Re:Build partnered with Tower Optical to modernize its iconic 90-year-old coin-operated viewing binoculars. Our engineering team developed a production-ready, tap-to-pay retrofit that preserves the original design while enabling modern payment.
The Details
Industry
Tourism & Attractions
CAPABILITIES APPLIED
Tower Optical manufactures the iconic teardrop-shaped optical viewers found at more than 400 landmarks, including the Statue of Liberty, Grand Canyon, and Golden Gate Bridge. For nearly 90 years, these cast-bronze viewers operated with a simple coin mechanism: insert a quarter to unlock approximately 60 seconds of viewing.
As consumer payment habits shifted away from cash, the old coin-operated model began to hold back attractions. A new ownership group saw an opportunity to modernize these viewers. The goal was to add contactless payments across the installed network, while preserving the same look, feel, and reliability people have trusted for decades. That meant retrofitting historic equipment with modern electronics, with no external power source, no major structural changes, and without compromising the iconic design recognized by many.
Re:Build transformed a 90-year-old, quarter-operated product into a modern, connected, tap-to-pay device, without altering the iconic look tourists know around the world. The team delivered a complete, deployable retrofit solution that unlocked an entirely new revenue model for Tower Optical, along with the technical foundation and business roadmap to scale it nationwide.
Battery-Powered Tap-to-Pay Retrofit
The viewers have no access to electrical power, so Re:Build engineered a fully battery-powered payment system designed to operate for three to six months between service visits, aligning with Tower Optical’s existing maintenance schedule. The batteries fit within the space previously occupied by the coin collection mechanism, eliminating the need for external wiring or new infrastructure.
Preserved the Original Design
The retrofit was engineered around the existing enclosure, binoculars, and shutter assembly, fitting everything within the limited space available inside the unit. We designed a low-profile cellular antenna and an external tap-to-pay antenna to provide reliable connectivity and enable fast, contactless payments.
Reliable Contactless Payments
The completed system averages about four seconds from card tap to shutter activation, which was ahead of our initial expectations. Re:Build integrated the SECO payment platform with Worldpay processing and continues optimizing cellular performance in high-congestion environments such as Rockefeller Center.
Remote Management
Replacing the fixed, one-quarter-only model with digital payments allows Tower Optical to configure pricing and viewing times by location. Combined with SECO’s cloud-based management platform, operators can remotely monitor status, track revenue, and manage maintenance without visiting individual units.
FCC Certified for Deployment
The solution achieved FCC certification, validating the electronics for commercial deployment in the United States. The system was engineered with U.S.-compatible cellular connectivity to support reliable tap-to-pay operation across deployed viewers.
Proven Path to Production
Re:Build assembled the first 150 retrofit kits through a dedicated low-volume production line while documenting the complete bill of materials, work instructions, and manufacturing process. This established a clear path for scaling production across the remaining devices while reducing unit cost through higher-volume manufacturing.
Early deployments generated meaningful revenue within the first initial batch of units, demonstrating the revenue potential of converting a large installed base of existing hardware to tap-to-pay functionality.
Customers can complete a transaction in about 4 seconds from card tap to shutter opening, delivering a fast, familiar retail-like payment experience without coins or lengthy transaction delays.
FCC certification enables Tower Optical to deploy the electronic retrofit across its U.S. locations, providing a validated path to modernize more of its existing viewers.
With a production-ready retrofit and defined manufacturing process, Tower Optical has a path to expand beyond initial deployments and modernize its approximately 1,500 existing viewers while reducing per-unit cost as volume increases.
The retrofit gives Tower Optical a modern electronic platform that can continue to evolve after deployment, supporting future improvements to connectivity, remote management, and system reliability.
