*Editor's note: This article is part of a series that profiles the winners of the Self Service Excellence Award winners.
The Ticketing Kiosk is part of Amtrak's second generation of CUSS kiosks. The first generation model has been in deployment since 1997.
The MPOG allows soldiers to play modern games such as Halo either online or offline. Like a computer gamer's dream system, the MPOG includes an LCD screen and graphics card, amplified sound system with subwoofer, external USB port and video camera.
DaimlerChrysler and Visual Productions keep employees in touch with HR
Judged by a panel of experts in the self-service and kiosk industry, the winners of the Self Service Excellence awards were announced during a ceremony Wednesday, April 25, at Self-Service Expo (formerly known as KioskCom). The event was held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.
For a complete list of Excellence Award winners click here.
Taking home the award for Best Travel/Hospitality deployment was the Amtrak/SITA Quick-Trak Ticketing Kiosk. The project was developed by Amtrak, SITA and KIOSK Information Systems.
 |
| Amtrak's new ticketing kiosk, due out by the end of summer. |
Like the first-generation rollout, KIOSK Information Systems custom designed and engineered the kiosks specifically for Amtrak, as well as handled the systems integration and volume manufacturing for the project.
The second generation Ticketing Kiosk was the result of Amtrak's desire to upgrade to meet new ADA and security standards. Amtrak also wanted to revise the appearance and functionality of the kiosks.
Like most kiosks, particularly in the travel industry, the Ticketing Kiosk was required to meet higher ADA standards for handicapped users. A specially adapted headset and Braille numbering for the visually impaired were added to the kiosk.
KIOSK and Amtrak also boosted the security features of the Ticketing Kiosk, incorporating Visa PED and Triple DES regulation compliance. The new Ticketing Kiosk features a security camera, barcode- and credit-card-readers, two printers and an encrypted PIN pad.
Quick-Trak kiosks are currently available at larger Amtrak stations such as Union Station in Los Angeles, Union Station in Chicago and Penn Station in New York. 200 first-generation Ticketing Kiosks are deployed currently, but will be phased out during the second-generation rollout. KIOSK Information Systems said the second-generation model rollout will begin by the end of summer 2007.
KIOSK and ARMP deploy military gaming kiosk
KIOSK Information Systems also had a stake in the award for Best Entertainment/Gaming deployment, won by the Multi-Player Online Gaming (MPOG) kiosk from the Army Recreation Machine Program (ARMP).
 |
| The MPOG kiosks allow soldiers to pay to play online games at US military bases. |
The MPOG kiosk was deployed by the ARMP to replace coin-operated arcade games, which came under scrutiny for their lack of profit generation. The ARMP's goal was to cash in on the growing popularity of online and LAN gaming.
The kiosk supports more than 20 online games that are geared toward the solder's demographics. Through the online connectivity, the MPOG kiosks can be remotely managed and updated with new game titles. It also supports video e-mail and Web browsing.
After deployment, the ARMP saw a 100 percent increase over their coin-operated machine portfolio. The ARMP presently has more than 300 MPOG kiosks purchased or in deployment at U.S. military bases around the world.
The MPOG kiosk is sold comercially through ZOOX Stations Inc., a subsidary company of KIOSK Information Systems.
 |
| Blue Water Group's DaimlerChrysler human resources kiosk. |
The Best Human Resources Deployment category was populated by kiosks that allow employees at large companies to check the status of their benefits and other company information. The winner was the DaimlerChrysler Employee Central Kiosk, which was manufactured by Visual Productions, a division of the Blue Water Group.
With more than 66,000 hourly employees in North America, DaimlerChrysler uses the Employee Central kiosk to communicate with its employees, as well as to provide them with Human Resources information. Employees can check benefit elections, view pay statements online, find payroll information and update their information. The kiosks are accessible 24 hours a day.
Visual Production's rollout involved 170 kiosks deployed at 50 locations internationally.
The kiosk also featured a privacy filter placed over the screen and panels on each side to protect employees' private information. A heavy-duty phone is located on the side of the kiosk that allows employees to dial phone numbers of companies and benefit providers through an online interface. The kiosk also features an industrial-grade keyboard and trackball.
"From an aesthetics point of view, the kiosk was especially pleasing," said David Drain, executive director of the Self-Service & Kiosk Association and a judge in the Excellence Awards competition. "It definitley stood out from the pack."
