ONE of the world’s leading application-oriented research institutions for microelectronic and IT system solutions and services, Antenna International has launched an immersive multimedia tour experience using awiloc® software, a next-generation positioning system designed to be ‘context-aware’.
The multi-media tour has been developed in partnership with the German Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS.
The LWL-Museum, located in the centre of Münster, is more than 100 hundred years old and the most important museum of art and culture in the Westfalia.
It houses more than 500,000 exhibits of Western art from Medieval times to the modern day, and has recently been undergoing renovations with the building of a brand new extension that will add an extra 1800m sq of exhibition space to the museum.
“This project leverages a new WLAN-based positioning software called awiloc® that, unlike conventional GPS approaches, works indoors,” said Sean Lenter, CIO at Antenna International.
“Typical location detection systems such as GPS are largely ineffective when used indoors.
“With awiloc®, we can deliver a much more precise positional system that can identify the subject matter that’s within a few feet of the user.
“Museum visitors can use their mobile devices to continuously calculate their position and display their current location, in addition to accessing information on the surrounding exhibit pieces.”
Utilizing this technology, Antenna has deployed a solution that triggers a variety of map-driven tours for museum visitors to follow using their mobile device.
Each tour features a different theme that allows visitors to explore the 120 different pieces of subject matter on display based on personal interest – from historical to modern.
Additionally, museum visitors can also access a shortened “highlight” tour – or a children’s tour featuring charismatic narration and fun games.
"We are especially proud on the creative use we made out of awiloc® within the kids tour,” said Eva Wesemann, Director Digital Media, North and East Europe.
“Children can choose one of four entertaining characters that will guide them through the exhibit by automatically triggering directions and clues to find the next stop. With this tour, the way-finding itself becomes source of entertainment for kids, and they have fun engaging with their guiding character who is with them from beginning to end.”