Mobile payment terminal connected to smartphone

EKTOS is collaborating with Ergonomic Solutions to develop a new mobile payment solution. The partnership is extensive and includes specification, design, certification and manufacturing.

Ergonomic Solutions in Nørresundby, Denmark, is a world-leading manufacturer of mounting solutions for devices in retail, including mounting for payment terminals.

Although Ergonomic Solutions supplies over 60 per cent of the world’s top 50 retailers the company does not rest on its laurels. On the contrary, it focuses heavily on innovation to embrace emerging technologies and adjust to changes in purchasing behavior in the retail sector.

 

EKTOS has participated in developing OpenSpace Duo all the way through, from idea generation to developing the final product

 

Many large retail stores are restructuring to omnichannel, focusing even more on the customer. There is an increasing demand for sales personnel to interact directly with customers and to be able to receive payment directly anywhere in the store, not only at cash terminals.

 

Avoiding bottlenecks

This is why Ergonomic Solution together with EKTOS has developed a solution enabling stores to pair a smartphone with a mobile payment terminal. Now sales personnel can communicate directly with customers regarding items, and immediately after the customers has decided to buy an item receive payment and thus avoid bottlenecks at cash terminals.

The mobile solution has been designed based on global research and a close dialogue with customers and technology vendors. The research shows that size and mobility is closely connected, when retail executives and IT departments choose equipment.

OpenSpace Duo is a sled that allows a mobile payment terminal and a smartphone to connect directly. EKTOS has participated in developing OpenSpace Duo all the way through, from idea generation to developing the final product, that made its debut in the spring of 2018. EKTOS has also been responsible for test and certification of OpenSpace Duo for the major part of the global market, a particularly demanding process, as OpenSpace Duo functions as a connector between various devices.

 

EKTOS has also been responsible for test and certification of OpenSpace Duo […] a particularly demanding process, as OpenSpace Duo functions as a connector between various devices.

 

Four combinations

– One of the exciting things about OpenSpace Duo is that it is designed to connect a number of different devices, Jacob Eisenhardt, EKTOS, explains.
– It can accommodate various devices: Mobile payment terminals by Verifone and Ingenico can connect to smartphones from Samsung and Apple, running Android and iOS. That makes four device combinations resulting in an increased complexity that has been an interesting challenge for us.

OpenSpace Duo is a docking station with room for two devices. On one side of the sled you put a smartphone while you can fit a mobile payment terminal on the opposite side. Now the two devices connect directly. Furthermore, EKTOS has developed the electronics for the OpenSpace Duo charger. The charger comes in two sizes and is able to charge payment terminal and smartphone simultaneously.

 

Quadruple certification

EKTOS has developed the electronics for both charger and docking station. Moreover, EKTOS has been responsible for testing and certification of the electronics, a particularly demanding process, as the product had to be tested as four separate devices, due to the fact that it enables four product combinations. OpenSpace Duo is approved for Europe, the US, Japan and Australia.

 

the product had to be tested as four separate devices, due to the fact that it enables four product combinations

 

OpenSpace Duo is a modular system that can be configured according to customer needs. You begin with choosing a smartphone, either Android or Apple. Then you choose the mobile payment terminal, either Ingenico or Verifone. Finally you choose a charging unit for either one or five docking stations.

The OpenSpace Duo configuration handling Apple phones is currently in development and will be launched in the beginning of 2019.