PING!

PING! is a multimodal, mobile concept for location based services, utilizing users' everyday abilities to locate sound sources and to use point and sweep gestures. With PING! you search for points of interest by pointing your Android or iPhone device, listen to audio feedback and read on-screen information. Through the same balanced mix of senses and abilities you get guidance to selected points of interest.

The aim is to create a unique tool for searching location based information and to get guidance to selected points of interest. The user is not forced to keep her eyes on a small mobile screen. Instead she can explore the environment and get information about it using her own mix of pointing gestures, sounds, graphics and text.

With PING! users search and get information while having the eyes more free compared to traditional tools. This in turn can help users to get enhanced experiences of cities and other environments. The PING! user interface is built on a  balanced mix of directional sound, point and sweep gestures and a traditional graphical user interface (GUI). The user gives input to the system through point and sweep gestures and through the GUI. The system gives feedback to the user through directional sound and the GUI. When you point the device you can actually hear in what direction and how far it is to a restaurant, a hotell, a sports arena etc.