UbiqBIOPARC: A GPS and WIFI Based Context-Aware System for an Enhanced Guide Experience

Abstract

This document discusses and evaluates the use of GPS, WIFI and iPhone SDK based technologies to develop UbiqBIOPARC, a context-aware system in a particular context: a new generation zoological park that has been created based on the zooimmersion concept, submersing the visitor totally in the savage habitats. It offers appropriate contextual information to users, depending on their preferences and the environment in which they are positioned. UbiqBIOPARC is a context-aware application that provides information to zoo visitors. It combines the flexibility of iPhone SDK with the connectivity provided by WIFI, the location capabilities of GPS and the orientation offered by a compass integrated in the device. In this document the overall architecture and the implementation steps followed to create this application are presented. We also demonstrate that a new approach to build context-aware applications with the aid of GPS and compass features is possible. Finally, several experiments have been carried out in order to evaluate performance and system behavior. In particular, system reaction time and data download time are under study. Besides power consumption in different modes such as GPS, local, WIFI and compass modes is evaluated.