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Watson, I presume
Watson may not serve hamburgers to order -- yet. But with the advent of Diebold's new ATM concept, having it your way may become more and more the norm as deployers choose to cater to customers' individual needs. by Jane Blake
July 12, 2000
"Watson," Diebold's new ATM concept, lets users have it their way. Whatever a user's size, shape, age or interests, Watson can adjust itself automatically to fit. The futuristic machine -- introduced at CeBit 2000 in Hannover, Germany, in March -- will be able to access pre-registered information provided by consumers. Want event tickets, phone, transit or smart cards? Watson's built-in color laser printer, card dispenser and cash acceptor can handle it. The Web enabled terminal also allows users to retrieve real-time, personalized stock market reports or news headlines pulled from the Internet. To know who you are and what you like, Watson uses Diebold's OPTinet software, which offers a variety of options, such as voice guidance and several kinds of biometric technologies, including fingerprint and iris recognition. This way, customers concerned about security can say goodbye to their cards and PINs. According to Diebold, two important factors drive Watson's predictive ability. "First, the company believes there's a growing need for the general public to be able to retrieve personalized information via the Internet," said Daniel J. Delaney, Diebold's director of global design. "Second, the population of users is aging. So we believe it's increasingly important for technology to adapt to the needs of the user, rather than forcing the user to adapt to technology." Sandy Berger, online editor and host of the Computers & Technology web site for AARP, believes users' familiarity with Watson's kind of technology is crucial to its acceptance. "People are used to similar technology, such as telephones and computers. That will help a lot," she said. The more seamless the technology the better, Berger said. "If Watson uses voice recognition, so people don't realize it's being done, they will accept it. But if they actually have to put their eye up somewhere to have it scanned, I don't believe they will." She added, "People sign up and put in whatever information they wish, so they should feel comfortable. And Watson sounds pretty effortless to me." Watson is based on the principles of Universal Design, a mid-1990s concept that caters to individual abilities and preferences. In an increasingly global marketplace, it's about creating products that are easy to use by people of all ages, sizes, capabilities and ethnic backgrounds. For an exceptionally tall person, Watson raises and the monitor tilts for easier viewing. For shorter users or even those in a wheelchair, the machine lowers and the monitor can become nearly vertical. Watson's touch screen interface sports large buttons and easy-to-read text. For the visually impaired, the screen can go totally blank to hide vital information. Meanwhile the customer can be prompted to use a privacy handset for a voice-guided transaction. The ability to offer voice-guided transactions may become more important when the U.S. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board ("Access Board") updates the federal accessibility guidelines for private and public facilities under the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA). Among the proposals being considered is a requirement that new and refurbished ATMs must be equipped with both visual and audio capabilities. Several industry associations, including the American Bankers Association and the Community Bankers Association, oppose the proposal on the grounds that it would be expensive and technologically difficult to implement. With recommendations from advisory committees, the Board published prospective guidelines last November and asked for public comment until May 15. Dave Yanchulis, an accessibility specialist with the Board, invited the public to check out the Board's Web site at Access Board for more information. "Though the deadline for public comments has officially closed," he said, "we'll consider late comments to the extent possible." All of Watson's whiz-bang capabilities aren't likely to be found in one machine, said Tiffini Bloniarz, a Diebold spokesperson. "Watson is a total concept, not a released product." Deployers can cherry pick from various choices, and "the cost will vary accordingly," she said. Watson's name and almost-human form were no accident. Paul Magee, one of Diebold's senior corporate designers, said, "We wanted to give it a little bit of personality, because it's basically an assistant, someone very smart to help." How to convey that idea? Diebold's answer was to name its new machine Watson, after two capable men who were the right hands of Sherlock Holmes and Alexander Graham Bell. Watson will star at more trade shows in the future, so that designers can collect customer feedback and continue to tweak the concept. Diebold wants to know what customers like and don't like in order to tailor new products, Magee said.
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