Jurong Premises Map app helps disabled and blind people , Latest Singapore News

Visitors to Jurong can now use a mobile indoor mapping app that helps users navigate a network of connected shopping centers and hospitals, including Gem Hospital and Ng Teng Fong General Hospital.

Like the indoor version of Google Maps, the CitiGeni app offers directions to stores or facilities in a network of shopping centers and hospitals, providing shortcuts and even barrier-free routes for users with disabilities.

The app also includes an alternate mode designed to help visually impaired users by guiding them with audio cues as they move around the mall.

Available for Android and iOS, the free service, which was unveiled to the public on October 23, is part of a collaboration between Hong Kong navigation technology startup Mapxus and the National University Health System (NUHS) to help users, especially those with underlying health conditions. disabled people, find your way around the room.

CitiGeni App services will officially be available in Jem and other locations in January 2025.

The app, believed to be a first in Singapore, uses unique mapping technology to match Wi-Fi beacon codes to a map, making it easier to map locations indoors without the need for new hardware.

It is designed to guide users through different levels of indoor location, unlike most navigation apps which can determine the user’s bird’s eye location, but not the exact floor inside a building.

For example, in Jurong East, shopping centers such as Gem and Westgate, as well as nearby hospitals, are connected by bridges with access points that may not be immediately clear to new visitors.

The app complements the work of hospital staff in escorting people between hospital facilities, NUHS chief operating officer Ng Kian Swan said in response to questions from The Straits Times.

“The initial rollout covers public areas within the hospital that do not require registration, allowing easy access for all visitors,” Mr Ng said, adding that the service is specifically designed for wheelchair users and blind people.

“We are also evaluating the possibility of expanding coverage to (hospital wards) in the future to provide even more comprehensive indoor navigation,” said Mr Ng, who oversees facility management for the healthcare group.

Founded in 2018, Mapxus is among the companies participating in Infocomm’s Media Development Authority’s Spark program, which supports startups through industry connections or grants.

Mapxus technology, which has been used in transport networks and more than 150 buildings in Hong Kong, was among the winners of the Jurong Lake District Innovation Competition 2023, where participating teams proposed urban solutions to problems faced by hospitals and other stakeholders such as SMRT and CapitaLand.

Explaining Mapxus’ technology, the company’s head of business development, Joseph Yee, said the user’s position is determined using the phone, which detects unique signals from indoor Wi-Fi beacons.

The app does not require login to the premises’ Wi-Fi network and only collects non-sensitive data from the Wi-Fi beacon code and signal strength, which is matched to the floor plan to determine users’ location, it said. Mr. Yi, 39 years old.

Without the need to log in and connect to an indoor Wi-Fi network, the service avoids cybersecurity risks and preserves Wi-Fi bandwidth, he said.

To map a location on a premises, programmers only need to walk around the premises with a cell phone to “bounce” signals off the mall’s routers, he said. They use drawings of the mall as well as an updated list of stores and opening hours to ensure details are accurate.

Mr Ng said Mapxus’ technology was a key factor in the rollout of its services at NUHS premises as no additional hardware was required, making it easier to implement widely.

He said: “Although the system uses Wi-Fi signals to determine indoor location, it does not require a network connection, so it eliminates security concerns by not interacting with the internal network.”

Using the application

In the app’s assist mode, which was tested with 36 visually impaired users, the app’s visuals have high contrast settings to make it easier for users to see text and directional arrows.

They can enter their desired location, hold the phone in front of them and follow the arrow, listening to beeps to ensure they are heading in the right direction.

In ST tests in text-to-audio mode, the app was able to provide fairly accurate directions and descriptions of nearby stores—with an accuracy of 3 to 5 meters. It avoids stairs and other obstacles, but sometimes has difficulty detecting when users are near elevators.

Mr Ng said the app is designed as an assistive tool for visitors and blind people, but cautioned that those who need a cane should still use it to navigate rather than simply relying on the app’s audio navigation prompts. Users can shake their device to reset the app’s navigation settings based on their current location, he said.

“Through feedback and continuous improvement, the app will evolve to better help users navigate spaces independently, while complementing their existing capabilities and tools,” he added.