Building a Kiosk Application in Android 5.0 (Lollipop)

Prior to Android L, developers had to hack around in order to build a kiosk type application. Those workarounds included making the application a “default launcher”, write code to forcefully close the notification bar back up so users could not gain access to them. However, with the release of the new operating system version, Android L introduced “Screen Pinning” API.

Technical Overview of Screen Pinning

This allows an application to temporarily restrict a user from navigating away from your activity. When Screen Pinning in enabled, it restricts a user from gaining access to notification bar on top as well as the navigation bar at the bottom. This functionality is essential for creating a kiosk in Android Lollipop, guided mode in android | Object Partners. According to the original documentation (Source: www.objectpartners.com), this feature provides a native way to lock down devices for specific tasks.

Industry Solutions and Partners

Many organizations utilize these features to provide specialized services. Below is a list of companies and solutions involved in the kiosk and digital signage ecosystem:

• Pyramid Computer – Kiosks
• Olea Kiosks – Kiosks
• Nanonation Software
• KIOSK Information Systems
• LG Kiosks Digital Signage
• Sitekiosk Software
• Advanced Kiosks – Kiosks & Software
• Acquire Digital Software
• 22Miles Digital Signage

Service Categories

The industry covers various verticals including:

• Retail Systems and Retail Automation
• Patient Kiosk Check-In
• Outdoor kiosks and Tablet kiosks
• Thin Client MiniPC Media Players
• Intelligent Vending

Building a modern kiosk in Android Lollipop requires understanding these integrated components to ensure a secure and restricted user environment.