Looking At New Products & Vendors At Digital Signage Expo

January 20, 2014 by Dave Haynes

Every year, right around now, I start looking over the floor plan for Digital Signage Expo to get a sense of the new companies and products on display.

They’re usually in the back 40 or along the side, so a little advance research ensures I don’t miss them.

Here’s a rundown of some of the interesting vendors that look (at least to me) new to me:

123RF

Stock footage is yet another industry that’s been somewhat commoditized by internet distribution, e-commerce and cheap storage.  Stills and stock footage used to be ghastly expensive, but now it is very, very inexpensive (with the caveat that the truly good stuff can still be pricey). This company has  more than 25 million images available, as well as stock video in multiple formats.

So? You care if you have a creative team and want quick access to affordable backgrounds and feature images.

Cognitec

This German company does the whole face pattern detection/audience measurement thing, but what’s interesting here is they also do the stuff that freaks out privacy advocates: facial recognition. As in scanning and not just recognizing the shapes of faces, but people, based on image databases.

Kore

Based in Alpharetta, GA, Kore is the world’s largest wireless services provider specializing in machine-to-machine (M2M) communications. M2M is the whole business of using wireless for moving data around, but with a focus of devices talking to devices, as opposed to the traditional server to client PC scenario that’s typified this sector forever. Think sensors and other machines feeding data that contributes to what’s on a screen.

Mimo

Small, tablet sized monitors that have touch capability and get their power and data via USB. Not sure where the company is based, but safe guess the tech crosses the Pacific by container ship.

Mapmaker Pro

The company has software that enables application developers to build wayfinding and direction systems on their own quickly and easily. You use a desktop client application to design maps and a web portal to administer.

Obscura Digital

The San Francisco company is arguably among the best in the world at designing and executing projection mapping projects – the whole business of projecting visuals precisely on a surface and subtly or massively changing its characteristics. Their signature work is the Sydney Opera House, but I like what they did with a mosque in Abu Dhabi.

Not really sure what Obscura would be showing, but this is a field that will grow quite a bit in the next few years. Wrote a book all about it this past summer.

Rolith

This company does “Transparent Metal Mesh Electrodes for Touch Screen Displays.” I’m not entirely sure what that all means, but will plan to find out.

Sampo

A Taiwanese panel maker I don’t think I’ve seen before. They have a smart TV platform, and presumably commercial panels. 

VitalSigns

The Columbus, Ohio company’s pitch is that it makes digital signage simple. NOT exactly unique. Or new. But what’s interesting here is VitalSigns is a product and the company behind it is a large creative shop called Mills James. We’re starting to see more creative-oriented companies like Insteo, Freshwater and Codigo also provide enabling software.

Wondersign

Another company – this one based in Tampa – that makes doing digital signage easy.

The full list of exhibitors for the show is here: http://www.digitalsignageexpo.net/exhibitor-list