What is i-Visit doing precisely?
i-Visit is aiming to deliver a “digital” support towards exhibitions, museums, sport and other events. In fact i-Visit is providing the visitor with plenty of valuable information through the wireless network. This information can be consulted by means of a compact computer device like a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) or a Smartphone. Those devices are very handsome and are able to contain a lot of data.
What is the added value of i-Visit?
Information is of crucial importance in our knowledge driven society and this is exactly what this project is about. i-Visit is delivering this information in a very specific way. First of all there is the advantage of the quantity of information. The digital devices used by i-Visit can contain a considerable amount of data and complement the information available in museum guidebooks, leaflets, information displays, … Another advantage is its attractiveness. Text sections alternate with images and sound tracks and all this delivered with a splendid lay-out. i-Visit meets the requirements of the modern person. Making ones own choices and interactivity are crucial issues. The visitors can decide about what information they retrieve, when and in which sequence.
What are the advantages for the visitor?
i-Visit is providing you as visitor all kinds of information related to your cultural wishes and this on a very personalized way. By means of your personal or rented Pocket PC you will get multimedia support during the visit by offering you detailed audio-visual explanation. You can even move the observed objects into their original framework. Because of the set-up which is similar to a digital encyclopaedia you can select the information you want to highlight.
What are the advantages for the provider?
Keeping your information up to date has never been easier before. Whatever the quantity of information you provide, everything is stored on the server avoiding redundancy and confusion. New items can be documented on very short term because there is no need to update the information at the location itself. Organisations relying on sponsoring can take advantage of using i-Visit by its ability to offer a new interactive and personalised publicity means.
Some examples?
At the museum…
Objects could be snapped out of their showcase and virtually be replaced in their original environment. You could for instance pick out a Roman goblet and bring it to live at a sumptuous Roman banquet.
At the zoo...
While strolling through the animal park you can get all information about the animals and their natural habitat. Even the answer on the omnipresent question can be found. “Why feeding the animals is prohibited?”
In town…
Did you ever wonder how the market square of Brussels with its splendid guild houses and the impressive Gothic beauty of the Town Hall place would have been looked like a couple of ages before...? How did it change over the ages? i-Visit brings history back to live. Take a look at the turbulent country fairs and horrible battles. You can see, read and even hear it all.
What are the prospects of i-Visit?
The future of i-Visit looks very promising. The technology used is essential for its success. In the very near future compact digital devices like PDA’s and Smartphone’s will be commonly used combined with improved utilisation of wireless networks.
i-Visit anticipates also into the needs of the modern culture lover. Instead of being guided by a predefined program he can search and define for himself what to explore by setting up his own personalized program.
What are the next steps of i-Visit?
Museums, exhibitions, fairs, city tours, events: all can be supported by i-Visit. It is the intention to render cultural excursion more pleasing, informative and more inventive. However for i-Visit the sky is the limit! At the backstage i-Visit is very busy to develop a little brother and little sister. They will be called i-Sports and i-Campus. You've guessed it : they will deal with sport events and university/school campus.
The first week of September i-Visit will come for the first time into the open. Investors, customers, politicians and interested parties will get an official presentation of the whole project.