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No vertical limit - Conceptual LBS
design for climbers
Abstract
Johannes Schöning
Institute for Geoinformatics
Robert Koch Str. 26-28
48149 Münster, Germany
j.schoening@uni-muenster.de
Ilija Panov
Institute for Geoinformatics
Robert Koch Str. 26-28
48149 Münster, Germany
i.panov@uni-muenster.de
Carsten Keßler
Institute for Geoinformatics
Robert Koch Str. 26-28
48149 Münster, Germany
carsten.kessler@uni-muenster.de
In this paper we present a novel conceptual design for
a location-based service (LBS) for climbers. We focus
on ideas for LBS in the vertical domain, combing
concepts from augmented reality, mobile social
applications and multimodal integration. We address
problems such as merging paper maps and reality,
hands-free interaction, communication in environments
without infrastructures, and geosensor networks that
provide information on weather and other relevant
subjects.
Keywords
LBS, conceptual design, climbing
ACM Classification Keywords
H.1.2 User/Machine Systems, H.5.1 Multimedia
Information Systems, H.5.2 User Interfaces
Motivation and related work
Today’s mobile devices easily outperform the desktop
computers of even a few years ago. The ongoing
miniaturization trend allows us to carry devices with us
in situations formerly hostile to technology. For
example, there are some existing location-based
applications, like the "Alps Ranger" [1] and the
"Paramount system" [2, 3], that make wilderness
experiences safer. These GPS-based LBS run on a PDA,
lead hikers through the mountains and can also help
Copyright is held by the author/owner(s).
CHI 2007, April 28 – May 3, 2007, San Jose, USA
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rescue teams to locate a stranded hiker. In addition, an
increasing number of sensors are integrated into such
devices. Camera, GPS, compass and similar sensors are
already somewhat standard [4]. Other sensors, e.g. for
surveillance of human vital functions, enable the
development of new applications.
In an informal focus group established around faculty
members and students from the Institute for
Geoinformatics, University of Münster, we have
developed a concept for a novel LBS for climbers. Both
mountain guides and members of the target group —
the climbers themselves — were involved in the design
process to make sure that all aspects of a climbing
experience were considered. In this paper, we address
the four main issues raised by the group:
Navigation (i): For climbing, so called “climbing topo
maps” are often used (see figure 1). Focus group
members said these maps are often difficult to
understand. A “topo” is a guide for a crag or climbing
area. It contains details on the grade of each of the
climbs. It includes the lengths of the climbs and most
importantly it usually specifies which gear has to be
used. Communication (ii): Climbers normally work in
small groups of not more than three persons on one
single rope. As such, communication plays a big role in
the belaying process. Such communication may be very
difficult if it is windy or if the route is very narrow or
obscured. Weather forecasts (iii): In many climbing
situations the weather plays a big role — for example, a
thunderstorm is very dangerous in the mountains. So
the climbers need to be informed of the current and
upcoming weather. Climbing community (iv): A detailed
estimation of the degree of difficulty of a route and
knowledge about special challenges contribute to a
better-planned and safer climbing experience. Such
detailed knowledge is best exchanged among climbers,
an idea that can easily be realized through specialized
online portals. However, important characteristics of a
climbing trip are not supported by these services, e.g.
the sporty challenge, adventure and the thrill.
Smart Navigation — Augmented climbing
routes
From the perspective of supporting services, a climbing
day can be separated into three distinct segments:
planning the trip at home and going to the starting
point, the actual climbing experience, and finally going
back home and documenting the tour.
Figure 1: A photo augmented with a topo
The choice of the climbing trip is facilitated by an online
climbing portal, which provides information on length,
degree of difficulty and other characteristics of the
available routes. The climber, going by car, is first
routed to a parking lot near the starting point, and then
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guided to the rock face via pedestrian navigation [1, 4].
However, the most difficult part is often finding the
exact starting point of the climbing route at the foot of
the wall. As such, the mobile assistant is equipped with
augmented reality functionality to help the user to
solve this task. The image of the integrated camera is
overlaid with the topo to visualize the route on the wall,
as shown in figure 1. This functionality is available
throughout the tour and allows the alpinist to project
the topo upon the real-time image of the wall whenever
he needs support.
Smart communication between the climbers
Once the climbers have begun ascending the wall, they
are supported by enhanced functionalities of their gear.
Harnesses, ropes and sports watches are equipped with
sensors that allow the climber to retrieve information
on the next grip or stand. Moreover, the smart
equipment allows climbers to communicate and monitor
each other’s vital functions through non-obstructive
displays on the harnesses (see figure 2). This can be
critical during ascents where two climbers cannot see
each other because of a ledge. Belayers can watch for
increases in their climbers’ heart rates — a change that
usually indicates that a fall is imminent — and can use
the communication channel to clear up the situation. All
communication is transferred through the rope, which
acts as a data cable (see figure 3), since wireless
connections tend to be error-prone in the mountains.
For individual support, the climber's watch is equipped
with easy-to-read symbols that point in the direction of
the next crevice. Beyond that, the distance and the
type of nut previous climbers have used at this crevice
are shown. This information is stored on the digital
assistant and was downloaded from the climbing portal
when the route was planned. The system also
automatically stores the kind of nut the current climber
is using, so that the collected information can be
uploaded to the portal after the tour. This functionality
is enabled by geosensors integrated in the nuts and
carabineers, as shown in figure 3.
Figure 2: The smart harness - the harness provides information on
the climbing partner
Geosensor network provides weather
information
The fast changing weather conditions in the mountains
are a notorious problem for climbers. The conditions
can often change from sunshine into rain in a few
minutes. Moreover, it is very difficult for climbers to
perceive weather moving in from directions that are out
of sight, making it nearly impossible for them to react
appropriately. On the north wall of a mountain, for
instance, the climber cannot perceive the arriving storm
from the south. Information about incoming dangerous
weather enables the climber to leave the wall at an
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appropriate exit. As such, short-term weather forecasts
are essential to the safety-aware climber. The mobile
device delivers the necessary weather information. The
climber sees all appropriate information visualized on
the harness display (see figure 2). Since she is not able
to permanently observe the information on the display
of the mobile device during climbing, the system must
alert the climber via a voice signal when the weather
conditions are changing in a way that would force her
to stay in the wall, e.g. a hard storm. The sources for
the weather information are the hooks themselves.
Equipped with sensors and Internet connections, they
comprise a geosensor network [5] that collects and
distributes the necessary information (see figure 3).
Figure 3: The smart hooks built up a geosensor network to collect
and dispread information.
Support the community
Today´s online portals (e.g. DAV Felskataster [6])
support climbers in their decision making process by
delivering information such as the degree of difficulty of
a route. This information comes from independent
critics or other climbers from the community, who
present their personal experiences and impressions on
the web. However the personal preferences of a visiting
climber will be emphasized. Users will be able to create,
save and change their own profile. Fundamentals of the
profile are for instance personal abilities, desired
location and degree of difficulty. Additionally, the portal
will be able to compute a tour that matches the profiles
of all individuals in a group of climbers. Climbers can
also contribute to the community by transferring their
personal impressions and experiences of a past
climbing tour from the mobile device into the online
portal [7].
The challenge is to combine these different services in a
manner such that climbers can use their mobile device
to complete all of the aforementioned tasks. The goal
of our conceptual design is to provide an integrated
user experience through a consistently designed
interface.
Conclusion und future work
In this paper we present some basic ideas for a
climbers’ LBS. We are starting to implement the
Augmented Climbing Route Viewer based on our work
on mobile interaction with maps [8]. Beyond that, we
are developing a positioning system based on rope
length and air pressure to determine the vertical
position of the climbers, a task that GPS still performs
poorly [9]. All ideas mentioned are from a research
retreat in the Alps. We would like to thank the
participants for discussions on this topic, especially
Sebastian Südbeck, Oliver Paczkowski, Brent Hecht,
Krzysztof Janowicz, Hans Jörg Müller, Martin Raubal
and Antonio Krüger.
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References
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