A Test Environment for Location-Based Services Applications

Transactions in GIS, V10(1), 2005
pp 43 - 61

Chao Li & Paul Longley

Abstract

Location-Based Services (LBS) are the delivery of information to mobile devices customised to location and context of the user. Some research has focused on data content, while other studies have emphasised the role of multimedia communication. However, very few objective tests have been carried out concerning usage and behaviour. In this paper, a conceptual model and a LBS test environment are presented which aim to study the behaviour and interaction between environments, individuals and mobile devices. The test environment was created, for this purpose, with three main components: urban VR models that allow individuals to 'walk around' at street level, a mobile device as information source which simulates LBS applications, and software for recording participant actions and reactions within the test environment. Multi-source data were collected regarding movement tracking, information accessed through mobile device and participant observations using a combination of automated and semi-automated methods. A case study on pedestrian wayfinding in urban settings is presented. This illustrates how the test environment can be used for LBS applications and how the data collected can be analysed. The research presented in this paper provides a novel approach in studying and understanding the interaction between environments, individuals and mobile devices.