Digital Interpretation

Heritage Signs that work through a phone

Shelley signs is launching a new range of ‘digital signs’ for delivering useful information, wayfinding and heritage interpretation at outdoor sites by using the visitor’s smartphone.

These solar-powered signs require no infrastructure, yet provide visitors with anything from downloadable maps, audio trails, video trailers to digital interactives. At one level, they are traditional signs, that use normal graphics. The digital element is that they also generate a ‘local web’ onto which you can put any type of content that can be web-based.  The visitor connects to the sign’s Wi-Fi signal and browses its local web using their normal browser, just like they would at home. Using standard web technology means that, unlike ‘smartphone apps’, this system is compatible with any smartphone or tablet – both now and in the future.

The new system overcomes the main problems facing digital technology at outdoor sites: lack of power, damage due to weather, and damage caused by the public. In our signs the technology is solar-powered and locked away safely out of sight and out of reach. The only technology the user touches is their own phone. The Wi-Fi can be accessed from up to 250 metres away – further than you can read a sign, and enough to cover a car park or entrance area.

In developing the new signs, Shelley have teamed up with Info-Point who have a 5-year track record of providing ‘local web’ devices to some of the UK’s biggest heritage organisations. The technical equipment even comes with a 5-year warranty, which is suitable for HLF and other capital grant schemes.

Shelley are now able to offer this as a complete ‘turn-key’ solution and we are currently looking to work with a number of launch customers in order to build reference installations. Could you trial this system in your location? If so, it would be worth giving us a call.

Please email [email protected] to request a copy of our brochure.