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

1. 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

2. 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.

3. Project Information • Acronym: VISPA = VIRTUAL SPORTS ASSISTANT • Time Schedule: January 2001 – September 2001 • Consortium: • 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.

4. 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.

5. GNSS GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS Azimuth Sensor Terrestrial Broadcast Stations User TourGuide GSM, GPRS, UMTS VISPA Service Provider Database-System PINA-Server Internet/LAN System Overview and Components • VISPA Components • Service Provider component: Personal Information & Navigation Assistant (PINA – Server) • Mobile User component: TourGuide-Device

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

7. Scenario Description / Service Concept Example: Routing Search position and close region in the database • - DTM • - Routes • Maps • Info GPS-Receiver Digital Compass • Sensor Data • GPS-Position • Orientation GPRS X,Y dX dY HTTP-Request • Travel-Assistant • (Core Terminal): • Display • Input device PINA-Server Calculate routing to the next line of route network User: Routing- Request HTTP-Response Create 3D Visualization of the close region in line of sight to the proposed way - 2D map, 3D-visualization asimage - direction & distance to destination

8. Xircom Credit Card GPRS Interfaces Teletype GPS USB/LPT PCCard PCCard Ericsson R520 GPRS Core devices Bluetooth RS-232 IrDA Emtac GPS Crux II CF I/II Siemens M35(outdoor) Spring-board RS-232 GeoDiscovery Geode GPS Modul (Handspring Visor) RS-232 RS-232 RS-232 Precision Navigation TCMVR 50 Garmin eTrex Honeywell HMR 2300 Azimuth-Sensor Integration Options of TourGuide Components Communication GPS-Positioning

9. Final TourGuide Configuration Direction to turn the device to see the presented terrain 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. EMTAC Crux II GPS Positioning Sensor (CF I/F) Orientation of Mobile Device CASIO EG-800 IfEN/TCM 50 Azimuth Sensor (Serial I/F) Motorola GPRS Mobile Phone (IrDA I/F)

10. DBMS Server Software Architecture

11. 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.

12. 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 reactiontime ( PARAMOUNT project). • Generally, the safety-of-life risk will be reduced. • TourGuide hardware more compact: e.g. Siemens SX 45 Multimobile