We are happy to zoom with potential users to discuss their needs and the capabilities of Kiosk.
To explore whether or not this is the right tool for your project, please contact us at kiosk-team@brown.edu. We need to learn a bit about your field project and your requirements first, and if Kiosk seems promising we will give you access to a demo server and a pre-configured recording system. The ideal test is to run the demo system as you would in the field; for this you need an Apple iPad and the latest version of Filemaker Go. To see some of the system with the demo data in it but without an iPad, you can open the file in Filemaker on a computer.
FAQs about adoption for the Kiosk-curious:
Do I need to have a dedicated software person on my team to run Kiosk?
At this stage of the software our support is necessary to setup up and configure Kiosk and the hardware for you. Once Kiosk is set up and configured you can run it without having anybody with special IT knowledge on your team. To run your local Kiosk network you do not need to know how a network actually works or even what it is. There are some steps involved in the daily download, upload, synchronization cycle, and we highly recommend you practice before you hit the field so you can ask us questions when no data are at stake. But the steps are not themselves complicated and do not require knowledge of what is going on in the background. Most teams using Kiosk do not have a technologist on board, and in most cases the daily synchronization process is run by the field director or lab manager. As the process is done only once per day and takes a matter of minutes, whoever is performing these administrative duties can also serve other roles on the team.
How far in advance do I need to plan if I want to adopt Kiosk?
It is best to contact us at least a few months before you intend to use Kiosk in the field. Particularly since so many projects go out at the same time of year, we tend to be very busy with project support in the late spring and early summer and that makes it harder to customize Kiosks. But it’s always worth asking – we’ll say no, we need longer than that if we need longer than that. If you will need to attach specialist modules or migrate legacy data into your system before using it in the field it will take longer and you should be in touch with us at least six months in advance. It is never too early to talk to us if you are considering Kiosk.
Returning projects take much less time, but it’s still appreciated if you let us know a few months in advance. Your software will be updated to the latest version and your system migrated back to the local server.
What are the steps to getting set up?
Once you have decided to use Kiosk, there are several steps before you are ready to go into the field.
First is the customization of your particular package. To customize your Kiosk we begin with a “concordance” meeting – zooming with you to understand your workflow and numbering systems so we can apply your methodology in Kiosk. This goes fastest if you have already thought about your own workflow and if you can provide us with forms that you have used for recording in the past. Filled in forms are always more useful than blank ones!Ā After this meeting, we write your configuration and set up a Kiosk for you online with your own recording app to download and test.
Second is the testing of the recording app. You will download and use the file created on the basis of the concordance meeting, and make fake records to get used to the interface and check that everything is indeed the way you wanted it. Plan on doing this even if you use Kiosk out of the box. It’s OK to clutter it with fake data at this point – we can wipe it before you get the final version.
Third (optional) is inputting legacy data into your Kiosk. You can do this by typing individual records yourself, but if you have digital data that you want imported we can help.
Fourth, you buy a bit of equipment and have some of it shipped to us to set up your server on a virtual machine andĀ configure your local network. You will then get a box from us with this equipment and instructions on how to use it. At this point your Kiosk will have been taken down from online and will live in your box, so we can’t adjust configuration any longer.
Finally, you test your whole setup. That means powering up your server and local network, downloading to your iPads, uploading and synchronizing. For your own sake you may want to do things like create user IDs for your team members and even create trenches, if you know what they will be called, so you can hit the ground running.
Now pack it up and get on a plane!
How much money is this going to cost me?
Kiosk itself is free.
Equipment costs depend on how many iPads you will be running and whether or not you already have a laptop that can run the server’s virtual machine (alas, a Mac with an M1 or M2 chip cannot). In 2023 project equipment costs except for iPads and computers ran about $250 – that covers the two SSD harddrives, router, and cables needed for Kiosk itself.
Associated software costs include the need for a FileMaker license. That is not cheap if you have to buy it – about $400 for an educational license. However many universities have institutional licenses and you should check that out first. You will also need a Windows license for your virtual machine, which runs about $30.
We are happy to provide a spreadsheet showing equipment and software needs with up-to-date specs and prices so that you can see how much you already have and get a more concrete handle on your budget.
Do I need special luggage or anything to get the physical parts of Kiosk into the field?
Nope. Nothing in here is particularly delicate or large. We will ship you a padded box about the size of a loaf of bread that contains your stuff, and you’ll already have your iPads and laptop. We take ours carry on, but only because we are paranoid about lost luggage, not because it can’t travel in the hold.
Will I be able to get support in the field?
Yes! If you can contact the outside world, you can get support – we almost always can answer within 24 hours. We always recommend you try the “answers to questions” manual and the video tutorials first if it’s just a question about how to do something. But if you have a further question, or a problem, we can fix it if you have even a mediocre internet connection.
Before you go we will have you install remote access software on the laptop you will use for running your server. If you have a catastrophic day and delete all your files and need us to recover them for you, send us an email or make a GitHub ticket. We’ll have a remote session and save you. If there is a software update that would significantly improve your recording mid-season we can roll that out to you, too.