Custom display technology for London Underground

Edited by the Electronicstalk editorial team Aug 17, 2001

Planar Systems has designed custom display subsystems for Cubic Transportation Systems (CTS) new interactive ticket dispensers for the London Underground.

Reflecting an ongoing engineering relationship, Planar Systems has designed custom display subsystems for Cubic Transportation Systems (CTS) new interactive ticket dispensers for the London Underground.

CTS, a subsidiary of San Diego-based Cubic Corp, is part of TranSys, the consortium of companies working on the London project.

"This project reflects Planar's increasing drive toward adding value for OEM customers through customisation in unique display applications", said Tomas Berghall, Planar's European Marketing Director.

"The outdoor ticketing kiosk environment calls for high-temperature tolerance, superior reliability, vandal-proofing and readability in all lighting conditions - all challenges that Planar's development team specialises in accommodating".

Based on a similar solution developed with CTS for the New York City and Singapore subway systems last year, the London Underground project, appropriately called Queue Buster, features active matrix colour displays with touch-screen technology.

Planar's custom-designed display solution is being integrated into the ticketing kiosks that will be used by the approximately 3 million passengers who pass through the London Underground's 275 stations daily.

Planar's displays are the primary human interface of the Queue Buster system, with which London commuters will select their destinations, determine fares and purchase tickets all via the touch screens.

Planar packaged 10.4in TFT AMLCD displays with acoustic-wave touch-screens, high backlighting for maximum readability, and special video electronics for integration into the custom-designed, self-service ticket vending machines.