Landmark-based navigation systems have proven benefits relative to traditional turn-by-turn systems that use street names and distances. However, one obstacle to the implementation of landmark-based navigation systems is the complex challenge of selecting salient local landmarks at each decision point for each user. In this paper, we present Pharos, a novel system that extends turn-by-turn navigation instructions using a single global landmark (e.g. the Eiffel Tower, the Burj Khalifa, municipal TV towers) rather than multiple, hard-to-select local landmarks. We first show that our approach is feasible in a large number of cities around the world through the use of computer vision to select global landmarks. We then present the results of a study demonstrating that by including global landmarks in navigation instructions, users navigate more confidently and build a more accurate mental map of the navigated area than using turn-by-turn instructions.
Deep Map is a research framework that aims at building the prototype of an intelligent next generation spatial information system. Deep Map realizes the vision of a future tourist guidance system that works as a mobile guide and as a web-based planning tool. This long term research project addresses several challenging research aspects covering intelligent integration of information from different data sources and services including geographical information systems, multi-media databases, and interactive internet data sources such as reservation systems. On the basis of this complex information system the European Media Laboratory plans to build user interfaces that allow intuitive and easy access to information. Such a user interface including visual and natural language processing will be included into a mobile device that navigates the user through a city. Also virtual tours in a 3D-reconstructed city will be possible. In this paper, we present the current system that already covers a number of these aspects and demonstrates how tourists may be guided in the future. In this paper, we describe our experiences of developing and evaluating GUIDE, an intelligent electronic tourist guide. The GUIDE system has been built to overcome many of the limitations of the traditional information and navigation tools available to city visitors. For example, group-based tours are inherently inflexible with fixed starting times and fixed durations and (like most guidebooks) are constrained by the need to satisfy the interests of the majority rather than the specific interests of individuals. Following a period of requirements capture, involving experts in the field of tourism, we developed and installed a system for use by visitors to Lancaster. The system combines mobile computing technologies with a wireless infrastructure to present city visitors with information tailored to both their personal and environmental contexts. In this paper we present an evaluation of GUIDE, focusing on the quality of the visitor's experience when using the system. Modern lifestyle corresponds with high personal mobility. People want to work or use leisure-time applications while on the road. Modern mobile communications systems allow to meet these requirements for the first time. Advanced new features like user positioning allow sophisticated applications that are not possible in the fixed Internet or traditional cellular networks. Still, application development for the Mobile Internet is a complex task. Users have special demands because of the mobile environment. Stringent technical constraints are imposed by mobile networks and mobile devices.In this paper we present a prototype of a mobile application for UMTS. It is called [email protected] (Local Location Assistant) and implements a tourist guide for users in the city of Vienna. We discuss user interaction and interface design, design process, and technical solutions used to implement the application. Because of the initial lack of powerful PDAs, currently a laptop is used as terminal. In many mid- to large-sized cities public maps are ubiquitous. One can also find a great number of maps in parks or near hiking trails. Public maps help to facilitate orientation and provide special information to not only tourists but also to locals who just want to look up an unfamiliar place while on the go. These maps offer many advantages compared to mobile maps from services like Google Maps Mobile or Nokia Maps. They often show local landmarks and sights that are not shown on standard digital maps. Often these 'You are here' (YAH) maps are adapted to a special use case, e.g. a zoo map or a hiking map of a certain area. Being designed for a fashioned purpose these maps are often aesthetically well designed and their usage is therefore more pleasant. In this paper we present a novel technique and application called PhotoMap that uses images of 'You are here' maps taken with a GPS-enhanced mobile camera phone as background maps for on-the-fly navigation tasks. We discuss different implementations of the main challenge, namely helping the user to properly georeference the taken image with sufficient accuracy to support pedestrian navigation tasks. We present a study that discusses the suitability of various public maps for this task and we evaluate if these georeferenced photos can be used for navigation on GPS-enabled devices.