Pepijn Viaene, Ann Vanclooster, Philippe De Maeyer Faculty of sciences   THE IDENTIFICATION OF LANDMARKS FOR WAYFINDING IN AN INDOOR ENVIRONMENT Pepijn Viaene, Ann Vanclooster, Philippe De Maeyer Pepijn.Viaene@UGent.be

LANDMARK FEATURES WAYFINDING Persistent Informative Salient OBJECT/PLACE Prominent Identifiable Memorable Visual Semantic Structural WAYFINDING Orientationpoint Checkpoint Cognitive model of the environment 12/12/2013 INDOOR 3D - CAPE TOWN

OBJECTIVES INDOOR = OUTDOOR ? Hypothesis 1: Landmarks are primarily used as orientation point and to a lesser extent as checkpoints. Hypothesis 2: The landmark-theory (Sorrows & Hirtle, 1999) is applicable indoor as well. Hypothesis 3: Individual characteristics of the test person have an impact on the selection of landmarks. Indoor navigation systems using landmark-based route instructions How are landmarks described? 12/12/2013 INDOOR 3D - CAPE TOWN

METHODS Concurrent Thinking Aloud (TA) Experiment 1. Introduction to TA 2. Completion 1 of the route: following (TA) 3. Completion 2 of the route: independant (TA) 4. Questionnaire location and identification description 12/12/2013 INDOOR 3D - CAPE TOWN

METHODS LOCATION ANALYSIS WORD ANALYSIS SENTENCE ANALYSIS 22 verbal protocol transcription WORD ANALYSIS SENTENCE ANALYSIS 11 test persons 3 groups Experts Geographical Information (GI) Novices Gender 12/12/2013 INDOOR 3D - CAPE TOWN

RESULTS Hypothesis 1: Landmarks are primarily used as orientation point and to a lesser extent as checkpoints. Outdoor research: View-action-couple (possible) changes in direction ≤ 50 % = checkpoint 12/12/2013 INDOOR 3D - CAPE TOWN

LOCATION ANALYSIS Noticed by … men women men and women everybody 12/12/2013 INDOOR 3D - CAPE TOWN

RESULTS Outdoor research: Hypothesis 2: The landmark-theory (Sorrows & Hirtle, 1999) is applicable indoor as well. Outdoor research: “object landmarks” “structural landmarks” 12/12/2013 INDOOR 3D - CAPE TOWN

Visual features Structural features Semantic features WORD ANALYSIS Material Age Presence Colours Closets (objects) Structural features Stairs Floors Large open spaces Semantic features VTK 12/12/2013 INDOOR 3D - CAPE TOWN

Odours, sounds, temperature ? Persistence ? SENTENCE ANALYSIS Semantic component: 23 % Odours, sounds, temperature ? Persistence ? 12/12/2013 INDOOR 3D - CAPE TOWN

SENTENCE ANALYSIS 12/12/2013 INDOOR 3D - CAPE TOWN

FAMILIARITY WITH ENVIRONMENT RESULTS Hypothesis 3: Individual characteristics of the test person have an impact on the selection of landmarks. Outdoor research: GENDER FAMILIARITY WITH ENVIRONMENT FAMILIARITY WITH GI (Caduff & Timpf, 2008) 12/12/2013 INDOOR 3D - CAPE TOWN

Familiarity with the enviroment WORD ANALYSIS Familiarity with the enviroment Less additional information Signs Details: colours and materials (?) Gender Women refer more to colours and material GI Use of signs (?) 12/12/2013 INDOOR 3D - CAPE TOWN

Familiarity with the environment SENTENCE ANALYSIS Familiarity with the environment 12/12/2013 INDOOR 3D - CAPE TOWN

Familiarity with the environment SENTENCE ANALYSIS Familiarity with the environment DURATION Mean [m:s] SD [m:s] Total 6:42 0:33 Experts 6:27 0:42 GI 6:50 0:25 Novices 6:52 0:20 Men 6:39 Women 6:47 0:18 12/12/2013 INDOOR 3D - CAPE TOWN

SENTENCE ANALYSIS Gender GI Very limited or even no influence Preference for maps 12/12/2013 INDOOR 3D - CAPE TOWN

CONCLUSION Hypothesis 1: Landmarks function primarily as orientation points Hypothesis 2: Landmark theory is not refuted Further research: odours, sound, temperature Hypothesis 3: Individual characteristics of the test person have an impact on the selection of landmarks. Familiarity with the environment facilitates navigation and wayfinding Gender: same landmarks, colour and material Familiarity with Geographical Information: no effect 12/12/2013 INDOOR 3D - CAPE TOWN

Thank you for your attention THE IDENTIFICATION OF LANDMARKS FOR WAYFINDING IN AN INDOOR ENVIRONMENT 12/12/2013 INDOOR 3D - CAPE TOWN