My presentation to the group will be a "Show and Tell" of several new systems into which the Remote Infrared Audible Signage (RIAS) system has been integrated. My main message is that RIAS is creating a "seamless" signage environment both indoors and outdoors -- including transit, street crossings and indoor navigation / wayfinding. (We are downplaying the street crossing application, but it does show the power of having the appropriate information when and where you need it!) I will bring a 3.5 minute video produced for Sun Microsystems (and shown nationally on PBS) and also an 8.5 minute video produced by MSNBC. These give a real indication of how the system is actually used rather than just showing some boxes. Both productions are punchy, tight and informative.

The "boxes" I will bring are:

1) a very nice ATM mockup that employs RIAS labeling of all aspects of the transaction -- from locating the ATM to identifying each physical feature on the ATM.

2) Another device is the NextBus display for bus shelters that shows the time of the next arriving bus. This is manufactured with RIAS in each unit (and not as an "add-on"). The NextBus company provides 10 receivers to each city where the NextBus system is installed.

3) I will talk about the infrared Bus Destination system manufactured by Luninator. Luminator makes Bus signage and next-stop announcment systems. Our human factors research prompted this technology transfer to their company.

4) I will show the RIAS "museum" system S-K helped design (the user control functions). This has the regular Talking Signs wayfinding protocol and also, each transmitter sends out a code unique to that transmitter. This code indexes into the flash memory of the handheld receiver to give more narrative information about the artifact being identified by that particular transmitter.

5) We have what we call the "Personal System" that comprises a portable receiver and transmitter pair. In this system, the receiver "wakes up" the transmitter so the transmitter unit does not use batteries unless there is a receiver looking around.

6) I will also show a new prototype of an infrared personal assistive listening system... it's a small portable IR transmitter with a built-in mike. You give it to your friend (or several friends) and you can hear them talk from across the room by pointing the receiver at each of them (for hard of hearing population).

This seems like a lot of stuff to fit into a short amount of time, but since none of it is complicated (the best thing about RIAS!) it's a no-brainer to see how the applications function. That is, not much needs to be explained.... I started to say "What you see is what you get" but in the case of wayfinding, that's exactly not the point!

So, I think there are some new things employing Talking Signs that our O&M community is not aware of and perhaps some of our wayfinding technical and research people are unaware of.