The City of Stuttgart, Germany has installed a new digital pedestrian guide system – made up of several smart LED – powered signs. City officials state that the Smart Signage has been adopted with the aim of combining traditional concepts with the latest digital innovations – bringing customisation, interaction, and the internet to the street.
The Smart Signage is made from several LED panels mounted on an axis that allows them to rotate 360 degrees. Being able to rotate makes the signs interactive as they are then able to point residents and visitors to the most current places of interest and events in the city. They will also display QR codes that will guide people to further information about the locations and events, and to ticket sales websites, when applicable. The signs will be very energy efficient as they are powered by LEDs and green energy, with an energy savings mode at night. The first sign has been installed in Schlossplatz, the largest square in the city center, with two more to be installed this month.
In the near future, the sign posts will offer WiFi to expand the city’s public internet access. There are also plans to have them integrated with apps for the blind, as well as tactile surfaces to aid in navigation. The information from the digital pedestrian guide system will be integrated with BFW Smart Info – an app for the blind in Stuttgart – via push notification.