Touchscreens have finally come to Grand Central Station, and they're not just for tourists.
Almost two and a half years after the first On The Go prototype (like the one in the video above) was unveiled at Bowling Green station, 18 new 47-inch screens have powered up, offering riders at-a-glance route information in addition to interactive maps.
The touchscreens, designed by Control Group, don't even require interaction to be useful. When someone isn't getting directions, they'll broadcast service updates and information about when trains are approaching. Even though the majority of American adults own smartphones, it's a heck of a lot easier to glance at a giant screen while running to make a connection than it is to fish for your iPhone.
According to Gizmodo, Control Group learned a lot from the initial 30-day trial at Bowling Green. Apparently, the vibration-based touch technology that the original screens relied on wasn't sensitive enough to recognize the press of a fingertip, but it would respond to the rumble of a passing train.
So the company went back to the drawing board and came up with a Projected Capacitive Touch (PCT) system. Unlike the capacitive touch screen you'll find on your smartphone, it relies on a grid of electrodes hidden behind a sheet of glass. That adds a layer of protection, and means it'll work if you have gloves on.
If you don't want to touch the screen, you can even tap it with a pen. Control Group also says the screens are designed to be power washed, which allays some of our initial germophobia.
Finally, before you complain that the MTA has other priorities than installing new tech, it's important to point out that the MTA didn't pay a cent for the touchscreens. Control Group is furnishing 90 screens, while CBS Outdoor is furnishing 55. Dedicated on-screen advertising is projected to pay for their installation and maintenance costs, with additional screens expected to go online throughout the year.
Article updated on 2/19 to include information about CBS Outdoor
