Intuiface Mashes Up Interactive Signage Software With Retail Gadget Maker

November 21, 2019 by Dave Haynes

French interactive software and solutions firm Intuiface has worked out an interesting integration with a Dutch technology company, Nexmosphere, that makes sensors and actuators used for things like one-to-one retail merchandising and marketing.

Nexmosphere gadgets range buttons, RFID readers, gender identification cameras, and proximity sensors to LED light strips and audio players.

Intuiface’s elevator pitch is along the lines of providing a low-cost but slick platform that makes developing interactive experiences fast and dead-easy. While Intuiface users could build their own integrations with Nexmosphere gadgets, the proposition here is that interactive experiences like “lift and learn” displays can be prepackaged plug-and-play templates.

That low barrier to entry and dedicated support make it possible for retails or brands that are sold in physical stores to develop the technical side of interactive at the shelf really quickly. Instead of spending a lot of time and money on the workings, time and budget can instead be directed to creative.

Says a press release:

The current wave of attention to customer experience (CX) management in brick and mortar retail is driven by the desire of brands to improve cross-channel brand appeal and to build data-based insight for enhancing the customer journey. Core to this CX initiative is investment in interactivity, facilitated both by touch screens and by sensor/actuator-based installations. As interaction increases shopper engagement and generates real-world data, brands have been looking at scenarios like lift & learn, gender-triggered promotions, motion-activated messaging, and more to foster frequent visits, longer dwell time, and – ultimately – increased sales.

By partnering, Intuiface and Nexmosphere break down the development barrier standing between brands and modern digital retail experiences. Nexmosphere sensors and actuators – called “Elements” – can be incorporated in Intuiface-based experiences with zero coding. Designers use Intuiface’s drag-and-drop authoring tool to create visual experiences personalized for the shopper through connection to the back office and the physical store.

Back office integrations ensure the latest, most relevant product/service and marketing collateral are presented while integrations with touch screens and Nexmosphere Elements in the store enable real-time interaction with consumers. Meanwhile, Intuiface collects interaction data, combines it with relevant contextual information, and makes it available for analysis through custom-built charts and dashboards to generate actionable business insight.

Nexmosphere Elements include buttons, RFID readers, presence and proximity sensors, and LED light strips. These Elements, combined with the right marketing-tested Intuiface visuals, encourage shoppers to actively (with intention) or passively (by implication) express their interest. For example, proximity sensors could trigger on-screen messaging tailored for the gender detected by a sensor. This results in the lighting of physical buttons representing three promotional options. Pressing a button launches the appropriate video onscreen, accompanied by the display of touch screen-accessible information about the desired product or service. Throughout, Intuiface is collecting data about gender preference in particular stores, at particular times of day, or in any other relevant contexts.

“We see limitless potential for the retail space and are very motivated to make it as simple as possible,” says Vincent Encontre, Intuiface’s COO. “The combination of our low code content creation software with Nexmosphere sensors and actuators is so seamless that we expect our customers to create and deploy combined solutions in mere days, not the months of time usually required by bespoke development.”

“This relationship with Intuiface will solve our customers’ most common problem – interactive visual content creation,” says Hubert van Doorne, Nexmosphere’s Business Development Manager. “By enabling integrators and brand design teams to create modern digital experiences that easily work with our devices, retailers will have infinite options for incorporating real-world interaction in their stores.”