The GUIDE project developed a context-aware mobile tourist guide. It used a cell-based wireless infrastructure to provide location information. The guide presented attractions and navigation points as objects in an information model. It allowed users to passively follow tours or actively explore. Evaluations found that navigation, information retrieval and location-sensitivity were helpful features. Future work includes increasing interactive services and addressing scalability.

1. Experiences of Developing and Deploying a Context-Aware Tourist Guide: The GUIDE Project Keith Cheverst, Nigel Davies, Keith Mitchell and Adrian Friday Lancaster University, Lancaster Presenter: Jim Cai

2. Overview GUIDE is Real World vs. prototype Context-based =/= Location-Based GUIDE involves Requirement Engineering Human Computer Interaction Wireless infrastructure

3. Application Requirement Flexibility Passive (following), active (exploring) Context-Aware Personal (location, preference), environmental (weather, opening time) Support for Dynamic Information Opening/closing time, special menus Support for interactive Services bookings

4. End-System Fujitsu TeamPad 7600 Large screen size Light Power/performance (166MHZ) Windows!!! In real world?

5. User Interface Browser like Notion of following hyperlink Positive transfer Friendly Personality Good for novice user Single-modality distraction

7. Application functionality Access context-aware information Tap the info button Not all information are based on current context Keyword search Nearby attractions sorted by openness/close

8. Application functionality

9. Application functionality

10. Application functionality Create a Tailored Tour of the City Step 1: Determine a set of attractions System: historic, recreation, popular Or User customization Step 2: Determine the order of the tour Is recommended by the system Can be modified, overwritten. Flexibility -- drawbacks: complicated interface

11. Application functionality Access Interactive Services Motivation: avoid going to TIC Hotel bookings Query films / Book ticket Others (not mentioned)

12. Application functionality Send or receive messages Motivation: group tour To keep in touch Request info from the TIC staff

13. Architectural Approach

14. The cell-based communications infrastructure Broadband (2Mbps) Cell server broadcasting Small non-overlapping cells between buildings Provide more accurate positioning info Disable WaveLAN roaming

15. Design of Information Model To represent (GOALS): Context info Raining / outside castle / interest in history Geographic info Coordinate vs. symbolic Hypertext info Global vs. local State info Visitor’s preference

16. GUIDE information Model Object types Location objects Attractions with its location, open time etc. GetImmediateNeighbours() ProvideDescription() Navigation point objects Way points between location objects Relationship objects Distance between navigations point/location objects by different mean

17. GUIDE INFORMATION MODEL (CON’T) Augment pages with special tags <GUIDETAG INSERT POSITION> <GUIDETAG INSERT ((HISTORY > 50) AND (ARCHITECTURE > 50)) <GUIDETAG INSERT NEIGBOURS>

18. GUIDE INFORMATION MODEL (CON’T)

19. GUIDE INFORMATION MODEL (CON’T) Total of 400 objects (400 html) 120 location/navigation objects 280 relationship objects Store all in local clients (300k) Allow off-line calculation of routes guidance Is scalability a problem? City Editor application (portable)

20. The GUIDE Software Architecture

21. Disconnected Operation Power matters! Interface solution Metaphor used to provide connectivity (2 level ) Showing the status of location updates Use the visitor’s assistance

22. Evaluation Expert Walk Through 4 experts Talk aloud Interviewed Feedbacks: progress bar while downloading; button layout need to be consistent as other browsers

23. Evaluation (Cont’d) Field Trial

24. Evaluation (Cont’d) Results: Positive feedbacks on navigation and information retrievals Happy with the dimension and weight Degree of connectivity is helpful Location-sensitive is helpful

25. Current & Future work Current Employ staff to update information Use of bluetooth and GPS Future increase diversity of interactive services adaptive vs. predictable

26. Discussion Are all the design decisions being justified by the user study? What are the potential bias? What about a controlled experiment?

27. Discussion Is a tablet PC reasonable for a tour guide application?

28. Discussion Is scalability a problem, if all objects are stored locally?

29. Discussion What could be improved in the current system? Interface Infrastructure Information model