VISITO Project Goals: Design and develop a system to help tourists visiting art cities Realize a geo-referenced interactive guide on smart-phones and on the Internet Image-based: interaction through images (pictures as queries), management of very large image archives

1. VIsual Support to Interactive TOurism in Tuscany
POR CREO FESR 2007-2013
Asse 1, attività 1.1, linea di intervento D

2. Consortium
Il Progetto è iniziato nell’Ottobre 2009 ed è finanziato dalla Regione Toscana
POR CREO FESR 2007-2013 Asse 1 Attività 1.1 Linea di intevento D.
ISTI-CNR (Pisa)
Visual Computing Lab
Networked Multimedia Inf. Syst.
Lab
High Performance Computing
Lab
IIT-CNR (Pisa)
Security Lab
Alinari 24 Ore (Firenze)
Hyperborea (Pisa)
3Logic (Pisa)
Sam H. Minelli – Alinari 24 ORE (2011)

3. The project VISITO Tuscany
Proposal submitted: March 2009
Approved: September 2009
Started: October 2009
Length: 24 months
Cost: 3.838.603,66 €
Funding: 2.549.611,47 €
Contacts: info@visitotuscany.it
Website: www.visitotuscany.it
Sam H. Minelli – Alinari 24 ORE (2011)

4. VISITO Tuscany goals
Design and develop a system to help tourists
visiting art cities
Realize a geo-referenced interactive guide on
smart-phones and on the Internet
Image-based: interaction through images (pictures
as queries), management of very large image
archives
Sam H. Minelli – Alinari 24 ORE (2011)

5. VISITO: the basic idea | 1/3
Before the visit
Tour planning using data bank
and experiences of other users
Sam H. Minelli – Alinari 24 ORE (2011)

6. VISITO: the basic idea | 2/3
Before the visit During the visit
Tour planning using data bank Automatic localization of the
and experiences of other users user and user interest
Pictures taken by the user are
analyzed using image
recognition techniques
Relevant personalized touristic
information is sent to the user
Web pages, phone calls, …
Sam H. Minelli – Alinari 24 ORE (2011)

7. VISITO: the basic idea | 3/3
Before the visit During the visit After the visit
Tour planning using data bank Automatic localization of the Pictures taken by users are
and experiences of other users user and user interest stored in the system and placed
on top of an high resolution 3D
model of the subject to support
the virtual visit
Pictures taken by the user are
analyzed using image
recognition techniques
Relevant personalized touristic
information is sent to the user
Web pages, phone calls, …
Sam H. Minelli – Alinari 24 ORE (2011)

8. Before the visit | 1/4
Users can plan their tour
itineraries from VISITO Tuscany’s
web site
Point Of Interest (POI) are
presented to the user in several
way:
Visually highlighted on the city
map
Clustered according to category or
popularity
Collected and ordered in paths
designed by experts
Sam H. Minelli – Alinari 24 ORE (2011)

9. Before the visit | 2/4
For each POI VISITO Tuscany
web sites offers a detailed
info card
Info cards are constantly
enriched
Users can build their own path
to plan their city tour;
Using a smart-phone they can
review on the mobile device
the paths during the visit and
get more information on what
they are visiting.
Sam H. Minelli – Alinari 24 ORE (2011)

10. Before the visit | 3/4
User can make a virtual 3D tour around the most important monuments and
building they are going to visit (main squares of Florence, Pisa and San Gimignano)
Sam H. Minelli – Alinari 24 ORE (2011)

11. During the visit | 1/3
Pictures taken by the user are analyzed using image recognition techniques
User can get information about a monument/building taking a photo
with their smart-phone.
VISITO Tuscany recognize the subject and a relevant and
personalized touristic information is sent to the user
1: Take a picture
2: Recognize
3: Describe…
Sam H. Minelli – Alinari 24 ORE (2011)

12. During the visit | 2/3
An interactive map shows POIs close to the
user
POIs are displayed on an interactive
map. Tapping on a POI user can
see the related info card
VISITO Tuscany recognizes the
subject and a relevant and
personalized touristic information is
sent to the user
Paths created by the user on the web
site are also displayed on the map
Sam H. Minelli – Alinari 24 ORE (2011)

13. During the visit | 3/3
User can:
Read the info card
Look at the gallery of Alinari Archives pictures (www.alinariarchives.it)
Zoom images
Locate the place on the map
Sam H. Minelli – Alinari 24 ORE (2011)

14. After the visit | 1/2
Pictures taken by users are stored in the system and placed on top of an high
resolution 3D model of the subject to support the virtual visit
Users can:
• Virtually review the visit
• Create photo albums, also using material contained in the system
• Publish and share their pictures, comments, experiences, with other users
Sam H. Minelli – Alinari 24 ORE (2011)

15. After the visit | 2/2
The users can
manage the photo
album of the visit
and share pictures
Sam H. Minelli – Alinari 24 ORE (2011)

16. EDU-Tainment: Treasure-City
Visual Treasure City is a game which takes place in the
historical quarters of Pisa. The goal of the game is to
follow an itinerary in stages, covering places of historical
and artistic relevance, with a mechanism similar to a
treasure hunt.
http://www.visitotuscany.it/cacciaaltesoro.html.
The Associazione Ami ci del Gioco del Ponte ha ve
collabora ted to create one itinera ry of this ga me
(http://www.ami cidelgiocodelponte.it/)
Sam H. Minelli – Alinari 24 ORE (2011)

17. Tourism, Territory, Culture
Photography by Sam H. Minelli/ Alinari Archives (all right reserved)
Sam H. Minelli – Alinari 24 ORE (2011)

18. Press Release
http://www.visitotuscany.it/index.php/it/rassegnastampa
Sam H. Minelli – Alinari 24 ORE (2011)

19. Advantages
• Public Administration: dissemination and local marketing
• Local subjects (infopoint, etc.): information services to
tourist
• Businesses related to tourism: (tour operators, airlines, local
cultural associations, hoteliers, etc.): enhancement of trips
• Advertisement
Contact VISITO team
and
we will draw the possible advantages
for your specific profile!
Sam H. Minelli – Alinari 24 ORE (2011)

20. Try it!
VISITO free download on iTunes (iPhone)
VISITO free download on Android Store
Go to the market and search for the Go to the market and search for the
application called VISITO Tuscany (just application called VISITO Tuscany (just use
use keywords as the word "visit") or:
keywords as the word "visit") or:
From your phone's browser to navigate this From your phone's browser to navigate this
URL: market://details?id=it.visitotuscany URL: http://itunes.apple.com/it/app/visito-
tuscany/id438676005?mt=8
Sam H. Minelli – Alinari 24 ORE (2011)

21. If you are far from Tuscany…use some samples
Sam H. Minelli – Alinari 24 ORE (2011)

22. Sam H. Minelli
Head of the Business Innovation Unit
Alinari 24 ORE SpA (Gruppo 24 ORE)
www.alinari.com
Largo Fratelli Alinari 15, 50123 Florence ITALY
Sam H. Minelli – Alinari 24 ORE (2011)