Hi Nico-
We've been using a very inexpensive app (http://www.android-kiosk.com/) to lock down standard Android tablets and then deliver content via HTML5/CSS3 (also with a bit of Javascript to do optional extras like control screen brightness, shut down, etc., though the app does provide some of this functionality itself - we just needed to tweak). There's also a premium version with an annual fee which we're considering that allows more remote control functionality.
Originally we used this as a workaround because we needed something really quickly that we couldn't deliver via our other systems, but it turned out to meet all of our needs and we've stuck with it and really like it. Because the content is delivered via html, it's endlessly customisable so long as you have someone on your team who can do some basic work with HTML and CSS - and even then, so long as one person can develop the template, anyone reasonably competent can add content within that. We've used it to do some fairly basic image galleries, video, audio, etc. as a supplement to exhibitions, but also to create simple games and interactive infographics. As we're designing for a known screen size and situation, it makes things MUCH easier, though we can repurpose the content for the web with a bit more testing.
One issue (maybe): to make it faster we're deploying the files to the devices themselves. The content is basically web content, so you can apply Google Analytics in the usual way (though this hasn't worked very well for us as our wifi isn't particularly stable where the tablets are so we're delivering a lot of content via local files).
We haven’t yet tried bringing in content via an API, but we're about to test using a data source and I can't imagine why it wouldn't work with your collections API.
Happy to chat further if you think it might helpful, or to share examples!
Liz
Liz McCarthy
Web & Digital Media Manager
Bodleian Libraries
Tel: 01865 277230
Twitter: @bodleianlibs | Facebook: www.facebook.com/bodleianlibraries
-----Original Message-----
From: Museums Computer Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Nick Clarey
Sent: 11 March 2016 11:50
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [MCG] Kiosk software for gallery interactives for novice techies
The folks at Sheringham Museum gave a presentation on using Raspberry Pis for their kiosk interactives at the MATech conf which has already been
mentioned:
http://www.museumsassociation.org/museum-practice/28012016-sheringham-museum-shares-budget-technology-package
They used Powerpoint and a PDF viewer alongside some cheapo Ilyama touch screens in order to achieve their interactive displays.
Unfortunately this isn't going to integrate with your collection management system without further development, but it's certainly the bargain basement option.
Best regards,
Nick
On 11 March 2016 at 11:15, Nicolas Tyack <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> This is my first foray into the world of MCG posting but thought you
> were all the ideal people to help me.
>
> I've been reading with interest various recent threads about
> touchscreens, digital stories etc, and I wonder if anyone out there
> has had any good experiences with creating in-gallery collections
> explorer interactives for touchscreens.
>
> I've had a look at off-the-shelf packages such as IntuiFace and Kiosk
> Pro and thought I'd ask you all if you have either good or bad
> experiences with them or similar systems?
>
> The key thing for us (as with many museum without in-house tech
> support) is keeping costs as low as possible, and ideally having some
> software which can be re-used for future exhibitions. Flexibility of
> design, look, style etc is therefore key, and it's important to have
> something we can do ourselves rather than go to external designers and software experts.
> Another ideal situation would be something that can link in to our
> collections management system API so we can power the interactive from
> the CMS and not a separate system, but that might be asking too much!
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Nico
>
>
> Nico Tyack, Documentation Officer
> Museums and Galleries, Cultural Services, City of Edinburgh Council
>
> Museum of Edinburgh, 142 Canongate, Edinburgh, EH8 8DD
> [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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