TOUCH-LESS GAMING
else sits right down and touches the button, machine sanitation protocols and procedures can only do so much. The beauty of Touch-LESS Gaming and what we have
come up with is that we have created a user interface where you no longer have to physically touch slot and video poker buttons to play. We originally developed our technology for IGT poker machines because we wanted to create a solution that easily upgraded original analogue buttons in a “plug-and- play” sense, with a touchless interface that allows players – especially those more aware or worried about germ transference – the opportunity to play their favorite games without physical contact. Instead of touching each game button to trigger an action, players instead hover their fi nger over each button to trigger bets, replays or access information on the machine. This enables them to interface with the machine like they normally would but without physical contact, and by keeping our solution straightforward, we are simply a replacement part that has no impact on a game’s software or system. In this way we have made upgrading analog slot and video poker machines to touchless devices as simple for operators as it can possibly be while allowing players to interact with a machine that is more sanitary. We can also work with manufacturers to upgrate LCD button panels. This helps protect the patrons, casino employees, and communities from pathogen spread.
CI: You say you have gambled for fun and know the casino environment, but that’s a big jump to start your own company and sell replacement slot buttons… CL: There’s a fi ne line between sanity and insanity, and I’ve crossed over! That’s the simple explanation.
CI: How long has the journey taken to get from the idea to where you are now, supplying casinos and slot manufacturers? CL: Well, I have a very active brain so it didn’t take me long to contemplate how long it might take Las Vegas to re-open, and how the gaming experience might change when they did. I grew up with a father who was an inventor and held several patents but was never able to bring anything to market, so I grew up appreciating that creativity and entrepreneurship. And understanding that slot and video poker machines are a large part of gaming revenue, I started thinking about machine buttons in particular, and began researching how they work. I wondered: each button has a light source, so if each button lights up, then surely that means each button functions independently? And if that’s the case, then surely I can create a button that would replace the existing ones and provide touchfree functionality. To validate my assumptions, I reached out to an ex-boyfriend, Scott, who is a dear friend and an electrician, to have him answer my questions and see if my idea might be achievable. After talking to Scott about the electronic components,
he said creating touchless replacement buttons is a great idea and that he couldn’t think of any reason I shouldn’t move forward with developing the concept. So, I went on eBay and bought a panel for a Game King machine. As soon as it arrived I started dismantling it: I looked at every button and every piece, talked to Scott and now that I understood the way the button worked as an event trigger, things started to come together. We realised that we could use a PCB to replace the typical analogue button. Scott admitted that he had taken me as far as his knowledge could go, and suggested I speak with an engineer to take the concept to the next step and make a prototype. Following Scott’s advice, I got on to LinkedIn and
starting networking, talking to people, and found a prototype developer based in Arizona. As an Arizona resident, I wanted to support the local economy: my dad and sister live here, and I wanted this to be as home-grown as I could make it. I started working with engineer Matt and bought a fully functioning Game King machine. Every good story I know starts with a basement, and our
story certainly does … my sister lives nearby, and she just bought a home with a basement which is used by her
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