Looking Back -- Department of Veterans Affairs launches prototype
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) unveils a prototype of its proposed information kiosks at a Waldorf, MD, shopping mall. The kiosk is the first of 24 to be set up by the VA nationwide to provide veterans with a direct link to the VA's benefit programs. Blast from the past.
Government Computer News July 19 1993 v12 n15 p93(1)
VA opens its 1st information kiosk at Md. shopping mall; veterans can learn about services and benefits at 24 machines to be installed nationwide. (Department of Veterans Affairs)
Author
Smith, James M.
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The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) unveils a prototype of its proposed information kiosks at a Waldorf, MD, shopping mall. The kiosk is the first of 24 to be set up by the VA nationwide to provide veterans with a direct link to the VA's benefit programs. Eventually, the microcomputers in the information kiosks will offer interactive functions and could well be the beginning of a multiagency kiosk program. The VA expects to set up the 24 systems by the fall of 1993. The prototype standalone kiosk currently offer 200 different screens that provide general information on VA benefits and veteran services organizations. The system runs on an Apple Macintosh Quadra 700 microcomputer with 20Mbytes of RAM and 200Mbytes of hard-disk capability.
Full Text
Veterans can learn about services and benefits at 24 machines to be installed nationwide
Although the first 24 kiosks the Veterans Affairs Department is rolling out nationwide cannot provide veterans with account information, VA officials say the microcomputers one day will support interactive functions.
VA officials unveiled the first prototype kiosk June 30 at a shopping mall in Waldorf, Md.
Initially, the VA wants to see how users respond to the standalone systems. But eventually the agency expects the kiosks to provide a direct link between VA benefits programs and the veterans they serve.
What's more, VA officials say their kiosk effort could be a springboard to a multi-agency kiosk program.
Touch screens
"This is part of what we in government hope is a trend of delivering better services," said Robert J. Woods, deputy assistant secretary of the VA for IRM, at the kiosk opening at the St. Charles Town Center. "We hope these kiosks are not just for VA benefits, but will eventually include Social Security benefits and county benefits."
The agency will test the first 24 systems during the next year before deciding whether to field additional kiosks and how to upgrade the kiosks' capabilities, Woods said. He acknowledged that funding would affect future development and deployment plans.
Now, the standalone kiosks support 200 different screens and provide general information on VA benefits programs and veterans services organizations. Using the touch screen, a user selects a topic from a main menu then follows the prompts for further details.
The VA kiosk at the Waldorf mall is built on an Apple Computer Inc. Macintosh Quadra 700 microcomputer, with 20M of RAM and 200M of hard-disk capacity.
High Techsplanations Inc. of Rockville, Md., built this first kiosk system for the VA. Ten companies are donating hardware, software, services and maintenance for the kiosk program.
Gregory L. Merril, High Techsplanations president, said the software for the Waldorf kiosk was written using the Lingo programming language developed by Macromedia Inc. of San Francisco.
Merril said his company plans to port the software over to C, which would speed response time.
VA is not the first federal agency to try out kiosks. The Postal Service last year contracted with Postal Buddy Corp. of San Diego to install automated postal service machines throughout the nation. The Agriculture Department is developing kiosks to support its farm programs, and the Social Security Administration also has finished work on a prototype kiosk.
VA plans to have all 24 test kiosks installed by the fall.
The planned sites include West Dale Mall in Cedar Rapids, Iowa; the Naval Training Center in Great Lakes, Ill.; the Pines Shopping Center in Pine Bluff, Ark.; and the Norfolk, Va., Naval Base.
Product
Apple Macintosh Quadra 700
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*VA opens its 1st information kiosk at Md. shopping mall; veterans can learn about services and benefits at 24 machines to be installed nationwide.
Government Computer News: July 19 1993
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Posted by staff at May 5, 2009 09:27 AM