Optik Birmingham is more than just an eyeglasses store. An "optical boutique" that has sold glasses to stars like David Bowie and Lenny Kravitz, the store specializes in everything from modern frames to never-worn vintage pieces to accessories from the 1920s. Dr. Joe Ales, Optik’s owner, recently installed some cutting-edge digital signage that makes his store stand out even more.

In the front window stand two mannequins — headless mannequins, each bearing an LCD screen atop the neck. The female sports a 15-inch screen, the male bears a 17-inch one.

story continues below... advertisement     This story and all of our great free content is supported by:     Planar Systems Planar Systems delivers digital signage solutions that empower you to meet the full spectrum of your communication needs with flexible, centralized, up-to-the-minute adaptability.

Throughout the day, the screens rotate images of different people — some real, some computer-generated — modeling different eyeglasses. The system is built on the Admachine media server, designed and provided by Storming Images.

"The doctor can browse to a small Web server on the Admachine and change images on either mannequin," said Jeff Hemingway, president of Storming Images, which has a history of creative digital signage implementations — like a giant screen on the back of a Zamboni used by the NHL’s Dallas Stars. "The doctor takes pictures of clients with their new glasses on, and sends them through his network, right to the screens."

The screens are in operation 24 hours a day, undoubtedly turning a few heads as evening traffic flows by the store.

"Well, everyone notices them, but kids especially," said Dr. Ales.

Storming Images built the system to make it as easy as possible for the doctor. After logging in and uploading a photo, all he has to do is specify which of the two mannequins get the image. The system can be more sophisticated if need be, allowing for loop patterns and proof-of-play reporting, but it also can be kept elegantly simple.

Hemingway said the implementation is based on Storming Images’ Remote Media Manager software, which the company licenses on a subscription basis.

"The digital mannequins could be in hundreds of eyewear stores, and controlled from one point," he said.