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.
Press
SmartMMI’s SmartWindow – the Railway Window of the Future
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.
Completion of the Passenger Cabin Prototype for User Studies in SmartMMI
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.
Science Festival EFFEKTE 2019: IUMS presents SmartMMI passenger cabin
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
First SmartMMI prototype at IT-TRANS 2018
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.
Presentation of the project and first results at IT-TRANS 2018
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.
CEBIT 2018 in Hannover
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).
Rectorate Handing-over ceremony
The ceremonial handover of the rector’s office at Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences took place on March 22. On this occasion, Dr. Prof. Karl-Heinz Meißel handed over his office to his successor Prof. Frank Artinger. This was a good opportunity for all faculties of the Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences – Technology and Economics to present exciting and practice-oriented projects. The importance of practice-oriented research at Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences was made clear by the statements of the mayor of Karlsruhe. Dr. Frank Mentrup also emphasized the two main research areas of energy efficiency and mobility at Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences.
The Institute for Ubiquitous Mobility Systems was represented with its own booth at the inauguration. In addition to student projects, the focus was on the demonstrator of the currently ongoing research project SmartMMI.
IT-TRANS 2018 in Karlsruhe
From 6.3. to 8.3. the IT-TRANS takes place in Karlsruhe – one of the biggest fairs for IT trends, innovations and intelligent solutions for public transport. IUMS is represented there at the booth of the Karlsruhe Technology Region (No. 120). Prof. Thomas Schlegel will also present our projects on March 7 from 11:00 to 12:30 in the context of “Karlsruhe moves the world: Cluster for Transport Excellence” in Market Update Forum A and from 14:15 to 14:45 in the TRK Forum under the title “Intelligent traveller information systems”.
In the run-up to the KA Networking Night, which takes place in the context of IT-TRANS, an image video was shot, in which IUMS employees participated as representatives for Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences. You can find the video here.
Press release about KickOff from SmartMMI
“Glimpse” into the future of public transport
One glance at the train window – and the passenger is already informed about the passing museum and his connection. A consortium led by Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences wants to make what still sounds a bit like science fiction a reality – in a dual-system train operated by Albtal Verkehrs Gesellschaft mbH. “In SmartMMI, we are making transparent display and innovative mobile technologies a tangible reality for public transport passengers. Current and highly relevant information thus finds its way directly to the user – and makes public transport more attractive with digital technologies” says Professor Schlegel, who as head of the Institute for Ubiquitous Mobility Systems at Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences is also coordinating the overall project.
The initial meeting on November 15 and 16, 2017, marked the start of the research project Model and Context-Based Mobility Information on Smart Public Displays and Mobile Devices in Public Transport (SmartMMI). ANNAX GmbH, AVG mbh, MENTZ GmbH and USU AG are also on board as additional partners. Verkehrsbetriebe Karlsruhe and Karlsruher Verkehrsverbund are also supporting the project. With the goal of further developing public transportation (ÖV) and providing passengers with a mobility experience, the SmartMMI project focuses on improving the provision of information to passengers along their mobility chain. The aim is to provide passengers with situation-specific information about disruptions, changes in planning, tourist destinations or services available along the route. The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI) and the mFUND research initiative.
As part of the SmartMMI project, five project partners from industry and research are developing new technologies ranging from data acquisition and data integration to data visualization. The project focuses on researching and testing the context-sensitive provision of mobility data on specially developed intelligent transparent display panels that can be installed in public transport vehicles and at stops, in conjunction with passengers’ mobile devices.
To this end, the project partners are developing new technologies for the collection and integration of various information from different data sources. The consortium is relying on the use of Big Data and Smart Data technologies and the integration of specific public transport data based on the latest, self-developed standards with Open Data and data from third-party providers. The data is semantically enhanced to enable intelligent integration and, above all, selection of the relevant data – i.e., “understanding” by systems as well. Contextual information that describes the current situation of the passengers is used for this purpose, enabling the system to select data tailored to the situation and to process it in a way that is appropriate for the user and the situation. For example, sensitive data is displayed in a suitable format on the user’s smartphone, while general, supplementary information is displayed on the vehicle’s transparent smart window. Thus, this larger surface can be used for more details and indications superimposed on reality. Visualization concepts can be used, among other things, to provide passengers with additional information about the route, such as the weather or tourist attractions, in addition to their personal route.
In the project, semantic connectors will be developed that enhance public transport data and optimally link it with other data relevant along the travel chain. Prototypes of an ambient intelligent travel information system will be researched and developed, which will provide passengers with the best possible support during their public transport journey in every situation. In this way, the project significantly increases the attractiveness of public transport as an ecological, time-saving and sensible alternative to automobile transport, but also links it with individual transport.
The SmartMMI project will develop solutions in several stages up to 2020 and test them with users, so that interested parties can already contact the institute for this purpose.
