I took out my classmates to Bunratty yesterday (It didn't rain once out there!). Before going there, I came up with questions for the visit relating to the information they received, the use of their mobile phone, and what they hoped to achieve on their visit. I asked them questions in the Folkpark and after. I recorded these, and plan to transcribe this over the weekend.
With this information, and information from another trip out to the Folkpark I will start working on scenarios of some visitors. I will also be designing a paper prototype soon.
I'm having problems with the ARToolkit. I updated to Snow Leopard and now the toolkit won't run on my laptop. I haven't found any solutions online yet. Marc recommended that I look at other Augmented Reality development tools. I'm investigating the Layar API, Wikitude and looking up other options. So far, I've found FLARToolkit. I haven't started working with any of these yet. I have to learn how to user Terminal properly, as well as the different development methods with the API's. This will take some time.
Right now, I am working on my Interim Report. The deadline is 21st December, but I hope to have it done by the end of this week so I can focus on studying for exams which start on the 14th December.
Goals of Your Visit
Showing posts with label Bunratty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bunratty. Show all posts
Understanding the Visitor
Well, it's been a few weeks since my last post! I've been working on a lot of projects and college work, and trying to get my head around the ARToolkit.
I went out to Bunratty last week giving interviews, and got a good idea on technology uses in the park and if people were happy with the amount of information they were being given.
I am planning on heading out to the Folkpark again twice this week. Tomorrow afternoon I will head out and try to get an idea of what to focus my design on. I will be taking a look at the buildings and trying to find a theme for my project, like buildings with a link or another theme to work on. I'll have an interview with people there and see how they interact with the theme that I choose, if I choose a set of buildings I'll ask them if there's enough information on items inside a building or if there know what an object is inside the building etc.
On Wednesday, I hope to bring out some of my classmates (if they'll withstand the rain for me) and give them pre and post-tour interview, and give them the same interview that I plan on giving the visitors tomorrow about the information within the Folkpark. I plan on asking them to think aloud as we wander through the buildings, I will take record what they say, hopefully this will give me some good information on their goals for the visit, and how they achieve these goals.
During the next two days that I am visiting the Folkpark, I hope to find out how skilled the visitors are at using mobile phones, as the usage if my design will be on a mobile phone. I hope to find out the goals of the visitors and what they do in the Folkpark. Once I get this information I will be forming scenarios of several visitors and what they might interact with within my 'theme'.
Presentation
My final powerpoint for the presentation today. In it I give an overview of the FYP, what augmented reality is, some papers I read and think are very useful and my trip to Bunratty. I also give a rough plan for the future. I could add in a lot more especially about my research, but I only have 15 minutes to give it, plus 5 minutes of questions. Wish me luck!
Mobile Video Augmented Reality For Spatial Navigation
Mobile Video Augmented Reality For Spatial Navigation
Bunratty Visit
Today, I went to Bunratty to observe and take photos. There was a Halloween celebration for the Bank Holiday Monday, it was very busy and had a lot of families wandering around the folk park.
I took a lot of pictures and took notes on the visitors of the folk park, one thing that I noticed about the people touring the grounds was that many people did not use the map they were given on entry, for the most part people wandered the grounds on their own accord. The children climbed on everything that was possible to climb on - old farming tools etc.
Byre Dwelling
Most people I saw were very interested in the houses (Weaver's Shed, Blacksmith's Forge etc.) dotted around the folk park, wandering in and out of each, looking in each of the rooms and at most of the objects. Although the houses are numbered for reference to the map there is no information present in front of the houses about them or in them, or about the objects in them. Many people seemed to enjoy the Village Street with the Doctor's House, Foster's Printery etc.
There were several events throughout the folk park for the Halloween event including snap apple, coin bobbing, story telling, and a competition for the best costume. There were opportunities to see snakes, lizards and spiders, and have a go on an electric bull, and a concert in the folk park. None of the events were sign posted in anyway. Visitors were left to discover the events themselves.
I have several ideas now for a rough tour, perhaps with an AR tour the events and different attractions could be mapped out. I plan on returning soon with interviews for visitors and more observation. I want to find out if the visitors usually wander around the folk park without the map, and how do they get their information, maybe the visitors today were mostly interested in a 'day out' for the children than a historical tour.
I took a lot of pictures and took notes on the visitors of the folk park, one thing that I noticed about the people touring the grounds was that many people did not use the map they were given on entry, for the most part people wandered the grounds on their own accord. The children climbed on everything that was possible to climb on - old farming tools etc.
Byre Dwelling
Most people I saw were very interested in the houses (Weaver's Shed, Blacksmith's Forge etc.) dotted around the folk park, wandering in and out of each, looking in each of the rooms and at most of the objects. Although the houses are numbered for reference to the map there is no information present in front of the houses about them or in them, or about the objects in them. Many people seemed to enjoy the Village Street with the Doctor's House, Foster's Printery etc.
The Village Street
I have several ideas now for a rough tour, perhaps with an AR tour the events and different attractions could be mapped out. I plan on returning soon with interviews for visitors and more observation. I want to find out if the visitors usually wander around the folk park without the map, and how do they get their information, maybe the visitors today were mostly interested in a 'day out' for the children than a historical tour.
Inside a cottage
Mill
Update
Week 6 of college, I've begun to look at design and the steps necessary for good Human Centered design.
I was focusing a lot on the technical side so I'm backing up in to my design roots again, HCI and Interactive Design. Along with that over the past couple of weeks, I've been reading papers on Open Air Museums, Context Aware Devices in Museums/Open Air Museums. I plan on writing up some notes on the relevance of these on Sunday.
I have most of the presentation to show my progress so far and what I hope to achieve, I'm doing up a plan of action and a timeline with that. I will have this done by the beginning of next week. I must get the steps necessary and figure out what dates will be good to head out to Bunratty Folkpark once I'm allowed head out. I'll be doing observing, and group work out there to start with.
Downloaded 3 AR iPhone apps to my phone over the past week. It really has the potential to be a great technology if it's designed and implemented right. Looking forward to see what all the developers do with it in the future. Hopefully my media will be good enough too.
I was focusing a lot on the technical side so I'm backing up in to my design roots again, HCI and Interactive Design. Along with that over the past couple of weeks, I've been reading papers on Open Air Museums, Context Aware Devices in Museums/Open Air Museums. I plan on writing up some notes on the relevance of these on Sunday.
I have most of the presentation to show my progress so far and what I hope to achieve, I'm doing up a plan of action and a timeline with that. I will have this done by the beginning of next week. I must get the steps necessary and figure out what dates will be good to head out to Bunratty Folkpark once I'm allowed head out. I'll be doing observing, and group work out there to start with.
Downloaded 3 AR iPhone apps to my phone over the past week. It really has the potential to be a great technology if it's designed and implemented right. Looking forward to see what all the developers do with it in the future. Hopefully my media will be good enough too.
Enhancing the Visitor Experience: Case Study: Development of Mobile Technology to Bunratty
After reading the paper from the IDC on their work on the development of Bluetooth technology to Bunratty, I have started getting a more focused view of my FYP.
The paper 'Enhancing the Visitor Experience at Visitor Attractions through the Adoption of Information and Communication Technology' describes the prospects of giving a visitor a detailed and customised experience not possible before, where the visitor is encouraged to participate in an active manner in the tour. Different technologies can make this a possibility.
The paper shows how mobile technology can enhance visitor satisfaction, the development, and the prototype device they developed.
Usability, Experience and Engagement play big parts in the interaction.
The visitor used a mobile device that they had (their mobile phone) and information was sent directly to their device. The IDC used Bluetooth for the delivering of information to the mobile devices as it is reliable, affordable and can be used quickly and seamlessly.
Bluetooth is a wireless system that utilises short range communications technology which is used for data transmission. It is now a basic feature on most mobile phones.
Key Points:
The alerts would contain information that was not available in the brochure or any information point in the centre, it was to be a supplement that would give further information of the centre, such as videos available for download.
It is thought that the data sent to the visitor could be questions in case they wanted to know more information, encouragement to visit other parts of the centre or information on the restaurants or shops (location/menus).
When designing the software, they made sure that it was fully interactive, easily expanded upon, and new content could be added by staff of the centre. The paper describes how the information is transmitted via Bluetooth and the practical issues related to the implementation of the technology.
There is a lot of recommendations in the paper that will come in useful later on in my research. I will be using it as a basis for my work.
The paper 'Enhancing the Visitor Experience at Visitor Attractions through the Adoption of Information and Communication Technology' describes the prospects of giving a visitor a detailed and customised experience not possible before, where the visitor is encouraged to participate in an active manner in the tour. Different technologies can make this a possibility.
The paper shows how mobile technology can enhance visitor satisfaction, the development, and the prototype device they developed.
Usability, Experience and Engagement play big parts in the interaction.
The visitor used a mobile device that they had (their mobile phone) and information was sent directly to their device. The IDC used Bluetooth for the delivering of information to the mobile devices as it is reliable, affordable and can be used quickly and seamlessly.
Bluetooth is a wireless system that utilises short range communications technology which is used for data transmission. It is now a basic feature on most mobile phones.
Key Points:
- 95% of tourists own a mobile phone
- 88% of tourists bring a mobile phone on holiday
- 65% have Bluetooth technology enabled
The alerts would contain information that was not available in the brochure or any information point in the centre, it was to be a supplement that would give further information of the centre, such as videos available for download.
It is thought that the data sent to the visitor could be questions in case they wanted to know more information, encouragement to visit other parts of the centre or information on the restaurants or shops (location/menus).
Image 1: Location Based Information “Alerts” for Bunratty Mobile
When designing the software, they made sure that it was fully interactive, easily expanded upon, and new content could be added by staff of the centre. The paper describes how the information is transmitted via Bluetooth and the practical issues related to the implementation of the technology.
There is a lot of recommendations in the paper that will come in useful later on in my research. I will be using it as a basis for my work.
The Title...
The FYP I have chosen is titled Mobile Video Augmented Reality for Spatial Navigation.
Specification, design and prototype development of an Augmented Reality interface for mobile phones to aid the navigation of a space (exhibition, university campus, urban space, etc.) through video content. Using an Augmented Reality toolkit, the contents and interaction scenarios will have to be specified in accordance to a particular space/user group.
So far, I have looked up papers on Augmented Reality and have a good background on that. I have papers on Mobile Technology, and Open Air Museums that I have yet to read and I'm sure there is a lot more research to be done on that online.
