Expanding Navigation Systems by Integrating It with Advanced Technologies

Navigation systems provide the optimized route from one location to another. It is mainly assisted by external technologies such as Global Positioning System (GPS) and satellite-based radio navigation systems. GPS has many advantages such as high accuracy, available anywhere, reliable, and self-calibrated. However, GPS is limited to outdoor operations. The practice of combining different sources of data to improve the overall outcome is commonly used in various domains. GIS is already integrated with GPS to provide the visualization and realization aspects of a given location. Internet of things (IoT) is a growing domain, where embedded sensors are connected to the Internet and so IoT improves existing navigation systems and expands its capabilities. This chapter proposes a framework based on the integration of GPS, GIS, IoT, and mobile communications to provide a comprehensive and accurate navigation solution. In the next section, we outline the limitations of GPS, and then we describe the integration of GIS, smartphones, and GPS to enable its use in mobile applications. For the rest of this chapter, we introduce various navigation implementations using alternate technologies integrated with GPS or operated as standalone devices

Investigating Smartphones and AR Glasses for Pedestrian Navigation and their Effects in Spatial Knowledge Acquisition

Abstract–Moving in a complex and changing environment (rapid expansion of cities, creation of new transport lines, etc.) requires more and more capacity for path determination and following. This paper presents a protocol of a user study under progress. Its aim is to compare an application on AR Glasses and Smartphone to help pedestrians to memorize path following recommended landmarks

Mobile Routing Services for Small Towns using CloudMade API and OpenStreetMap

This research presents a practical solution for mobile routing services for small towns using open sources. Free mapping application program interfaces (API) provided by web map services, including routing services, are available to create customised map based web services combining their cartographic base data with the users own data. However, most applications focus on big cities. Location based services in small towns are generally few as many people believe there is a little demand in such areas. However, the demand of LBS applications in some small towns can be as strong as big cities, for example university towns and tourist resorts. Better location based services, especially routing services, can help strangers get familiar with the environment in a short time and lead them to places of interest. However, there are two problems to overcome for such systems. One is cost both in terms of data costs and development time. Open source data and mash-up technology could provide an answer. The other problem is the availability of suitable data of the required accuracy and detail. This is more serious as most free map services, such as Google Maps and Microsoft Bing Maps (Virtual Earth), don’t provide sufficient detailed and accurate data for routing services. One feasible and economical way is to create the map ourselves and have it updated by the public. OpenStreetMap (OSM) is a free, open and fast developing map of the world. Detailed data was collected using a GPS logging device and uploaded to OpenStreetMap. The CloudMade API was used to provide multi-mode routing services together with turn-by-turn descriptions for car users, bicycle riders, and pedestrians. This solution is relatively easy and fast to deploy. Maynooth, a small university town in County Kildare Ireland, was used as a test bed. A prototype navigation system was developed for mobile users using the Windows Mobile platform. The system demonstrates that a solution to detailed navigational services for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers can be economical and feasible for small towns

The usability analysis for the use of augmented reality and visual instructions in navigation services

The use of Augmented Reality and visual cues as a part of navigational instructions, in addition to conventional audio and textual instructions, may improve the experience of the users of the navigation services. This approach can be also more compatible with the way people give instructions in everyday life; People usually associate directions with visual cues (e.g. “turn right at the square”) when giving navigational instructions in their daily conversations. In this regard, landmarks as the unique and easy-to-recognise features can play an important role. Such easy to remember features, which are available both indoors and outdoors, can be helpful when exploring an unfamiliar environment. A Landmark-based navigation service can make users sure that they are on the correct route, as the user is reassured by seeing the landmark whose information/picture has just been provided as a part of navigational instruction. Such advantages of use of landmarks visual information as a part of the instructions can decrease the time of travel and improve the experiences of the users. This paper assesses how landmarks can improve the performance of pedestrian movements following landmark-based navigational instructions

A Zero Velocity Detection Algorithm Using Inertial Sensors for Pedestrian Navigation Systems

In pedestrian navigation systems, the position of a pedestrian is computed using an inertial navigation algorithm. In the algorithm, the zero velocity updating plays an important role, where zero velocity intervals are detected and the velocity error is reset. To use the zero velocity updating, it is necessary to detect zero velocity intervals reliably. A new zero detection algorithm is proposed in the paper, where only one gyroscope value is used. A Markov model is constructed using segmentation of gyroscope outputs instead of using gyroscope outputs directly, which makes the zero velocity detection more reliable

Seamless pedestrian positioning and navigation using landmarks

Many navigation services, such as car navigation services, provide users with praxic navigational instructions (such as “turn left after 200 metres, then turn right after 150 metres”), however people usually associate directions with visual cues (e.g. “turn right at the square”) when giving navigational instructions in their daily conversations. Landmarks can play an equally important role in navigation and routing services. Landmarks are unique and easy-to-recognise and remember features; therefore, in order to remember when exploring an unfamiliar environment, they would be assets. In addition, Landmarks can be found both indoors and outdoors and their locations are usually fixed. Any positioning techniques which use landmarks as reference points can potentially provide seamless (indoor and outdoor) positioning solutions. For example, users can be localised with respect to landmarks if they can take a photograph of a registered landmark and use an application for image processing and feature extraction to identify the landmark and its location. Landmarks can also be used in pedestrian-specific path finding services. Landmarks can be considered as an important parameter in a path finding algorithm to calculate a route passing more landmarks (to make the user visit a more tourist-focussed area, pass along an easier-to-follow route, etc.). Landmarks can also be used as a part of the navigational instructions provided to users; a landmark-based navigation service makes users sure that they are on the correct route, as the user is reassured by seeing the landmark whose information/picture has just been provided as a part of navigational instruction. This paper shows how landmarks can help improve positioning and praxic navigational instructions in all these ways

Architectural and Implementation Issues for a Context-Aware Hypermedia Platform

In this paper we present the rationale and the main components of a modular and extensible architecture for building and deploying mobile hypermedia software. Using some simple archetypical examples we show how to provide context-aware assistance to the mobile user, as he explores the physical world. We also show that this kind of software systems poses strong requirements on supporting software (such as Web browsers) and we explain how to provide a modular software substrate to support these requirements. This paper shows how to use some simple concepts to develop complex context-aware systems, which are evolvable and easy to extend.Facultad de InformáticaLaboratorio de Investigación y Formación en Informática Avanzada (LIFIA

Architectural and Implementation Issues for a Context-Aware Hypermedia Platform

In this paper we present the rationale and the main components of a modular and extensible architecture for building and deploying mobile hypermedia software. Using some simple archetypical examples we show how to provide context-aware assistance to the mobile user, as he explores the physical world. We also show that this kind of software systems poses strong requirements on supporting software (such as Web browsers) and we explain how to provide a modular software substrate to support these requirements. This paper shows how to use some simple concepts to develop complex context-aware systems, which are evolvable and easy to extend.Facultad de InformáticaLaboratorio de Investigación y Formación en Informática Avanzada (LIFIA