SST User Interface Tactile and Visual Guidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Self-Service Terminals (SSTs) without customer displays pose challenges for users, particularly those who are visually or hearing impaired, in navigating to transaction regions and understanding the terminal's operating states and transaction outcomes.
Innovation Solution
A user interface featuring tactile and visual cues, including illuminated guides and proximity sensors, to assist users in locating transaction activation regions and indicating the terminal's operating states and transaction status, utilizing a combination of tactile, visual, and audible cues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a customer display is removed to reduce ATM cost, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but ease of operation deteriorates for visually and hearing impaired users
Solution Approach 1:
The user interface is segmented into distinct tactile zones with different surface characteristics (recessed areas, raised edges, textured surfaces) that correspond to different functional regions. This segmentation allows visually impaired users to locate and identify specific interaction areas through touch alone, without requiring a visual display.
Solution Approach 2:
Tactile cues and illuminated guides serve as intermediaries between the user and the terminal's internal state. These physical indicators mediate the communication of operating states and transaction progress to users who cannot rely on visual displays, bridging the information gap created by removing the customer display.
2Ease of operation
If tactile cues are added to assist visually impaired users, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tactile cue system is merged with the existing structural elements of the user interface. Recessed portions, raised edges, and textured surfaces are integrated into the housing and panel design rather than being added as separate components. This merging approach provides accessibility features while minimizing increases in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The illuminated guide serves multiple functions: it provides visual direction for all users, indicates operating states, confirms transaction progress, and guides users with visual impairments. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate indicator systems, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while improving ease of operation for diverse user groups.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables users, including those with impairments, to effectively initiate and complete transactions by providing clear navigation and status feedback, enhancing usability and accessibility of SSTs without customer displays.
Implementation Method 1
an illuminated guide to provide a visual path to further assist the user in locating the transaction activation region
Implementation Method 2
the user interface further comprises at least one proximity sensor for sensing the proximity of a user and wherein the illuminated guide is activated in response to the at least one proximity sensor
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for assisting a user of a Self-Service Terminal (SST). The apparatus provides a user interface for an SST, comprising a media slot for dispensing and/or depositing a media item to a user, a pair of spaced apart edges extending across a substantial portion of the user interface and converging in the vicinity of a transaction activation region to provide a tactile path to assist the user in locating the transaction activation region, and an illuminated guide to provide a visual path to further assist the user in locating the transaction activation region.