Path-o-Logic

Path-o-Logic is an interactive map and touchscreen kiosk that identifies and remembers patrons throughout the duration of a museum visit. The map and kiosk prevent patrons from becoming overwhelmed in a large exhibition space by managing the user’s interests while navigating a unique path of works the user wishes to see.

Path-o-Logic works by dividing one large exhibition space into smaller sections and placing a kiosk in each of those sections. At each kiosk the user places a paper map (velum, actually) with an embedded RFID chip directly onto a touchscreen monitor, transforming the paper map into the GUI itself. Colored dots, indicating works within the space, illuminate through the velum map allowing the user to identify the locations of selected works. The map is the user’s artifact upon which the dots can be connected by the user the old fashioned way, by hand, to navigate his or her own chosen path.

An example of how a kiosk would appear in a real museum/exhibition space

Background
Many museums have attempted to improve the visitor experience with technology, and several attempts have been made to help patrons easily navigate their own path, from pamphlets to GPS systems and screen based hand held audio guides. In many cases these systems have left patrons confused. RFID technology itself is not new to museum technology, as it has been widely used for tracking exhibits and works for easy archiving. However Path-o-Logic’s approach is a refreshing use of RFID that does not confuse the user with too much technology. After all, the GUI for the system is a paper map that the user carries throughout a musem visit.

The velum map, with an embedded RFID tag, used with the system. P = kiosk location

User Scenario
Museum patrons are given maps embedded with RFID tags that they can use with any Path-o-Logic kiosk they see around the museum. After placing the map on a touchscreen, the system will identify the visitor and give him/her information about their current location and options: to seek direction to a specific location/work, and to provide various categories of works available to choose from. If they choose a category, it will suggest a path for the user to take from the location of the kiosk. In addition, as each area/room is equipped with a Path-o-Logic screen, whenever a visitor suddenly feels lost, he/she can replace the map on any Path-o-Logic touchscreen nearby, and the system will recall the previously suggested path or present the option to change direction or path. To meet universal needs, all directions given are also accompanied by audio instructions for visitors with visual impairments.

Technical Information

A RFID reader identifies the user as unique. Using Java’s serial library the tag is read, and a PHP script is called to enter the tag’s ID into a MySQL database so that the user’s choices will be remembered at subsequent kiosks. The working prototype used at the 2008 ITP Spring Show asked the user to select a project category. The software would display dots on the screen signifying each project’s location within the current zone, and the user could draw his or her own path directly on the map. When the user exited the zone (an area determined to contain the proper amount of projects to ask a user to interact with) another kiosk was strategically placed on the border of the next zone. The next kiosk suggested projects to see within its zone based on previous choices made in other zones. The system received very positive feedback and users were pleased with the ease of interaction and especially the artifact in the physical map.

Original interaction plan