relevant features, novel applications and compatible with a litany of external media devices just to name a few characteristics. The ability to constantly change and modify ones ad from a personal computer has to be one of the most intriguing applications of Digital Signage. Therefore, skilled software creators and programmers will be in great demand as the industry moves forward.

The quantity of interesting and original stock photo and video content may well persuade a customer to buy one brand of Digital Signage software over another. For this reason there is great need and room for photographers and videographer s in the digital signage industry. It has been said that an ounce of image is worth twenty pounds of performance, well, with respect to advertising that is quite true. In the world of advertising the window to capture a potential customer’s attention is so brief and precious. The average person has been so oversaturated with mediocre and abrasive ads that they have learned to recognize them and instantly and shut them out. It is key that the initial image seen on the screen is fresh. Add to this fresh image the skilled touch of a graphic designer and one has a sure fire way to get one’s product noticed.

Player hardware is a controversial topic in digital signage. It's hard to find someone in the industry that doesn't have a strong opinion about what type of device makes the most sense. There are really two schools of thought on this one that PCs are the way to go and the other that non-PC players work just fine.

So which school of thought do I think is right? Honestly? Both. There's an upside and a downside to both camps. PCs give you the most flexibility and stability in your network. Non-PCs give you great prices. The answer depends on the network needs. What type of networks should use non-PC players?

• Networks that have little or no need for customized content
• Networks with lots of available bandwidth (you’ll need it to download or stream all those video files)
• Networks with no local data interaction (POS Systems, etc)
• Networks that have simple content that changes infrequently

• Most of the time PCs are the right choice especially with hardware costs dropping daily.
• When you really want to leverage all of the benefits of digital signage and really target your message to your audience.
• When you want to customize your content based on local data like the weather or inventory or the number of people in front of the screen.
• When live data like an RSS feed is needed.
• When bandwidth is restricted, unreliable, or not available.

Currently, the vast majority of Scala digital signage licenses are run on PCs - ranging from the low end to the high end. As we announced in February at DSE, we are working towards several low cost alternatives. You can read about our new initiatives here.

Screen Placement

It is so important to place your screen in a location that that allows for the maximum viewing time, is easily accessible to the customers’ sight and is in a location that reaches the desired target audience. To optimize the viewing time of your digital screen be sure to know the direction in which your audience typically flows and face the screen accordingly. Also do not place the screen too high or low but rather try to place it at eye level. An angle perpendicular to the floor at eye level will assure that the clarity of the image throughout the viewers approach and also provides the optimal exposure time to the viewer. Be sure to place your digital signage screen in a location that will reach your target audience. The most obvious way to accomplish this is to place the screen near the product itself. Another way is to place the screen near related items. At the risk of oversimplifying it would not be a bad idea to place an ad for condiments on a screen in the deli of a supermarket. And, once you have a network of screens throughout a place of business they can be programmed to function like a complementary team, each redirecting attention to the achievements and qualities of other products. (See Digital Signage Screen Placement: Angle, Height and Text Size, Bill Gerba)

Text

I have often glanced at the billboards along the freeway that caught my attention yet failed to communicate with me on account of tiny text. I can imagine how frustrating that must be for a company to spend thousands of dollars on billboard real estate only to find out nobody can even read you sign. For this reason be sure the text on your digital signage is big enough to be seen from a strategic distance. Also remember a lesson from art; the eyes are drawn to the area of greatest contrast. Be sure color of your text sharply contrasts the colors around it.

Keep it Moving

It would be a shame not to exploit the capabilities of a digital sign. We are curious by nature and seem to bore easily with stagnation. Therefore one should create content that is engaging, changing and fluid. In a way moving content functions like a good book, we know it is going somewhere and, if initially interested, we are curious to see where. A digital advertisement in a way takes on the role of sales person. A good salesperson is animated and engaging. A good salesperson knows and can highlight the best qualities of the product, even cater to the customer on an individual level. A good sales person has the ability to engage ones curiosity. A digital ad can and should serve the same purposes.