Company announcements
September 24, 2018 – Breakthrough innovation specialist, Cambridge Consultants, has partnered with accesso Technology Group, to develop an award-winning smart wearable for theme park guests. The wrist-worn device, named accesso Prism, means visitors don’t need to carry cash or keys, or queue for attractions, whilst providing location information and updates on ride times.
Visiting theme parks should be an exhilarating, carefree experience, leaving guests with happy memories of rides and excitement, not hours spent in queues. However, 57% of consumers report that queuing for rides and attractions is the chief frustration whenever they visit a theme park.
How we helped accesso transform the theme park experience
Visiting theme parks should be an exhilarating, carefree experience, leaving guests with happy memories of rides and excitement, not hours spent in queues. However, 57% of consumers report that queuing for rides and attractions is the chief frustration whenever they visit a theme park.
With their cutting-edge point-of-sale and ticketing solutions already found in attractions around the world, accesso wanted a new wearable device to enhance their existing virtual queuing solutions, and to create new ways to connect with guests. Developed in partnership with Cambridge Consultants in under 12 months, accesso Prism underpins a great guest experience while also giving operators real-time guest journey data, providing valuable insight for operations, security and marketing.
The accesso Prism wristband incorporates a touchscreen and three radios: Near Field Communication (NFC), Bluetooth and Sub GHz (LoRa) and has been awarded two prestigious industry awards: the IAAPA Brass Ring and the IAAPA Impact Award. Boasting an entirely waterproof chassis, it can withstand up to 5 atmospheres of pressure (50m) and will operate for more than 200 normal use park days on a single battery – a world-record lifespan for a battery operated secure-element payment system with a touchscreen. Unlike previous devices in the market, the swipe-activated capacitive touchscreen also functions when wet.
The technical challenges involved in delivering accesso Prism were significant. accesso’s vision required ultra-low power, secure contactless payment and seamless integration with accesso’s existing platform deployments. Using a combination of world-class tooling, molding and CAD modelling expertise, on-site antenna test facilities and rapid high-resolution 3D printing, accesso Prism was delivered within a year and at an ambitious price point, with thousands of units now working in theme parks and attractions around the world.
This consolidated effort led to the breakthrough design of three radio antennas packaged into a single, multi-fold printed circuit board (PCB), enabling the integrated system to be contained in a smart wristband. Cambridge Consultants’ unique Satimo Stargate 64 anechoic test chamber enabled the testing of early prototypes and fed results directly into the design process, leading to a perfectly balanced device.
“We came to Cambridge Consultants for their track record of delivering hi-tech, multi-disciplinary product developments of exceptional quality, in very short time frames,” said Andrew Jacobs, President of accesso LoQueue. “What we’ve received is a transformative solution that has already achieved two IAAPA awards. In partnership with Cambridge Consultants, we have delivered disruptive differentiation while working at speed.”
“With less than 12 months from concept to delivery, we had to work with precision,” said Niall Mottram, Head of Product Development, Industrial and Energy at Cambridge Consultants. “At the end of the development we handed Accesso Prism over and it simply worked. We look forward to continuing our work with Accesso through the development of new product variants in the future.”
Notes to editors
About accesso
At accesso, we believe technology has the power to redefine the guest experience. Our patented and award-winning solutions drive increased revenue for attraction operators while improving the guest experience. Currently serving over 1,000 clients in 30 countries around the globe, accesso’s solutions help our clients streamline operations, generate increased revenues, improve guest satisfaction and harness the power of data to educate business and marketing decisions.
accesso invests heavily in research and development because our industries demand it, our clients benefit from it and it makes a positive impact on the guest experience.
About Cambridge Consultants and Capgemini
About Cambridge Consultants
Cambridge Consultants develops breakthrough products, services and intellectual property, and provides business consultancy in technology-critical issues for clients worldwide. For more than 60 years, the company has been helping its clients turn business opportunities into commercial successes, whether they are launching first-to-market products, entering new markets or expanding existing markets through the introduction of new technologies. With a team of more than 800 team members, including engineers, scientists, mathematicians and designers, in offices in Cambridge (UK), Boston (USA), Tokyo (Japan) and Singapore, Cambridge Consultants offers solutions across a diverse range of industries including medical technology, industrial and consumer products, digital health, energy and wireless communications.
About Capgemini Invent
As the digital innovation, design and transformation brand of the Capgemini Group, Capgemini Invent enables CxOs to envision and shape the future of their businesses. Located in nearly 40 studios and more than 60 offices around the world, it comprises a 10,000+ strong team of strategists, data scientists, product and experience designers, brand experts and technologists who develop new digital services, products, experiences and business models for sustainable growth.
Capgemini Invent is an integral part of Capgemini, a global leader in partnering with companies to transform and manage their business by harnessing the power of technology. The Group is guided everyday by its purpose of unleashing human energy through technology for an inclusive and sustainable future. It is a responsible and diverse organization of over 325,000 team members in more than 50 countries. With its strong 55-year heritage and deep industry expertise, Capgemini is trusted by its clients to address the entire breadth of their business needs, from strategy and design to operations, fueled by the fast evolving and innovative world of cloud, data, AI, connectivity, software, digital engineering and platforms. The Group reported in 2021 global revenues of €18 billion.
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