21Dec / 2010

SEGA’s Urinal Game Helps Keeping Toilet Clean

SEGA’s urinal game interface “Toirettsu” (English: Toylet) encourages peeing on target, measures your urination amount and helps keeping toilet clean.

The device is a regular stand-up urinal with a sensor at the center, which is activated when liquid is jetted at it. When you “hit” the sensor with urination, a gaming screen at eye level will show your score, estimated amount of your output, alongside with advertisements next to the game screen.

It is common to see mini-screen installed above urinal displaying promotional videos and news tickers. However, this additional interactive elements may make urination fun, as well as bring a natural side effect of helping you to aim at the right place to pee instead of the floor. Putting fun into user experience while reaching your goal is really a win-win situation.

via: PopSci

Update 2011-Jan-13
SEGA Toylet Official Site: http://toylets.sega.jp
Location from SEGA website, updated on 2010-Dec-16:

The Fun Theory

The SEGA gaming urinal reminds me of Volkswagon The Fun Theory (thefuntheory.com), which embraces the thought that something as simple as fun is the easiest way to change people’s behaviour for the better. One example: throwing garbage to trash bin is so boring and unrewarding that nobody really cares to do it anymore. But what if you make it fun to put the garbage into the right place? The Fun Theory team made a garbage bin that makes funny sound effect as if you’re throwing your garbage down a deep deep hole through the centre of the Earth.

Fun Theory – Piano Stairs to encourage people walking up the stairs instead of taking the escalator

Fun Theory – Speed limit lottery to encourage drivers to drive under speed limit

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10Dec / 2010

QR-Code Marketing

Thanks to Google Android that comes with QR-code scanning ability, this once Japan-only barcode technology is now popularized in the western markets as well. I have been following the applications of the QR technology since coming to Japan, such as the QR-code coupon, ad-truck, and nutrition info of McDonalds meal. But now I can see some creative innovations from western companies as well. The following are two services that uses QR-code to track marketing campaign and bridge the gap between physical merchandise and digital world.

Pyow! from MailChimp

Link: http://www.mailchimp.com/mobile/pyow

The idea of Pyow! service is that, storeowner can start a campaign of say 10% off coupon, but instead of printing out paper-based coupons, the storeowner can just email e-coupon with a QR-code to customers, which can later on be used at the storefront either by showing the code on a smartphone or paper print-out to the salesperson. The salesperson will then use the Pyow! iPhone app to scan the code, and get real-time coupon usage of the presented code.

Pyow! QR-code system is tightly integrated into MailChimp’s mail campaign. With this system, storeowner can effectively track the usage of the email campaign for physical merchandises.

QR Stories

Link: http://www.qr-stories.com

QR Stories, a German startup, promises a more flexible utilization of QR-code and location-aware mobile devices. Usage: Storeowner creates social profiles on popular networks such as Facebook, Foursquare and Gowalla. Then go on generates QR-codes from QR Stories that link to different promotion features: link to social profiles, location check-in services, or information above your products and services. Every time a customer uses a QR-code, QR Stories will then track the usage and give you statistics.

Unfortunately I cannot get a beta testing account to try out the service, so the information above is simply based on their website.

Do you see some more interesting use of QR-code? Please let me know!

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17Nov / 2010

Touchscreen Vending Machine Guesses Your Gender, Suggesting Manly or Girly Drinks

“Good day. Ohh….I see you’re a gentleman. May I suggest you a manly Redbull or extra bitter triple-shot espresso?”

This giant beverage vending machine features a big touchscreen with attractive visual and animation. But more interestingly, when a customer stands in front of the vending machine, the camera mounted above the screen will automatically detect the face, determine customer’s gender, and immediately show “suggested” tags on the selection screen.

This vending machine was sighted at 品川駅 Shinagawa Station, Tokyo. Operated by Acure, this is one of their latest innovation: 次世代型新飲料自販機 (Next Generation Drink Vending Machine) and the Development Team Blog: http://www.acure-fun.net/blog/innovation/

My thoughts:

Rich animated content

Sharp and attractive beverage pictures, and subtle animation of steam coming off the can of warm drinks. Also a side window for animated ad-banner. With a big computer screen, the content can be updated dynamically depending on time of day, weather, promotion campaign and so on.

Touchscreen interaction

Years ago when Touchscreen UI was still not very common, many users might find it difficult to understand and determine what elements on the screen are pushable buttons, or that most machines are too underpowered to generate snappy visual response back to users. However, now that computer power is cheap and plentiful, plus touchscreen interaction is popularized by smart phones and advanced gadgets, most people are now comfortable with this interaction method.

Camera to detect customer gender

As for the gender detection feature, I think it’s mostly just gimmick, if not a little sexually discriminating. I don’t care too much about what the machine thinks I might like. But thinking deeper, marketeers can gather information about user base much much faster, and are able to response to it very quickly. There might be privacy concern for now, but nobody will really care after a while.

Content from official site, with my translation:

（１）タッチパネル式
新しくタッチパネル式を採用。
高画質な大画面ディスプレイにより商品本来の魅力を表現しました。とてもおいしそう。

（２）高度なマーケティング頭脳
デジタルサイネージにより、気温や時間帯にあわせたコンテンツを配信します。
更に、お客さまの年代や性別に応じて、各商品をお勧めします。

（３）コミュニケーション
次々に変化するコンテンツと直感的な操作性。
これまでにないちょっと楽しい体験をご提供します。

Touch Panel Model – use of new touch panel mode. High-definition big screen displays the products original attractiveness. Looks really yummy!
Highly Marketing Mind – just like “Digital Signage”, the content can be updated according to temperature and time. Furthermore, according to customers’ age and gender, the machine will automatically recommend appropriate products. (wow it even reads your age!)
Communication – slowly changing (animated?) content and direct controllability. This vending machine offers unprecedented fun experience!

: Touchscreen Vending Machine

: Vending interface

: Animated steam from hot coffee

: Hey dude, get some Redbull or coffee will you?

: Camera

: I’m bored, look at me!

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03Nov / 2010

Pillow Chair for TV Lovers

After a long day of work, what’s better than lying down comfortably on a fluffy pillow with a warm blanket and watch your favorite movie? The problem however, is that one of your ear will be covered by the pillow, so it’s difficult to fully experience the awesome stereo sound effect of the explosion scenes.

Worry no more. Here comes the Pillow Chair.

For ￥3980 YEN or $50 USD, you can purchase one of this horseshoe-shaped pillow with a hollow channel, so that you can clearly hear the TV sound with both ears while resting your head comfortably on it.

Also you don’t need to worry about bending your expensive designer eyeglasses when using this pillow.

If you’re getting tired and disoriented from watching the screen horizontally, you can as easily convert the pillow into a chair, simply unfolding the back to your preferred position.

When there is a demand, supply will follow. Traditionally Japanese likes to sit on the floor, hence such product is made. What other fancy gadgets do you have in your country for watching TV?

: You can hear the TV while lying down on it, even with your glasses on

: Convertible into a chair

: Lots of colour to choose from

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11Oct / 2010

Using Mobile Devices in a Train

Japanese spends tremendous amount of time in train. How do they stay connected during their commute? What do they do to deal with small/no personal space, privacy, shaky train, manner mode, etc?