Lory™ is a cutting-edge Personalized Media Delivery System (PMDS) that revolutionizes how we engage with public spaces by offering customized media content to each user. It's designed to enhance individual experiences in a variety of venues - be it museums, theme parks, sports arenas, retail establishments, or even cruise ships, to name a few.
Here's how it works:
- User Interface: Lory™ uses visitor's own smart devices, or devices supplied by the venue. It assumes the visitor will use hearing aids, and ear -or headphones such as AirPods and other interfaces including braille readers.
- User Identification: Lory™ recognizes users through various methods, from facial recognition and QR code scanning to near-field communication signals. It's like having a personal guide who knows you're there as soon as you arrive.
- Understanding User Preferences: Lory™ isn't just about recognizing the user; it's about understanding them. It identifies each user's unique preferences, such as their preferred language, learning style, and even presentation style based on education level or personal interests. It also caters to users with special needs, providing visual presentations for the hearing impaired and auditory or tactile presentations for the visually impaired.
- Location-Based Content: What's more, Lory™ knows exactly where the user is within the venue. This allows it to provide content relevant to the user's current location, enhancing their interaction with the surroundings.
- Customized Media Content: Based on user preferences and location, Lory™ delivers a personalized media stream. This can include general venue information, specific content tailored to the user's interests, and even live broadcasts of events happening in real-time at the venue.
- Versatile Content Delivery: The content can be presented in a variety of ways. Whether it's on a screen, through speakers, tactile displays, or even directly to a handheld device or a hearing aid, Lory™ ensures the media content reaches the user in the most convenient and accessible manner.
- AI-Driven: The system can leverage advanced technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing to generate and deliver custom media content, making it a truly smart system.
In a nutshell, Lory™ is all about personalizing the user experience in public spaces. It offers an inclusive, accessible, and highly customizable media experience to all visitors, making every outing more enjoyable and engaging. With Lory™, every visitor gets a VIP experience tailored just for them.
The thought process behind Lory™ was sparked by a significant shift in the landscape of hearing aids in the United States - their deregulation. This change has far-reaching implications. Traditional hearing aids are often equipped with inductive loop technology, a system that, after half a century, no longer meets the needs of today's tech-savvy audience. This technology poses several challenges, particularly for exhibits situated closely together and in historical venues where modifying the floor was not feasible. Not only that - in this age, hearing aid users use a Bluetooth link with their hearing aids, and that is a primary method for making this work.
Furthermore, with the rising demand for cost-effective manufacturing and the growing preference for hearing aids compatible with smartphones, inductive loop technology has already started to fade into obsolescence. Recognizing the need for a more effective solution to support visitors with hearing impairments, the creators of Lory™ began exploring alternatives. Their aim was to cater to those using hearing aids, but also to visitors who really need hearing aids but make do with devices like AirPods or even headphones, with the goal of providing them with a superior content delivery experience.
This exploration led to the concept of personalized media - the idea was to empower a visitor with a smart device and AirPods to listen to information in a language not offered in the primary media at a venue. The exploration didn't stop there. Given that many of these devices also have screens, they decided to provide sign language for profoundly deaf individuals. Once video content was in play, it seemed logical to integrate braille devices or tactile screens, creating a truly inclusive content experience. Although bi-lingual needs can be met using audio for the primary language and subtitles for the secondary language, it is still limiting. Multiple languages are now easy to include - a great benefit in locations like Europe, where multi-lingual support is a must.
This journey of discovery and innovation led to the development of the Lory™ system, an advanced solution that harnesses the pervasive technology of the 21st century. It marks a leap forward into a future where accessibility and personalization are at the forefront. The creators continue to develop Lory™ to create the best system to provide ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) support and personalization options like never before, especially where it concerns languages and needs outside of those provided by the primary media source.
Let's look at a simple example for a Lory™ system:
John, a visitor from Spain, arrives at a major museum in Washington D.C., eager to explore the exhibits. Despite his enthusiasm, he feels a tinge of apprehension, as his English is not very fluent, and he is hard of hearing. But he has been told about the museum's new Lory™ system and is keen to try it out.
As he enters the museum, he takes out his smartphone and scans a label showing the Lory™ logo, which asks him to set up his preferences. He's opted for the Spanish language and enabled options for additional audio support, knowing his hearing impairment can sometimes make it challenging to understand audio content.
As John approaches the first exhibit, he scans another Lory™ label on an exhibit. He looks down to see a message (in Spanish, of course), that reads: "Welcome to the Space Exploration exhibit. Would you like to start the guided tour?"
He taps 'Yes,' and the Lory™ system immediately starts streaming content personalized for him. His AirPods come alive with a crisp, clear narration in Spanish, detailing the history of space exploration. The volume is perfectly suited to his hearing capabilities, and he smiles as he realizes he isn't missing a single detail.
Later, he approaches an exhibit about the Apollo missions. This time, the Lory™ system offers him an additional video option - a sign language interpreter explaining the exhibit. Intrigued, he decides to try it out. On his screen, a friendly face appears, signing the details of the Apollo missions in Spanish Sign Language. The experience is immersive and inclusive, and John feels a sense of belonging he hasn't felt at other museums.
As he continues to explore, John notices that the Lory™ system is also offering text descriptions for each exhibit. This feature would be perfect for his friend Maria, who is visually impaired. He makes a mental note to tell her about it.
After a full day of exploring the museum, John leaves feeling satisfied and enriched. He didn't struggle with language barriers or difficulties hearing the exhibit information. Instead, he was fully immersed in the experience, thanks to the Lory™ system.
John's visit to the museum is a testament to the power of the Lory™ technology - an example of how it has revolutionized museum visits for individuals like him, breaking down barriers and creating a truly inclusive environment.