A student from Brunel University London has developed a new payment device that enables buskers and street performers to accept contactless and mobile payments.

Called Tiptap, the new technology is designed to allow those who rely on cash, such as London’s street performing community, to keep pace and continue to accept crucial tips as the public continues to move towards cashless payments.

“For the third year in a row cash has represented less than half of the total volume of payments made in the UK,” said final-year Industrial Design and Technology BA student Emma McBride, the brains behind Tiptap.

“This change in consumer behaviour has the future potential to exclude those who rely on cash to make a living, including street performers and musicians.”

Tiptap has two features – a contactless payment-equipped stand which they performer can insert their smartphone, and an app installed onto the smartphone that enables audience members to input the amount of money they would like to tip, before tapping their card or mobile on the stand to complete the payment.

Whilst still in its development stage, McBride hopes that there will be opportunity to begin commercialising her product post-university, potentially working alongside a company that already specialises in accepting contactless payments to further hone the device.

“The app can also provide users with up-to-date earnings and expenses feedback, whilst helping them to organise other aspects of street performance. Final feedback with buskers was very positive, and people were really excited about the concept and keen for it to be developed into a real business,” concluded Emma.

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