Orlando International Airport Revolutionizes Passenger Experience, Adds Real Time Crowd Tracking With Visual Communication: New Updates

Published on August 21, 2025

In 2020, Orlando International Airport (MCO) faced important challenges owed to nan COVID-19 pandemic. With recreation apprehensions astatine an all-time high, nan airdrome needed innovative solutions to amended rider information while maintaining a affirmative and soft recreation experience. Synect, a starring integer signage and behavioral exertion provider, stepped successful pinch a cutting-edge solution to reside these issues.

A New Approach to Digital Signage

Historically, integer signage acted simply arsenic window-dressing, broadcasting unchanging messages to an indifferent crowd. At Orlando International, nan Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) and Synect pushed nan boundaries of nan medium. By nan adjacent of 2020, MCO fielded a state-of-the-art ocular communications inaugural aimed astatine modifying rider behaviour, not simply documenting nan airport’s story. The signage now curates a dual feed, transmitting real-time crowd-density updates on pinch pertinent wellness and information advisories, each calibrated to soothe recreation nerves successful a infinitesimal of unpredictability.

The strategy aimed to not only enhance safety but besides improve nan wide rider experience by encouraging behaviors that complied pinch wellness protocols. The initiative’s attraction was connected driving measurable results and providing valuable insights for early optimization.

Influencing Behavior pinch Technology

At nan halfway of nan strategy was crowd-tracking technology, which continuously monitored nan density of crowds successful cardinal areas of nan airport. This information was utilized to make real-time ocular indicators to thief passengers make informed decisions astir wherever to beryllium aliases locomotion successful bid to support social distancing. The strategy besides utilized behavioral economics to guideline passengers done different nudges that positively influenced their behavior, whether it was done pro-self messaging (focusing connected health) aliases pro-social messaging (highlighting nan value of protecting others).

Insights gained from rigorous A/B testing of connection prototypes helped hone exertion for maximum impact. Directive examples specified succinct CDC guidelines framed successful charismatic reside fell flat, while nudges appealing to societal personality aliases self-preservation resonated acold much deeply. Messages appealing to organization use aliases individual information drove societal distancing upward by 9 to 16 percent points, illustrating really subtle reframing tin output important behaviour change.

The Evenflow Crowd Radar: A Game Changer

The solution developed by Synect, called Evenflow Crowd Radar, provided real-time crowd density information done color-coded maps displayed connected integer signs. These maps, updated constantly, helped passengers easy visualize crowd congestion. Additionally, ReadySeeGo® units showed green, yellow, aliases reddish statuses indicating crowd sizes, guiding travelers to areas pinch little congestion.

The implementation began successful precocious 2020, earlier nan Thanksgiving vacation rush. During nan first phase, Synect gathered baseline information without immoderate ocular communication. Once this information was collected, nan strategy activated its ocular devices to spot really passengers reacted to real-time information.

Key Results of nan Implementation

The Evenflow installation marked a decisive success. At a awesome nationalist airdrome often crushed zero for congestion decision-makers turned to cutting-edge exertion for help. Lidar sensors from The Indoor Lab now sample rider flows each fewer seconds, offering a unrecorded crystal-clear position of terminal density. Within days, queues started reforming themselves without nan request for constabulary portion aliases portion lines.

Flyers noted nan change, stating nan animated pedestrian overlays were a gentle proposal to support spaces. The analysts saw nan proof: distancing scores climbed while worry scores, collected from nan aforesaid complement of touchless kiosks, nosedived. The communicative emerged almost overnight: passengers now took cue from a discreet, algorithm-powered virtual escort.

The aviator program, which lasted until early 2021, showed a statistically important improvement successful rider behavior. Data from nan programme was later published successful nan Proceedings of nan National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), wherever it was confirmed that visual nudges paired pinch crowd information tin boost societal distancing and trim nan dispersed of infectious diseases. According to Dr. Dafna Goor, 1 of nan lead scientists, nan occurrence of nan programme highlighted nan effectiveness of pro-social nudges successful promoting public health during a crisis.

Positive Impact connected Passengers

Passengers were speedy to stock their appreciation for nan caller strategy connected societal media. Many travelers expressed that nan strategy made them consciousness more comfortable while navigating nan airdrome during nan stressful recreation period. One personification moreover commented, “We saw these yesterday and loved them! Great idea!!”

This strategy not only enhanced nan passenger experience but besides boosted traveler confidence astatine a clip erstwhile group were wary of walking owed to wellness concerns. The strategy besides won aggregate awards, including nan Gala Award for Best Airport Installation astatine Digital Signage Week and a first-place Digital Signage Award for its innovative usage of dynamic information visualization.

Setting a Precedent for Future Innovations

The occurrence of Evenflow Crowd Radar astatine Orlando International Airport has group a precedent for different airports astir nan world. It proved that integer signage tin do much than conscionable show information—it tin actively power behavior, heighten rider experience, and amended operational efficiency.

By collaborating intimately pinch customer teams, Synect and GOAA person shown that it’s imaginable to meld precocious analytics pinch a human-centered approach, resulting successful an airdrome acquisition that’s simultaneously unafraid and pleasant. The occurrence of their pilots suggests that data-derived crowd search alongside instant ocular updates will soon beryllium embedded successful regular operations, turning crowd guidance and rider travel optimization into seamless routines alternatively than reactive measures.

Looking Ahead

Building connected nan affirmative outcomes of their collaboration truthful far, Synect and GOAA are mapping nan early of their airport-wide integer signage initiative. The existent attraction connected crowd oversight done Evenflow will soon expand; nan teams are exploring ways to harness nan aforesaid level for optimizing luggage-retrieval areas, streamlining boarding routines, and enriching rider support touch points crossed nan terminal.

By continuing to optimize rider experience, these innovations committedness to style nan early of airports, making them safer and much efficient for travelers worldwide.