Location based functionality in public transport applications

Abstract: In recent years, a new technology for location based functionality has emerged. The technology is called Bluetooth Low Energy, or Bluetooth Smart, and allows a device to emit low energy Bluetooth signals to its surroundings. When picked up by modern smart phones, these signals can be used to provide the user with a physical location. Unlike other positioning technologies, such as GPS, this technology can be used at closer distances, especially indoors, and with the added advantage of low battery consumption. An area which could benefit from positioning technology is public transportation. As travelers are moving between different locations, accurate low energy positioning could provide contextual information based on their current location, both indoors and in moving vehicles. In this thesis, a proposed solution is presented as an Android application, showcasing location based functionality. This functionality, enabled by Bluetooth Smart, improves the traveling experience by simplifying and removing many of the steps of interaction needed in current applications. From the usability tests performed, we can conclude that context aware functionality provides a more convenient and time-saving experience for the user. However, functionality requiring more accurate distance estimation still needs to be developed further before implementations in real life applications can be done.