7th EC-GI & GIS Workshop,Potsdam, 13-15 June 2001

VISPA – A Mobile Digital TourGuide for Mountaineers

Erwin Löhnert, IfEN GmbH

IfEN Gesellschaft für Satellitennavigation mbH (IfEN GmbH), Neubiberg, Germany

Arbeitsgemeinschaft GIS (AGIS), University FAF Munich, Neubiberg, Germany

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VISPA Objectives

Developing a Mobile Digital Tour Guide for mountaineers, providing: Guidance

Orientation

Geo-Information

Combination of position- and geoinformation-data

Demonstration of feasability of such a service using GPRS for internet communication.

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Project Information

Acronym:VISPA = VIRTUAL SPORTS ASSISTANT

Time Schedule: January 2001 – September 2001Consortium:– IfEN GmbH (Coordinator), Germany

– AGIS, University FAF Munich, Germany

Input and support from German Alpine Club (DAV)

Demonstrator-Project within the EC / ASTRON-Programme.Under contract of the Joint Research Centre (JRC) in Ispra, Italy.

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Work Scope

System Definition– User requirements, scenario definition, system design

PINA Server Development– Server S/W development, GIS database adaptation, tour routing

algorithms, localized and personalized data generation

TourGuide Development– TourGuide user I/F S/W development, hard- and software integration

of mobile components

Concept Demonstration– In-house beta demonstration, refinement phase, final demonstration

(anticipated) at Spitzingsee/Bavaria test area.

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System Overview and Components

VISPA Components

• Service Provider component: Personal Information & Navigation Assistant (PINA – Server)

• Mobile User component: TourGuide-Device

TourGuide

PINA-Server Internet/LANDatabase-System

GSM, GPRS, UMTS

GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS

Terrestrial Broadcast Stations

GNSS

User

VISPA Service Provider

Azimuth Sensor

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Core Services

Navigation Service:

• Providing localized Geo-Information (2D-, 3D rendered-map) on PINA-Server

• On-Line Tour Routing on PINA-Server or TourGuide

• On-Line Tour Guidance on User ‘TourGuide’ Mobile Device

General Information Service:

• Providing additional personalized thematic data (Tourist data) on PINA-Server

Extended functionality option:

• E.g. routing with constraints, emergency call, personalized tracking, group tracking, weather forecast, general internet

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Scenario Description / Service ConceptExample: Routing

Search position and close region in the database- DTM- Routes- Maps- Info

X,Y dX

dY

Create 3D Visualization of the close region in line of sight to the proposed way

Calculate routing to the next line of route network

- 2D map, 3D-visualization as image- direction & distance to destination

PINA -Server

Sensor Data- GPS-Position- Orientation

Travel-Assistant(Core Terminal):

- Display- Input device

GPS-ReceiverDigital Compass

User:Routing- Request

GPRS

HTTP-Request

HTTP-Response

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Integration Options of TourGuide ComponentsGPS-Positioning Communication

Core devices

Emtac GPS Crux II

Teletype GPS

Xircom Credit Card GPRS

GeoDiscovery Geode GPS Modul(Handspring Visor)

GarmineTrex Honeywell

HMR 2300

Precision Navigation TCMVR 50

Siemens M35(outdoor)

Ericsson R520 GPRS

Azimuth-Sensor

Interfaces

BluetoothRS-232

IrDA

RS-232

USB/LPT

CF I/II

PCCard

Spring-board

RS-232RS-232

RS-232

PCCard

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Final TourGuide Configuration

Motorola GPRS Mobile Phone (IrDA I/F)

EMTAC Crux II GPS Positioning Sensor (CF I/F)

IfEN/TCM 50 Azimuth Sensor (Serial I/F)

Displayed User Information

• 3D-Terrain visualization of the terrain in the line of sight to the proposed path as static picture

• Proposed path as line signature is visible in the terrain from his point of view

• Distance to the destination and to the next waypoint

• Direction to the destination and to the next waypoint

• Indication of Mobile Device orientation derivation with arrows (Cross-Track Error)

• Etc.

Direction to turn the device

to see the presented terrain

CASIO EG-800

Orientation of M

obile Device

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Server Software Architecture

DBMS

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First Results / Experiences

Examples: 2D-map 3D-image view, rendered

from DTM data

Communication between PDA and hardware components (GPS RCVR, compass, mobile phone) difficult due to interfacing issues (H/W and S/W level). Now, most problems solved.

Currently, low transfer rates on GPRS data link, but increase expected.

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Conclusions / Perspectives

The VISPA-concept gives the mountain climber/walker a deep confidence in the activities he is actually performing.

This ensures that he will pay for the service, but also should create additional tourist attraction for this sport having such an innovative system at hand.

Safety-of-Life:

• The core services are the essential part to prevent the outdoor activists from critical situations.

• The service emergency call extension enables fast notification in case of an accident. The personal tracking extension enables the SAR authority to assess the overall situation (how many people need help etc.) and to reduce reaction time ( PARAMOUNT project).

• Generally, the safety-of-life risk will be reduced.

TourGuide hardware more compact: e.g. Siemens SX 45 Multimobile