ExpoMate : A Mobile Assistant for Location -Based Services and Indoor Navigation

Abstract: Companies, that aim to expand their customer base, will find it important to advertisenew products at exhibitions. However, the huge, international exhibitions that arecommon nowadays, are a hassle for visitors, vendors and organisers likewise. Due tothe size, a lot of information needs to be published for the visitors, so that they canfind their way across the exhibition area, locate the stands they are interested in andexchange their business information. In a digital age, where almost every personowns at least one mobile device, all this information is still distributed as printedhandouts and business cards, which wastes a lot of paper and produces unnecessarytrash.This thesis report describes the development of a mobile application, that replacesthe handouts in a digital, non-polluting way, and also succeeds the usefulness of itspaper counterpart. This application allows its users to browse through generalexhibition information and categorised lists of all the stands on the area. The use ofiBeacons enables location-based features that help to locate the user, as well as standsof interest, and can provide an overview of the current surroundings at any time.Additionally, navigational features assist the visitors in finding their way to stands theywant to visit.By using an application like this, a lot of work and money can be saved for organisingsuch an event. The design and priting of exhibition information, including the list ofall companies and their stands, and the obligatory exhibition map, would not benecessary any more. Also, the mobile application offers some features to the visitorsthat allows them to save time, which also increases the throughput of the exhibition.