The museum purchases medical- or military-grade displays or outdoor displays when possible because they last longer than commercial displays or professional equipment sold for personal use, Van Ness says.
“They are more expensive, but they are more robust. It pays off because we have many years longer than the manufacturer’s average time between failures,” he adds.
New information panels include a 50ft by 2ft outdoor LED sign that alerts visitors to key information, such as show times for the planetarium and other theaters, and lists items that are not permitted on the inside.
55-inch information panels “catch people’s attention. They can plan their day based on what they see on the signage and decide where to go next,” says Van Ness.
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Inside exhibits, digital screens come in all shapes and sizes and are an integral part of the museum’s overall storytelling approach, says Van Ness. They stream videos, audio, and provide hands-on, interactive experiences for people of all ages to learn about aviation and space exploration then and now.
In a new immersive experience in the Early Flight Gallery, the museum projects historic photographs from the early 1900s.
“We provide early 20th century background images, like what people are wearing,” he says. “It makes you feel like you’re there and part of it instead of just reading text on a wall or seeing pictures next to an artifact.”
In the future, the museum will add touchscreen tables so people can assemble a Saturn V rocket or build modules for the International Space Station, he says.
A significant benefit of digital signage is the ability to update messaging or content in real time, Van Ness explains. When new space discoveries occur, museum staff can update exhibit content easily and quickly. They can also alert people to special events or if a show sells out.
“We can get this information out quickly so people aren’t disappointed. They know there are no more tickets,” says Van Ness.
How the TSA is improving security checkpoints
In Las Vegas, the TSA has set up digital signs at two security checkpoints at Harry Reid International Airport. They display current wait times and provide passengers with instructions on how to navigate the security line at various points in the screening process.
“Digital signage is eye-catching and often the first thing passengers see when entering the checkpoint,” says Christina Peach, acting director of the TSA’s Innovation Task Force.
The TSA has installed seven column-shaped digital signs: four at the TSA’s Innovation Checkpoint, where it is piloting new technology, and three at the Terminal 3 checkpoint.
As passengers cross the line, digital signs — over 7 feet tall and about 2 feet wide — display the current wait time and ask them to pull out boarding passes and photo IDs. The signs also tell those waiting in line which items need to be taken out of their bags for inspection.
Once travel documents have been verified, digital signage directs passengers to an open station and that they will be subject to further screening. After that, another sign tells them to drop the empty bins onto a conveyor belt and proceed to the open benches or their gates.
Anecdotally, passengers have told the TSA that security lines move faster due to digital signage, Peach says.
The displays offer “sleek and streamlined visual communication,” she says.
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