News
Diebold's Vectra concept wins design award
August 2, 2005
NORTH CANTON, Ohio - In 2004, Diebold Inc. created a concept terminal that put a "twist" on the traditional ATM - literally.
According to a news release, the concept has been recognized for design excellence by the Industrial Designers Society of America. Diebold's Vectra, the world's first application of haptic technology on a concept ATM, has been chosen as a bronze winner in IDSA's Industrial Design Excellence Awards competition.
The terminal's futuristic façade and crisp consumer presentation style aren't the most notable departures from the standard design of current ATMs. The concept terminal is absent one of today's most prominent design elements: buttons. Incorporating a design philosophy known as haptics, which is based on the sense of touch, the concept terminal replaces the traditional keypad and function keys with a dial.
Haptic technology has been used in dozens of products in the medical, automotive and audio industries from cell phones and game consoles to luxury automobiles. In many luxury automobiles with more sophisticated options, the technology is used to condense dashboard features. Functions such as audio, climate control and navigation are integrated into the multi-menu dial to help reduce clutter on the dash.
The dial enables users to navigate Vectra's menus using their sense of touch. Users operate the dial in much the same way as a combination lock, "twisting" it both clockwise and counterclockwise to make their selections. Various "indentations" in the dial allow users to navigate the menus and make their selections based on the "feel" of the dial. Desired options can be selected by depressing the dial. Screen prompts help confirm the user's selections.
While unconventional in today's ATM environment, the use of dial technology could actually enhance the usability of today's ATMs. Without a keypad or function keys, users need only navigate one input device. In addition to simplifying the user interface, the dial also makes possible the addition of new menus and options without requiring the user to navigate additional screens. And the technology has the potential to make ATMs more accessible to visually impaired users and people who cannot read.
Vectra also responds to concerns about ATM security in this age of increasing ATM theft and fraud. Because dial technology eliminates the need to enter a PIN on a keypad by incorporating the sense of touch instead of sight, it could decrease or even eliminate the opportunity for shoulder surfing, one of today's most common forms of theft at the ATM.
Co-sponsored by IDSA and BusinessWeek magazine, the IDEA Competition is dedicated to fostering business and public understanding of the importance of industrial design excellence to quality of life and the economy.
Nearly 1,400 entrants competed in 50 subcategories of the competition. Other winners of the 25th annual contest include Nike, HP and Apple. Awards will be presented at the IDEA ceremony on Aug. 27 in Washington, D.C. All IDEA winners are highlighted on the IDSA Web site at www.idsa.org and the BusinessWeek Web site at www.businessweek.com.
Diebold's Vectra was designed as a concept terminal to test the feasibility of a new user interface in ATM design. The project utilized the combined talents of Diebold's industrial design and software engineering teams.
Included In This Story
Diebold Nixdorf
As a global technology leader and innovative services provider, Diebold Nixdorf delivers the solutions that enable financial institutions to improve efficiencies, protect assets and better serve consumers.
Related Media
Subscribe
Get the latest news and resources from ATM Marketplace.
