A mobile assistant in the city - M.A.C.

Abstract

This paper proposes M.A.C., an intelligent mobile assistant in the city, specifically designed and aimed as an aid for the visually challenged. Such an aid makes use of a number of technologies, which are meant to help the person using his/her mobile phone, not only get to the target destination, but also avoid any imminent obstacles and dangers which might be on the way. This is a prototype project for demo purposes and it is expected that this project is further developed in, and tested with a number of real users under the assisted living ambient intelligence living labs. Lifelong learning will therefore have prominence in this paper, by highlighting an approach providing users with knowledge and skills which they need in the real world. This paper will also present possible applications of such a concept and show how added functionality can provide users with an overall richer experience contributing to an „openness‟ in mobility which would otherwise render use of such a technology based tool inaccessible.