Pillar ATMs Designed for the Illiterate in Developing Communities
Omar Yusuf — July 12, 2011 — Tech
References: ncr & scientificamerican
Concerned by the prevalence of illiteracy in the developing world and its effect on business, industrial manufacturer NCR has recently announced their prototype automatic teller machine (ATM), tentatively called the Pillar ATM for its strange, albeit tamper-proof design.
Constructed with the rural environments of India and China in mind, the Pillar ATM is (almost) entirely text-free and uses fingerprint biometric scanners in lieu of a wordy interface.
With security playing a pivotal part in its design, the new Pillar ATM is shaped to minimize spots where a crowbar or power tool could be applied to force it open. In fact, the entire machine is capable of collapsing in on itself if damaged or meddled with.
Considering the time-tested utility of liquid cash, one might ask what use illiterate customers have for an ATM, keeping in mind the lengthy start-up process. This seems to be the largest bulwark to NCR's success in the region, but if they prevail the company stands to radically change the way money is exchanged in the developing world.
Constructed with the rural environments of India and China in mind, the Pillar ATM is (almost) entirely text-free and uses fingerprint biometric scanners in lieu of a wordy interface.
With security playing a pivotal part in its design, the new Pillar ATM is shaped to minimize spots where a crowbar or power tool could be applied to force it open. In fact, the entire machine is capable of collapsing in on itself if damaged or meddled with.
Considering the time-tested utility of liquid cash, one might ask what use illiterate customers have for an ATM, keeping in mind the lengthy start-up process. This seems to be the largest bulwark to NCR's success in the region, but if they prevail the company stands to radically change the way money is exchanged in the developing world.
Trend Themes
1. Text-free Atms - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Developing ATMs that are accessible to illiterate individuals through non-textual interfaces.
2. Fingerprint Biometric Scanners - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Creating secure authentication systems using fingerprint biometric scanners as an alternative to traditional interfaces.
3. Tamper-proof ATM Design - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Developing ATMs with tamper-proof designs that collapse in on themselves to mitigate security threats.
Industry Implications
1. Financial Technology (fintech) - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Integrating advanced technology into financial services to enhance accessibility and security for illiterate individuals in developing communities.
2. Industrial Manufacturing - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Enhancing ATM designs to address the specific needs and challenges of rural environments in developing countries.
3. Biometric Security - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Leveraging fingerprint biometric scanners to create secure authentication systems for various industries beyond ATMs.
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