Seattle powers the first digital kiosk to find a way around a tourist hot spot – GeekWire
The iconic neon sign at Pike Place Market in Seattle is sure to draw a lot of attention, but the shiny new building across the street might turn a few curious heads, too.
The first of a number of IKE Smart City digital wayfinding locations planned in and around Seattle were unveiled Tuesday at the busy intersection of First Avenue and Pike Street. It is the culmination of a multi-year effort to bring the information most people have access to on smartphones directly to large interactive screens at street level.
“Seattle is a technology city, and we finally have a modern, 21st century initiative,” said Jon Scholes, president and CEO of the Downtown Seattle Association, the organization that led the effort to get the kiosks approved and installed.
The materials are a product of Columbus, Ohio-based advertising firm Orange Barrel Media, which partnered with DSA on this project. IKE devices are already distributed in more than 25 cities across the country.
A total of 50 kicks are planned for Seattle in two phases. The first 30 will be installed in the city’s Metropolitan Improvement District, with 20 more to follow in business development areas including Ballard, SoDo, the University District and West Seattle.
The city’s first four units include Tuesday’s launch and another operating at Fourth Avenue and Pine Street. Units on Second Avenue and Stewart Street and Third Avenue and Virginia Street are next.
Each unit is just over 8 feet tall and 3 feet wide, with a 12½-square-foot touchscreen that functions like a giant smartphone — allowing users to check maps, lists of nearby restaurants, transit routes and city apps. The kiosks are ADA compliant and connect to the Seamless Seattle multimodal navigation system in real time from each location.
Beyond wayfinding, each kiosk serves as a free public Wi-Fi hotspot, lists nearby businesses at no charge, and features a 911 emergency call button. At least 25% of annual screen time is reserved for non-commercial content promoting events, nonprofits and community programs. An ongoing program of public digital art, curated by local and international artists, is also part of the offering.
The cottages will not install video cameras for surveillance. They include a selfie camera that is part of the “Photo Booth” app, where users can share and take photos to send themselves. But IKE says the images are not stored in the kiosks or stored by the company.
The tools and effort to install them ultimately outweighed those who voiced concerns during Seattle Design Commission meetings about visual clutter in the city’s landscape, advertising overload, and light pollution.
The devices are maintained by Orange Barrel and come free to the city or DSA, and are supported entirely by advertising revenue. DSA expects the kiosks to bring in about $1.1 million a year, money the organization says it will reinvest in urban projects.
Scholes said it’s a “long-term investment,” with a lease between Orange Barrel and the city for “about 20 years.”
“We believe that big cities make it easier for you to find out what’s going on, participate in events, participate in arts and culture gatherings and attractions,” Scholes said before cutting the ribbon for the festival alongside Orange Barrel officials, as well as current and former City of Seattle officials.
Former Seattle City Council President Sara Nelson was on hand to celebrate — and connect with — the tools she’s long championed.
“This is a city in the palm of your hand,” Nelson told GeekWire. “Not only is it important emergency information, but it also supports our small business community — it’s a focal point, it’s a meeting place, and that’s what we need most in the city.”
The rollout of kiosks has been in operation for over a year. The Seattle City Council gave final approval in June 2025 by a 6-2 vote, and former Mayor Bruce Harrell — a supporter of the project — signed the ordinance.
The DSA had hoped to be up and running before the start of the FIFA World Cup next week and the onslaught of tourists expected in the city. The remaining 28 planned for the city will be installed in the next few months, Scholes said.
