After more than 10 months of development and testing of Suntec Singapore's interactive information and way-finding system called "TouchPoint", the venue won the AIPC (International Association of Congress Centres) Innovation Members Choice Award at the organisation's global conference in San Diego, California last week.
The system is a mobile interactive display way finding tool that gives the user instantaneous access to the convention centre's facilities, ongoing events and on-demand information such as news feed, location of services, world time and its primary function as a location aware way finding system – all with a touch of a finger.
Standing at 7 ft and measuring 4ft x 2.5 ft wide, TouchPoint is readily available at all key locations throughout Suntec Singapore’s 100,000sqm facility.
Since its launch in January, the system has received 700,000 ‘touches’ or ‘clicks’ and has assisted delegates and visitors in navigating their way around the venue with ease.
TouchPoint, a further component of the ‘Suntec Suite’ of Convention and Exhibition Management Systems’ was developed completely in-house in cooperation with such hardware suppliers as Samsung who designed and manufactured a new touch screen technology to support the ambitious requirements of the new system.
Pieter Idenburg, CEO of Suntec Singapore, upon hearing of the AIPC members voting results remarked that it has been a long road from its inception some three years ago.
"In a way I am relieved, driving change by introducing a new technology into an industry that has relied heavily on banners, poster boards and directional two dimensional signages in the last 100 years was no simple feat. To be awarded by one’s peers is the best validation that a company can receive".
Very much bolstered by the Singapore’s government’s direction to export nationally developed technology abroad, TouchPoint will be marketed as a custom-made solution for Exhibition and Convention venues world wide.
The Suntec Singapore team is presently working on TouchPoint 2.0 which looks at expanding the reach and capabilities, as well as exploring new features that can be adapted such as face recognition capability, people counting system, location tracking as well as on-site registration.
When ready, this next phase is capable of providing a fully interactive, integrated whole new experience to guests and visitors-on-the-go.
Says Ong Wee Min, Commercial Director at Suntec Singapore: "As we plan to roll out the next generation of a fully interactive TouchPoint by the end of the year, we are confident that the system will attract attention from those venues that want to stay ahead of the global competition by providing superior service, higher security and comfort of use by both the event and exhibition organisers as well as their visitors, buyers and delegates”.
Delegates at the AIPC conference also had a first-hand experience of TouchPoint’s touch- enabled capabilities and robust content as one unit was specially flown out to San Diego by our partner Agility Fairs and Events for the global conference.
The AIPC Innovation Award is made for specific projects or initiatives that represent “innovation” – the development of a new, more creative or more effective approach to any aspect of convention centre management, operations or marketing.
The member’s choice is voted by all members attending the annual summit where the finalists were invited to conduct a short presentation to pitch their innovation during the Innovation Award Poster Session. Suntec Singapore’s entry was unanimously voted the winner.
AIPC is the industry association for professional convention and exhibition centre managers worldwide. It has a global network of 170 leading centres in 54 countries and the active involvement of more than 750 management professionals worldwide. The AIPC Annual Conference and 53rd General Assembly was held in San Diego from 28 June – 1 July 2011.
