Tracklines: Final Design Treatment 2006/07 A Banff New Media Institute / ART Mobile Lab project in collaboration with the Mobile Digital Commons
Network (MDCN), supported by Canadian Culture Online (CCO)
Tracklines Project History
Tracklines is a location-based storytelling experience (ie, mediascape) designed to be delivered on
wilderness trails in Banff National Park using GPS-enabled mobile phones. Tracklines is also software
application created with the Mobile Experience Engine (MEE) locative media platform developed by the
Mobile Digital Commons Network (MDCN), 2005-2007.
The Tracklines project was funded in its first year of development by Canadian Culture Online as part of
the Mobile Digital Commons Network, Phase II grant allocated under the New Media Research Networks
Fund. As part of this grant, the project fulfills the 2006/07 Global Heart Rate deliverable defined as:
“Complete one installation of a mobile experience in Banff National Park”.
An initial draft treatment for Tracklines was developed by Angus Leech on behalf of the MDCN in June,
2005, with significant contribution of ideas (particularly in the area of information visualization) by then-
MDCN designer Greg Judelman. This core idea was later developed by Angus Leech into a full conceptual
treatment in Spring, 2006. The concept was then produced by the Banff New Media Institute / ART
Mobile Lab design and engineering team between Summer 2006 and February, 2007 using a rapid
prototyping approach that included frequent technical testing in the field to ensure the stability of the
application and troubleshoot unexpected challenges, as well as a rigorous program of user testing. This
iterative design process resulted in a fully-functional Beta prototype finalized in March, 2007.
Significantly, during Summer 2006 the BNMI entered into a
special partnership with the Banff EcoIntegrity Project (BEP),
an initiative of Banff National Park / Parks Canada, in order to
collaborate on one “layer” of locative content for Tracklines.
That summer, the BEP hired a Content Writer (an experienced
Park naturalist) to join the BNMI design team and co-author
the narrative script for what would eventually become
“GEOLOGY: A Walk Through Time”. During the subsequent Fall
and Winter periods, the BNMI team developed this script into
a full multimedia experience design for GPS-enabled mobile
phones, and built Tracklines as a working prototype
application using the Mobile Experience Engine (Java2ME /
Nokia version) co-developed across the MDCN.
In Fall 2006, the BNMI team also collaborated with researchers from across the MDCN (notably the
Evaluation Mobility Useability (EMU) group from Concordia, and OCAD’s Paula Gardner) to develop a
series of user integration research protocols, and to conduct a series of rigorous evaluation field tests
with volunteer public participants. This research aimed to integrate potential members of the Tracklines
audience into the design process. Field tests used participant observation and other ethnographic
strategies to evaluate early iterations of the Tracklines prototype for useability, design integrity,
audience receptivity, and overall appropriateness with respect to audience and location contexts. Data
from these public field trials was used to improve the design of Tracklines in subsequent iterations, and
proved invaluable.
In March 2007, production was completed on a final Beta version of Tracklines. This prototype
represents:
A widely field-tested and technically stable software application.
An experience design template that has proven effective on the Hoodoo Trail through technical
and audience testing.
One fully completed content “layer” entitled “Geology: A Walk Through Time”.
An extendable architecture that will, upon future development, permit the addition of
expanded interactive functionality to the existing experience template, and also allow Tracklines
to house multiple content experiences or “layers”, accommodating different story genres
and/or walking locations.
A locative experience which has been thought through from start to finish with respect to the
target user’s experience.
Broadly speaking, as a research initiative, Tracklines represents a locative design experiment that, over
the 2006/07 term, has served to generate a significant body of knowledge in the field of mobility
research. The project has functioned to:
Drive technical development/rapid prototyping of the MEE locative software in directions
appropriate to trail-based activities and applications.
Generate significant audience research data concerning the potential of locative media in
National Parks and other outdoor/wilderness/cultural/heritage environments.
Generate significant design insight in the area of wilderness-based locative media, particularly in
terms of experience design, sound, graphics, interface design, information visualization,
location-based narrative, and sustainable design practice.
Explore system cognition issues as they pertain to trail-based media experiences.
Expose cultural practitioners such as media artists, designers, and teachers (via live
demonstrations and design workshops) to a functional prototype that reveals the potential of
locative media experience delivered in remote locations, and demonstrates the capacities of
the MEE as a locative design platform.
Project Synopsis: A Path of Stories Tracklines is a trail-based mobile media
installation; an information-rich guided
interpretive strategy in which hikers
employ GPS-enabled smart phones to
navigate a landscape seeded with
location-based stories related to local
environmental contexts. Tracklines is
not a game, per se. Instead, it is more
closely related to a museum audio tour
or sound walk, and as such the project
falls more properly within the
emerging genre known as the
“mediascape”. Think of it as a kind of
"walkumentary" combining elements
of traditional documentary, land-based oral storytelling, and trail-guiding with new trends in mobile
digital media delivery. A stroll of imagination in which single users or groups (2-3 maximum per phone)
explore Banff trails through an open-ended, non-linear mode of geo-cached information access.
The objective of Tracklines is very simple: take a walk, enjoy the hike, and find a number of location-
based stories and media hotspots scattered along the trail. In addition to its obvious entertainment
value, Tracklines is conceived as a learning experience that will open doors of perception concerning
select aspects of natural and cultural history, location-based narrative, and other topics appropriate to
the augmented experience of place. Tracklines also acknowledges that location-aware technologies may
present an opportunity to explore the very old relationships between landscape and memory,
storytelling and sound, in exciting new ways.
Often, knowledge and observation of human and natural history is
the principle take-home experience sought by visitors to Banff
National Park, while a sense of having bonded with either the
mountain environment or its people in a meaningful way can prove
the most elusive. As a self-directed guided experience, Tracklines
addresses these issues by creating an opportunity for hikers to
physically immerse themselves in alpine environments while
accessing place-based stories about subjects of interest. In this way,
it is hoped that users will interact more intimately with the living
landscape of Banff, perhaps achieving a heightened "sense of
place" through narrative engagement - perhaps even a longer
lasting sense of participation, dialogue, and exchange with wild
places. Ideally, visitors will also return home with a greater sense of
the place where nature, culture, and technology intersect.
Technology: Next Generation and Context-Aware
The Tracklines project utilizes
mobile phones (Nokia N70),
Bluetooth-enabled global
positioning systems (GPS), and
a software application created
with the Mobile Experience
Engine (MEE) locative media
platform.
Smart phones represent the
next generation of widely
adopted mobile devices, and
the Tracklines project seeks
novel ways to extend the
capabilities of mobile phones
toward new contexts of use,
particularly wilderness areas.
Meanwhile, locative media requires location-aware technology, and at present the only locative
technology feasible for use in Banff National Park is GPS. However, most models of mobile phone do not
incorporate reliable built-in GPS functionality. Thus, Tracklines utilizes small external GPS units which
connect to the mobile phone via Bluetooth wireless. GPS technology is used to detect location-based
"hotspots" (sometimes referred to herein as “story points” or locative “regions”). When a hiker enters
or exits a hotspot, their GPS unit will automatically take notice and communicate with the mobile
phone, triggering media content or interaction scenarios as defined by the Tracklines application.
The Mobile Experience Engine (MEE) was designed and developed by MDCN engineers in 2005-2007. It
is a software development platform for creating advanced context-aware applications and media-rich
experiences for mobile devices. This unique platform enables mobile experiences to be rapidly
prototyped for a high quality, stable end
product. The MEE is specifically designed for
creating location-based and context-aware
experiences using GPS, Bluetooth, and other peer-
to-peer platforms. For more information on the
MEE and ongoing efforts to open source the
software, visit www.open-mee.org .
Target Audience: For Those About to Walk Broadly speaking, the Tracklines project is directed at an all-ages audience comprised of both locals and
visitors to Banff National Park who share a common interest in hiking – and in having their trail-walking
experience “enhanced” via locative media storytelling. This potential audience is demographically
diverse, ranging from adult tourists seeking basic natural history information, to families seeking content
of interest to their children, to locals who “know it all” and are looking for something fresh and diverse
that reflects or expands their more nuanced perspective.
Obviously, no single content experience will satisfy all of
these interest groups equally, so Tracklines puts forward
a very simple and accessible interactive design
“template” capable of accommodating multimedia
content of multiple genres. The template can be filled
with whatever stories, information, or media are deemed
appropriate to any chosen place and target audience:
that is, the design is adaptable to multiple communities,
interests, and also locations. In fact, by using the “Layer
Selector” function of Tracklines (explained below), hikers
on a pathway can even switch on-the-fly between
different guided walks mapped to the same trail system,
selecting whichever genre of content seems most
interesting and appealing. Potentially, there’s something
here for everyone – the primary limitations being the
phone’s built-in media storage capacity, and the
designer’s narrative imagination.
Topography: The Hoodoo Trail Although Tracklines is designed to be adaptable to almost any system of trails, content development so
far has focused exclusively on the Bow Valley / Hoodoo Trail in Banff National Park. (Hereafter referred
to simply as the Hoodoo Trail.) The reasons for this are multiple: The Hoodoo Trail is situated right next
door to The Banff Centre, home of the BNMI’s ART Mobile Lab, and is therefore extremely convenient
and accessible as a locative media test site. The trail is also one of the most popular day-hikes in the
vicinity of Banff townsite, and is frequented by both locals and first-time visitors to the Park. It is thus an
ideal spot to conduct public field trials and audience research. Located within easy walking distance of
downtown, the Hoodoo Trail has two easily accessible trailhead access points – one near the Banff
Centre, and one near the Tunnel Mountain campground and Hoodoos on the outskirts of Banff. The trail
itself is an easy hike, and accessible year-round to hikers of all levels – yet it is also very beautiful,
featuring a broad variety of terrain and habitat (from forest to open meadows to green glacial streams),
frequent encounters with wildlife of all kinds, and spectacular views of the surrounding Rockies.
As a site for locative media installations, the Hoodoo Trail also has some interesting geographic
properties that make it unique. At 4-5 km from end to end, its scale is ideal for certain types of locative
experience - not too long and not too short. The pathway features occasional branches linked to a
central trunk trail, yet is bounded closely on one side by Tunnel Mountain and the steep banks of the
Bow Valley, and on the other side by the Bow River. Thus, the valley naturally “funnels” hikers along a
small corridor in which it is nearly impossible to lose one’s way. There are plenty of natural stopping
points and viewpoints which lend the path a kind of ideal “architecture” containing many obvious nodes
for situated locative experience. Overall, because of how all of these properties work together to define
its character, the Hoodoo Trail provides an appropriate testing ground for many different kinds of
locative media experience - from storytelling, to scavenger hunts, to orienteering and adventure. There
is also a unique “feeling” to be experienced in this place – despite the trail’s close proximity to town, and
its location directly across the river
from the busy Banff Springs golf
course, the area feels remarkably
wild and isolated, and walking here
feels like a genuine escape. Because
both trailheads begin at high points
on the trail and then descend into
the forested valley, this sense of
getting away from it all is perhaps
accentuated, as though one were
travelling but a short distance
downward into another, semi-
mythical world in which narrative
experience and time-travel to other
eras or dimensions may seem
entirely possible.
Interactive Design Summary 1: Start-Up Phase and Layer Selector (non-locative) The Tracklines application is comprised of two distinct “phases” – the
“Start-Up Phase”, whose functions are not location-specific, and the
“Locative Phase”. We’ll begin the present design discussion by describing
the Start-Up Phase.
Tracklines has been designed primarily with simplicity and useability in
mind. In support of this, the application is set up to automatically start
when a hiker powers up their mobile phone. Soon after the phone is
started, the hiker will briefly see a loading screen, and then the Tracklines
application will default to its “home screen”, the Layer Selector.
As mentioned above, Tracklines represents a simple locative interaction “template” capable of
accommodating multimedia content of multiple genres. This template can be filled with any stories,
information, rich media, or MEE interactive scenarios that suit its general architecture and are deemed
appropriate. Tracklines content is organized according to a “layer” concept. That is, hikers on any
particular trail are given the option of using the Layer Selector menu to choose between a number of
possible thematic hikes set up for that locale – for example, the choices might include a guided geology
walk, a wildlife walk, a nighttime
ghost story hike, a “walking
poem”, or a fanciful storytelling
walk aimed at families with
children. Each thematic hike is
conceptualized as a different
layer of locative media content
superimposed like invisible
stratigraphy on the same
geographic space – in this case,
the Hoodoo Trail landscape.
Every individual hike layer
contains its own distinct number
of hotspots, distributed in
unique locations. Each layer can
be set up to access not only
different narrative content, but
its own unique combination of
interactive options as well.
As previously mentioned, hikers
choose between different content
layers using the Layer Selector,
which is essentially a graphic menu
controlled using the mobile
phone’s joystick. Users toggle the
joystick to highlight different
thumbnail images on a simple belt-
style menu – each thumbnail
represents a different content
layer and is accompanied by a
simple title or text description.
Once a person or group uses the centre joystick button to select a layer of
content that suites their interests and tastes, the action first triggers an
introductory movie (essentially a pre-hike tutorial designed to introduce the
layer’s narrative theme, and convey any special instructions not included in
accompanying flyers or maps), then starts the Locative Phase of the experience
by loading a specific bundle of locative hotspot content to be discovered on the
trail. (Note: hikers also have the option to skip the Intro movie if they wish.)
The Layer Selector will initially be used by hikers mustering at the trailhead to choose an appropriate
thematic hike, but because this menu is not location-dependent, it can also be used by hikers already on
the path to shift “on-the-fly” between different layers of content. For example, imagine a family who
has begun to explore the Geology hike, but then realizes that its content is of limited interest to their
seven-year old. That family may choose to immediately switch to a more appropriate option – for
example, a wildlife walk or children’s adventure story. Shifting gears is easy – the Layer Selector is
always immediately accessible to hikers simply by pressing the zero (0) key on the mobile phone’s
keypad. A new layer can then be selected, or pressing the pound (#) key will return the hiker back to
where they were in the previous content layer, without having to watch the movie again.
Though the Tracklines Layer Selector feature is fully functional, to date only the content layer “Geology:
A Walk Through Time” has been fully scripted and produced as a content experience. This thematic hike
was created for Banff’s Hoodoo Trail through a special exploratory partnership with Banff National Park.
Interactive Design Summary 2: How the Locative Phase of the Experience Works
Non-linear Narrativity: As a locative
storytelling experience, Tracklines
represents a kind of sound-based
navigational guide inviting hikers to
explore the landscape according to the
rhythm of their own curiosity, by moving
from story to story in a fluid, non-linear, and interactive way. The narrative arc of the hiker's experience
is shaped primarily by the individual stories themselves, and by the unique pathway that the hiker
follows while traveling from point to point along the trail.
Wowee, it’s a MAUI: As a locative media experience, Tracklines' content essentially forms an invisible
layer of information mapped overtop the real physical landscape. Each available story is associated with
a specific GPS map coordinate, referred to here as a "story point" or “hotspot”. The hiker finds this
content while walking the trail by using their phone and Bluetooth GPS unit to access a subtle “Minimal
Attention User Interface”, or MAUI, which guides the hiker to story points using location-based feedback
(or “geo-feedback”) provided by ambient media signals emitted by their phone speakers and screen.
Stated more simply, the hiker finds their way from one story-point to the next by "listening" to ambient
sound and visual clues that inform them whether they are getting "warmer" or "colder" with respect to
a given story point as they
walk. Moving closer or
farther away from a story
point will trigger changes in
the quality or intensity of
ambient sounds playing
through the mobile phone’s
speaker - sounds sensed
peripherally by the user while
they are engaged in other
sorts of activities that require
their undivided visual
attention, such as hiking or
watching for wildlife.
Sixth Sense Navigation: As experience designers, our challenge is to provide hikers
- our Hansels and Gretels, as it were - with a reliable trail of breadcrumbs to follow
through the forest as they search for story points. Tracklines proposes a system in
which these breadcrumbs manifest as fields of sound clues mapped to the physical
landscape and triggered by GPS proximity. It may be helpful to imagine the outdoor
terrain as having been inundated by an imaginary and responsive musical fluid of
different densities trapped inside the shapes of mapped polygons or “regions”.
Walking physically through the fluid, crossing the edges of boundaries into areas of
different density, causes the soundscape, or "score", to change. Hikers interpret these changes in sound
as indicators of their proximity to the story points (eg, "It’s getting louder, so I must be getting
warmer...") and find their way accordingly.
Locative technology in this interaction model is used primarily in an orienteering capacity, and works
unobtrusively alongside the user's five senses by effectively adding a "sixth sense" or "story sense". The
intention has been to create a phone-based guided experience that is "augmentative" rather than
"immersive"; one that avoids distracting the user's attention from his or her natural surroundings, and
instead creates an intuitive navigational tool that is phenomenologically integrated with the user's full
range of outward senses while exploring trail environments. Audio feedback here essentially provides a
form of "eyes-free" interface in which users do not ultimately need to look at a digital screen to access a
map or other navigation tool - if desired, destination story
points may be located solely on the basis of ambient sound
clues. (In the future, tactile feedback in the form of phone
vibration may contribute to this eyes-free system as well.)
This "sound-tracking" experience, pleasurable in its own
right, is also subtly integrated as a component of Tracklines'
narrative structure. In a sense, these soundscapes
themselves implicitly embody a narrative. Like the storied
“songlines” or “dreaming tracks” of Aboriginal Australia, they
represent an auditory mnemonic tied to the land as visual
mnemonic - a sequence of interactive audio clues which
users follow in order to "remember" where the story points
are located, and thereby find their "way through" the
landscape and the stories. In a sense, the user "becomes" the
song, the story, and ultimately the place as they navigate an
open-ended narrative defined by a collection of story points.
Non-Visual Tactics: As the above description suggests, Tracklines intentionally under-emphasizes
graphic screen-based content while elevating the role of audio as a form of ambient information display,
interface, and evocative agent. The importance of re-thinking the kinds of image-focused interaction so
typical of other forms of digital media is obvious in outdoor trail-based situations in which, for reasons
of both safety and enjoyment, hikers are compelled to resist immersion in visual displays and virtual
interactivity, and keep their eyes and hands free to do other things.
In order to further reinforce this non-visual imperative,
Tracklines hikers are provided with an armband to carry
their GPS unit, as well as a mobile phone carrying case with
a handy belt clip. These accessories allow hikers to fasten
mobile devices to their clothing and then forget about them
(until their phones broadcast a signal which alerts the hiker
that a story point has been reached – see below).
Graphic Reinforcement: While it remains intentionally minimal, there is in fact a significant visual
component to the Tracklines MAUI, consisting of subtle graphic images which “grow” on the hiker’s
phone as they approach a story point, providing extra visual reinforcement for people who are less
comfortable with using sound alone to navigate, or who are otherwise more visually oriented. In
essence this represents a subtle form of location-based information-visualization, and has proven to be
an interesting avenue for research and exploration.
Music of the Spheres: As the accompanying diagrams show, story point hotspots consist of spherical
GPS locative regions defined by a series of nested concentric circles (usually three rings of consistently
increasing radius, but story
points can in fact be
programmed to have any
number of rings, of any
diameter). Entering the
perimeter of each region will
cause a different suite of
media to play on the mobile
phone. Typically, the outer
donut-shaped rings contain
ambient audio and visual
content only, while the inner
disc-shaped region represents
the central story point
containing graphic menus,
storytelling content and - in
future iterations of Tracklines
- possible activities, mini-
games, guidebook content,
and other interactive options.
(See: Expandable Story Points)
Once the hiker enters the central story point region, a “hook” sound
plays to attract their attention and gently alert them that they have
found something interesting - a new story – and should look at their
phone. At this stage, the screen image on the phone resolves fluidly
into a simple graphic menu that presents the hiker with a choice:
either stop and listen to a location-based story, or simply move on.
Choosing “Play Story” will allow the hiker to access story point
content, and in the future may also serve as a portal allowing them
to engage in deeper screen-based interactivity. (See below for a Use
Case Example which explains more fully how story point content is
experienced in the present Tracklines iteration.)
Loaded Breadcrumbs: When Theory Confronts Reality
The Tracklines MAUI described above has been proven to work very well in public demonstrations and field
trials – but its confirmation only goes so far. To date, the tactic has been used primarily on linear trail systems
where hikers are naturally directed along a narrow pathway, as opposed to through open areas such as fields
or meadows. Implementation of Tracklines in real trail environments has in fact shown that, unless hikers are
specifically instructed to go looking for hidden content off-trail, the navigational aspects of this “treasure
hunt” for story points works best if the central regions of the hotspots are placed along the pathway in
“bottlenecks” or other locations where they “can’t be missed”. Story points situated entirely off-trail, or
which have only their outer rings overlapping the pathway, have been almost universally overlooked by
hikers, who have apparently either failed to realize that they were actually meant to be “following” ambient
sound clues, or else assumed that all findable content would be located on the main pathway. Even
presented with obvious clues (such as audio signals that gradually build but then fade away again as hikers
brush the edges of spherical hotspot rings and then pass them by ), participants tested in field trials have
rarely concluded that they may be missing something, or headed off-trail to search for content. This may
reveal both core trail-use patterns and behaviours among hikers, as well as some probable limitations to the
MAUI strategy as articulated in this treatment. Nevertheless, it also serves to highlight the somewhat
nuanced and always interesting character of MAUI research.
For more information about MAUIs, see: SIMON HOLLAND & DAVID R. MORSE, “Audio GPS: spatial audio in a
minimal attention interface”, Computing Department, The Open University, United Kingdom. Available at:
http://www.cis.strath.ac.uk/~mdd/mobilehci01/procs/holland_cr.pdf
Use Case Example: Walking the Walk
The following is a step-by-step explanation of how the Tracklines experience works from the point of
view of the end user:
Hikers start the experience at the trailhead with a
mobile phone, Bluetooth GPS unit, and a velcro strap.
The hiker also has a pamphlet containing simple
tutorial instructions (how to use phone controls, etc.)
plus a basic map of the trail area and how to get to it
(for each available content layer, the map indicates a
“zone” along the trail within which the hotspots for
that layer are located – however, in most cases the
map will not show exactly where the individual
hotspots are, as part of the fun is finding them). The
GPS unit is attached to the hiker’s arm, backpack, or
another suitable location using the velcro strap, and turned on to attain GPS lock. The phone is either
held in the hiker’s hand or attached to a piece of clothing using the clip on the phone’s carrying case.
Once GPS lock is attained, the hiker turns on the mobile phone. The Tracklines
application automatically starts when the phone is powered up, begins
communicating with the GPS device, and after a brief loading delay, the hiker
will see the Layer Selector screen appear. The hiker then uses the phone
joystick to toggle the Layer Selector menu and select the desired walk from the
available content options.
Once a content layer is chosen, a short Introduction movie loads and then plays
on the phone’s screen. This prelude animation serves to orient the hiker by
introducing the content layer’s narrative and delivering basic system cognition
details and other important information (What is this walk about? How long
will it take? Where do I attach the GPS unit?). Once the movie is finished, the
user is prompted by a screen menu to either replay the movie or start hiking. If
they choose the latter, the screen defaults to a simple trail map or other
“placeholder” image that is ever-present throughout the hike whenever the
hiker is not within a locative hotspot region.
Note that hikers can actually begin a Tracklines layer from any location along the trail using the Layer
Selector. They do not generally have to be situated at the trailhead to watch the Introduction or begin
the experience. In fact, in the case of Banff’s Hoodoo Trail, there are actually two trailhead access
points, one at either end of the pathway, which have to be accommodated by the design. For this
reason and many others, story points for “Geology: A Walk Through Time” have been intentionally
scripted so they may be experienced in any order without disrupting the narrative integrity experience.
However, in the future some layers of storytelling content may be designed to be more “linear” than the
Geology walk, and may require hikers to start at a particular trail location so that content hotspots will
be experienced in the appropriate order.
Once the hiker starts walking down the path toward the content
“zone”, the location-aware phase of the experience has begun –
thanks to their GPS unit, the hiker will now be able to access
hotspot content when it is encountered on the trail. At this
point, they needn't stare at their mobile phone's screen display
at all - in fact, they can clip the phone to their belt, or even stow
it in a pocket - because the navigational signals for Tracklines
are delivered primarily in the form of ambient audio.
The trail is, of course, peppered with "story points" where the
hiker will be prompted to enjoy the view and listen to a
narrative related to the area. First-time Tracklines users will not
initially know where these hotspots are located - however, at
least some of these story points will be located on areas of
the trail where they “can’t be missed” by hikers, as long as they
remain on the main pathway. (Other story points may be
hidden in more out of the way areas, like” easter eggs” waiting
for more curious and adventuresome hikers.)
When a hiker, trundling down the trail, eventually brushes the
edge of a story point (ie, enters a spherical perimeter typically
30 metres in radius from the central story point coordinate)
they begin to receive a series of gentle auditory signals. For
example, if on a wildlife walk, they might hear a quiet vocal call
or other sequence of sounds associated with the wildlife
species highlighted at the upcoming story point. As the player
continues to "sniff the trail", gradually approaching the story
point, the animal calls get louder and more urgent (likewise,
the sounds grow fainter again and eventually disappear if the
player moves away). Should the hiker take the opportunity to
glance at their phone, they will now also see an ambient visual
cue - perhaps an abstract graphic (eg, a partially-drawn image of the animal) or something more
obviously representational (eg, the outline of an animal hidden among the forest) - which gradually
grows more visible and distinct on the screen as the player gets closer to the story point.
When the hiker finally comes within 10 metres of the
story point’s centre, they receive a more insistent audio
prompt or “hook” signaling that it is time to look at their
phone. By this time, the image on their cell phone screen
has resolved fluidly into a selectable graphic menu. The
hiker can now use the phone’s joystick to either “Play
Story” or “Move On” and keep walking.
If the hiker selects “Move On”, then the story point simply
deactivates itself and defaults to the placeholder screen.
Audio feedback and menu hooks will no longer play as
the hiker walks around inside the hotspot area. However,
the content for this story point will become active and
accessible again if the hiker walks outside the boundaries
of the story point (past an outer perimeter called the
“reset zone”) and then walks back toward the story point.
(See “Context-Aware Hotspots” below.)
If the hiker selects “Play Story”, then a new screen
graphic appears and an audio narration begins to play. (In
future iterations, we may also use video. To date, placing
video at each hotspot has exceeded the memory capacity
of the mobile phones.) As part of the narrative, the hiker
also receives simple suggestions about how to best enjoy
the experience, such as “You’ve found the Raven's
outcrop. Why not find a comfortable place to sit down
and admire the view while I tell you a story...”
Once a hiker has paused and listened to the story all the way through (eventually, pause/play/ffwd/rwd
controls will be implemented in order to allow greater playback control, but these are not yet active in
the present iteration), another screen menu appears and prompts the hiker to either replay the story by
choosing “Play Again”, or else simply “Move On”. Moving on will again deactivate the story point’s
locative audio-visual content, which will automatically re-activate once a player moves outward past the
reset zone. (This feature prevents hikers from having to listen to the same
repetitive audio content while leaving the story point area. Again, see
“Context-Aware Hotspots” below.)
Once a hiker exits the vicinity of a hotspot,
they are free to continue walking the trail
and accessing other story points. They are
also free to re-visit any previous story
point and access its content as many times
as they like.
There is no set limit to the number of story
points that can be set up on any particular
trail – the only limit is the storage capacity
of the phone’s memory, the attention span
of the hiker, and the length of the trail
(story points are quite large and cannot
presently overlap).
As a content delivery strategy, Tracklines is
generally open ended. As mentioned
briefly above, hikers do not need to access
story points in any particular order, or find
every available story point, in order for the
content experience to be meaningful
(though more linear narrative
compositions are possible).
Context-Aware Hotspots:
Tracklines hotspots include a number of subtle interactive
“fail safe” features designed to compensate for unpredictable
user behaviour and movements while accessing story point
content. For example, if a hiker listens to a story all the way
through but forgets to key “Move On” when the follow-up
screen menu appears, then walks away from the area, the
screen will automatically default to the placeholder image
once the hiker leaves the hotspot’s outer perimeter or “reset
zone”. Or, if a hiker begins walking while the narration is still
playing and subsequently leaves the hotspot’s reset zone, the
story will play to the end and then default to the placeholder
image without triggering the replay menu.
The purpose of these fail-safe features is 1) to
compensate for the extra complexity introduced when
screen-based interactivity also has to take the user’s physical
movement through space into account, and 2) to make the
screen-based interactions in Tracklines adaptive and
responsive to the unpredictable behaviours and physical
movements typical of people using nature trails. Our
intention is to privilege the hiker’s impulse to move and
explore the trail spontaneously, without ever being forced to
worry about interrupting the smooth flow of their experience
by forgetting a menu choice, or accidentally transgressing an
unseen locative boundary at the wrong moment. Our design
philosophy recognizes that people typically hike because they
want to focus on the mountain environment, on their friends
and family, or on their personal inner dialogues - not on
negotiating with technological devices. Thus, any design that
ignores this factor by forcing people to seriously modify their
behaviour in order to avoid device-frustration, or otherwise
conform to a technological imperative, is probably doomed to
failure (at least, when it comes to appealing to first-time
locative media users in a wilderness trail context).
In the case of Tracklines, putting the hiker first
means integrating the media design as seamlessly as possible
with cultures of trail-use and the contingencies of place. We
wish to avoid creating locative designs that view the media
experience itself as paramount, or that “digitize” outdoor
activity by channeling behaviour in unnatural or undesired
directions. Instead, our goal is to make technology less
intrusive (in fact, as invisible as possible), reduce phone-
based anxieties, and create an experience that remains
seamless, enjoyable, and compatible with the general goals
of hikers. Ultimately, the design of Tracklines aims at
providing hikers with a secondary enhancement or
augmentation to their experience – never at becoming the
main point of the hike itself.
For more information on these fail safe interactive
features, see the Tracklines technical specifications attached
as an addendum.
There is no time limit, and there is no “end” to the story-walking experience – users simply explore the
trail and its embedded content for as long as it proves compelling. Once the hiker has visited as many
story points as they desire, they simply log off the mobile device, or return to the Layer Selector screen
and select another content layer.
While wandering the trail, hikers may also encounter “boundary hotspots”.
These are small, single-ring hotspots that warn hikers when they are getting
“off track” and leaving the content zone. These alerts take the form of simple
audio loops and still images which play automatically when hikers enter their
perimeter. Boundary hotspots are of two types: Generic Boundaries are
situated on side pathways that branch off from the main trail and may
confuse the hiker – these offer a simple warning, such as, “In case you were
wondering, this is a side trail – the stories for the Geology walk are located on
the main pathway.” Zone Boundaries are located on the main pathway, and
offer a similar notification to hikers when they are entering or exiting the content “zone” for the
Tracklines layer currently loaded onto their mobile phone.
Summary of Innovations: 2006/07, a Year in Review The Tracklines application developed in 2006/07 represents the
following locative media innovations:
A fully functional locative experience based on the MEE
application. In fact, the first full mediascape application to
be created with the J2ME version of the MEE, which was
developed at BNMI to support it.
Significantly extends the locative media content delivery
capabilities of next generation mobile phones.
With other MDCN projects, one of the first locative media projects developed for mobile phones in Canada.
The first fully operational mobile phone and GPS-based mediascape to be developed in Canada specifically for a wilderness trail environment. Essentially, among the first guided trail walks of its kind, and one of very few mobile projects worldwide exploring non-urban territory.
The first locative mediascape to be extensively audience-tested and evaluated for useability and audience appeal in a Canadian National Park setting. Represents Parks Canada’s first venture into locative media.
Participatory design innovations include: new user testing protocols for trail-based public field trials, and a growing body of research data on usability, audience receptivity, and market potential of locative media in National Parks.
Key design innovations include: - “Layer Selector” expandable interactive architecture - “Sixth Sense” experience design concept and minimal attention user interface (MAUI). - Sound Navigation and Information visualization concepts, assets, and research. - High quality audio and graphics optimized not only for
mobile phone speakers and screens, but for appropriate
integration in wilderness environments (a challenge
requiring exploration of design fields such as sound
ecology, biomimicry, and sustainable design).
- Expandable, context-aware hotspots.
- Narrative content uniquely adapted to Park locations,
audiences, and trail-use patterns.
- Outfitting strategies for mobile devices (eg, velcro
armbands) and phone keypad controls adapted to the
contingencies of outdoor experience (eg, cold weather,
gloved fingers, keeping eyes and hands free).
- System cognition / orientation materials (flyers, maps).
Credits and Acknowledgements
Tracklines Software Application:
Tracklines is an original application created using the Mobile Experience Engine (MEE)
software developed by the MDCN. The present Tracklines prototype has been produced using
the Java2ME version of the MEE (optimized for Nokia N70 phones) developed at the Banff New
Institute in 2006/7 by Rupinder Deol.
Tracklines was created at the ART Mobile Lab, a division of the Banff New Media Institute,
between March 2006 and March 2007. The project was undertaken as part of the Mobile Digital
Commons Network (MDCN, Phase II) supported by Canadian Culture Online / Department of
Canadian Heritage through the New Media Initiatives Network Fund (2005-2007).
Original Tracklines Concept: Angus Leech with Greg Judelman
Tracklines Logo: Original Concept: Davide Di Saro
Graphic and Animation Design: Christopher Quine
ART Mobile Lab: Lead Artist / Producer: Angus Leech
Mobile Applications Engineer: Rupinder Deol
Interaction Designer: Christopher Quine
Audio Designer: Davide Di Saro
Banff New Media Institute: Director and Executive Producer: Susan Kennard
Program Manager: Cindy Schatkoski
BNMI Coordinator / Field Test Support: Becky Green
Guest Contributors and Researchers:
Parks Canada / Banff National Park: Sarah Hoyt (Content Writer: Geology: A Walk Through Time prototype)
MDCN / EMU: Kim Sawchuk
Barbara Crowe
Andrea Zeffiro
MDCN / OCAD: Geoffrey Shea (audio/experience design support)
Paula Gardner (audio/experience design support + Evaluation support)
Martha Ladly (design consultation)
Bruce Hinds (design consultation)
City University of Hong Kong (Summer Engineering Assistants, 2006): Yeung Sze Yi (Lawrence)
Lau Ka Fei (Rex)
GEOLOGY: A Walk Through Time
Banff Design Team: Concept and Script: Sarah Hoyt and Angus Leech
Lead Experience Designer / Producer: Angus Leech
Graphic, Animation, and Interaction Design: Christopher Quine
Audio Design: Davide Di Saro with Geoffrey Shea
Engineering / Site Implementation: Rupinder Deol
Voice Narration: Emily Paige, Davide Di Saro, Angus Leech
Evaluation Team: Barbara Crowe, Paula Gardner, Becky Green, Angus Leech, Kim Sawchuk, Andrea Zeffiro,
Banff design team
Partnership Agreement: Banff National Park GEOLOGY: A Walk Through Time was produced as a Beta content prototype of Tracklines
through a special partnership between the Banff New Media Institute (Banff Centre) and the
Banff EcoIntegrity Project (Parks Canada). As stipulated in the Terms of Reference for this
partnership, ownership of any copyrighted intellectual property associated with this content
prototype (narrative texts, audio, visuals) developed through this contract, shall vest in the
Crown. This ownership extends to narrative and branded content developed by Parks Canada
specifically for the prototype, and also to final multimedia files (jpeg, mp3, etc) developed
specifically for the demo - but it does not extend to broader aesthetic, interactive or design
concepts developed by the Banff New Media Institute for the Tracklines project, media source
files used to create the final multimedia files (eg, original sound recordings), nor any portion of
the software platform (Mobile Experience Engine, etc.) used to run the demo prototype.
Furthermore, the BNMI retains a series of non-exclusive rights and licenses to use and promote
this content, as defined by the Terms of Reference document.
Parks Canada Representative: Ann Morrow, Coordinator, Banff EcoIntegrity Project, Banff
National Park
Special Thanks: Michael Andereggen, Faisal Anwar, Kieth Archer, Luke Azevedo, Banff Centre Department of
Music and Sound, Neil Barrat, Tahira Baulackey, Ken Bautista and Hotrocket, Darrick Baxter,
Daryl Beatty, Heather Belot, Marc Bernier, Liliana Blanco, Jeff Bolingbroke, Jennifer Cameron,
Daniel Canty, Slavica Cepercovich, Susan Clarahan, CEE, Jon Cohrs, Sameena Darr, Patricio
Davila, Juan Delgado, Lakvir Deol, Kesar Deol, Chantal Dumas, Maria Frangos, Genevieve
Godin, Michael Heimbinder,, Deborah Hession, Julia Heyward, Hong Kong Cyberport,
Hewlett-Packard Mediascape team, Morag Hutchison, Eleanor Jones, Geoffrey Jones, Christina
Kargillis, Susan Kennard, Chad Kerychuk, Marie-Claude Landry, Maria Lantin, Learning
Through The Arts, Ken Leung, Janice Leung, Kurtis Lesick, Paula Levine, Cheryll L'Hirondelle,
Susan Macaulay, Lindsay Macdonald, MemeCo, Mobile Adventures, Ahasiw Maskegon-
Iskwew, Jo Morrison, Jennifer Nadwodny, Glenda Nalder, Anton Nazarko, Steve Nichols,
Maeve O'Rourke, Emily Paige, Leanna Palmer, Mike Pelletier, Simon Pope, Julian Priest, Munju
Ravindra, Mark Resch, Tadzio Richards, Cindy Schatkoski, John Scully, Kim Shepard, Lily
Shirvanee, Wendy Tokyark, TR Labs, Stephanie Tofolo, Marit-Saskia Wahrendorf, Lori Ward,
Fiddian Warman, Jennifer Wemigwans, Pam Wilson, Steve Woolard, Andrea Zeffiro, Jan
Christoff Zoels, and all the participants who came out for our evaluation field tests and
demonstrations.
Mobile Digital Commons Network (MDCN) Phase II
Host Institution: Concordia University
Department of Design and Computational Arts
1455 de Maisonneuve Blvd. W., VA 244
Montreal, QC
H3G 1M8
MDCN II Principal Investigators: Michael Longford (Concordia University)
Sara Diamond (Ontario College of Art and Design)
MEE / MDCN Mobile Applications Engineers:
Lead Engineer
Tom Donaldson
Banff New Media Institute / Java2ME version
Rupinder Deol
Concordia University
David Gauthier
OCAD
Sukhmeet Singh
Jagmit Singh