Scanalytics has created a pressure-sensitive floor mat to measure and activate foot traffic at events. The 2- by 3-foot mat is thinner than a stick of gum and can be covered with a graphic, such as the event logo, or placed under carpet or tile.
Freeman XP, a division of Freeman, used the mats to track visits to wayfinding kiosks at a meeting of the Heart Rhythm Society in May in Denver. “I could quantifiably see how many engagements are actually happening," said Mark Smith, Freeman XP’s digital project manager for technology. "It was amazing to see not only which wayfinders were getting more usage but the time spent at each one of them."
The mats can be used several ways depending on a client’s needs. Basic data collection indicates how many people walk onto a mat, how long they stay there, how traffic fluctuates throughout the day, and from what direction people approach. When multiple mats are used, for example within a trade show booth, the data can help exhibitors determine which parts of the exhibit received the most traffic. Scanalytics can also create more complex integrations that use the data to drive content in real time.
“So if there is a video playing on a screen, rather than playing it in a loop, we are able to manipulate the content in dynamic fashion to play certain things after the person has stood there for 10 seconds or 30 seconds or based on if they approach from a back mat or a front mat," said Matt McCoy, co-founder and chief operating officer of Scanalytics. "If someone is [on a mat] far away, we can play content to drive them in; if they step up, we can change it; if they walk away, we can change it."
The system can also send automated text messages to staff at the event based on predetermined parameters. “Let’s say someone has been standing in front of this kiosk for a minute and a half and no one has gone over there. Maybe that’s our sweet spot where we send text messages to staff members to go over and talk to them about the content,” McCoy said.
The company is now developing more precise sensors that combine a measurement of foot pressure and area to identify a footprint. “We are moving toward being able to pick up unique individuals and track them as they move through a space,” McCoy said.
