Introduction:
We deployed our first outdoor kiosk in 1997 in a cold and rainy area. Subsequently, we have steadily improved the techniques and processes needed to accurately respond to the constraints related to the installation of outdoor terminals.

The outdoor kiosk is both street furniture, in the architectural sense of the word, and also computer and audio visual furniture. Indoor kiosks can be classified in the family of computer furniture, requiring ergonomic design skills; despite the uneven design quality found on the market, with equally eclectic designers. Indoor kiosks do not require all the skills required to design and manufacture a quality outdoor kiosk. As a result, there are very few kiosk manufacturers who can offer reliable and complex outdoor models.
Outdoor kiosks require great skills, both technical and socio-cultural, architectural knowledge as well as competency in ergonomics.

For the past 12 years, we have designed and built many models of outdoor kiosks, for a variety of uses, from simple dynamic signage to very complex ones, or even ATM terminals or ticketing kiosks with external money and credit card readers or RFID, etc. The functionality of outdoor kiosks are as varied as the indoor models.

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10 major points of differentiation between outdoor and indoor kiosks:

1. Deployment site:
Indoor kiosk:
• Need to determine a location first.
• Avoid, whenever possible, exposure to direct sunlight.
• Provide an electrical outlet and possibly a network jack.

Outdoor kiosk:
• Location must be determined with great care because mistakes are not allowed.
• The outdoor kiosk should not face southwest so that the screen is not in conflict with the highest brightness of the day.
• Wiring must meet outdoor standards.
• Need adequate foundation, with the size of the base carefully calculated to withstand high winds.
• Need adequate protection against lightning, with rods buried deep in the ground.

2. Vandal-proof:
The need to protect indoor or outdoor kiosks against vandalism varies depending on their exposure to danger. In a confined environment, of course, the indoor kiosk might require less security. Outdoor, the kiosks can be more exposed at sensitive sites and the need for vandal-proofing can be even more critical.

Vandal-proofing in urban environments deals with:
• The strength of the casing
• The robustness of the touchscreen
• The robustness of the keyboard and pointing device
• The safety of the structure of the access door board
• The lock must be inviolable
• The alarm systems (opening sensors, cameras, infrared detection)

3. Thermal Management:
One of the major requirements for the successful implantation of an outdoor kiosk is a suitable and efficient thermal insulation. The locations, the climatic cycles, and the temperature range in both highs and lows require appropriate devices. Depending on the circumstances, it is necessary to incorporate cooling and/or heating systems, controlled by thermal sensors and sometimes connected to the system for monitoring the alarms that are transmitted in real time to the network’s administrators.

4. Sun exposure:
A major issue for an outdoor kiosk is its exposure to the sun, or rather its orientation relative to the sun. Despite technological advances and the high brightness screens that exist today, we must still consider the location of outdoor kiosks carefully.
There are environmental conditions for installing an outdoor kiosk that are very important to ensure good readibility of the screen; imposing an ad hoc implementation and reaching a compromise about the optimization of its performance based on its exposure to sunlight.

5. Humidity:
Logically, outdoor kiosks must be sealed, but also allow air flow to circulate. A key to the success of the installation of an outdoor kiosk is humidity control. Depending on the climatic zone, it may be necessary to have a system to dehumidify the inside of the kiosk (especially if you print paper or tickets).
We offer management systems through sensors that are connected to the network, and that can generate alarms via email for a timely control. This problem does not exist with indoor kiosks.

6. Pollution:
Because the weather can attack the casing of the kiosks, they must be designed and manufactured with materials that are very resistant to acid and pollutants, but also to sea salt, if located next to the ocean. Except in some exceptional cases, indoor kiosks don’t have this problem.

7. Maintenance:
The concept of maintenance is quite different from that of an indoor kiosk’s, with different and more rugged equipment. Often, some kiosk providers will simply use desktop computers like a Dell with a desktop monitor, requiring 3 years of maintenance, which is both untrue and insufficient.
There is no cheating with outdoor kiosks. Poor quality material will become very expensive to maintain and you are better off with sound equipment right from the start. Moreover, you need well-established maintenance processes, remote maintenance and remote monitoring to facilitate initial maintenance and to ensure long health to an outdoor kiosk.

8. Urban regulations:
Unlike indoor models, outdoor kiosks must comply with certain planning regulations, and sometimes, at more sensitive sites, they must respect and integrate into the environment. Just anything will not do. Similarly, these regulations impose safety standards that are more stringent than for indoor kiosks. Responsibilities are also paramount, and you cannot take any chances in endangering the passers-by...

9. Ergonomics:
Ergonomics, which consists, among other things, of respecting ADA standards, are the same for indoor and outdoor kiosks. However, in sites accessible to the general public, it is desirable to have a presentation in braille, to have an advanced audio support system that allows users to contact someone who can provide them all the required information.

Accessibility is the key word in terms of the kiosk’s ergonomics. The HMI (Human Machine Interface) must always respect this principle by facilitating physical access, but also tactile interfaces that must be accessible, well studied, and finally easy access to the internal equipment for maintenance.

10. Electromagnetic Regulations:
The electromagnetic standards, EMC (Electro Magnetic Compatibility), are obviously more complex for an outdoor kiosk than an indoor one for very logical reasons, like direct exposure to magnetic storms, lightning, solar radiation, etc. Outdoor kiosks must be equiped with various protective modules to guard them from any electromagnetic attacks but to also protect the users.

In conclusion:
The design and manufacturing of an outdoor kiosk cannot be improvised. Today, the market consists of terminals coming from more or less distant horizons, or from a sheet metal bender down the block. These are sold or resold without special skills. It is quite undesirable in the world of outdoor kiosks which requires development processes that exclude mediocrity.

This is why there are few players operating in this complex but interesting segment of the kiosk market. It is also because of this complexity, and the manufacturing requirements, that outdoor kiosks seem so expensive. But understandably, this is justified by technical solutions that have nothing to do with indoor kiosk solutions.