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NRF: Intel making digital signage push using proof-of-concept design

Interactive demo is the manifestation of a partnership between Intel and Microsoft Embedded.

January 10, 2010 by Bill Yackey

Intel digital signage director Jose Avalos said this morning that Intel will be making a six-month effort toward a "standards-based, interactive digital signage future," beginning with the showcasing of digital signage proof-of-concept installation at the NRF show this week.

"Over the last three years we've invested in digital signage, but last year we decided that this really needed to be an area of focus for us," Avalos said. "We have been relatively quiet, but now we have decided we are going to make a big push and go public with a lot of our initiatives."

The proof-of-concept structure leading this charge is on display at Intel's booth and made its debut at CES last week. It won't be put into production, but rather serves as a demonstration of the possibilities for digital signage using Intel Embedded processors.

"It's designed to motivate the industry toward advance usage models that address users' needs in a retail environment," Avalos. "We hope some of our customers will apply the models to their products. The proof-of-concept looks at applications three to five years down the road, but the computing element can be used for today's digital signage." 

The proof-of-concept is running on a Microsoft Windows Embedded and Intel platform that is the result of a partnership also announced today at NRF. According to a press release from Intel, "the Intel Core i7 processor and validated with Microsoft's Windows Embedded Standard 2011 operating system…aims to better standardize the fragmented digital signage market, and provide a stable platform for industry growth."

"We started working with Microsoft last year, and the response that we're getting from the partnership announcement is just tremendous," Avalos said. "It indicates a shift in the industry where large corporations and multinationals are starting to come into the market. I think it will help with industry fragmentation."

Digital signage systems based on 2010 Intel Core processors would also include Intel vPro Technology with Intel Active Management Technology, which allow administrators to manage systems remotely even when powered down, which reduces operational costs and increases energy savings. The open platform is due to the market in the second quarter of 2010.

The proof-of-concept is being shown at Intel's booth #1361 at NRF, along with Intel-supported digital signage applications from AOpen, C-nario, DT Research, HP, Micro Industries, NCR Netkey and YCD Multimedia.