Article by: anees

JR Kyushu touchless ticket vending machine screen reacts 2 cm before the screen

JR Kyushu Station touchless ticket vending machine screen reacts 2 cm before the screen, demonstration experiment at Hakata Station.

JR Kyushu started a demonstration experiment of a touchless (non-contact type) ticket vending machine at Hakata Station on the 6th, which allows you to purchase tickets without touching the screen. It takes about two months to verify the reaction and durability of the user, and decide whether to increase the number of units or expand the area.

The experiment was retrofitted to a conventional ticket vending machine using a sensor-equipped device developed by the JR Group's "Railway Information Systems" (Tokyo). When you bring your finger close to it, the infrared sensor reacts about 2 cm before the screen, and you can purchase a ticket without touching the screen. You can also operate it by touching the screen directly.

As for touchless ticket vending machines, JR West has started a demonstration experiment at Shin-Osaka Station on the 2nd, and Hakata Station is the second in Japan. With the new coronavirus disease, demand for contactless products such as vending machines, elevators, and automated teller machines (ATMs) is increasing. The person in charge at JR Kyushu said, "We want to help you to use it with confidence and purchase it hygienically."

(Takemitsu Furukawa)