Digital places: location-based digital practices in higher education using Bluetooth Beacons

The physical campus is a shared space that enables staff and students, industry and the public, to collaborate in the acquisition, construction and consolidation of knowledge. However, its position as the primary place for learning is being challenged by blended modes of study that range from learning experiences from fully online to more traditional campus-based approaches. Bluetooth beacons offer the potential to combine the strengths of both the digital world and the traditional university campus by augmenting physical spaces to enhance learning opportunities, and the student experience more generally. This simple technology offers new possibilities to extend and enrich opportunities for learning by exploiting the near-ubiquitous nature of personal technology. This paper provides a high-level overview of Bluetooth beacon technology, along with an indication of some of the ways in which it is developing, and ways that it could be used to support learning in higher education

Making touch-based kiosks accessible to blind users through simple gestures

Touch-based interaction is becoming increasingly popular and is commonly used as the main interaction paradigm for self-service kiosks in public spaces. Touch-based interaction is known to be visually intensive, and current non-haptic touch-display technologies are often criticized as excluding blind users. This study set out to demonstrate that touch-based kiosks can be designed to include blind users without compromising the user experience for non-blind users. Most touch-based kiosks are based on absolute positioned virtual buttons which are difficult to locate without any tactile, audible or visual cues. However, simple stroke gestures rely on relative movements and the user does not need to hit a target at a specific location on the display. In this study, a touch-based train ticket sales kiosk based on simple stroke gestures was developed and tested on a panel of blind and visually impaired users, a panel of blindfolded non-visually impaired users and a control group of non-visually impaired users. The tests demonstrate that all the participants managed to discover, learn and use the touch-based self-service terminal and complete a ticket purchasing task. The majority of the participants completed the task in less than 4 min on the first attempt

Hardware node for sensing temperature and humidity in a Mutiprotocol wireless sensor network (WSN)

En este proyecto presentamos un enfoque novedoso para una red de sensores inalámbricos de tecnología múltiple y protocolo (MTPWSN) para el monitoreo ambiental. Este enfoque utiliza múltiples tecnologías de red y protocolos para presentar un sistema más estable y una red más grande. Finalmente, un experimento comparativo para la WSN y cada una de las tecnologías que emplea fueron realizado. El experimento final fue una configuración para una red de sensores inalámbricos de tecnología avanzada. Esta configuración tenía un promedio de 95.5% de la recepción de paquetes no corruptos y se confirmaron 2.04% de paquetes dañados. El experimento concluyó con menos del 0.5% de la pérdida del paquete para una prueba de 8 horas.In this project we presented a novel approach to a Multi Technology and Protocol Wireless Sensor Network (MTPWSN) for environmental monitoring. This approach uses multiple networking technologies and protocols to present a more stable and larger network. Finally, a comparative experiment for the WSN and each of the technologies that it employs were performed. The final experiment was a set up for a working multi technology wireless sensor network. This set up had an average of 95.5% of uncorrupted package reception and were confirmed 2.04% of corrupted packages. The experiment concluded on less than 0.5% of package loss for an 8-hour trial.Magíster en Ingeniería ElectrónicaMaestrí

A study of wireless digital posts and traffic signs using smartphones

[EN] Feasibility analysis of a vehicle-to-infrastructure communication system based on smartphones[ES] Análisis de viabilidad de un sistema de comunicación infraestructura-a-vehículo basado en smartphonesFernandez Laguía, CJ. (2015). A study of wireless digital posts and traffic signs using smartphones. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/64354Archivo delegad

Trafikkinformasjon for synshemmede : Et casestudie av Trafikantens mobile tjenester

For synshemmede kan mobilitet være et stort problem, ettersom de i liten grad er i stand til å transportere seg selv over lengre avstander. I praksis blir mange derfor avhengig av fylkenes transporttjeneste, eller venner og familie, for å komme seg rundt. Antallet slike turer er sterkt begrenset, og mange synshemmede opplever dermed å bli isolert fra samfunnet, mot sin vilje. Dersom denne gruppen i større grad kan benytte seg av kollektivtransport, vil de være i stand til å komme seg ut oftere, og dermed oppleve økt livskvalitet. En forutsetning for at dette skal være mulig er en tilgjengelig kollektivtrafikk, både når det gjelder fysisk utforming av fremkomstmidler og stoppesteder, og tilgjengeligheten av relevant informasjon. Jeg drøfter i denne masteroppgaven begge disse satsningsområdene, men hovedfokuset er på informasjonstjenester, og da i første rekke Trafikantens informasjonstjenester for mobiltelefon. Det viser seg at disse allerede i dag er mulige å bruke for synshemmede med skjermlesere, men det finnes et stort forbedringspotensial, både i forhold til tilgjengelighet, brukbarhet, effektivitet og nye funksjoner

SmartGuia: Shopping Assistant for Blind People

Dissertação de Mestrado Integrado em Engenharia Biomédica apresentada à Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade de Coimbra.Tendo em conta as limita c~oes das pessoas com de ci^encia, o presente trabalho pretende agir num cen ario espec co melhorando a qualidade da vidas destas pessoas. Integrados num grupo de investiga c~ao em Internet das Coisas, colabor amos com tr^es institui c~oes, levantando requisitos no que concerne a aplicabilidade da Internet das Coisas para ajudar pessoas com de ci^encia. Depois disso, escolhemos e foc amo-nos no plano de trabalho adotado, sendo um dos cen arios identi cados onde poder amos ajudar. Com este trabalho e proposto um sistema para apoiar pessoas cegas na ida as compras e navega c~ao dentro de edif cios. O sistema proposto ajuda o utilizador a circular pelo edif cio e encontrar servi cos e produtos desejados ou dispon veis. Tem como objetivo aumentar a autonomia das pessoas cegas nas atividades do dia-a-dia dentro de edif cios. A pessoa cega n~ao tem acesso a informa c~ao dispon vel por meios visuais. O sistema consiste numa aplica c~ao para smartphone que oferece navega c~ao assistida em edif cios p ublicos, respondendo a quest~oes, guiando a pessoa, e disponibilizando informa c~ao objetiva sobre os espa cos, servi cos e produtos dispon veis. O sistema proposto inclui tamb em um sistema de informa c~ao. Este sistema de informa c~ao identi ca o destino pretendido e oferece informa c~ao concisa ou detalhada sobre os produtos ou sevi cos dispon veis. O sistema determina constantemente a localiza c~ao do utilizador, calcula rotas, guia a pessoa dentro do edif cio, e identi ca pontos de interesse na vizinhan ca da pessoa. O sistema requer tecnologia de localiza c~ao por beacons, que poder~ao por sua ver ser baseados nas tecnologias Bluetooth ou Wi-Fi. Relativamente ao estado da arte, a nossa solu c~ao oferece vantagens importantes: minimiza a intera c~ao com o utilizador, que seria necess aria para escolher destinos, produtos ou servios desejados em outros sistemas; lida com o ambiente din^amico resultxi ante da caminhada do utilizador, como a varia c~ao do n umero e posi c~ao de beacons ao alcance do utilizador; utiliza dispositivos que a pessoa cega j a possui, e eventualmente beacons que possam j a existir ou tenham uma custo de implanta c~ao baixo. Al em destas vantagens, desenh amos o sistema de forma a ser o mais f acil e intuitivo de utilizar poss vel, aplicando mecanismos acess veis a pessoas cegas. Para al em disso, o sistema est a desenhado para lidar com o dinamismo do caminhar, sendo que o n umero e posi c~ao dos beacons varia

Assistance à la navigation pour les non-voyants : vers un positionnement, un SIG et un suivi adaptés

Le déplacement est une des plus grandes difficultés éprouvées par les déficients visuels dans leur vie quotidienne. Avec l'essor des TIC, plusieurs aides électroniques à la navigation ont vu le jour. L'objectif de ces systèmes est d'améliorer l'autonomie des déficients visuels dans leurs déplacements. Cependant, les aides au déplacement commercialisées aujourd'hui reposent sur une simple adaptation des dispositifs conçus pour les automobilistes et sont donc inadaptés ou mal adaptés à un piéton, de surcroit déficient visuel. Ces systèmes reposent généralement sur un positionnement peu précis et utilisent des cartographies et des stratégies de guidage mal ou non adaptées. Dans ce travail de doctorat, nous proposons la conception et le développement d'un système d'aide à la navigation destiné aux piétons déficients visuels. Cette thèse s'articule autour de trois problématiques identifiées comme critiques à savoir le positionnement, les systèmes d'informations géographiques et le suivi d'itinéraire. Le positionnement développé dans NAVIG repose sur la fusion multi capteurs dans le but d'en améliorer la précision. Cette fusion se base sur un module de vision par ordinateur, un système GPS et des capteurs inertiels. Les résultats obtenus montrent la faisabilité de ces techniques dans un contexte de navigation piétonne. Pour la cartographie, nous proposons une classification de données environnementales permettant d'assurer la perception de l'environnement et le calcul d'itinéraire, notamment pour un utilisateur privé de vision. Un modèle conceptuel adéquat pour le stockage des données est aussi proposé. Le suivi d'itinéraire est une fonction qui permet au système de savoir sur quelle section de l'itinéraire se trouve l'utilisateur à tout instant. C'est un processus important, car il permet d'assurer un guidage de qualité. L'amélioration du guidage passe donc par un suivi adapté à un déplacement piéton. Nous avons proposé quatre stratégies de suivi. L'évaluation des performances de ces différentes stratégies de suivi s'est déroulée dans un simulateur de guidage développé au cours de cette thèse. Il s'agit d'un environnement virtuel multimodal qui permet l'évaluation systématique des différents algorithmes proposés dans un environnement contrôlé et sécurisé. Finalement, un prototype du système NAVIG a été réalisé et a été testé auprès de deux utilisateurs déficients visuels, ce qui a mis en évidence un ensemble de verrous toujours présents. Pour conclure, bien que ce travail de doctorat doive être complété par un ensemble d'évaluations plus systématiques, il a apporté un ensemble de réponses sur un positionnement et un suivi d'itinéraire adaptés à des systèmes d'assistance à la navigation pour déficients visuels. Il ouvre des questions très actuelles sur la disponibilité et le partage des données géographiques et l'utilisation de la vision embarquée. Il ouvre aussi des perspectives intéressantes sur le guidage et la description de l'espace adapté à des utilisateurs piétons et déficients visuels.Navigation, especially in unknown areas, is a major problem for the visually impaired (VI). Over the past 50 years, a number of electronic travel aids (ETAs) have been developed with the aim of improving mobility of the VI. Despite many research efforts, these systems are rarely used. Although the explanation is likely to be incomplete, it is possible to identify three important factors : (1) positioning accuracy provided by these devices is not sufficient to guide a VI pedestrian, (2) these systems are based on Geographical Information Systems not adapted to pedestrian mobility, and (3) the guidance methods should be adapted to the task of VI pedestrian wayfinding. All these three components are sources of usability issues. In this thesis, committed in the collaborative research project called NAVIG, we present the design and implementation of an electronic navigation aid for the blind. In this work, we relied on the analysis of the needs of the visually impaired to propose solutions for improving positioning and guidance. First, we present a solution based on real-time fusion of A-GPS and embedded artificial vision positioning signals. The benefit of our device is two-fold : 1/ it provides a more accurate positioning, compatible with Blind mobility and guidance ; 2/ it matches the needs of Blind users in terms of space perception. Second, we define a classification of objects that should be included in every geographical information system (GIS) that is used in a navigation aid. This classification was based on multiple brainstorming and interviews with blind people and orientation and mobility (O&M) instructors. We present a database scheme integrating the principal classes proposed in this classification. We also propose a methodology allowing the selection of the most appropriate route, based on user needs, and relying on the proposed classification of geographical data. Finally, regarding pedestrian tracking, we propose 3 new strategies adapted to pedestrian navigation. The evaluation of those strategies was performed into a virtual environment framework. To do so, we designed a multimodal (input and output) Virtual Environment (VE) that simulates different interactions that could be used for space perception and guidance in an ETA. This platform subserves two goals : help designers to systematically test guidance strategies (i.e. for the development of new ETAs) and train blind people to use interactive ETAs, with an emphasis on cognitive mapping enhancement. Using this platform we performed several evaluations with 16 users to define the best tracking strategies. To conclude, the combined positioning (vision, GPS) was successfully evaluated in two real environments (Toulouse University campus, and a district in the Toulouse center). Results from evaluations of tracking strategies shown that it is very important to adapt such strategies to pedestrian navigation