Through discussions with my my friends and colleagues I've come to a better understanding of how I define a walk up interface. Walks up interfaces are similar to kiosks, but more contextually integrated with their environment and cover a broader range of physical forms. The term kiosk evokes certain physical characteristic. Potentially, walk up interfaces could be a kiosk or it could be that the integrated interfaces in our car, in our home, and in our lives are the next evolution of what kiosks once were. There is no denying that the screens in our lives are and have been becoming more integrated.

The DVD rental system I wrote about last week could be considered a kiosk, but its really more of a glorified, elaborate vending machine, right? Specifically, walk up interfaces are just that; any interface you walk up to, an interface that is approached in transit. When you arrive you perform a task, a purchase, a check-in, etc. and you're on your way. Whether the physical form of the interface is a kiosk, a vending machine, a self check-out system or self service gift registry, all are share the qualities outlined above. The walk up interface which recently caught my eye is the finger print identification check-out (also at the Metro Market around the corner form my home).

During some remodeling recently they installed a finger print identification system in each of the checkout lanes. It physically sits as an integral part of the credit card swiping device, where you stand and pay for your groceries. Before you can pay with your finger, you need to set up an account so the system knows who you are. To set up an account you simply approach a kiosk next to the customer service desk, enter your credit or debit card information, associated or set up a saver card, scan your finger three times and you're done. The first time I did this I could not believe how easy it was. I'll admit, I had my doubts, to set up a biometric authentication system in my neighborhood grocery store? I continued to the checkout.

The clerk began ringing up my groceries. 'Do you have a Pick and Save card?' she asked. 'I believe it's in there.' I replied and pointed to the finger scanner. The sociological impact in how people check out had obviously been impacted. Mainly because check out clerks generally ask you for your saver card at the beginning of the transaction. That way you see your deductions as they ring up your groceries. The new process was definitely the something the clerks would need practice doing and would need some time getting used to. This was particularly obvious when she hit the incorrect button a couple of times when she was done ring up the groceries.

The check out clerk indicated I could go ahead. I pressed 'Pay by Touch', placed my finger on the scanner (see above photo) and it recognized me. I entered my phone number, picked which account I wanted to pay with, signed my name, received a print out of my receipt (with my signature on it) and was on my way. So what's in this for me? And, what are other sociological implications of this tracking system? Besides it being really, really neat, I guess there is the connivence factor. I no longer need to carry a wallet. They claim that 'fingers are faster' but faster than swiping a credit card? I'm not so sure. One way they have streamlined the system in the the past few weeks is they have defaulted the account selection (if you only have one in the system). This was a great improvement. If I only have one account, I'm probably going to pay with that one. They could potential eliminate the first step too of having to select Pay by Touch too and have the payment process initiate when it recognizes any finger on the scanner. Quite frankly, I'm tired of signing things too. Starbucks no longer requires me to. The difference is mainly that people read their receipts to see if they were overcharged as they're walking out the door. Now if we could set up their website so I check this at home, at my own convenience, we'd really have a nice system. But who really benefits from this? I can't help but think it's not the consumer and its really the store. They get more accurate records because you never forget your card (or end up using the clerks), they get your finger print, which weather you want to give that to them is ultimately up to you, but it does ring of Big Brother quite a bit. So then why use their system?

Personally I've always thought that they would always be able to find anyone (except Osama). Lets face it, if someone really wanted to find me they could and would pretty easily. My main reason for buying into it is convenience and I believe its only a matter of time before we see more biometric system like this. If I can have some input into making the systems easier to use for people, maybe at he end of the day I've done my job. My main concern is for the property rights of the data generated by the system. Who owns the rights to my shopping habits? Its my personal information right? But it's equally the stores too, they're just tracking their sales. But do they have the right to track who those sale are associated with? I vaguely remember an NPR bit about a man who slipped and fell on wet floor in a grocery store. He broke his leg. The store looked into his shopping records through his saver card and found that every day he goes to the liquor store and buys booze. He dropped the case against the store because they claimed he was most likely drinking at the time and had the evidence to prove it. But did they have the right to use that information against him? Will life insurance agencies offer lower premiums to people with good eating habits? Can car insurance companies use the black box information from your car (which is becoming quite common) to charge you higher premiums because you done use your blinker? The question are endless and the tracking and recording devices are only becoming more and more prevalent. In our cars in our phones and soon in every product purchased at Walmart. The visualization of this data will be what makes it meaningful and useful to consumers and businesses of the future. As for some of the other questions, many can not be answered at this point in time.