The kick-off meeting of the project OCTaNE – “Open City TechNology Enabler”, co-funded for 676.000,00 euro by the Interreg V-A Greece-Italy Programme 2014-2020, was held on 13 of December in Corfu.
The Region of Ionian Islands is the Lead beneficiary of this project in cooperation with two Italian partners, the University of Bari and the Consorzio per Lo Sviluppo Dell’ Area Conca Barese, and one Greek partner, the Ionian University – Research Committee.
The rapid growth in smart phones and mobile applications usage has created new ways to connect with visitors of a cultural or natural site while traveling. The project aims to enhance visitor’s experience by developing and diffusing a mobile application that allows the visitor to walk around the city as if it was an open museum. On the one hand, the project will allow the visitor to discover interesting cultural and natural sites, while, on the other hand, the project will enable visitor’s smart navigation in the city. The visitors will have the opportunity to discover cultural and natural sites that match their interests, to learn about the city’s architecture, culture and history, as well as the daily routine of the habitants.
The key characteristic of the mobile application is the connection between visitor’s navigation and visual contact with the point of interests and information provision. The visitor will download and install the application using Wi-fi hotspots established in the city’s airports and harbors or through the portal of the system. The application will incorporate on the city map all points of interests that had been selected by local authorities as most interesting cultural and natural sites.
The application will also calculate the optimal route for the visitor to follow, taking into account the age and the accessibility factors (e.g., uphill streets, steep roads, stairs, etc.).