This project brings research conducted by Pixelwork for Green Grid South Essex to Peterborough.
The original Greengrid Explorer concept was developed to provide contextual information in the form of audio, video, image and text about a users environment on a mobile device (such as a PDA or Windows Smartphone/Pocket PC) using a combination of a custom developed application and GPS data.
What if when you look around you, you could only see the physical world but also tap into the stories and knowledge that exist about the location? Imagine delving deeper into the events that have shaped its history and are shaping its future, accessing layers of time and experience to give you a true understanding of your surroundings and how they have been formed. With the Mobile Explorer you can use the virtual world to better understand the real one.
The aim is to develop technology that would give visitors a similar experience to taking part in a guided tour of a park or open space with a ranger, informing them not only about what they could see but how and why the landscape has changed and how it is managed now.
The service offered by the Mobile Explorer would be complimented by a website allowing users to sign in and create a personal profile. This profile would store the likes and dislikes of the user as well as data about their journey using the mobile handset.
Using this information, suggested places and routes are recommended to users with similar profiles. Acting as a guide, it allows users to explore new places, in the knowledge that it will be suitable and interesting, learning from other users previous experiences.