smARt way: a mobile smart assistant to help users navigate indoors

在机场、火车站、医院、购物中心和大型超市等大型基础设施内导航一直是一个挑战，特别是对第一次访问的人来说。经典但效率低下的室内导航解决方案包括目录地图和信息板。借助增强现实技术（AR），室内导航可以变得直观而强大。通过智能手机显示在物理空间上呈现的虚拟指南，用户可以更自然地从一个点指向另一个点，而不是将地图与周围环境进行比较。AR导航是一种创新的解决方案，可以从用户的角度出发，用于室内（和室外）解决方案。我们的系统由一个移动组件（例如，智能手机应用程序）组成，它在通过移动设备（例如，智能手机）的摄像头看到的现实之上，以方向和本地化信息的形式覆盖实时智能。有了第一人称视角，就不再需要将地图与现实世界相匹配才能到达目的地。此外，任何语言负担被解除，用户可以独立导航到他们的目的地。这个工具适合残疾人士，通过语音帮助和触觉技术引导他们通过轮椅可到达的路线。此外，该工具还可以在紧急情况下快速安全地疏散大型公共空间。我们开发了一种基于人工智能的主动多目标路由算法；例如，可以通过预测入住率来避免拥挤的地方，用户可以通过最大限度地保持社交距离的路线被引导到目的地。我们可以引入一个本地化的营销系统，在导航到目的地时，以AR内容的形式宣传机场的不同设施，比如商店和餐馆。我们也可以与其他公司合作，如果用户有很长的停留时间，我们会建议短途城市旅游。后端服务器将处理上述所有流程，可以与机场的内部管理系统相结合，通知过境旅客下一个登机口。

Navigating inside big infrastructures such as airports, train stations, hospitals, shopping malls, and large supermarkets has always been challenging, specifically for first-time visitors. Classic, yet inefficient, indoor navigation solutions include directory maps and information boards. Indoor navigation can be made intuitive and powerful with augmented reality (AR). By showing virtual guides rendered on physical space through the view of a smartphone, users can be directed point to point more naturally than by comparing a map to their immediate surroundings. AR navigation is an innovative solution that works at users' perspective and can be utilized for indoor (and outdoor) solutions. Our system consists of a mobile component (e.g., smartphone app) which overlays real-time intelligence in the form of directions and localized information on top of the reality seen through the camera of mobile device (e.g., smartphone). Having the first-person perspective, it is no longer necessary to match a map to the real world to get to a destination. Furthermore, any language burden is lifted and users can independently navigate to their destination. This tool is suitable for people with disabilities by guiding them through wheelchair accessible routes using voice help and haptic technology. Moreover, this tool offers fast and safe evacuation of large public spaces in case of an emergency.We have developed an AI-based proactive multi-objective routing algorithm; for instance, crowded places can beavoided by predicting occupancy and users can be guided to their destinations through routes that maximize social distancing. We can introduce a localized marketing system which advertizes different amenities at the airport, such as shops and restaurants, in the format of an AR content while navigating to the destination. We can also partner with other companies and suggest short city tours if the user has a long layover. The backend server will handle all the aforementioned processes which can be coupled with the internal management system of the airports to inform transit passengers about their next gate.