Page 80 - AC/E Digital Culture Annual Report

80indoor positioning and provide information about the works on show.If a museum places a number of beacons inits galleries, any device (be it a mobile phone, tablet or even smart glasses) can nd them and use them to generate content if the relevant applications are installed on it. Smart glasses can be used to view augmented content on artworks we are visiting or even to follow music scores if we are attending a concert or opera.Beacons have already been tested in various elds, such as museums (Victoria & Albert in London, Neon Museum in Las Vegas, etc.), supermarkets (Shopkick, Carrefour, etc.), the entertainment industry (Tulipland, Coachella, Tribeca lm festival, etc.) and airports (Heathrow international airport).Beacons can be a valuable means of informing visitors about the locations of exhibitions, libraries, restaurants and other services, as well as of sending warnings and notifying visitors of events that take place near their current location.Beacons can be a valuable means of informing visitors about the locations of exhibitions, librar- ies, restaurants and other services, as well as of sending warnings and notifying visitors of events that take place near their current location.It is di cult to use GPS in enclosed spaces with thick walls like museums. GPS receivers rely on the continuous transmission of signals from various satellites and physical barriers can therefore signi cantly interfere with the signal. Beacons have proven to be a transparent and robust solution for large indoor spaces.Meshing entails creating a virtual, wireless mesh network that makes it possible to capture and monitor the largest possible area. Therefore carrying out a previous analysis of intensities, possible interferences and obstacles is highly recommendable. How the mesh network iscreated is one of the points that need to be considered because Bluetooth technology is a ected by various factors: architecture, visitor ow, interferences from metal objects, tempera- ture changes, battery life, etc.One of the main advantages of beacons is the duration of their batteries – as long as two years, depending on the model and con guration. Nev- ertheless, temperature changes appear to havea signi cant e ect on battery life, which may be considerably shorter for outdoor beacons.To ensure that the user experience is as e ective as possible, it is very important to understand how possible interferences such as metal and visitor ow a ect communication between beacons and devices.What are their possible applications?This technology o ers huge possibilities for enhancing and contextualising the traditional visitor experience. These are just some of the ideas:1. Interactive guidesPerhaps the most obvious use of beacons in museums is as guides. For example, visitors can download on their mobiles an app that serves as a virtual guide and shows them how to get to the work they are searching for or nd the nearest exit.Another possibility is to o er audio and visual guides, depending on the language, and even augmented reality content related to the work. This function can be extended and adapted to speci c targets or audiences, such as children or people with visual limitations.2. Transmitting comments and experiencesHas an exhibition ever had such an impact on you that you immediately wanted to share itTHE INTERNET OF THINGS: THE DEFINITIVE REVOLUTION... · PEDRO DIEZMASmart culture. Analysis of digital trends