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Wallflower connects multiple detectors to a digital signage player

AUCKLAND, New Zealand — Wallflower Global of New Zealand has announced the release of the Wallflower Detective device, enabling the connection of multiple detection devices to a digital signage player.

As dynamic digital signage increasingly becomes incorporated into interactive installations such as point of purchase display stands, devices such as proximity detectors are becoming an important component. The world is focused on saving energy. It is important to include detection devices into installations as far as possible to switch off displays when there is no audience.

Implementation of such devices is simple if only one detector is required. With products such as the Wallflower software package detectors normally simply replace a mouse or other input device.

If you need to connect more than one device such as proximity detectors it is very difficult. An example is in display stands where a shopper has a choice of various items they would like to see information about. A hardware store may have a range of power tools on display.
When a shopper presses a button close to the tool, or picks it up, the signage player needs to know which device has been triggered. Wallflower Detective solves this problem.

The Wallflower Detective is a hardware device providing seamless integration of detection devices with Wallflower or other leading digital signage software packages. It detects which device has been triggered and then sends an identifying code to the player.

The Wallflower Detective is a compact unit supplied with its own power supply. Detection devices are plugged in using RJ12 connectors. A single output connection to the PC is provided via a standard 9-pin RS-232 port. Wallflower Global can supply adaptors for use with PCs that do not have a com port and require USB input.

The Detective is able to provide output power from the RJ12 connections to power devices such as proximity detectors. One Detective can have up to 8 devices connected to it and Detectives can be daisy chained using RJ-45 connectors to allow up to 64 detection devices to be connected and control the Wallflower display.

In display stands it can also be used for security. The Detective can advise the Wallflower software that a tool has been removed from the stand and an alarm can sound or messages be sent to staff.

Similarly a touchscreen could have a motion detector connected. The Wallflower software can then show welcome information. The Wallflower display can power off if there is nobody within viewing distance of the display and then power it on when a person is detected.

digital signage player