history of kiosks
The evolution of
self-service kiosks
To understand the advances in self-service kiosks and where they are heading
in the future we need to look back at how they've developed over the years
By Meridian – www.meridiankiosks.com
As we previously discussed in ‘The
Future of Digital Kiosks’, 2016 proved
to be an innovative year for self-service
solutions and set the foundation for
continuous technological breakthroughs
in the future. But to fully understand the
advances in self-service kiosks, we must
first look back at the long and complex
history of the kiosk industry.
The self-service industry first
began with the introduction of vending
machines in the 1880s. Throughout the
following decades, consumers would
begin to use self-service gas stations,
ATMs and other forms of self-service.
Then, towards the end of the twentieth
century, people abruptly began using
telephones and computers in a whole
new way. No longer objects meant for
the office desk, but as everyday tools for
interaction. It was in this environment
that self-service integrated with
technology to create a new industry of
digital interaction.
16 KIOSK solutions
The first self-service kiosks
The first interactive kiosk was developed
in 1977 by Murray Lappe. ‘The Plato
Hotline’ was used for informational
purposes at the University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign. During the 1980s,
the interactive voice response unit (IVR)
expanded as consumers demanded
innovative self-service technology. IVR
allowed companies to provide customer
service at a low cost and provided
consumers with a more convenient
service solution.
Advances in Kiosks
Employee self-service systems
were introduced in the early 1990s.
Companies were seeing so many
advantages of self-service technology
that by 2000, around 15% of
organisations, including Pfizer, Dell, and
Hewlett-Packard, had implemented a
self-service solution. However, it wasn’t
until the Dot-Com Boom started in 1995
that the self-service industry, as we know
it today, began. People were now using
the Internet to interact with each other
and with information. Kiosk innovators
saw this trend and looked to improve
user experience with self-service
solutions. From wayfinding to retail, self-
service kiosks are engaging users and
helping to enhance their experience with
digital information.
Looking ahead at kiosks
Continued innovation and breakthroughs
in technology will only further the
capabilities of self-service kiosks. Mobile
integration with self-service kiosks will
improve and expand and advances
in technology will also increase the
availability and reliability of kiosks.
“People want to interact with technology,
and as we continue to improve that
technology, consumers will demand the
convenience of self-service kiosks,” said
Meridian CEO, Chris Gilder. n