Accessibility is a hot current topic in the kiosk industry. As we discussed in this previous post, there’s widespread consensus that technology has an important role to play in making retail, hospitality and leisure environments more inclusive, and kiosks are on the front line of that.
There are lots of ways that kiosks can promote better accessibility, from how screens and controls are positioned to providing audio guidance or supporting alternative inputs for people who cannot operate a touchscreen. But one recent story caught our eye, underlining that the whole question of kiosks and accessibility is not limited to what happens on the terminals themselves.
Over in the US, Disney has filed a US patent application for an automated system to distribute assistive devices to theme park visitors. The proposed kiosks would authenticate a visitor through a connected network, checking their profile to see what sort of assistive device they need for their visit, and dispensing accordingly. The kind of devices in question range from headphones and assistive-listening equipment to canes, walkers, wheelchairs and powered scooters.
On-demand accessibility
We might characterise this as a shift from talking about accessible kiosks to accessibility kiosks – the use of self-service technology for the purpose of promoting better accessibility at large, through managing the distribution of assistive equipment whenever and wherever people need it. It takes kiosks’ role in promoting better inclusivity to another level.
The concept is not entirely new. Many hospitals, airports and visitor attractions already use self-service systems to provide access to larger mobility aids. A good example is WheelShare, which operates rent-a-bike-type self-service stations for wheelchairs in hospitals and airports across the UK and Europe.
This model lays the groundwork for kiosks to manage smaller assistive devices. There’s no great technological leap required – conventional dispensing mechanisms and smart lockers could easily be used for a much wider selection of assistive products.
As the Disney patent outlines, examples could include assistive-listening devices, neck loops, portable magnifiers, communication aids or sensory kits containing items such as noise-cancelling headphones, ear defenders, tinted glasses and fidget tools. Other possibilities include folding canes, hearing-aid batteries, and adaptive computer accessories.
Many stadiums, attractions and public venues already loan products like these as part of their guest services. Making collections and returns self-service would be a case of streamlining and removing bottlenecks from an existing process. Instead of every visitor who needs a device having to go through one central staffed desk, organisations could position dispensing kiosks at convenient points throughout a building or campus, spreading the load and smoothing the path for everyone to get what they need.
By avoiding the need for people to find a member of staff and explain their needs publicly, self-service assistive kiosks would also promote independence, privacy and discretion. They would also mean equipment could remain available outside normal service-desk hours. Real-time inventory tracking, meanwhile, would help operators understand demand and ensure they maintain sufficient levels of stock, as well as keeping devices charged, maintained and ready for use.
Automation will not eliminate human assistance. Some users will still need help choosing or operating equipment, and returned devices may require cleaning and inspection. It’s also important to ensure kiosks themselves are fully accessible, with controls, compartments and payment devices positioned appropriately for different users.
