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„Location Based Future“
"Location-Based Future" - Panel Discussion and Project Presentations
Tuesday, November 29, 2005, 7:30 PM, Sky Media Loft
The panel discussion will focus on the latest developments, current application possibilities and future prospects for so-called location-based services.
What are location-based services?
Location-based services are applications that utilize mobile communications technologies to provide information or services custom-tailored to a particular physical setting.
In what contexts are they used?
The spectrum of potential applications is very broad, ranging from providing automobile navigation information and access to on-site services (event ticketing, food & beverage, retailing, etc.) all the way to development of visitor guidance systems in the tourism industry.
What’s the current situation in Linz?
Linz has taken a major step forward by setting up mobile infrastructure in conjunction with the “Hotspot Linz” initiative, whereby the city is providing Internet access free-of-charge at municipal facilities and on public squares. The WLAN technology installed to accomplish this also makes it possible to set new local networks in real and virtual spaces. In Summer 2005, the Ars Electronica Center launched a pilot project entitled “WikiMap Linz,” a virtual (i.e. accessible online) city map on which any user can link information to a specific geographical location. WikiMap users enhance the preset cartographic information with news, graphics, photos, sounds, etc. and thereby create a digital urban diary. This first WikiMap is a contribution to the City of Linz’s Hotspot Initiative.
What are the future prospects of location-based services?
Location-based services offer numerous possibilities for further development. Higher-performance cell phones and handheld devices make such services more easily accessible by the general public. In this connection, a whole series of questions arise with respect to optimizing such services in order to make the Province of Upper Austria a more attractive location to conduct business and do R&D. What challenges will cities and regions face in expanding such infrastructure? Who are the potential users of location-based services and what are their needs/preferences? And what impact will the increasing proliferation of mobile devices have on the interaction among providers and user groups as well as on the quality of the offerings?
The panelists will present state-of-the-art projects and a wide variety of areas of application ranging from commerce, tourism and culture to local communications projects. They will also go into issues such as target user groups and potential forms of participation.
Panelists:
Prof. Gustav Pomberger
Department of Business Informatics/Software Engineering, Johannes Kepler University of Linz
Dipl.Inform. Reiner Müller
Siemens Corporate Technology SE 1, Munich
Ing. Wolfgang Erlebach
OÖ Tourismus Technologie GmbH
Mag. Nicoletta Blacher
Ars Electronica Center – Museum of the Future
Moderator: Ulrike Rubasch, OÖN business journalist
For further information please contact:
Mag. Wolfgang Bednarzek
Pressesprecher Ars Electronica
AEC Ars Electronica Center Linz
Museumsgesellschaft mbH
Hauptstraße 2, A - 4040 Linz, Austria
Tel ++43.732.7272-38
Fax ++43.732.7272-638
wolfgang.bednarzek@aec.at
http://www.aec.at/press
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