Published: August 19, 2021 | Updated: 20th August 2021
A company which won Dorset’s only Queen’s Award for Enterprise earlier this year has unveiled its first gesture controlled touchless kiosk in response to the global pandemic.
Touchless self-service solutions avoid hand to kiosk contact and eliminate any hygiene concerns.
With many companies now turning to no-touch tech and contactless devices, fast-growing imageHOLDERS says it’s on a mission to be at the forefront of self-service kiosk technology.
A survey by Ultraleap showed that 80 per cent of consumers consider public touchscreens to be unhealthy.
In response, Ferndown-based imageHOLDERS believes its innovation is crucial in restoring public confidence as the world learns to live with Covid-19.
The touchless self-service kiosk is powered by a hand tracking camera.
Users can type, select, scroll and navigate a kiosk display using mid-air gestures and without having to touch the screen.
The non-touch approach reduces the risk of spreading germs and bacteria build-up at a self-service kiosk.
imageHOLDERS’ gesture control technology uses an optical hand tracking module that captures the movement of hands and fingers so they can interact naturally with the on-screen content.
The controller is capable of tracking hands within a 3D interactive zone that extends up to 60cm or more.
The software can discern 27 distinct hand elements, including bones and joints, and track them even when they are obscured by other parts of the hands.
The imageHOLDERS touchless kiosk is both intuitive and easy to use for businesses.
A selection of optional devices can be added, including printers, scanners, and payment devices, to ensure each kiosk is tailored to individual business needs.
imageHOLDERS can tailor each kiosk dependent on the industry including:
Adrian Thompson, CEO, pictured right, said: “We are extremely proud of our latest innovation.
“Our mission for this touchless kiosk was to instil confidence in the general public and, in turn, galvanise multiple industries to be able to get back to full strength in a post-Covid world.
“imageHOLDERS interactive kiosk solutions are both intuitive and easy to use and our digital kiosks are tailorable to every business for each required user journey.
“Developing this touchless technology was a gratifying challenge and I am very excited to see how it helps people navigate their busy lives in real world applications.”
imageHOLDERS makes interactive touch screen and computer kiosks in addition to its new gesture controlled touchless kiosk.
The company has a £5m annual turnover with 70 per cent of sales going overseas.
It employs 43 staff at its Ferndown Industrial Estate site – up from 24 just over a year ago – with a further three roles in its offices in Vancouver, Canada, and also Taiwan.
Adrian first started designing and developing gift and home products more than 20 years ago.
imageHOLDERS was incorporated in 2002 as a kiosk company to develop solutions to support digital branding in the form of print and the rising audio-visual market.
However, it proved ahead of its time and it was only in 2014 that the business began to take off following the increasing popularity of tablets, including Apple’s iPad.
Now its range of iPad, tablet and computer kiosks and enclosures and mPOS (mobile point of sale) solutions are helping some of the world’s largest enterprises implement tablet technology in a number of environments.
imageHOLDERS supports clients in a variety of industry sectors including hospitality, retail, leisure, automotive, casino, corporate and healthcare.
Customers include Amazon, Bentley, Legoland, Hard Rock Café. Hilton, McDonald’s, Mercedes-Benz, Nasa and the NHS.
In April imageHOLDERS, which has exported its products to 72 countries in recent years, received the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the International Trade category.
