Date of Award

6-9-2016

Document Type

Thesis - SCU Access Only

Publisher

Santa Clara : Santa Clara University, 2016.

Department

Computer Engineering

First Advisor

Ahmed Amer

Abstract

Everyday, people are connecting in new ways in new locations. With the rise of technology, people are looking for faster and easier ways to get to the places they want to be with as little hassle as possible. Whether it be a group of friends trying to find their buddy at a music festival, a 20 something looking for her favorite stand at the farmer's market, or a mother making sure her child doesn't wander too far from the park, accuracy and the ability to scan the environment are key factors in finding a user's destination. Location service apps require strong data connections and constant monitoring of the screen to find a location that is usually inaccurate.

The current methods of finding locations are pretty straight forward yet meant for large scale directions and offer few solutions for finding a moving target. The user goes onto their phone and looks up the location they want to go to on Google maps for example, and then is given directions that they must constantly look at on their phone so they know the right direction to go. This approach is both troublesome and dangerous, especially for drivers who must constantly look at their phone to know which turn to take endangering their lives and the people around them. Additionally, maps applications can be very inaccurate especially in crowded and condensed areas where GPS services rarely ever work. If friends are moving around, they must constantly drop pins and send text messages to attempt to locate each other which can be very difficult in a crowded atmosphere. When finding friends or locations in crowded areas, people want to be alert and observant, not have their nose buried in their smartphone.

Our solution uses multiple location services on a cell phone paired with a smartwatch to easily and accurately find people or locations while still being able to enjoy the environment around the user. We will create an application that communicates with another user's phone or a GPS location and then sends data to their smartwatch which will easily and discreetly point the user in the right direction. The application will use GPS paired with bluetooth technology and wifi triangulation to accurately locate the user's destination. Our plan is to feature a compass on the screen of the watch that points the user in the direction of their target or the sequence of turns to take if in a big city. We will also include a vibration system which will vibrate faster as the user gets closer to their target, much like an avalanche victim detection system. This solution will not only create an easy way to find friends but also allow the user to experience the new place they are in while also feeling their way around.

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