MicroDoc's experience makes the difference
MicroDoc has been working with pervasive computing in the self-service domain since 1993. We have developed systems for several large airline, transportation and financial sector customers.
Software for small devices requires a different design and development approach compared to "normal" interactive client applications. The user of a small device may not be skilled with computers - probably not even with self service terminals. The UI needs to be extremely intuitive and the flow of action must be easy to understand. Error handling and error recovery demands are much higher than in desktop systems.
Pervasive systems often communicate with a number of "external devices" such as touch screens, PIN pads, special printers, card readers etc. In addition, they tend to communicate with one or more backend systems (backoffice applications, transactional systems). With all that complexity, the UI still has to be reactive at all times to give the customer/user the feeling of immediate response on whatever input he/she makes. The result of such requirements is a fairly complex software system which can best be implemented using object oriented technology.
MicroDoc developed several generations of the successful "Quick Tickets" self service ticketing machines for Lufthansa in Smalltalk. To separate the application programmer from the underlying technical layers, an "external device framework" was created. This framework offers an easy to use programming interface and takes care of all the device related protocol handling and timing. The machines are now used in major airports all over Germany.
Pervasive devices need to be equipped with remote administration and maintenance facilities. MicroDoc developed remote monitoring and administration solutions for a variety of self service devices. MicroDoc was part of the development team of Wincor Nixdorf (former Siemens Nixdorf) ProView - a distributed managing system for multi-vendor self service devices (ATMs, account statement printers etc.). Most of the ATM cash machines in Germany are from Wincor Nixdorf and therefore interface using MicroDoc software.
The airline industry is now focusing on Java technology for their IT systems as an interoperable standard for many carriers. MicroDoc is one of the first companies to offer self service software components in Java.
For more details on these and other projects, please see our Project Reports page.
