Zytronic has announced its collaboration with Gizmo Bar, a recently opened business in Greenville South Carolina’s NOMA Square that combines the function of a tech repair facility with the comfort of a lounge. The 3,000sqft space is outfitted with interactive technology powered by Zytronic’s Zybrid multitouch sensors and the company’s latest ZXY500 touch controllers, which combine to deliver the perfect mix of durability and interactive responsiveness.
“Our vision is to deliver the convenience of on-site tech repair in a comfortable lounge atmosphere where people enjoy lingering to have a drink while their personal tech products are repaired on-site,” said Gizmo Bar founder Shaun Robertson. “Gizmo Bar aims to turn the inconvenience of tech repair on its head and deliver a social, communal experience that keeps people coming back.”
Gizmo Bar patrons can take a seat at the bar while their repairs are underway and enjoy a selection of local craft brews. The bar itself is comprised of interactive touchscreens which enable guests to browse the web and catch up on work while they wait. A total of six 50in uniquely designed multitouch screens span the length of the bar, making it possible for 12 or more people to utilise the screens’ interactive capabilities simultaneously. For added convenience, patrons can use the touchscreens to order-in food from local restaurants using popular dining delivery platforms such as UberEats, BiteSquad and Grubhub.
“The bar top itself is comprised of touchscreens arranged end-to-end, therefore we needed a solution rugged enough to withstand heavy use,” explained Robertson. “We chose Zytronic because they were able to design and manufacture a bespoke interactive solution made of extremely durable glass, while maintaining flawless interactivity with zero latency.”
The most common repairs made at Gizmo Bar – such as phone and tablet screen replacement – can be done on-site, usually within an hour. Staff are trained to repair not just phones and tablets, but drones as well.
Robertson concluded: “The touch-interactive bar we showcase in Gizmo Bar’s Greenville location is just the beginning. We’ll soon be updating the interactive bar with Zytronic’s proprietary Object Recognition technology, making it possible to simply place an item on the bar’s surface and have relevant information displayed automatically. For example, specially designed coasters could pull up information about the local craft breweries that supply our taps – it’s a great way to create a deeper connection between our customers and the products we offer.”
Robertson’s Gizmo Bar Greenville location serves as proof-of-concept for what he plans to roll-out much more broadly in the Southeastern United States, with openings planned in Charlotte and Atlanta. Future iterations of the Gizmo Bar concept may include a boutique retail component that features tech products from crowdfunding entrepreneurs and other small-scale tech manufacturers often overlooked by conventional retailers.
