Research

What is it?

Marked-up Maps integrate paper maps with electronic information resources on small devices. This allows portable, large, foldable paper maps to serve as the basis for location-specific information retrieval, and navigation-related tasks.

Prototype

Our prototype implementation uses paper maps fitted with an array of RFID tags/labels. Tags are placed either beneath each region of interest, or in a regular grid (permitting different kinds of interaction). PDAs with RFID readers retrieve information by holding the device face-up in front of the region of interest and pressing a button on the device.
We are currently exploring the use of a pointer-like interaction between PDA and map (including gestural interaction), and lens functionality allowing the PDA to present virtual overlays for the paper map.

Evaluation

Prototyping in Context

A marked-up map of Notttingham, England was used to tour the city while attending Ubicomp 2004. Evaluating the use of the paper map and PDA combination in a real scenario guided further development of the prototype.

Exploratory Study

We ran a study to explore user attitudes and use patterns of our marked-up map implementation for retrieving location-specific information. Three different maps (Nottingham - tourist, Montreal - subway, Vancouver - road map with grid) were marked-up with relevant information (tourist attraction details, subway station information, regional information). We compared this with a combination paper map and electronic resource including an electronic version of the map and an alphabetical index.
Results of this study have been submitted for publication.

Publications

Reilly, D., Welsman-Dinelle, M., Bate, C., and Inkpen, K. (2005). Just Point and Click? Using Handhelds to Interact with Paper Maps. In Proceedings of Mobile HCI 2005 (short paper, to appear). (PDF)

Reilly, D., Rodgers, M., Argue, R., Nunes, M., and Inkpen, K. (2005). Marked-up Maps: Combining Paper Maps and Electronic Information Resources. In Journal of Personal and Ubiquitous Computing (to appear). (PDF)

D. Reilly. (2004). Marked-up maps: A mixed media approach to group navigation and information gathering. In 2nd International Workshop on Mobile and Ubiquitous Information Access, September 2004, Glasgow, Scotland. (PDF)

D. Reilly. (2004). Not in Karlsplatz anymore: Navigating cities together. In Ubicomp 2004 Workshop on Ubicomp in the Urban Frontier, September 2004, Nottingham, England. (PDF)