HyperGeo

The HYPERGEO project was a two year project that ended in December 2001. Working in such a rapidly changing area led to a certain amount of "crystal ball gazing" about the technology that would be around by the project's conclusion.

Future Technology

The trend that has seen the functionality of mobile phones and portable computers converge and overlap looks set to continue. Most mobile phone users are aware of the short message service (SMS) and access to specifically designed web sites using WAP phones. Meanwhile personal digital assistants (PDAs) and handheld computers are increasingly being used to access the internet through wireless connections.

The result of this is hybrid machines that don't fit neatly into either the mobile phone or PDA camps such as the Nokia 9110 Communicator (see diagram). A flood of these devices can be expected on the market in the very near future, especially once increased bandwidth on mobile networks permits more rapid exchange of information.

Modern mobile networks were designed to carry voice data rather than "bandwidth hogging" data exchange. The new mobile networks currently being designed and implemented will have much larger capacities than the existing systems and will allow a host of new services.

New generations of devices could see the services offered by content providers such as lastminute.com being offered to people on the move through their mobile phones.

New Services

With the advent of this new technology we can expect a whole host of new services. The increased bandwidth of networks will allow more rapid data exchange and manufacturers of mobile phones are steadily increasing the functionality of mobile devices to make use of this data. This will be seen with improved hardware (larger screens, added features such as video cameras and geolocation units described below) and software that can be downloaded to the mobile device to perform specific tasks.

One area that is likely to take off is the mobile device being used a guide; providing users with the information they want at the right time and the right place. People tend to know their home locations pretty well, however, when away from home on holiday such information could be invaluable in getting you to the places you want to go quickly and safely.

Geolocation

No matter how much choice you're offered, these options are useless if they are out of your range and pretty low priority if you are lost. This is where a tracking module, continually logging your position can help. Not only can it ensure that you don't get lost, it can be used to only send to you information relevant to where you are and how you are moving.

Larger screens of future mobile devices will allow display of the user position over a backdrop map. Also by specifying your location when you submit requests about local services (food, clubs, events), results will take account of where you are and how you are moving. For example if you're moving slowly in town, the module may assume you are shopping on foot and not suggest lunch at a motorway service station.

Some companies such as Citikey (pictured above) have begun to offer such services

Knowing information about you will allow the system to provide more specific answers to queries

User Profile

Geolocation ensures that information is location sensitive. By storing information about you and past choices you have made, a user profile can be built up that will ensure information is user specific.

Certain assumptions might be made about you based on known information such as age and a few brief questions that can be filled out about interests. More subtle information can then gathered and information pushed to you at pertinent times. For instance, by analysing your user profile, the system may deduce that you'd like to be told when you're close to a vineyard to let you purchase wine.