Intel has released a pre-validated hardware and software kit combining technologies from its own in-house teams plus Kontron and Microsoft. The new Digital Signage Evaluation Kit-12 is targeted at developers working to produce "digital signage" solutions in a global market that Intel predicts will reach 10 million media players and a corresponding 22 million digital signs by 2015.
NOTE: The type of digital sign denoted here is typically a large screen TV-style display commonly used in airports and other travel locations. Also favored by retailers and advertisers of all kinds, these units have great potential use in healthcare application deployments as they can be used to impart dynamically changing data to patients and hospital visitors.
The DSEK-12 kit includes an OPS-compliant Kontron media player KOPS800 based on 3rd generation Intel Core processors as well as a 180-day evaluation copy of Windows Embedded POSReady 7. In addition, demos of Content Creation and Content Management Software (CMS) from Flypaper and Scala are included.
"The new Intel solution helps streamline the development and deployment process of digital signage, allowing companies to spend more time crafting engaging content and less time dealing with software integration," said Jose Avalos, director of Visual Retail at Intel.
Additionally, the DSEK-12 comes preloaded with Intel Audience Impression Metrics, a software solution designed to deliver personalized content to consumers while providing retailers and advertisers with analytics. The software anonymously monitors viewer metrics, such as gender, age bracket, and length of attention, and analyzes the data in real-time. The kit also features Intel vPro Technology for platform management.
"With the incorporation of Windows Embedded POSReady 7, developers can create innovative media experiences, rich interactive applications, and compelling user interfaces," said Intel's Avalos.
Once software development is completed, the developer can choose to use the entire kit or un-couple the Kontron media player KOPS800 and deploy that portion directly into any Open Pluggable Specification (OPS) compatible monitor. This modular approach enables scalability for different graphics and processing performance needs without (says Intel) sacrificing overall time to market.
