SMART Products Part of Award-Winning Trade Show Booth Design
Innovative use of touch technology and live streaming video brings the shop floor to the show floor and saves client $2 million
Calgary, Alberta --- July 13, 2004 --- SMART Technologies Inc. announces the use of SMART Board™ interactive whiteboards and SMART's interactive overlays in an award-winning trade show booth designed by one of SMART's dealers, Cleveland Corporate Services (CCS). The booth was commissioned by Milacron Inc., a supplier of plastics-processing technologies, for the National Plastics Exposition in Chicago, Illinois. CCS won the "Best Use of AV Technology for a Trade Show Booth for a Corporate Client" award for designing a high-tech trade show booth that featured live streaming video and interactive demonstrations of large machinery at Milacron's factory in Batavia, Ohio. The use of interactive kiosks saved Milacron an estimated $2 million by eliminating the shipping costs to bring more than 30 large-scale machines to the trade show floor, as Milacron has done in the past. The award was presented to CCS by the International Communications Industries Association Inc. and CMP Information at InfoComm 2004. Judging criteria included the use of advanced technology in event staging, creative use of technology and satisfaction of the end user.
Five Rear Projection SMART Board interactive whiteboards and fifteen plasma displays with SMART's interactive overlays showed live video feeds from the Batavia factory and detailed product specifications on Milacron's website. Booth visitors in Chicago could alter a machine's control parameters as if standing on the factory floor in Batavia, simply by touching an image of a machine's control panel on the large, touch-sensitive screens. Two-way audio between presenters at the two locations allowed booth visitors to ask questions and direct the camera operators. Presenters also used the SMART products to demonstrate unique software features, show live action of processing details inside an operational machine, navigate the Internet and write colorful notes in digital ink.
"Cleveland Corporate Services' incorporation of SMART products into the design of Milacron's trade show booth not only saved their client millions of dollars, but also provided an innovative way for the client to take potential customers on a real-time, interactive tour of on-site operations," says Nancy Knowlton, SMART's president and co-CEO. "The use of SMART Board interactive whiteboards and plasma displays with SMART's interactive overlays in the booth provided a combination of content-rich visuals, touch technology, and access to relevant information for the trade show visitors and proved to be an award-winning element for CCS and the client they served."
"The goal was to provide a cost-effective and elegant means to demonstrate and sell our client's products on a trade show floor without the expense and logistics headaches of bringing large machines to the hall," says Gregory Peck, CCS president. "These eye-catching presentation technology products open the door for manufacturers to provide potential customers - regardless of their global locations - with a front-row view of working factories and machinery."
About SMART Board interactive whiteboards
The SMART Board interactive whiteboard is the world's leading interactive whiteboard. Simply by touching the large display area, users can access and control any computer application or multimedia platform, including the Internet and CD-ROMs. With SMART Board software, users can write over applications in digital ink and then edit, save, print or post their notes to a website for future reference. SMART Board interactive whiteboards are used in classrooms, briefing rooms and boardrooms around the world, helping people to collaborate effectively whether they are in the same room or in different locations. Feature-rich software and intuitive functionality make the SMART Board interactive whiteboard the number one choice of educators, presenters and trainers in more than 65 countries.
About SMART's interactive overlays
SMART's interactive overlays attach to a plasma display or liquid crystal display panel and transform it into an interactive display. The overlay fastens easily and securely to the display and preserves its crisp, bright image. Simply by touching the large display area, users can access and control any computer application or multimedia platform, including the Internet and CD-ROMs. SMART's interactive overlays are ideal for large, interactive digital signage and self-service kiosks in retail stores, hotels, trade shows, airports, museums, lobbies and other public and semi-public indoor venues.
About Cleveland Corporate Services
Established in 1989, CCS divisions include SMART Ed. Services*, providing learning environments in a seven-state region with integrative technology including SMART Board interactive whiteboards; C2M offering multimedia production services including training and sales videos, presentation graphics and commercial broadcast pieces; SecureLink, integrating video, voice and data for IP-based security systems; and Design/Build Integrators, creating user-friendly meeting, training rooms and classrooms that integrate presentation technology, including Creston remote touch-panel control systems, in settings from corporations to factories.
*SMART Ed. Services is a service wholly owned and operated by Cleveland Corporate Services (CCS) and is neither an affiliate nor an associate of SMART Technologies Inc.
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For more information, please contact:
Public Relations
SMART Technologies Inc.
300, 1207 - 11th Avenue SW
Calgary, AB CANADA T3C 0M5
Phone +1.403.802.3337 Fax +1.403.228.2500
pr@smarttech.com
Please note that SMART is written in all capital letters.