Context-Aware Mobile Services Enhance Sports Fan Experience

Arnhem July 23, 2008 – For the first time, during this year’s International Four Days Marches in Nijmegen (vierdaagse), the Netherlands, an experiment with innovative “context-sensitive” technology has been conducted to enable volunteers of the vierdaagse organisation, participants and spectators to supply personally adapted information on their PC or mobile phone.

Both the vierdaagse organisation and the general public considered the test to be very successful.

Succesfull test of new mobile applications
The MIDAS project, a Research & Development project funded by the European Commission, has developed new software to combine information about the walking routes, the progress of the walkers and the interest of a spectator.

As a part of the experiment, 7500 participants were equipped with a ‘veterchip’ and about a dozen walkers and spectators with GPS trackers. The information gathered was used in different ways at the vierdaagse:

• At all resting areas, the vierdaagse organisation received a prognosis of the number of participants to arrive within a timeframe so the volunteers could be planned in accordingly.
• A number of walkers got the possibility to check their own and their friends’ progress on their mobile phones. The mobile phone would inform among others when and where blister treatment could be received, the estimated arrival time, and how much water to drink.
• For the first time, a number of spectators could use their mobile phones to track the progress of their own favourites and therewith experience this sports event in personalised manner. In addition to this, family and friends of the ‘veterchip’ walkers could track the progress of these walkers online on a purpose made website.

Satisfaction at the Vierdaagse organisation
“The MIDAS experiment has exceeded our expectations. The information received from MIDAS at the resting areas gave a reliable view on the amount of participants on the route. We could see the flow coming about 45 minutes in advance, so volunteers, medical personnel and other help forces could duly prepare. Even though we considered this to be an experiment, it became evident that the information had an immediate operational relevance. On the second day already, we received requests from a number of command-centres if they could also get a MIDAS terminal.”, says project leader drs. Ardo van Kampen from the new Service of Knowledge & Innovation at the foundation DE 4DAAGSE.

Enthusiastic audience
The enthusiasm of the general audience to participate at this experiment was overwhelming. A whole 94% of the invited were actually participating. The website where relatives, friends and acquaintances could follow the progress of the ‘veterchip’ walkers has been accessed by 90.000 people and generated over 1 million page views. Spectator polls showed that there a big interest in being able to follow this type of personal information on their mobile phones. One of the experiment participants said: “I’ll never lose track of my mother again during the vierdaagse. I’ll sign for that”.

MIDAS
The experiment during the vierdaagse has been achieved with the help of the MIDAS project, funded by the European Commission, and with the participation of project members from 6 different countries. MIDAS stands for Middleware Platform for Developing and Deploying Advanced Mobile Services.
From the Netherlands, sports-umbrella organisation NOC*NSF and the IT supplier Capgemini have been involved. Participants from other countries are SINTEF, a leading research institute from Norway, the University of Oslo, Norway, the Technical University of Warsaw, Poland, software developer Appear Networks from Sweden, transport organization RATP, France and telecom provider Telefónica, Spain.

Relevance of MIDAS to sports
The main commercial value of this technology applied to sports is the future-use by (hundreds of) thousands of spectators. Context-sensitive applications are the dream of event organisers, sports sponsors and telecom operators: it enables a unique personal ty with every visitor. We expect this technology to emerge quickly at large scale sports events such as walking, cycle racing and marathon.

Proud NOC*NSF
NOC*NSF president Erica Terpstra: “The potential of MIDAS for sports is that participants, officials and spectators are enabled to access unique, personal information about a sports event. Everyone can experience the event in a way that is most relevant for him or her personally. Sports your way! This is why NOC*NSF is proud to have contributed to the MIDAS project and testing the technology during the vierdaagse.”

For more information:
Jeroen van Dinther, Capgemini, tel: +31 (0)30-6891386. E-mail jeroen.van.dinther@capgemini.com

For a Dutch version, check: ‘MIDAS, mobiele technologie die de sport dichter bij de mensen brengt’ on sport.nl.
http://www.sport.nl/content/nieuwsartikelen/nocnsf/5341585?channel=nocnsf 

About Appear: Appear is the leading provider of context-aware software infrastructure designed to power the next generation of mobile applications and services. Using situational information (context), the AppearIQ suite of products transforms ordinary wireless data networks into rich multimedia channels that deliver information, voice, video and messages to mobile computer users. By collecting and sharing context, Appear’s solutions eliminate information overload and ensure users have exactly the information they need, when and where they need it. Industry leaders in transportation, retail, telecommunications and government use AppearIQ. Appear has an extensive partner network including industry leaders Motorola, Cisco, SITA and telent in order to deliver innovative, end-to-end wireless and mobile solutions. The company is privately held and headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden and with offices across Europe.