FEATURE NAME ADA/WAYFINDING BY JEFF AUTHOR WOOTEN
NFC COMPLIANT hen it comes to digital sign technology in the area of wayfinding and ADA, one of the key components you’ll hear about is NFC, which stands for “Near Field Communication.” The state-of-the-art “magic” that propels this technology is actually tiny, thin microchips embedded into the signage that communicate with smartphones and tablets and, in turn, create an expanded interactive experience for users. Adaptive Signage is a custom design and manufacturing firm in Port Chester, New York. The company has already been using 3D UV print systems for the 26
Sign Builder Illustrated
March 2021
past couple of years to produce wayfinding and ADA signage for their clients, and now they’ve developed Smart Signage, an NFC-oriented product that gives their customers both an entirely new way to look at their signs and the ability to analyze their performance analytics. The concept behind Smart Sign technology is simple: Users hover their smartphone over a specially printed NFC-enabled QR Code featured on the sign (a plaque, a panel, etc.), and their device will then either play audio and/or video, open a Web page, make a direct phone call, connect to Wi-Fi, download promo codes, follow a brand on social media, etc.
According to Joe Lanza, president of Adaptive Signage, NFC is about creating a digital experience through physical signage. He has found that real estate is an ideal market for Smart Sign technology, particularly with developers and realtors. “Imagine you have various units for sale, and each one has a Smart Sign either outside the door or on your display signage,” he says. “Potential clients can scan it to either auto dial the sales rep, play a video of the rentable space, look at a floor plan or sales sheet, or fill out and send a form for further information.” Lanza says they’ve also worked with signshop.com
Photo: Boyd Sign Systems.
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NFC is enhancing ADA and wayfinding.
