S.A.M. (Self-Service Automated Machine) was designed by Singapore Post to enable customers to conduct a wide variety of consumer transactions at any one of 90 convenient 24-hour KIOSK locations throughout Singapore. From paying bills, to weighing and properly posting packages, to paying taxes and even settling traffic fines, S.A.M can do it..

To accomplish these varied transactions the S.A.M. Kiosk must utilize a robust network of serial I/O devices in order to interact successfully with the customer. Each S.A.M. is equipped with the following serial devices:

1. A TouchScreen through which users enter information (such as a pin number or transaction amount) and make menu selections 2. A scale upon which letters and packages can be weighed so that S.A.M can sell the required postage 3. A magnetic card reader to process debit card transactions and phone card transactions 4. A bar-code scanner through which an identifying code is scanned from utility bills, telephone bills, cable bills, etc. 5. A Label Printing Controller (LPC) that prints stamps and postage labels 6. A receipt printer to provide a record of all transactions for the customer

Quatech's ESC-100M eight port RS-232 serial PCI board provides SAM's vital serial connectivity link. It was chosen for a number of important reasons. First and foremost it provided the fastest data transfer rate of all cards tested. It also provided convenient RJ11 modular connectors, which were an ideal solution for the small amount of space available in the S.A.M. Kiosk. (Most eight-port cards use a large cable with eight separate pigtails and bulky DB-9 connectors.) It also provided the added bonus of easier maintenance and lower cabling costs. In addition, Quatech's ESC-100M was ideal because it allowed for S.A.M. to be upgraded without replacing its serial board. Currently, S.A.M. uses only six of the eight available serial ports, leaving two open for future devices. Quatech also offers extensive OS support options for its boards making software upgrades an easy task. In this case, Singapore Post is planning a migration from Windows NT to Windows XP, and the ESC-100M has drivers for both.

For more information on the SAM Kiosk see www.singpost.com/02_consumer_svcs/sam.htm