Building a transportation information system using only GPS and basic SMS infrastructure

Ruth E. Anderson, Anthony Poon, Caitlin Lustig, Waylon Brunette, Gaetano Borriello, Beth E. Kolko

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

36 Scopus citations

Abstract

This work consists of two main components: (a) a longitudinal ethnographic study in Kyrgyzstan that demonstrates the importance of transportation resources in the developing world and how to plan for an appropriate ICT solution, and (b) the results of a proof-of-concept system engineered to create a bottom-up, transportation information infrastructure using only GPS and SMS. Transportation is a very important shared resource; enabling efficient and effective use of such resources aids overall development goals. The system, *bus, involved the development of a hardware device (a *box) containing a GSM modem and a GPS unit, that can be installed on a vehicle and used to track its location. The *box communicates via SMS with a server connected to a basic GSM phone. The server runs route a prediction algorithm and users can send SMS messages to the server to find when a bus will arrive at their location. The paper discusses the system and early testing, as well as the development implications for a range of urban and rural environments where transportation is scarce or inefficient, and where a central authority or institution is not in a position to provide robust information resources for users. We describe how the solution is also situated within technology usage patterns common to the developing world.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publication2009 International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development, ICTD 2009 - Proceedings
Pages233-242
Number of pages10
DOIs
StatePublished - 2009
Externally publishedYes
Event2009 International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development, ICTD 2009 - Doha, Qatar
Duration: Apr 17 2009Apr 19 2009

Publication series

Name2009 International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development, ICTD 2009 - Proceedings

Conference

Conference2009 International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development, ICTD 2009
Country/TerritoryQatar
CityDoha
Period4/17/094/19/09

Keywords

  • Developing world
  • GPS
  • ICTD
  • Information services
  • Kyrgyzstan
  • Mobile phones
  • SMS
  • Transportation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Computer Networks and Communications
  • Information Systems

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