A Trooh screen at the North Recreation Center last Thursday. Credit: Xiyonne McCullough | Lantern Special Projects Reporter
Digital kiosks flashing ads, trivia and weather reports now greet students as they walk through the Ohio Union or head to the fitness centers.
These kiosks are the Trooh digital video screens, introduced by Ohio State this fall in high-traffic areas, including academic buildings and gyms to reach students where they are.
Dave Isaacs, a university spokesperson, said the screens are funded by Trooh, a company that operates similar networks across campuses nationwide, not by the university.
According to its website, Trooh seeks to reach college students nationwide through digital and physical campus media, describing itself as the only network of its kind in North America.
Isaacs said the screens were installed to assist campus communication and reach students where they tend to be.
“The Trooh screens allowed us to expand our reach to students in more areas where we didn’t have screens already,” Isaacs said.
The displays cycle through announcements, sponsored content and interactive features designed to engage students.
“The screens offer some functionality that we think students will like, including more real-time information,” Isaacs said.
He said the screens also feature weather updates, news and sports.
The displays include practical features like phone charging ports and wireless charging pads.
“When we need a charge, we need it now,” Isaacs said. “So, students are able to go to these Trooh screens and find several ports.”
While administrators highlight these practical uses, some students said the content itself stands out.
Mattea Schwartz, a second-year in psychology, said she was drawn in by the daily horoscope readings.
“The first thing I noticed is the horoscope and I stopped to read it,” Schwartz said.
“It feels like a personalized thing and not just a random message.”
However, she said the kiosks are easy to overlook in daily routines.
“I think it’s mainly something in the background that I notice passing by,” Schwartz said. “With the long waiting time between the screens, I’m not going to stand there and watch it for that long.”
Despite noting that the screens can be easy to pass, Schwartz said she’d likely notice them if there were more around campus.
“I think it would be fun if there were more on campus, I would probably notice them more,” she said.
For now, Isaacs said the university is still working on expanding the screens’ content.
“We’re still working on the technical aspects to put things up about student life, but that’s still to come,” he said.
