When Synergistics Research Group surveyed 1,000 consumers in the spring of 2001, 47 percent said that trying to read screens in sunlight topped their list of ATM beefs.
The annoyance even beat out concerns over excessive fees, mentioned by 40 percent of respondents.
"As ATMs and other kiosks move outdoors, glare and durability become bigger issues," said John Barkholtz, global business manager of Specialty Touch Products for 3M Touch Systems, a manufacturer of touch screens.
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Protecting PINs and other data is a growing concern for financial institutions, with customer privacy and security increasingly mandated by legislation. The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, for example, would require banks to establish "administrative, technical, and physical safeguards" for customer data.
As reports of shoulder surfing, card skimming and other scams continue to make the news, Barkholtz said ATM users will likely become more concerned about the screen as a possible weak link in security.
3M's Light Control Film (often called 3M privacy film) works sort of like a miniblind, Barkholtz said. "It filters both the sunlight going in and display light going out so that only someone standing directly in front of the display can clearly see the screen content. The glare reduction is achieved by reflecting the sunlight and not allowing it to wash out the display."
3M sells privacy touch screens and non-touch privacy glass to OEM manufacturers as well as to refurb shops and ATM service and maintenance companies. Barkholtz said the film generally adds 30 percent to 50 percent to the cost of a touch screen depending on the size of the display, and is offered as an option on some Diebold and Wincor Nixdorf ATM models. A large bank based in the Northeast is one of the largest users of the technology, he said.
Jim Merrell, Diebold's director of Global Product Marketing, said privacy monitors are offered on the manufacturer's ix Series and 9x Series of ATMs, as well as on its new Opteva family of machines.
"Diebold makes every attempt to make financial institutions and their customers feel their transactions and financial information are kept confidential," Merrell said. "This is especially true when using touch screens, as many times transaction selections and inputs are made on the display itself and are more visible to casual observers than function keys and PIN pad entries."
In addition to films that help reduce glare and enhance privacy, 3M also sells films that filter infrared rays so that exterior ATM screens remain within recommended operating temperatures. "The LCD itself can overheat, which affects its performance," Barkholtz said.
