MultiTouch has launched its latest development, MultiTaction Codice. Personalised for each user, Codice is a 2D barcode allowing users of interactive displays to send content directly to their email addresses just by presenting their personal Codice marker. Interactive displays simply read the 2D barcode to present, send and receive information, resulting in a highly personalised digital signage experience.
Codice is based on MultiTouch’s proprietary Enriched Reality technology and can be printed on any object such as mobile phones, tickets, loyalty cards or visitor badges. Barcodes can even be printed at home and used with any Codice-enabled interactive display. By briefly presenting the Codice marker to the display, the content shown is automatically sent to the email address assigned to that specific marker. This transaction is also recorded so the content owner has a real-time view of viewers’ interests.
“MultiTaction Codice turns digital signage bi-directional,” said Timo Korpela, general manager of MultiTouch Americas. “Codice users decide which content is interesting to them and in turn the information is also available to the content owner. Codice markers can also be used to identify the user and present personal or exclusive content which is especially useful if you are a loyalty program member or a season ticket holder. Corporate visitors can even have Codice markers printed on the backs of their visitor badges.”
Each Codice marker is unique and every single person has their own, personal code that is used to send content or to identify the user for personalised and exclusive content. Codice markers are managed by the content owner that can integrate the Codice information into any CRM or loyalty program the content owner is using. The uniqueness of Codice markers is controlled by MultiTouch DRM Server that guarantees that the same code is never in use by more than one person. MultiTouch DRM Server has a capacity for over 4 billion unique codes.
Compared to the existing methods of interacting with digital signage, MultiTaction Codice is said to deliver two important improvements. The first is that the cost of technology is practically zero: MultiTaction Codice markers can be printed on anything, even at home and, unlike RFID, the technology doesn’t have to be embedded. Secondly, instead of generic mobile web pages that QR codes launch, MultiTaction Codice is personal and the content owner can identify the user.
Content owners plug into MultiTaction Codice service by purchasing Codice licenses that are added to their existing CRM or loyalty program. Whenever a MultiTaction interactive display detects a Codice marker, the Codice application makes an SQL query to the client CRM system and retrieves an email address or other personal information for the Codice marker shown.
While unique MultiTaction Codice markers are controlled by MultiTouch’s DRM Server, MultiTouch also offers an entry level system that comes free of charge with MultiTaction displays.
“We believe that a Codice license offers tremendous value,” continued Korpela. “But we also wanted to provide a simple way for anyone to build their own MultiTaction Codice application. The DRM free version supports thousands of non-unique Codice markers that are ideal for local events and businesses. On top of that, the client can purchase a MultiTaction Enriched Reality Server which it can use to allocate Codice markers to their customers.”
