Ultraleap launches application to turn public touchscreens touchless

BRISTOL, England, Oct. 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Ultraleap launches an application – TouchFree - which will enable companies to seamlessly retrofit existing kiosks and touchscreens, moving consumer interactions with public screens into mid-air. Using Ultraleap's camera module and hand tracking software alongside the application, touchless gesture control can be added to any screen to create a hygienic alternative.

TouchFree provides touchscreen emulation by detecting a user's hand in mid-air, converting it to an on-screen cursor, and supporting interaction methods that users are familiar with. TouchFree is designed to run invisibly on top of existing user interfaces without the need for modifications to existing interfaces and design, means downtime to retrofit is kept minimal, interactions remain familiar, and the system continues to be easy for consumers to use.

Venues like restaurants, train stations, hotels, museums and airports rely heavily on public touchscreens and kiosks to help reduce transaction time, enhance shopping experiences and handle higher volumes. According to recent Ultraleap research, while the COVID-19 pandemic continues on, 80% of people now think public touchscreens are unhygienic and locations are having to adapt.

Steve Cliffe, CEO at Ultraleap, said: "Conventional touchscreens have worked well over the years because of their convenience, but people want to be able to interact with them in ways they perceive to be safe. Our recent research showed that just 50% of consumers were likely to use touchscreens again. Our TouchFree is the ideal application to retrofit existing touchscreen-based kiosks for businesses looking to encourage users back, maximise user interaction and ensure customers feel safe."

Ultraleap has collaborated with 20+ global kiosk makers, brands and agencies to perfect the application and make it real-world ready.

Jim Cortina, Principal and Director of Development at Cortina Productions and early adopter of TouchFree, said: "We've received many requests from our museum clients to turn their touchscreen exhibits into touchless experiences, and fast. TouchFree gives us a viable and customizable solution to interact in a safe and engaging way."

TouchFree is available to download for free here.