NextWindow Touch Screen Solution - Eye in the Sky

SkyCity - Eye in the Sky kiosk

"The 'Eye in the Sky' touch screen kiosks not only enable customers to view live images of key Auckland landmarks from Sky Tower but also provide comprehensive up-to-date background information which we believe will be of great interest to our visitors."

(Grant Webster, General Manager Operations, SKYCITY, Auckland, New Zealand)

The Eye in the Sky was developed for SKYCITY Entertainment Group as part of providing value-added services to their Sky Tower product experience.

The objective was to replace or supplement coin-operated binoculars and static plaques, with real-time live images of the city's attractions.

The touch screen kiosks enable visitors to view live images of key Auckland landmarks. Patrons initiate the viewing experience by touching a "hot spot" on the panoramic photo image on the NextWindow touch display. The panorama identifies 47 key Auckland landmarks and feature icons as points of interest.

The patron can further control the experience by using a joystick to direct the live camera movement, speed and zoom.

"The Auckland panorama is dynamic and constantly changing, but NextWindow's technology enables SKYCITY to easily update and maintain relevant information. The touch-screens have proven to be very user friendly. The touch activated hot spots give visitors the opportunity to learn more about areas that interest them personally."
(Grant Webster, General Manager Operations, SKYCITY Auckland)

SKYCITY Entertainment Group Limited and Sky Tower SKYCITY Entertainment Group Limited began operations in 1996 when the company opened the SKYCITY Auckland gaming and entertainment complex. The complex opened the Sky Tower in August 1997.

At 328 metres, Sky Tower is the tallest tower in the Southern Hemisphere and the 12th tallest tower in the world. Sky Tower is New Zealand's most spectacular tourist, broadcasting and telecommunications facility.

Sky Tower has three circular public observation levels - Sky Deck, Main Observation level and Sky Lounge - from each of which you can get a 360-degree view of Auckland. On a clear day you can see approximately 82 kilometres from Sky Tower.

Sky Tower attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, making it Auckland's most visited paid tourist attraction. To maintain this position, SKYCITY constantly strives to add value to the customer experience at Sky Tower.

SKYCITY general manager Jan Hunt explains: "We're always looking for new things for the tower. It's so much more than a view, if you don't offer them something new, they won't keep coming back."

The Auckland Sky Tower implementation 3 "Eye in the Sky" kiosks and camera sets. Each set provides 120-degree coverage of the view.

The visitor experience delivered by each kiosk comprises a number of components integrated and implemented by NextWindow: