2011.09.16
Otaru University of Commerce Starts Demonstration Tests of NTT Comware SaaS-based AR Services for Tourist Information
== IT Solutions for Local Tourism More Enjoyable ==
Otaru University of Commerce (below, OUC, Address: Otaru City, Hokkaido, President: Makio Yamamoto), Faculty of Commerce, Department of Information and Management Science, Fukada Laboratory (below, Fukada Lab., Associate Professor of OUC and Manager of Center for Business Creation: Hidemi Fukada) will conduct the demonstration tests of the tourist information system based on SmartColud Image Base AR Technology of NTT Comware Corporation (below, NTT Comware, Head office, Minato-ku, Tokyo, President: Michio Sugimoto). This project is supported by Otaru City and Otaru Tourist Association.
Tourists in Otaru Station and Otaru Canal area will be able to download an AR application for Android Smartphones and access AR-based tourist maps with photos of sightseeing points and restaurants in Otaru Canal area. The tourists obtain detailed information about the sightseeing locations in their interests, with movies and the walking route instruction from wherever they are at, by capturing the images on the map shown in the AR application on their Smartphones. This service provides new tourist experiences of Otaru, including AR-based photos.
+ Period of the Demonstration Test
September 17th-19th and 23rd-25th, 2011 (6 days in total)
+ Place of the Test
JR Otaru Station and Otaru Canal Areas (JR Otaru Station will be the base point.)
+ Description of the Demonstration Test
- AR Based Tourist Information --- An AR-based tourist map with photos activated by the application including movies about locations recommended for sightseeing and the route from wherever the user is currently at. This is a support tool for a smooth access to tourist information.
- AR-Based Tour Photos --- Pleasant pop-up functions with photo frames featuring Shodai-Kun, the mascot icon for Otaru University of Commerce when tourists take photos.
[Purpose of the Demonstration Test]
Fukada Lab has conducted the demonstration tests for the AR-based tourist information system in JR Otaru Station and Otaru Canal Area in September 2010. The result of the pilot test showed favorable reputations of the tourists about the system, as an easy access for them to the tourist information only by taking photos on the map with the Smartphone application. Meanwhile, a number of the users commented that they would also need route information to tourist locations, not only showing the photos. According to such new user needs for tourist information discovered through the test, Fukada Lab aims to seek solutions for the needs, as well as for realization of a new tourist information solution to provide more memorable and pleasant experiences.The test is an opportunity for studies with questionnaires to identify how this system would contribute to enhancement of pleasure for tourists in Otaru City area, or how they change their planned route by obtaining new information. The data obtained through the test will be used for validation of the solutions for Otaru tourism and improvement of the system.
[OUC/Fukada Lab's Research Projects]
Fukada Lab. researches on "IT Solutions for Local Areas". Their researches and studies are on IT solutions to various issues of local areas in Japan and IT promotion of local areas which is currently led by municipal governments. It mainly includes "tourist information system", "disaster and emergency support system", "geographical information system", "e-government and e-municipal government", "IT solution and policy of municipal government offices" and "local SNS services operated by municipal governments".[Description of NTT Comware's Image Base AR and Future Scenario]
Image Base AR is an AR (Augmented Reality) services using NTT Comware's image identification technologies. This technology allows users to experience as if a photo image would be moving in the screen and obtain detailed information from the movie. (Patent Pending) After showing the movies, the users are led to websites of commercial products available to buy.This demonstration test is to validate potentials of the AR technologies in tourism by adding new image data such as AR Photos using NTT Comware's SaaS-based AR service "SmartCloud Image Base AR", which the sales started on September 13, 2011. This IT solution will be further developed for effective services expected in various areas not only tourism but also advertisement/promotion of goods and services and education.
[Terminology]
*1: ARAugmented Reality is a technology for a live view of a physical real-world environment (may be a part) through a PC (AR device) to show digitally processed data such as texts, images and movies laid over the screen.
* SmartCloud is the registered trademark of NTT Comware.
* Android is the trademark or registered trademark of Google.
* Names of corporations and products are either trademarks or registered trademarks of each corporation.
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