digital Stadium
Delay Tolerant Networks in the Real World
Overview • Introduce the team and the project • PROBLEM SPACE: – Connectivity and services in stadia • SOLUTION SPACE: – Technology potential • User/Fan and Stadium engagement • Some of the findings • Future work
Team Ian Wakeman & Dan Chalmers Ciaran Fisher Jon Rimmer & Steve Naicken
Project
Background • The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) have awarded a grant to the University of Sussex to support a four person team developing an android app to offer match day services within a football stadium. • Technological research examines the use of a “pocket - switched network” to provide these services.
Problem: visitor experience • Smart phone technologies offer opportunities to dramatically improve visitor experiences before, during and after their time at the stadium. • Connectivity problems diminishes the stadiums direct links to fans, visitors and supporters.
Problem What is the problem you’re solving? • In a typical stadium the concrete and steel construction and large crowds combine to make mobile phone and internet access very unreliable • The cost of installing and managing internet access is high for stadium owners and does not give a direct business connection to visitors
Problem: technology 250000 Measured Bandwidth for Orange at the Amex, vs Birmingham 29/9/12 Measured … 200000 Intermittent connectivity 150000 Start of first half 100000 Entered Concourse 50000 FullTime Midway thru half 0 ` 16:26:24 16:55:12 17:24:00 17:52:48 18:21:36 18:50:24 19:19:12 19:48:00
Technology idea
Technology idea
Technology idea
Technology idea
Technology idea
Technology idea
Current Solutions
What are the current solutions? Current Solutions • Let users take their chances – Dissatisfaction amongst customers as connectivity is unlikely – Loss of opportunity for stadium to connect to customers • Install and manage fixed infrastructure – Costs for WiFi installation estimated at £400K for 25K capacity
The Solution Our Solution • Pocket Switched Network – Subset of Delay Tolerant Networks – Phones network with phones sharing data producing a distributed cache of common content – Previous attempts have relied on tethering • Based on Android • Other solutions targeted just one android version or required root
Fan and Stadium Engagement
Methodology Methodology • Design and implement services – Build Fan Pilot group from users with suitable phones who wish to trial • Focus groups • Interviews • In-app user experience sampling – Work with key BHAFC staff to identify business-driven services – Prototype and deploy • Simulate and build infra-structure • Aim for working deployment start of March 2013
Survey • 1,628 respondents • 52% West Stand • 95% SmartPhones • Participation consent • Profile data – Data use, stadium services etc. • ONLY 6% reported no connectivity issues
All Home Games
Recruitment
Participant Observation • What to do while you wait..? • The ‘Fiddle Factor’
Focus Groups
Accompanied Journeys
The App.........
Live League Table
Travel info
Very positive fan feedback
Additional University benefits Themes • Topophilia • Trust • Stadium < > Fans • Understanding activities, processes, artifacts, needs etc. of both fans and stadium • Identify (and build) suite of beneficial services
Additional University benefits Future Work • Coming Football season – develop and polish • Handling video (Digital Rights issues) • Scale up – how to communicate with the public? • Further analyse business imperatives and customers needs across contexts
Evaluation July Evaluation June Application Deployment Project timeline May Fan Studies Application Deployment Apr Fan Studies Application Deployment Mar Fan Studies Service implementation Feb Fan Studies Fan Recruitment Jan Service implementation Technical Analysis Fan Survey Dec Service design Technical Analysis Nov
… that’ll do nicely
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