New York University Digital Signage For Real-Time Data
Discover how NYU campus in Shanghai leverages our award-winning cloud-based Digital Signage CMS for advanced data visualization. This case study highlights their system displaying live air quality metrics from local sensors to students and faculty, remotely managed from the U.S.
About New York University
New York University is one of the world’s premier educational institutions, serving 50,000+ students across campuses in New York, Shanghai, and Abu Dhabi. NYU Shanghai, founded in partnership with East China Normal University, emphasizes a global academic experience and a forward-thinking approach to research and liberal arts education. As a research powerhouse, NYU conducts close to $1 billion in funded research annually, fostering innovation across disciplines.
The Need
The Environmental Sensing Group at NYU secured grant funding to monitor air quality at the Shanghai campus and present the findings via live displays. Student Project Leader Caspar Lant led the initiative, deploying air quality sensors and overseeing screen installations in the main entrance of the campus.
Initially, Caspar considered a static web page to display the data. However, managing and updating a screen located in Shanghai while operating from New York introduced significant limitations—especially for changes like URL updates or content refreshes. He needed a platform that offered centralized control, remote content updates, and low overhead—without sacrificing performance or clarity.
The Solution
Our award-winning cloud-based digital signage platform quickly became the ideal solution. Caspar recognized that it offered the exact features required: affordability, ease of use, and reliable remote control. With limited time and no budget for custom hardware integration, Digital Signage OS’s compatibility with Raspberry Pi made deployment both cost-effective and quick.
Caspar used his existing Raspberry Pis, flashed them with Digital Signage OS’s software, and connected them to two large-screen TVs in the campus lobby. These were powered via the TV’s USB ports, allowing for a clean and professional installation with minimal cabling and no need for external mounts or bulky media players.
To feed content into Digital Signage OS, Caspar built a front-end website that visualized the air sensor data in real-time. This content was then displayed via Digital Signage OS’s centralized dashboard, which enabled remote monitoring and management from New York.
“I like the fact that the platform has a web interface. It’s nice that it’s flexible enough that you can upload images, video, and audio.”
C. LANT – Student Project Leader
The Result
Digital Signage OS platform empowered NYU’s research group to transform a complex technical project into a functional and visually compelling public data display—without requiring extensive resources or technical staff on the ground in Shanghai. The platform delivered several key advantages:
- Centralized Content Control: All updates and content scheduling are handled remotely from the U.S., eliminating the need for local technical assistance.
- Plug-and-Play Setup: Raspberry Pis were quickly configured and powered via USB, creating a seamless on-site experience with minimal hardware footprint.
- Professional Aesthetic: The solution replaced clunky, extruding hardware with clean, discreet signage setups that blended well in public spaces.
- Custom Content Support: Yodeck’s flexibility made it easy to integrate custom web apps and live data feeds.
- Scalability & Reliability: Caspar could control multiple displays and expand the project in the future thanks to Yodeck’s scalable dashboard.
Most importantly, Digital Signage OS provided an effective and engaging way for NYU to communicate vital environmental data to students and faculty—demonstrating how digital signage can enhance transparency, awareness, and sustainability efforts on campus.
“If we expanded this project to one of NYU’s other campuses, I would definitely try to continue to use a digital signage solution. And, similarly, I would definitely recommend it to anyone that had a similar necessity. I think it’s a cost-effective and scalable solution to digital signage.”
C. LANT – Student Project Leader
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