Our app helps visitors and members of the Penn community learn about both the campus and Philadelphia by using their GPS enabled device to take interactive walking tours where they can learn about history and culture. Directions are read to the user as they walk, tour stops are automatically triggered based on the visitor’s GPS coordinates, and content will be read to the visitor when they reach each point of interest. The mobile app's focus is storytelling and educating visitors about history and culture, but we didn’t want to stop there, so we’ve added additional wayfinding features such as directories (see 10 Spots for Authentic Philly Cheesesteaks or Penn’s Public Parking) and event directories (see Penn Alumni Weekend: May 15th).

Tours are creating using the web-based tour builder. New tours and changes to existing tours will automatically be pushed to the mobile app and won’t require users to update the app. Tours can be created regardless of the existence of roads and walkways (see the Morris Arboretum Wetlands tour or the Fort Mifflin tour). Using this approach, we can educate visitors about any subject, anywhere in Philadelphia, no matter how remote. The possibilities are endless. Tours can also be taken virtually by people planning a visit or those simply interested in learning more about Philadelphia.

You asked for analytics – We keep track of how the visitor behaves on the tour (anonymously), so we know things like the tour’s most popular day and time, how often they’re taken, how long people stay at each point of interest, where they walk in comparison to the tour route, and click analytics for point of interest descriptions (web links, click-to-call links, and email links).

You asked for augmented reality – Just click the “AR” button while on a tour. Points of interest other than the ones on the current tour will also show up but only if you’re close enough to them.

Geo

Augmented Reality

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