Self-Service Check-in Kiosks in Hospitals
In recent years, healthcare facilities have increasingly embraced technology to enhance patient experiences and streamline operations. Among the most impactful innovations are self-service check-in kiosks, which provide a user-friendly alternative to traditional check-in processes, allowing patients to take control of their arrival experience while significantly reducing wait times and administrative burdens.
Challenges
The customer was looking for a 3.5-inch embedded SBC to develop a self-service check-in and queuing kiosk for a university hospital in Taiwan. The industrial-grade motherboard needed to feature a fanless design and a quad-core processor to ensure reliability during continuous use in a medical environment. Additionally, the total system thickness had to be less than 3 cm, presenting a unique design constraint that required a customized hardware solution.
Main Requirements
- 3.5" embedded SBC with fanless design
- Quad-core processor with a base frequency of 2.0 GHz or higher
- Supports HDMI and DP outputs
- 1 COM port and 7 USB ports
- Compact design for restricted space
- Wi-Fi connectivity for real-time updates of patient information and queuing tasks
Solution
Axiomtek proposed its CAPA322, an Intel Atom®-based 3.5-inch embedded board featuring dual 2.5GbE LAN ports and two M.2 slots (Key E and Key B) for 5G/ LTE/4G/Wi-Fi connectivity. The single-board computer offers high-speed connectivity and flexible expandability to meet the diverse demands of IoT applications. The CAPA322 supports HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort++ outputs, while LVDS co-layouts with eDP allow users to select the display interface according to their needs.
The wide operating temperature range from -20°C to +70°C (or -40°C to +85°C) maximizes deployment potential. The input power adapts from 12V to 24V DC. For storage, the CAPA322 provides one SATA-600 slot and one mSATA slot. Optional TPM 2.0 support ensures data and operational security.
Self-Service Check-in Kiosk Implementation
The client implemented Axiomtek’s CAPA322 in the check-in and queuing kiosks at National Taiwan University Hospital in Taipei. This self-service kiosk improves patient registration and operational efficiency by reducing wait times and streamlining check-in. Additionally, the customizable power input design reduces overall system thickness, optimizing space and ensuring seamless integration.
System Configurations of the CAPA322
- Intel® Celeron® processor N6210/J6412 or Intel Atom® x6413E processor
- 1 DDR4 SO-DIMM for up to 32GB
- 4 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.2 Gen2, and 2 2.5GbE LAN
- 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, and 1 LVDS
- 1 PCI Express Mini Card slot for USB 2.0 expansion card
- 1 M.2 Key E and 1 M.2 Key B
Why Axiomtek
“Integrating Axiomtek's CAPA322 embedded SBC into our hospital queuing system has significantly improved performance and efficiency. The flexibility and reliability of the board allowed us to meet the stringent demands of the medical environment seamlessly. Axiomtek's support in customizing the design of the power input position has been instrumental in reducing the overall system size, which was crucial for this project.”
— Engineer, Customer
As healthcare continues to embrace digital transformation, self-service check-in kiosks are becoming standard in hospitals, creating more streamlined and patient-centered environments. Healthcare providers can improve operational workflow and the overall patient journey, fostering satisfaction and loyalty in an increasingly competitive landscape.