According to the American Disabilities Act (ADA), US Airports fall under a special zone for ADA compliance. ADA compliance must address physical reach and height regulations and, at the discretion of the airport, accessibility to the hearing impaired and also the visually impaired for Information Transaction Machines (ITM). Working with Clear Channel Airports (CCA), Meridian built a turnkey system for interactive digital signage and an advertising platform for installation at airports across the US and Canada. The solution allows CCA to sell advertising for local amenities such as hotels, transportation, entertainment and restaurants. The CCA solution offers wayfinding and phone service for greater accessibility to their advertisers.
- The interactive signage solution was designed and manufactured by Meridian and powered by Meridian’s proprietary software, Meridian Application Platform (MAP). Clear Channel Airport’s ADA-compliant solution utilizes VoIP for telephone handset, phone pad and on-screen prompts; SMS messaging and QR codes are incorporated as well. Scott Appnel, Sales Manager with Clear Channel Aiports said, “The Meridian solution helps us connect advertisers to all travelers, especially those with accessibility challenges.”
- In order to accommodate the ADA physical requirements, Meridian lowered the screen content of the 42” screen within ADA guidelines. Content out of reach of the user can be pulled down into the compliance area using buttons near the bottom of the screen. Meridian streamlined the design of the self-service solution for greater accessibility, whether using a wheelchair or standing.
- The Meridian Application Platform (MAP) provides accessibility and interactivity for the visually impaired. MAP provides an all-software solution without the need for special equipment. Interactive Voice Response (IVR) technology allows the user to interact with the kiosk through the use of voice prompts and DTMF tones. Users are able to utilize the solution’s handset to navigate the entire solution.
- With the rise of Voice over IP (VoIP) technology, TDD communication becomes increasingly difficult to implement due to the need to roll out QoS (Quality of Service) which requires an expensive network infrastructure. Meridian’s use of the MAP TDD platform in combination with VoIP technology ultimately reduced CCA’s infrastructure cost for deployment. Chris Gilder, Founder and CEO said, “As ADA regulations are constantly changing, Meridian created a solution for Clear Channel Airports that addresses the needs of all users. Meridian’s MAP platform provides the foundation to stay ahead of changing requirements.”
- In Addition to accessibility features, Meridian’s MAP platform also provides Clear Channel Airports (CCA) a dynamic and extensible multi-language support for displaying content in ten languages: English, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese, Chinese, Korean and Arabic.
