Fast Prototyping and Deployment of Context-Aware Smart Outdoor Environments

The article describes a tool for the fast prototyping and deployment of context-aware applications, in particular to welcome visitors in urban areas. The system has been conceived to guarantee continuous access to everybody, everywhere, at any time, and therefore it does not rely on any special device to connect visitors to the intelligent environment. In fact, we assume that visitors are equipped with low-end mobile phones embedded with bluetooth technology, which provide approximate positioning information. In spite of this, the system must be able to assess the current context in terms of user location, preferences, current activity, and to suggest city-tours and activities which meets the most the visitor's expectations. The article shows how, basing on Google maps API and OWLDL ontologies, the rapid prototyping and rapid deployment of outdoor context-aware applications based on bluetooth messaging and positioning information can be achieved.