1. Campus Locator Mobile Application
Department of Mathematics and Computer Science
Barry University
11300 NE 2nd Ave.
Miami Shores, FL 33161
Phone: (305)
Jose Gomez and Dr. James Haralambides
(Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Barry University, Miami Shores, FL)
Barry University, Miami, FL
Abstract
Graphical User Interface – Interactive GPS Map
System Structure and Algorithmic Design
As a visitor to a vast and complex organization, one often finds oneself in search of a portable map to make route of common walkways to one’s next destination. We are designing a mobile application that will provide full accessibility of a university campus. The user will select or type a searchable keyword such as registration or admission. The system will find all relevant locations from a large spectrum of buildings, including but not limited to: libraries, food courts, and parking lots. It will also provide a point on the map where the building is located in relevance to the user’s current location. The user will then have the option to learn more about the building, allowing the user to see a variety of pictures, a 360 degree animated video of the frontal view, contact information to staff within, and commonly associated words to brief the user in on the building’s utility and ongoing activities. The user may also provide a location from which they wish to move, as opposed to giving their own; allowing the user to provide directions to others, or on campus routes for when the user wishes to go offline. In addition, non- campus based users accessing the application from an external location will be routed to a campus parking lot or entrance first, prior to on-campus walkways. A shortest path algorithm will be developed to produce optimal routes from source to destination. An associated graphical interface will provide directions and pathways for the user to follow.
The Graphical User Interface and its many interactions were made available through the Android Studio mobile development application. The GUI is responsive to many user tactile interactions, which will be described in brief here. To begin, upon initiation of the application, the user will be introduced to a welcome screen pertaining to the chosen school campus. Once the user has made a decision, the Google Maps Activity will load a focused view upon the university campus, allowing the user to see the full campus from a satellite view. Along with the overhead view, the user will have various convenient tools set upon the screen; some of which are familiar Google tools, like the compass reset button, the button to retrieve the user’s current location, and the button to open Google Maps for further services. The user will also be able to choose commonly searched keywords from a dropdown picklist, allowing for a more flexible searching method. Much like finding a hotel or restaurant in Google Maps, the Barry Locator will find all locations associated to the keyword on campus and make them visible and apparent to the user. Upon clicking once on any building, regardless of whether it is shown specifically to the user by an associated keyword or not, the user will provided by the building’s marker and full name. The click will enable an additional button that will allow the user to view further information about the building in a new page, or fragment. Lastly, the application will also allow the user to obtain directions to any one building from any location specified. The location may be within campus or up to 50 miles away from campus.
The system is to store all building, office, and keyword correlated information, as well as, images and videos in a structured database. Here all building contents, like office information, images and videos will all be stored as a many to one relationship to each building. Moreover, the buildings will hold a many to many relationship with the keywords as more than one building can fit a keyword, and vice versa. Through a series of simple SQL select statements, building markers will be displayed matching each keyword given. Likewise, all building information will be made available through a specified SQL selection using the building key.
Further along, to identify paths the system will use a predefined listing of coordinates, as vertices, and their associated edges between them. The vertices, will be given directed edges, in which each vertex v and w share an edge from v to w with a weight of n. The algorithm then obtains all possible paths through edge weighted digraphs, a series of connected directed edges iterated until paths are formed. The path with the minimal cost from source to destination will be displayed for the user.
H2O
Google Maps illustrates a possible route using open pathways, often leading to unnecessary or redundant walkways.
The BucLocator shows a new alternative shortcut to the same destination, lead by real life pathway points.
Keyword-based Locator
Information services that are tailored to the needs of students and parents and are readily available to help navigate through a complex university campus system are highly desirable. These services are mainly focused on a few key searches, are keyword-based, and provide automated navigational information to offices and buildings on campus.
Campus Walkways
References
New alternative shortcut walkways will aid students, faculty, and guests in getting to classrooms, meetings and orientations faster than they could before on foot! This feature combines accessible points on campus, often overlooked by most map programs, to produce realistic, time-efficient inter-campus paths.
[1] “Android Google Maps.” Tutorials Point, 8 Jan. 2018, Web. 23 Jan
[2] “Android Spinner (Drop down List Example).” Mkyong.com, Mkyong.com, 29 Nov. 2011, Web. 26 Feb
[3] Hu, Roger. “Codepath/android_guides.” GitHub, CodePath, 29 Oct. 2016, Web, 27 Feb
[4] “GIS GroundOverlay in Google Map API Android.” Vimeo, ObjectGraph LLC, 19 Mar. 2014, Web. 28 Dec
[5] “How to Play Video in Fragment.” Android - How to Play Video in Fragment - Stack Overflow, N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar
[6] “Miami Shores: Main Campus Map." Barry University. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Mar
[7] Navneet. “Google Map Tutorial in Android Studio: How to Get Current Location in Android Google Map.” Android Tutorial Point: The Best of Android ..., Android Tutorial Point, 29 Apr. 2016, Web. 20 Dec
[8] “Shapes.” Google, Google, n.d. Web. 25 Jan
[9] Sedgewick, Robert, and Kevin Wayne. “Shortest Paths.” Algorithms: Fourth Edition, Princeton University, 20 Oct. 2017, Web. 2 Jan
Images, videos, staff contact information and more are provided upon a request to see additional information.
Commonly searched keywords are shown upon the extension of the drop-box.