Image Courtesy of Nara J and reused under the terms of the Creative Commons Licence

Some of the world’s finest architectures are just that because they have been unaltered or amended over time. Many archaic buildings that are thousands of years old remain intact and its preservationists try to ensure that its natural magnificence stays unharmed despite modern machineries.

Due to architecture’s historical significance, some people wish to keep the building conserved with traditional times. But one of India’s most prized architectural sites has decided to reap the benefits of touch screen technology and it has installed a kiosk.

The Big Temple at Thanjavur in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu is renowned as one of the grandest temples ever built on the subcontinent. It is a tribute of its patron RajaRaja Chola and remains one of the greatest glories of Indian architecture. And officials have deployed a touch screen kiosk as part of World Heritage Week celebrations.

Big Temple is considered one of the tallest structures in India and last year marked its 1,000^th birthday but the Archaeological Survey of India, (ASI), the department of the Government of India, has erected a self-service kiosk at the first gopuram i.e. the rising tower at the entrance of the temple.

The unit will provide visitors information and details on the history of the Big Temple, its sculptures and paintings. Another kiosk is being put in the interpretation centre inside the temple. All displayed info will be narrated in English, Tamil, Hindi and French.

Touch screen technology can enhance a visitor attraction as well as in-keep with the architectural features. There are many uses and functions to touch screen kiosks and one of them which is the most common and popular choice for deployment, is information providing and storing.

By deploying a kiosk or touch screen monitors, one can provide sightseers with important information that is easy-to-read and more engaging. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that the setting is compromised. What is vital is that a kiosk design is chosen that is fairly low-stated and discreet but that is also visible.

Contact Protouch today to see how they can provide you with the touch screen technology to enhance your architecture and visitor attraction.

A touch screen kiosk can be deployed to inform customers on various subjects be it tourist destinations and events, product info or health advice.

A kiosk can be located to inform the public on special offers, sport class or film timetables or a town’s heritage. But as well as the multitude of facilities, an information kiosk can also offer help to people on how to help the environment.

A unit has been installed in Douglas County in Nebraska, America to show the public how to reduce storm water runoff and decrease pollution. The county has deployed an internet kiosk to provide info on storm water and other environmental issues.

A top tip that has been shared includes turning the downspouts on a house toward the lawn or garden and away from the driveway leading to the street. There’s also information about demonstration projects.

The Environment Agency is the UK’s public body whose principal aims are to protect and improve the environment and to promote sustainable development. They are concerned mainly with rivers, flooding and pollution and here at Protouch we imagine that they could jump on the band wagon as the Americans have and reap the benefits of deploying touch screen technology.

Educating generations is paramount to tackling world-wide issues and the government is pushing citizens to become aware of their effects on the o-zone layer and realise how our resources are diminishing at a rapid rate.

If people are not told the correct facts and figures then they cannot be blamed for wrong choices and bad practices. A kiosk can aid to teach society how to focus on sustainability and be environmentally conscious and friendly.

Let Protouch help your business to help the world be a greener place; install a kiosk today.

Kiosks can be deployed in locations to provide information for its consumers. Many touch screen units are installed purely and simply to offer info and some present a multitude of facilities be it check-in services or ticket-dispensing and data.

So it is no surprise that the technology can be used to inform tourists and keen locals about a town’s heritage, such as the town hall, library or river that runs through it. This is exactly what has happened in North Carolina, America in which kiosks have been deployed alongside the French Broad River in the state of Asheville, to educate people of its intriguing history.

The kiosks have been installed by RiverLink, the regional non-profit firm spearheading the economic and environmental revitalisation of the river and its tributaries as a place to live, work and play. The company has been working since 1987 to lead the revival of the dilapidated riverfront district and to expand public opportunities for access and recreation.

And now The French Broad River, which flows 343km from near the village of Rosman in Transylvania County into the state of Tennessee, is offering everyone education into its origin in a bid to capture interest and improve the landscape for the past, present and future.

The kiosks include a number of interesting facts on the river and features historical photos provided by a library. Key statistics it lets everyone know comprise of;

- It is the flattest place around, so one of the best to ride a bike or run.

- It supplies over one million people with drinking water.

- It is the third oldest river in the world.

- It starts off in the wettest area and then flows through the driest counties of North Carolina.

So install a Kiosk in your local town and let the citizens find out all about the past to pass on to the future generations with Protouch and our expert Touch screen technology. Simply visit Protouch today.

There are many uses and functions to touch screen kiosks and one of them which is the most common and popular choice for deployment, is information providing and storing.

A kiosk can be used to archive info be it information for the public, for customers or for education purposes. This is the case in which a unit in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, in India is archiving the life and works of famous Hindu spiritual leader Swami Chinmayananda.

The centre, which has been opened as part of the Chinmaya Mission, to keep alive the legacy of the renowned spiritual leader, comprises of an informative archive and audio-visual exhibit ad well as a rare collection of images.

The project, called Call of the Rishi, is an initiative to express gratitude towards the guru and involves a touch screen kiosk which allows visitors to interact directly with the master, ‘as if were lending a personal feel to the interaction.’ A 3D hologram of the leader’s portrait is displayed, giving the effect of moving eyes that follow the visitor.

The Chinmaya Heritage Centre, which is inscribed with 54 different names of Chinmayananda all over its doors, also includes a vivid photo gallery showcasing his life and works.

K Bhasker Reddy, director of Chinmaya Heritage Centre, said: “The archive centre was a tribute to the master whose contribution to the society and the nation is invaluable.”

Born Balakrishna Menon (Balan), Chinmayananda was a Hindu Indian spiritual teacher and leader who inspired the Chinmaya Mission in the early 19050s to spread the message of Vedanta. There is currently over 300 centres in India and world-wide with one simple aim; to provide individuals from any background the wisdom of Vedanta and the practical means for spiritual growth and happiness, enabling them to become positive contributors to society.

Popular destinations for archive storing kiosks include;

- Museums

- Libraries

- Town Archives
- Churches

Install an Information Touch screen kiosk with Protouch; Europe’s number one manufacturer and distributor of touch screen technology.

We have written a blog post beforehand about how touch screen technology and kiosks can aid the elderly in care homes.

There are many challenges in care homes to provide both the family members and patients about information; moreover monitoring visitors and guests. But a deployed unit can help speed up administration and improve services.

As well as this type of facility, kiosks can also aid educate seniors when it comes to info on benefits and saving ideas that they may not necessarily know much about.

Recent research by a national charity showed that thousands of retired people in the UK are missing out on as much as £3 billion because they are not claiming pension credit.

The statistics, published by Turn2us, reveal that 8/10 low-income pensioners are in fact unaware of their entitlement to pension credit and therefore do not claim what is lawfully theirs.

A touch screen Kiosk that is installed in the community somewhere central for example in the community centre, town hall, main church or in the centre of town can help OAPs find out more about what benefits are on offer, if they are eligible to it and how to apply for it. What is more, savvy-saving top tips and ideas can be given on the interface to support and benefit finances.

Information on care, medicine and drugs, savings programs, home energy assistance and more can be included on the machines as well as a staff member on-hand to aid the elderly person on how to use the technology.

Income can be tapped into the data that works out for you how much to save each week to be able to remain steady and financially stable. As long as the info is kept confidential and the unit employee is trained, the technology can really enhance a pensioner’s life and prohibit things becoming destitute.

So install a Touch screen kiosk in your local community today and help educate the elderly with Protouch; Europe’s number one manufacturer and distributor of Touch screen technology.

Interactive touch screens are commonly associated as being modern technology and the tools to advancing industries across the globe. They bring several benefits to a business for the consumer, the employee and the owner; but how can they help to keep the past reserved for future generations?

Obviously a Touch screen kiosk has many uses and one of them is the opportunity to store information. Data can be saved on a unit of local history including events, individuals, town origin etc. It gives the residents and tourists the chance to learn more about the area simply via an interactive display.

History is important because as human beings it is in our genes to learn more and our curiosity can get the better of us. Investigating the past is key to get a glimpse of the lives of humans before us to move forward for the future.

And in the age of the internet and technology, isn’t an olden time story and record worth saving?

Whether it is reading about the local sports teams who won games or world championships, or finding our more about groups of people who excelled, a town’s rich history can be easily found and stowed at a kiosk located at a central point in the settlement. This is fantastic for preservation as books can be ruined, lost or destroyed and can take up a lot of storage. With an information Kiosk

, as long as it is backed up efficiently the info will carry on forever for forthcoming age groups to study.

History can also be displayed with pictures of memorabilia so the real artefacts are not damaged from consumer handling. But the touch screen technology can be progressed too with content available on the internet for residents to view from the comfort of their own home.

Deploy Kiosks

in your local town to save vital documents and information being lost with the help from Protouch; Europe’s number one manufacturer and distributor of touch screen technology.

It might sound like a bizarre concept but picture the scenario: you are visiting your loved-one who has sadly passed away, at your local cemetery or crematorium.

You park your car, start walking up to the plot to think about their memory when on the way you are confronted with no other than a hi-tech, floor standing Touch screen kiosk

.

No it’s not exactly what you would imagine being installed in the grounds surrounded by headstones but as with other sectors, the cemetery industry is going all tech-savvy and modernised to keep up-to-date with the 21^st century.

This is the case in the Bonaventure Cemetery, in the city of Savannah, Georgia, USA.

Newly deployed information kiosks have been installed in the graveyard, by its main entrance.

Visitors will be able to look up names on the self-service kiosk themselves to determine the exact location of the interments with cemetery maps, even when the office is closed or when staff are busy assisting other customers.

The touch screen kiosks contain records and maps from neighbouring cemeteries Colonial Park, Laurel Grove and Greenwich Cemeteries and also enable the visitor to print the information and map for a fee.

The burial records date back to 1750 and are updated daily, as the computer database has been under construction since 1995.

It is hoped the technology will save staff time and money, with the goal being to install the Kiosks in other public cemeteries and that the information will be available to consumers online.

The City of Savannah and the Bonaventure Historical Society are holding an unveiling ceremony and demonstration of the new units. They will now have access to the information for their Visitors Center.

The City, the historical society and the National park Service Preserve America Grant all helped funding the unit.

So another industry sector is jumping on the band wagon and reaping the benefits of Touch screen

technology.

Why not install it in your business too?

Every local church around the globe want to reach out to people and watch their congregation grow.

To fulfill this dream many are starting to realise that people nowadays require more ways to connect with them. And the route of this growth stems from the integration of technology finding new and innovative ways to greet, inform, entertain, educate and grow the congregation whether new or old.

And digital kiosks have been sign posted as the way forward.

Kiosks are interactive systems available for public use and can be used in a wide range of different ways. Already, churches use kiosks for event registration, children’s check-in, e-giving and as digital information and direction stands, similar to those found in shopping stores.

With the technology being straight forward and running off dedicated hardware, churches do not have to worry about hiring a computer expert to run them. All the information, both to and from the kiosk is sent over a standard network allowing content changes to be made from virtually anywhere, through a password-protected Internet connection.

And the digital kiosks are so easy to use. People are able to interact with the information on the screen, print out name badges, tickets and event information without having to ask for help from staff or volunteers.

However, churches have found that having volunteers nearby is helpful for engaging in conversation once a person has finished using the digital kiosk.

And the kiosks can be outfitted with electronic card readers as an e-giving solution, or barcode readers for quick-scanning check-in or event registration.

One church took the world of kiosks a step further and installed giving kiosks in their lobby, which saw giving double. And every church that followed suit saw a large increase in donations, which many put down to the anonymity provided for people who feel uncomfortable making their donations public.

The bonus of this e-giving service is that it frees the time of staff members and volunteers to work on other jobs within the church.

Kiosks can come at different costs depending on the style, size and software you want, however the amount of facilities and services a kiosk can provide soon makes you realise that they eventually pay for themselves.

For more information about kiosk systems visit Protouch today.

This month, we are excited to be exhibiting our three off the shelf kiosk designs at the KioskCom Self Service Expo 2009.

Starting on the 30th September at the Olympia in London, we will be exhibiting our Xen Kiosk Series for visitors to view and order on the same day. 

As well as exhibiting our multifunctional kiosk, Protouch’s managing director, Tom Quarry will be taking part in the education programme, holding a seminar at 1.45pm-2.15pm on the 30th September called ‘EPoS for the store of the future.’

Tom will discuss Protouch’s award winning EPoS kiosk hardware, focusing on the Kiddicare case study. Attendees will learn how our award winning kiosk managed more customers with less staff costs, as well as increasing customer spend and enhancing the sales processed in store.

Our stand will be based at 162 and will display the wall mountable Xen X4, the award winning slim floor standing Xen X5 and the larger floor standing Xen X6.

All users and resellers are encouraged to come along to our stand to talk to our team about their kiosk needs. We have a wide range of applications that can be installed onto the kiosks to make them relevant to each business such as: an Internet kiosk, ticket kiosk, payment kiosk, information kiosk, card dispensing kiosk and much more.

We at Protouch want to meet the extremely wide need for self service kiosks and make kiosk deployment simple. Our kiosks offer numerous accessory combinations which can easily be modified, at any time.

Customers simply select what they want, choose their accessories and graphics; resulting in a fully customised kiosk.

Our kiosks on display have already proven themselves to be successful products in varying industry sectors. Refined over the last nine years each kiosk is set to meet three specific economies of scale; quality, price and reliability, suitable for end users and retailers.

This strategy has seen us achieve a top quality kiosk system in the award winning and innovative Xen X5 Kiddicare Kiosk, which will be fully explained in Tom’s kiosk seminar.

As well as the kiosk seminar and exhibition, we will also be taking part in the Minicom Digital Signage Expert Tour KioskCom. This free tour will provide an overview of a selection of carefully hand-picked exhibitors, following the accurate path of the digital signage supply chain.

From content creation to digital measure ment, the tour will outline how they fit into the overall Digital Signage Puzzle.

The tour has been specifically designed to give visitors a bird’s eye view of the overall application by providing the full end-to-end story with real live demos of each piece in the puzzle, and overview of the solution which visitors would not normally get. Visitors can sign up for the tour here.