Page 9 - ATEN Digital Signage Solutions Guide

IoT (Internet of Things)

When an object can represent itself digitally on a network, this means that it be controlled from anywhere, and
this kind of IoT (Internet of Things) connectivity can be used for many more applications than just retail digital
signage. Physical objects that are networked and contain embedded technology to interact with internal data or
external triggers – objects that can sense and communicate – are now also being leveraged in digital signage
deployments across a wide range of environments.

For example, digital signage can be networked with sensors, cameras and databases to change displays dynami-
cally in locations such as factory floors, energy grids, healthcare facilities, and transportation systems. In these
kinds of deployments, digital signage leverages management and data analysis capabilities from a wide range of
sources to automatically tailor the content it shows for specific audiences and specific conditions. This is especial-
ly useful in environments where real-time updates on workflow and other conditions are paramount for reasons
of business efficiency, but it also has great implications in terms of improving safety and security.

The expansion of IoT-related technologies – such as the flexibility offered by wireless networking – and the
every-increasing reality of communication between devices and objects means that the ways in which digital
signage solutions can be leveraged are growing exponentially.

Trends in

Digital Signage

Interactivity and Content Control

Interactivity is a huge technology trend, and the ever-expanding digital signage market is a major area where
interactive technology is growing in demand. Digital signage is not only attention-grabbing but it is also becom-
ing “smart” – highly integrated systems have already begun to not only create new retail experiences but also
to support big data analysis.

Multi-touch screen technology in large format digital displays means that customers can browse product
recommendations or virtually try on items that are not physically in the store, while the same dynamic signage
connects to back office systems, enables payment transactions and returns valuable customer data to make
on-the-spot retail analytics a reality.
Furthermore, from simple proximity detection and anonymous analytics to beacon technology and truly person-
alized marketing that makes content even more relevant to viewers, the fact that customers are more than
ready to embrace such technologies means that this kind of digital-signage-led content management is becom-
ing a key tool for retailers, and 2017 will doubtless see increased efforts to include more and more interactive
elements in digital signs.

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