Frequently Asked Questions about Nubart
General
The unique codes printed on our cards work like a key, providing its owner with exclusive access to all the digital content.
To access the content, visitors scan the QR code or enter a code on our splash page, in case they are not familiar with QR codes.
Nubart has developed a unique combination of transactional cookies + opt-in system called LWAC(int. pat. pending) to provide non-transferable access to digital content.
Thanks to LWAC, card owners can access the audio guide as often as they want, from a smartphone, from another device, or from a PC -- even months or years later. However, the card cannot be used by anybody else.
This way we ensure that the audio cards have commercial viability and we guarantee the high quality of the anonymous data we collect from your visitors.
In addition, these unique codes allow us to add a whole range of services that would not be possible with a conventional PWA: tour guide system, Catch & Answer game, special discounts for the card owner...
To access the content, visitors scan the QR code or enter a code on our splash page, in case they are not familiar with QR codes.
Nubart has developed a unique combination of transactional cookies + opt-in system called LWAC(int. pat. pending) to provide non-transferable access to digital content.
Thanks to LWAC, card owners can access the audio guide as often as they want, from a smartphone, from another device, or from a PC -- even months or years later. However, the card cannot be used by anybody else.
This way we ensure that the audio cards have commercial viability and we guarantee the high quality of the anonymous data we collect from your visitors.
In addition, these unique codes allow us to add a whole range of services that would not be possible with a conventional PWA: tour guide system, Catch & Answer game, special discounts for the card owner...
Yes, we can create a theme for your company in which you can decide the colors, the font, the type of player, the spaces between elements, add a frame to the images...
This custom layout is subject to an extra charge.
This custom layout is subject to an extra charge.
At Nubart we care about the environment! You can choose the ecological material on which you want to print your cards:
- Recycled PVC.
- Bio-PVC.
- High-strength special cardboard, FSC certified.
Yes, they are!
The QR-code on the cards is printed with a slight relief, so that visually impaired people can detect its presence and its location with their fingertips and capture it with their smartphone's QR-scanner.
Our in-house CMS has been developed in Universal Design and is inclusive.
Check out more details in our blog post on accessibility.
Also:
The QR-code on the cards is printed with a slight relief, so that visually impaired people can detect its presence and its location with their fingertips and capture it with their smartphone's QR-scanner.
Our in-house CMS has been developed in Universal Design and is inclusive.
Check out more details in our blog post on accessibility.
Also:
Audio guides (Nubart Guide)
Our audio guide tracks are streamed, so only the tracks clicked by the visitor consume data (unlike most apps that force you to download all the content at once). The data consumed by those tracks is 0.46 MB per minute: 1/5 of what is used by music services like Spotify.
Given this low data usage, we don't consider providing free Wifi essential to offer our audio guides, if the overall mobile data coverage is good.
However, we have developed an innovative offline mode for when connectivity becomes an issue.
Given this low data usage, we don't consider providing free Wifi essential to offer our audio guides, if the overall mobile data coverage is good.
However, we have developed an innovative offline mode for when connectivity becomes an issue.
We have developed an innovative
offline mode for facilities with poor network coverage.
Our goal is to make things easy for you.
Basically we just need a script, pics and a few pieces of information. We will take care of everything else, keep you informed about the process and seek your approval in the different stages.
See here what Nubart needs to produce your audio guide
Basically we just need a script, pics and a few pieces of information. We will take care of everything else, keep you informed about the process and seek your approval in the different stages.
See here what Nubart needs to produce your audio guide
Museums have flexibility to choose any model of distributing Nubart cards to their visitors.
For example:
Remember, the more the cards are used, the greater the amount of data and feedback from visitors about the museum's collection or exhibits is collected.
For example:
- Give away for free as a promotion to bring more visitors (ex. on certain days).
- Give away for free as part of a sponsorship partnership.
- Give away for free as part of the admission fee.
- Sell the guides at a price which covers costs/investment.
- Sell the guides at a profit.
Remember, the more the cards are used, the greater the amount of data and feedback from visitors about the museum's collection or exhibits is collected.
Our most common model is to purchase the cards as if they were a product, which includes almost all of our digital features. New orders can be placed at any time. Our minimum order is 4,000 units.
For those who have many visitors and wish to include the audio guide card in the admission fee, we can offer a flat rate contract.
And for museums and other venues with more than 100,000 annual visitors that want to sell the card as an extra item, we can consider a revenue-share agreement.
For those who have many visitors and wish to include the audio guide card in the admission fee, we can offer a flat rate contract.
And for museums and other venues with more than 100,000 annual visitors that want to sell the card as an extra item, we can consider a revenue-share agreement.
Nowadays most people carry their own headphones. Even if this is not the case, visitors can turn down the volume, and instead of holding the smartphone like when receiving a phone call, they can hold the bottom speaker on the ear. Since audio guides have short tracks that are heard separately and not continuously like an audiobook or music, this is not a big issue. We have several customers that do not offer any kind of headphones.
However if you think that headphones are a must in your venue, this is a very affordable commodity. You will definitely find a local supplier in your area.
However if you think that headphones are a must in your venue, this is a very affordable commodity. You will definitely find a local supplier in your area.
Our system currently supports over 40 languages, including right-to-left languages (RTL) such as Arabic and Hebrew.
See how RTL languages are displayed at Nubart
If you wish to integrate a language that is not yet supported, we will be happy to do so at no additional cost.
See how RTL languages are displayed at Nubart
If you wish to integrate a language that is not yet supported, we will be happy to do so at no additional cost.
The advantage of our card system is precisely that your establishment does not have to deal with the cumbersome management and maintenance of devices for your visitors.
However, it may be the case that some visitors do not carry a smartphone with them during their visit. If you want to cover such cases, we recommend purchasing 5-10 low-priced Android smartphones from your trusted local provider and keeping them as a backup for visitors without a smartphone.
If you are in the EU, you can ask your supplier to send these devices to our Berlin address. For a small fee we will optimize your cell phones in kiosk mode so that they only allow access to our audio guide, and send them back to you.
If you are outside the EU or do not wish to pay this fee, we can provide you with the necessary instructions and code-script for your technician to perform this manipulation.
However, it may be the case that some visitors do not carry a smartphone with them during their visit. If you want to cover such cases, we recommend purchasing 5-10 low-priced Android smartphones from your trusted local provider and keeping them as a backup for visitors without a smartphone.
If you are in the EU, you can ask your supplier to send these devices to our Berlin address. For a small fee we will optimize your cell phones in kiosk mode so that they only allow access to our audio guide, and send them back to you.
If you are outside the EU or do not wish to pay this fee, we can provide you with the necessary instructions and code-script for your technician to perform this manipulation.
Tour Guide System (Nubart Live)
It is on the guide's smartphone that all the "background work" of our technology takes place. Therefore, it is desirable that your guides have a modern smartphone with a good processor and a reasonably new battery.
However, this does not affect group members: for them the battery load is not much higher than when listening to a podcast or audio book. As an example, one hour of continuous use consumes 8% battery on a 4-year-old Android phone.
However, this does not affect group members: for them the battery load is not much higher than when listening to a podcast or audio book. As an example, one hour of continuous use consumes 8% battery on a 4-year-old Android phone.
Around 20 MB per hour. Since our system is unidirectional (only the guide speaks) and we do not broadcast any video, our system consumes much less than a video-call in Zoom or Skype. Even less than a normal phone call.
If you like the Nubart-branded design below, printed on eco-friendly extra strong cardboard, our minimum order is our Basic Package with 500 units. (This only applies to our tour guide system Nubart Live, not to our audio guides!)
![Nubart's group guiding system]()
If you prefer to have your cards custom designed, the minimum order is 4,000.
Check our pricing
Check our pricing
If you buy our Nubart-branded cards, you can have two guides per each order of 500 cards (Basic Package).
So the more cards you order, the more guides can access our system.
If you buy our Professional Package with 5.000 cards, the number of guides is unlimited.
Check our pricing
So the more cards you order, the more guides can access our system.
If you buy our Professional Package with 5.000 cards, the number of guides is unlimited.
Check our pricing
No. You will only need one card per group member, as our Nubart Live cards are non-transferable, but reusable. Simply ask each member of your group to keep their own card for reuse during the trip.
A small delay of up to one second between sender and receiver (latency) is inevitable.
Latency is influenced by several factors, such as the power of the smartphone, the quality of the connection and whether sender and receiver use the same mobile data provider.
However, if the guide speaks in a low voice, the echo effect of latency will be barely noticeable, since the voice received on the smartphone will be predominant to the visitor.
Latency is influenced by several factors, such as the power of the smartphone, the quality of the connection and whether sender and receiver use the same mobile data provider.
However, if the guide speaks in a low voice, the echo effect of latency will be barely noticeable, since the voice received on the smartphone will be predominant to the visitor.
Technically we could generate unique QRs and make them scannable from the smartphone, as in a digital boarding pass. But there are several good reasons in favor of our cards:
- Not everybody knows how to scan a QR-code. Our card provides an alternative option by entering an alphanumeric code.
- There is always somebody arriving late to the group: Since our card is self-explanatory, the guide just has to silently hand it out to the newcomer and scan it quickly when he is ready, with almost no hassle.
- The participants have the possibility to re-enter or scan the code at any time if there have problems with the smartphone (e.g. accidental browser closing).
- The cards are not transferable, but a participant can reuse his own card for several tours.
If you want to take that call, just click on "mute" and pick up.
The group will remain on hold while you talk on the phone. When you are finished with the call, go back to the browser. If you do not see everyone in the group with the green light, reload the page: the connections will be restored without the need to scan all the QR-codes again.
Be aware: If you are using a Android and you forget to click "mute" before taking the call, visitors may be able to hear what you say to the caller, but will not be able to hear the caller. In contrast, if you use an iPhone, neither voice will be heard.
The group will remain on hold while you talk on the phone. When you are finished with the call, go back to the browser. If you do not see everyone in the group with the green light, reload the page: the connections will be restored without the need to scan all the QR-codes again.
Be aware: If you are using a Android and you forget to click "mute" before taking the call, visitors may be able to hear what you say to the caller, but will not be able to hear the caller. In contrast, if you use an iPhone, neither voice will be heard.
No.
You just need to scan all the cards in your group at the beginning of your trip to open the session. The session you open will be saved in your Nubart account, even if you or the travelers close the browser. If there are stragglers, all you need to do is scan their card as well to add them to the already open group. It's that easy!
Occasionally the group members will need to scan their own card again to rejoin the session. Don't forget to ask them to keep the card and always have it handy!
You just need to scan all the cards in your group at the beginning of your trip to open the session. The session you open will be saved in your Nubart account, even if you or the travelers close the browser. If there are stragglers, all you need to do is scan their card as well to add them to the already open group. It's that easy!
Occasionally the group members will need to scan their own card again to rejoin the session. Don't forget to ask them to keep the card and always have it handy!
1) Internet-connection
Short, non-techie answer:
Your internet connection does not have to be high if you network is properly set up!
Long answer for techies:
If you network configuration (NAT, firewalls, topology) allows peer-to-peer connections for Web-RTC and all participants are in the same WLAN, the actual voice signal doesn’t use the internet connection. That’s because every listener has a peer-to-peer connection to the speaker once the connection has been established. The internet connection is only necessary for managing each connection, which doesn’t require much bandwidth.
2) WIFI/WLAN
The LAN has to be able to handle the amount of concurrent users (subnet mask) and the WIFI-hotspots need to be able to handle the bandwidth and number of users. Please ask your technician to ensure this!
If the network configuration does not allow peer-to-peer connections for Web-RTC, there is a fallback system in place to capture such a scenario. But this fallback uses a relay server (Turn server) on the internet and would require that the voice signal goes through the internet (see 1.), so we recommend to allow peer-to-peer on your network.
Alternatively you can set up a local Turn-server. If you want this alternative get in touch with us because this requires some extra work on our side.
Short, non-techie answer:
Your internet connection does not have to be high if you network is properly set up!
Long answer for techies:
If you network configuration (NAT, firewalls, topology) allows peer-to-peer connections for Web-RTC and all participants are in the same WLAN, the actual voice signal doesn’t use the internet connection. That’s because every listener has a peer-to-peer connection to the speaker once the connection has been established. The internet connection is only necessary for managing each connection, which doesn’t require much bandwidth.
2) WIFI/WLAN
The LAN has to be able to handle the amount of concurrent users (subnet mask) and the WIFI-hotspots need to be able to handle the bandwidth and number of users. Please ask your technician to ensure this!
If the network configuration does not allow peer-to-peer connections for Web-RTC, there is a fallback system in place to capture such a scenario. But this fallback uses a relay server (Turn server) on the internet and would require that the voice signal goes through the internet (see 1.), so we recommend to allow peer-to-peer on your network.
Alternatively you can set up a local Turn-server. If you want this alternative get in touch with us because this requires some extra work on our side.