Dot Origin partners with BrightSign to enable variable beacon and NFC support

BrightSign and Dot Origin have partnered to launch the DTAG100-PRO digital signage integration, which is now available for the full range of BrightSign media players.

The DTAG100-PRO is an intelligent add-on hardware device that connects to digital signage systems via USB and provides both a programmable Bluetooth beacon and a dynamic NFC tag. These are configured locally by the signage player, and can therefore be changed and updated at any moment, to suit whatever is being displayed on the big screen.

All BrightSign media players now support the DTAG100-PRO via a script plug-in that integrates with BrightAuthor and provides easy mechanisms for controlling and updating the beacon and tag contents from interactive presentations and/or HTML5 content.

Integrators and installers can simply purchase DTAG100-PRO devices, plug them in to an available USB port on the player, and configure their system to suit the particular end customer application and requirements.

BrightSign will be demonstrating this capability to provide real time updating of Bluetooth beacon data according to the on-screen content on its booth at CES 2016.

Dot Origin launches Bipzone, a free beacon notification app for iOS and Android

Having created the DTAG100-PRO, a unique hardware offering that provides a fully managed and re-programmable Bluetooth beacon, Dot Origin has now announced the availability of its free Bipzone app on both Android and iOS. Any DTAG100-PRO customer wanting to test or roll out a beacon campaign or infrastructure can now take advantage of this flexible mobile notification manager, instead of having to develop their own app.

Bipzone offers various unique capabilities, including branded notifications, flexible user preferences, and the ability to push variable, real-time notifications to consumer mobiles without requiring internet connectivity.

DTAG100 featured extensively at NEC Showcase event in London

The annual NEC Solutions Showcase, described as the ‘must-attend AV and Digital Signage event of the year’ features a total of fifteen DTAG100-PRO devices installed at various locations and attached to various systems throughout the exhibition. The Dot Origin devices are being used to welcome visitors to different event zones, and to illustrate various different use cases for both Bluetooth beacons and NFC in the transport, retail and other vertical markets.

Dot Origin launches combined dynamic NFC tag and Bluetooth beacon

With the increased interest in using Bluetooth beacons for mobile interactivity, Dot Origin has now launched the DTAG100-PRO which combines a programmable Bluetooth Low Energy beacon with its existing dynamic NFC tag technology. This new device offers an all-in-one solution for adding short-range wireless interactivity to any digital signage or kiosk system, without the need for additional software or management platforms.

Dot Origin launches innovative 2waytap technology in latest DTAG100

With growing interest from both advertisers and retailers in the interactivity that can be achieved from installing DTAG100 dynamic NFC tags alongside digital screens, Dot Origin has invested significantly in advancing the potential of this solution through its new 2waytap technology. The latest version of the DTAG100, now available to selected partners, enables near-instantaneous two-way exchange of data between mobile phones and advertising screens, kiosks and point-of-sale systems. As well as enabling the launch of mobile apps with unique or personalised data, using 2waytap allows such systems to obtain crucial user identity or transaction information from each mobile in return, subject to the usual app privacy controls, resulting in a truly personalised and interactive engagement at each tap.

DTAG100 features in ultra-premium outdoor network

The DTAG100 dynamic NFC tag has been installed in a network of 20 high tech digital advertising touchscreens, located at major pedestrian areas of Manchester, the UK’s fastest-growing city. Operated by MediaCo Outdoor and Manchester City Council, the CityLive network embodies the very best of cutting-edge digital out of home technology, including NFC interactivity, facial recognition and automated real-time media scheduling. The integrated DTAG100 dynamic tags make it easy for advertisers to direct and control the exact experience of the mobile user when they tap their phone against the clearly marked hot-spot, enabling them to launch web sites, apps, geo-location tags and more.

DTAG100 rolled out to UK high street stores

The DTAG100 dynamic NFC tag has been installed at over 300 high street stores in the UK, as part of a mobile device display from one of the world’s largest manufacturers. Featuring a powerful touchscreen-based interactive media platform alongside the illuminated NFC ‘hot-spot’, powered by the DTAG100 unit, the displays will enable consumers to enquire about various devices, engage with demonstration videos, and tap their NFC phone to take away further information and promotional links.

See the DTAG100 dynamic NFC tag in action

The DTAG100 provides an easy way to NFC-enable digital media advertising platforms and other interactive and point-of-sale signage, with no added software, drivers or platform dependencies!

A new YouTube video shows a simple ‘out-of-the-box’ example where a Raspberry Pi running the popular XBMC video player has been set up to send advertiser home page URLs to the DTAG100 via USB each time a new advert is shown.

The DTAG100 is available as a ready-made module for integration into other products, and can be customised to suit larger roll-outs. An evaluation kit is available that includes full instructions, demo files and scripts for various media players.

How it works – understanding the DTAG100

The DTAG100 is a small electronic module that acts as an NFC Type 3 tag. Uniquely, the NFC tag data contents (known as NDEF records) are not programmed in the usual way via the radio interface, but instead can be set and updated at any time via one of the available wired interfaces – initially USB, with TCP/IP coming soon.

The standard version of the DTAG100-USB appears as a mass storage device when plugged into a USB host – this means that it needs no drivers, and is immediately compatible with almost all computing devices, media players and other platforms. To set the tag data, only a simple text editor is required, or some software that can write a text file in our easy-to-use file format. To integrate the dynamic tag into, say, a digital advertising platform, so that an advertiser URL and associated text message are automatically served as a standard NFC Smart Poster, all you need to do is arrange for this text to be written to the file every time the advert changes from one brand to the next!

Note that the DTAG100 is not using tag emulation, which is a feature of some NFC reader chip-sets and which can be complex and unreliable to implement. Instead we use the unique RC-S926 dynamic tag chip from Sony, which implements the radio interface strictly in accordance with the NFC Forum standards and specifications. Behind this we have developed a single-chip microprocessor solution that implements the necessary protocols and converts the Smart Poster URL and text data into the low-level tag information needed by the phone, whilst also handling the USB and (optional) TCP/IP communications with the host.

The DTAG100 module is designed to be fitted inside other devices, such as digital signage enclosures, bus stops or even televisions. The small, 80mm square board has easy fixing holes and connections, with the NFC antenna normally mounted directly above it in the centre, but this can be detached and mounted separately for maximum flexibility, especially in small spaces. The standard DTAG100 evaluation kit includes a traditional wall box pre-drilled with holes for the LEDs, to show how easy it is to fit in an office or retail environment – please contact us if you would like to discuss alternative mounting arrangements or housings.