Operator Unloading/Restocking Terminal App
An airport self-service retail/kiosk platform
Overview
The “descarcator” (unloader) application, an operator-facing terminal app used to service the kiosks, handling unload/restock and collection workflows. It pairs with a dedicated hardware RPC service on the same machine.
The Challenge
Servicing unattended kiosks (emptying cash, restocking, reconciling) needs a guided operator interface that can also talk to local hardware such as contactless readers, distinct from the customer-facing flow.
What We Built
An Electron/React/Redux desktop app (app/actions, app/components, app/containers, app/reducers, app/store) on Material-UI, with react-grid-system for layout and axios to the backend. It bridges to local hardware through pytalk, calling a companion Python-based RPC service for device operations during the unload/service workflow.
Technologies & Approach
Electron + React + Redux (electron-react-boilerplate toolchain) with a JavaScript-to-Python bridge via pytalk. The hybrid JS/Python approach let the rich UI reuse Python tooling for hardware access during servicing.
Outcome / Impact
Provided the field/service side of the platform, the app operators use to maintain and reconcile the kiosks, complementing the customer terminals.
Capabilities Demonstrated
- Building operator/field-service terminal UX
- Bridging an Electron UI to Python device tooling
- Implementing restock/unload and reconciliation workflows
- Shipping a cross-platform service application