Dwell Time

Dwell time is the number of seconds the average viewer spends in front of a screen during a single visit. It's the foundational input to every other DOOH attention metric: viewability requires dwell time > slot length, completion rate requires dwell time > full creative length, and frequency caps assume one impression per dwell event.

Measurement is split. Where sensors aren't present, dwell time is modeled from venue-type benchmarks — a gym lobby averages 90-120 seconds, a quick-service-restaurant counter averages 45-60 seconds, an elevator averages 25-40 seconds. Where sensors are present (Trillboards screens, T-Vision-equipped CTV, NRS panels), dwell time is per-person and per-visit, tracked from face-detect to face-loss with edge inference.

For an ad to count as a viewable impression in DOOH, dwell time during the playout must exceed the slot length minus a tolerance. The DPAA standard tolerance is 2 seconds — a 15-second slot needs ≥ 13 seconds of dwell to be marked viewable. On sensor-equipped screens, the dwell measurement is per face and per playout, which lets buyers see actual viewability rather than modeled estimates.

Dwell time also drives creative-length decisions. If the median dwell in your venue is 18 seconds, a 30-second creative wastes ~40% of its impressions; 15 seconds is the right ceiling.