Getting information on the go
While location-based services, or LBS, are nothing new, the means to provide these services have changed greatly in recent times. Portable electronic devices, such as mobile phones and PDAs, are becoming increasingly powerful while new network protocols have been developed to satiate their capacity for more data. LBS range from simple information based on one's geographic location to emergency services, tracking, location sensitive billing and so on. The challenge for LBS providers is to navigate the sea of available information, find and supply the exact data the user needs. A consortium of fifteen organisations from five different European countries rose to meet this challenge in the framework of an IST project entitled IMAGE. At the heart of their efforts was the application of intelligent software agents. These agents employ Artificial Intelligence techniques to perform tasks autonomously, learning and improving their performance based on user input. A user profile is developed according to preferences for different types of services, including hotels, restaurants, entertainment, mode of transportation, etc. The profile is initiated by the user, but is modified and augmented over time by the software agents. An important IMAGE innovation is the concept of an information corridor. It is constructed from the path the user follows, incorporating local information in line with the user profile, even building alternate routes. Also, special 360° 3-D images were developed to present the information in a more user-friendly format. The system was developed with widely accepted standards and protocols in mind, such as GPS and GPRS. Yet successful international deployment also depends strongly on overcoming financial and legal differences between regions. User trials conducted across Europe are helping to refine the business model accordingly. The results of IMAGE can contribute meaningfully to improving the quality of life of European citizens on the move.