The City has joined forces with IKE, a company specializing in engineering the hardware and software for these interactive kiosks.
As of yesterday, they agreed with the IKE to allow and put over 50 kiosks Downtown to help visitors and residents navigate and learn more about the City.
The City of San Diego informed us via a press release about the features that will be available on the kiosks.
Each kiosk serves with free Wi-Fi, has a dual-sided digital touchscreen, is multilingual, carries applications that will let you find new local businesses, and has 24/7 access to all kinds of resources.
Moreover, it includes detailed content listings of nearby restaurants, shops, cultural institutions, events, jobs, and civic resources.
This partnership is estimated to bring many economic benefits, $15 million for the City of San Diego and another $7 million for the Downtown San Diego Partnership.
As stated in the release by Economic Development Department Director Christina Bibler, "This partnership advances Downtown San Diego's strengths and puts wayfinding information into the public's hands," she said. "These interactive kiosks are the future of interconnected technology for cities. They create access to public Wi-Fi and serve as an important public tool to help connect residents and visitors alike to the many modes of transportation, thriving local businesses, and services San Diego offers."
To move forward, the City requires the submission of the locations where the kiosks will be placed. This will undergo review and approval by the Economic Development Department (EDD) and Development Services Department (DSD). Afterward, completing the necessary paperwork and establishing the kiosks will take approximately three years.
Even though this technology has yet to be fully implemented in our City, it has the potential to benefit both residents and visitors greatly.
