[Sigia-l] High Tech Parking

[Gwen Zanin]

An airport near us recently unveiled their "Smart Park" system (details 
below).  I have yet to try it out but the "user interface" seems 
slightly daunting and I wonder how usable it is.

And it's interesting that I don't tend to think of user interfaces 
outside the typical computer or web application.  Have any of you here 
designed interfaces for the so-called real world?

Gwen Zanin
gwen.zanin at chronicle.com

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HIGH–TECH PARKING MAKES YOUR SEARCH FOR A SPACE QUICK AND EASY

The “BWI Smart Park” system is an automated parking guidance system 
intended to make finding a parking space quick and hassle free at the 
Airport. The system is currently available in all spaces in the new 
Daily A garage and on Level 2 of the BWI Hourly Garage. Ultrasonic 
sensors mounted over each parking space monitor the availability of each 
space and illuminated electronic “way-finding” signs, located at the 
ends of each parking row, display the number of spaces available in each 
row. Green arrows direct patrons to lanes with vacant spaces. Red Xs 
indicate lanes where no spaces are available. Blue lights direct 
disabled patrons to accessible parking areas. Once fully deployed, 
electronic signs at both the hourly and daily garage entrance plazas 
will reflect the status of vacant parking spaces on each level.
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