MapLens
MapLens is an application that allows investigating physical maps through the mobile phone’s camera with digital information overlaid on top of the view. Through MapLens one can see, for example, photos that are connected to certain location on the map or one’s own location. MapLens can be used to upload new geo-referenced content to the map.
MapLens has been used in environmental awareness games as a tool to mix content from both physical and virtual realities and to guide the participants to focus on things in the urban nature they wouldn’t otherwise perhaps notice. Visitors to the Final Event exhibition in Vienna will have the chance to try out the system in a small environmental awareness game at Stadtpark. Games will run daily and people should sign up at the event in teams of three. The game will take only half an hour, but makes a worthwhile experience.
How the system works: The MapLens application is for Symbian OS S60 on Nokia N95 phones with camera and GPS. When a paper map is viewed through the phone camera, the system analyses and identifies the GPS coordinates of the map area visible on the phone screen. Based on these coordinates, location based media (photos and their metadata) is fetched from Imagination’s server. Markers to access the media by clicking the selected marker showing the thumbnail of the photo are then provided on top of the map image on the phone screen.
Left: MapLens user interface. Right: Participants playing an environmental awareness game with the help of MapLens.
