TfL Journey Angel

TfL Journey AngelTfL Journey AngelContext Aware Decision SupportContext Aware Decision Support

Marcus [email protected]

Confidential -27 Sep 2007

The Transport for London BriefThe Transport for London BriefDemonstrator NameDemonstrator Name Mobile avatar solution – ‘Journey Angel’Mobile avatar solution – ‘Journey Angel’

DescriptionDescription This demonstrator will deliver a mobile avatar system prototype that will This demonstrator will deliver a mobile avatar system prototype that will assist the passenger throughout his time in London: pre-journey, in-assist the passenger throughout his time in London: pre-journey, in-journey and post-journey.journey and post-journey.The software uses a smart mobile client to produce a mobile avatar with The software uses a smart mobile client to produce a mobile avatar with speech capability. speech capability.

The Avatar will support advisory/decision support actions including:The Avatar will support advisory/decision support actions including:

• Installation, configuration and personalisation of AvatarInstallation, configuration and personalisation of Avatar• Incident alertingIncident alerting• Delay alertingDelay alerting• Planning supportPlanning support• The client software will communicate to the server system for updated The client software will communicate to the server system for updated

content. content. • The Avatar will do pseudo realistic lip synching.The Avatar will do pseudo realistic lip synching.• Loquendo will be used for real time text to speech Loquendo will be used for real time text to speech


TechnologyTechnology

• ClientClient– N73– Symbian– Flash– Loquendo– MRIX

• ServerServer– EjabberD (XMPP compliant jabber IM server)– Erlang/OTP


What behind Journey Angel ?What behind Journey Angel ?• TheJourney Angel is a powerful platform for TheJourney Angel is a powerful platform for

distributed context-aware information distributed context-aware information spreading, usingspreading, using– Standard technologies (Erlang, Jabber, Flash) – Decentralized management– Intrinsically robust architecture– Scalability

• Those characteristics are critical for Those characteristics are critical for TFLTFL: they : they need a solution to manage customized need a solution to manage customized messaging to millions of travellers everyday....messaging to millions of travellers everyday....

• ...and Journey Angel gives such a solution...and Journey Angel gives such a solution


The “target” (from TFL perspective)The “target” (from TFL perspective)• The system allows users to:The system allows users to:

– Get travel information– Plan trips according to their future activities– Get context-aware information about delays, diversions,

alerts and similar– Get additional (mostly unspecified) customised

information, e.g. advertisement, weather, commercial....• It is likely that It is likely that TFL TFL would like to develop the would like to develop the

system into to a system into to a real product...real product...• ...and there are many other use-cases that ...and there are many other use-cases that

can be addressed by context aware system....can be addressed by context aware system....


The final system: what we have nowThe final system: what we have now

UserProxy

JP

TrafficBBC

Diversions

System Configuration

WebInterface(manag.)Location

VehicleVehicle

Location

RouteRoute

UserRoutes

iCalServer

WebInterface

(Sim.)


Journey Angel: DeviceJourney Angel: Device

• Journey Angel on the device uses Journey Angel on the device uses the following:the following:– MRIX to provide integration between the

UI, TTS, server-side and native device applications (calendar and contacts)

– XMPP to communicate with the server– Flash for the User Interface– Loquendo for Text To Speech


Device side architectureDevice side architecture

XMPP communication with server

Flash based UI

MRIX

NativeAgenda

NativeContacts

LocationTackerLoquendo


TfL Start Menu (TVF)TfL Start Menu (TVF)

MenuMenu• Take me Home Take me Home • Take me to… Take me to… • Meet with…Meet with…• Where am I? Where am I? • What next?What next?• SettingsSettings• ExitExit

Text/Voice/Face Menu

14:01

07:3205:00

Traversing HorizontallyTraversing HorizontallyWeather, Calendar, Weather, Calendar, Alerts, Map/Itinerary and Alerts, Map/Itinerary and PoIsPoIs

Scroll VerticallyScroll VerticallyDetails, rewind, playbackDetails, rewind, playback


MRIX: Integrating server and Flash UIMRIX: Integrating server and Flash UI• An MRIX script provides communication An MRIX script provides communication

between the server and Flash UIbetween the server and Flash UI• The script runs in the background The script runs in the background

communicating with the servercommunicating with the server• Messages received can be personalised and Messages received can be personalised and

then converted to speechthen converted to speech• Once in audio form the Flash UI can be told to Once in audio form the Flash UI can be told to

'speak the message''speak the message'


MRIX: Integrating Flash UI and native MRIX: Integrating Flash UI and native appsapps• MRIX enables the built in Contacts and MRIX enables the built in Contacts and

Agenda to be usedAgenda to be used• Routes can be automatically retrieved based Routes can be automatically retrieved based

on an appointment in the agendaon an appointment in the agenda• Contacts can be 'tagged' with network Contacts can be 'tagged' with network

information, such as Cell ID and Bluetooth information, such as Cell ID and Bluetooth Access Point to help locate a personAccess Point to help locate a person


Journey Angel: BackendJourney Angel: Backend• Journey Angel relies on a backend Journey Angel relies on a backend

infrastructure based on infrastructure based on – XMPP (Jabber) communication protocol (Ejabberd)– Erlang server applications– Interfaces to information feeds


Behind the scenes...Behind the scenes...

Advert. BBC news

Weather Journey PlannerTraffic

EjabberdBackend applications


Backend Applications: proxiesBackend Applications: proxies

Real Entities

Virtual Images

Avatarproxy

Avatarproxy

BUSproxy

Stationproxy

Real World

Server-sideRepresentation


Backend Applications: interfacesBackend Applications: interfaces

Journeyplanner

BBC news Weatherforecast Traffic

Information

JP interface

BBC newsinterface

Weatherinterface

Trafficinterface


Internal communicationInternal communication

JP interface

BBC newsinterface

Trafficinterface

BBC newschatroom

JPchatroom

Trafficchatroom

Avatarproxy Avatar

proxyBUS

proxy

Stationproxy

Weatherinterface

Weatherchatroom


The SystemThe System

UserProxy

JP

TrafficBBC

Diversions

System Configuration

WebInterface(manag.)Location

VehicleVehicle

Location

RouteRoute

UserRoutes

iCalServer

WebInterface

(Sim.)


ConclusionsConclusions• The system demonstrates how it is possible to The system demonstrates how it is possible to

deliver real time decision support systems to deliver real time decision support systems to mobile users by combining Jabber, XMPP, 3G mobile users by combining Jabber, XMPP, 3G and Smart Phones using Symbianand Smart Phones using Symbian

• The use of Erlang/OTP has enabled us to The use of Erlang/OTP has enabled us to deliver a feature rich, robust and functioning deliver a feature rich, robust and functioning system in short timescalessystem in short timescales

• The system has the potential to provide The system has the potential to provide personal angels for horizontal and vertical personal angels for horizontal and vertical applications such as finance, health, logistics applications such as finance, health, logistics where the context and timeliness of where the context and timeliness of information constitute value.information constitute value.

TfL Journey Angel

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