The delegation of the National Taipei University of Technology (Taipei Tech) consisting of 22 students, four professors and two assistants visited their partner university on July 3 and 4, 2019 at the University of Applied Sciences Karlsruhe. The aim of the visit was the exchange of current research activities of both universities as well as the formulation of joint priorities for future cooperation.
SmartMMI includes the development of a working prototype of a semi-transparent, interactive display for public transport vehicles. In this user study we were able to test several design prototypes in our mockup tram compartment and gained valuable insight on the usability of several aspects of our prototypes.
Additionally, towards the end of our project, a field test is planned. Two prototypical semi-transparent displays will be implemented in a tram of the local public transport provider. We are currently planning the usability evaluation of our system in the field and in order to do that, we conducted a study to test various evaluation methods in the mockup tram department. We wanted to determine the best suitable evaluation methods for subsequent studies in real public transport environments. Based on the results of this study, we developed our evaluation concept for the upcoming field test.
Under the title “Context-Sensitive Travel Companion on Smart Public Displays in Public Transport”, the IUMS presented the first project results from SmartMMI to the participants of the first UITP training in Karlsruhe on 22nd November.
The SmartMMI project focuses on improving the information provision of passengers along their mobility chain. The industry and research partners combine a variety of data sources into an intelligent public transport data platform and explore ways to present the information to passengers on semi-transparent displays (SmartWindows) and on personal mobile devices (smartphones or smartwatches).
On Thursday, the second of May 2019, a large user study took place in the IUMS lab. The aim was to find out the usability of our current interaction and visualization concepts at SmartWindow as well as the interaction between SmartWindow and Smartphone. Different evaluation methods were used at different stages of the study.
A glance at the train window and the passenger is already informed about passing sights and their connections. What sounds a bit like science fiction is currently being researched in the research project “Model and context-based mobility information on Smart Public Displays and mobile devices in public transport”, or SmartMMI for short. Passengers in public transport want to be well informed in every situation. The project therefore focuses on improving the information supply of passengers along their mobility chain. Depending on the situation, and also on the passenger, the need for information changes – whether in the event of a fault, when plans are changed, to tourist destinations or to services available along the route, SmartMMI is investigating how passengers can be informed as appropriate to the situation as possible.
In the middle of April 2019 our newest SmartMMI Demonstrator was completed. The design and manufacture of the wooden superstructure was performed with a carpenter from Karlsruhe. This demonstrator is a detailed replica of a railway cabin of the Karlsruhe trams. The completed demonstrator is used as an integrative prototype of the second iteration within the SmartMMI research project. This means that the previously developed components come together in this prototype to be thoroughly tested. The tests also include user studies to evaluate the usability of the SmartMMI system and the interaction with it.
The passenger cabin from our research project SmartMMI was presented on 6 and 7 July 2019 at the EFFEKTE 2019 science festival in Karlsruhe. IUMS team members showed the visitors the latest visualization and interaction concepts. It was also possible to try out and play with the urban railway Window of the future. The feedback of many visitors was quite positive, they were very open-minded about the use of the new technological facilities. Many visitors are already looking forward to the field test, in which a train equipped with the SmartMMI system will be travelling in the KVV network for six months. The interest of many visitors went beyond just trying out the system. Therefore, they were enrolled in a group of test persons for upcoming user studies. In the future, these test persons can be contacted in order to help User-centered design and try out the future changes.The SmartMMI project will develop multi-stage solutions up to 2020 and will run various users experiments test, so interested persons can contact the institute.
Video of Hochschule Karlsruhe – Technik und Wirtschaft showing the stand at the Science Festival EFFEKTE 2019
IT-TRANS took place in Karlsruhe from 6 to 8 March – one of the largest trade fairs for IT trends, innovations and intelligent solutions for public transport. The IUMS was represented there at the booth of the Technology Region Karlsruhe (No. 120). Prof. Thomas Schlegel presented the research project SmartMMI on March 7, 2018 in the context of “Karlsruhe moves the world: Cluster for Transport Excellence” in the Market Update Forum A and under the title “Intelligent traveller information systems” in the TRK Forum.
On 7 March, Prof. Thomas Schlegel presented the SmartMMI project at the Market Update Forum “Karlsruhe Moves the World: Cluster for Transport Excellence” at IT-TRANS 2018. Under the title “Intelligent Traveller Information Systems” first project results and future approaches were presented in addition to the future research approaches.
The SmartMMI research project (Model- and Context-based Mobility Information on Smart Public Displays and Mobile Devices in Public Transport) was presented to the international audience at CEBIT 2018 on June 12, 2018, as part of the joint booth of the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI).
