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Cantaloupe Inc., a specialist in payments technology for vending machines and self-service marketplaces, introduced a marketing push early Wednesday for The 46 Kiosk, a terminal featuring a 46-inch screen aimed at users in wheelchairs and those with vision issues. The device, which Malvern, Pa.-based Cantaloupe says is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, includes built-in speakers, an audio jack, and braille overlay. For users confined to a wheelchair, the screen can be lowered at the touch of a button, Cantaloupe says.
Information was not immediately available regarding how many of the devices, which also feature a product scanner and payment-card reader, have been deployed so far in retail settings. The kiosk was developed and introduced earlier by River Falls, Wis.-based Three Square Market, also known as 32M, which Cantaloupe acquired in December for $41 million.
Cantaloupe, whose technology has historically supported vending-machine payments, has moved into payments technology for marketplaces in recent years. The company now sees a market opportunity for The 46 Kiosk’s technology. Cantaloupe lays emphasis particularly on the machine’s height-adjusting button, which it says is unique to its device.
“For companies, accessibility can be the deciding factor for what type of kiosk to use in their space, and having one of the most accessible kiosks in the industry is a big differentiator for our customers when they are responding to [requests for proposals]. The 46 really is a game-changer,” said Jeff Dumbrell, chief revenue officer for the company, in a statement.
The new push for The 46 Kiosk follows other developments lately by payments companies to ease usage for handicapped persons. In December, the France-based digital-identity company Thales launched the Voice Payment Card, which reads out each step in a card transaction, either out loud or via earbuds worn by the user. The user then can verify the payment with a PIN code. Transaction details are transmitted via Bluetooth to a mobile app.
