Background

One of the primary challenges of local government service delivery is getting the required information into the right hands – those that want and can use it. As an example, when Wyndham Council runs a large event such as a festival, it is very difficult to convey important messages such as an upcoming performance details, detour/directional information, special features and shows, lost children/property etc. Modern Technologies, particularly social media such as Twitter and Facebook are great at blanket dispersal of information, but they don't target attendees/participants specifically. A new technology recently released by Apple with iOS7, known as iBeacons which uses BlueTooth technology, solves this problem by delivering messages to users based on their location.

In a trial application of iBeacons, Wyndham City Council built a scalable solution that could be managed by non-technical staff. Figure 1 presents the overall solution.

Figure 1: A proximity-based Information Delivery System

There are three components to the solution:

1. Unique beacon – a hardware device with a unique ID that recognises nearby mobile devices. These beacons are all-weather devices, can be easily transported between locations, and can be grouped with other beacons.
2. Web-based management console – computer used by Wyndham City for the customisation of messages, the management of beacons, and the handling of web services for information transfer.
3. Mobile application – downloaded by users that can display notifications, messages, advertisements and other related information. The application is triggered when the user enters a pre-defined proximity to one of the beacons. When this occurs, the messages being managed by the console will be sent to the device via web services.
    

Since the beacons are relatively cheap and can be either fixed or mobilised by council staff with access to the web-management console, the beacons can be moved on a project-by-project basis. The messages that are sent to mobile devices can also be linked to multiple beacons. For example, three beacons could be used at a single or multiple local parks to distribute the same message on rabbit baiting or upcoming vegetation work. The location of the beacons and the content of the messages can then be changed on an ongoing basis to stay up-to-date with council communication priorities. 

The general public, who download the platform independent mobile app, receive the customised messages from council on their mobile device when they are near the beacons. A user can be within range of none, one or multiple beacons and can prioritise the type of messages they receive (e.g. related to upcoming events, tourist information etc.), and the messaging system will send only the requested information and only once, so as to prevent spam.

Pilot Project

To trial the use of iBeacons for Proximity-Based Messaging, Wyndham City constructed a pilot project to gather qualitative data regarding the customer experience. Staff identified "Your Rates Showcase" as a suitable event. This event was conducted indoors, in a relatively small space, with numerous available client devices and simple messaging requirements. For this project Wyndham utilised Bluecats beacons, which use proprietary encryption, replaceable AA batteries and over-the-air remote management. The availability of an software development kit with the beacon also allowed Council to integrate beacon activity with our existing mobile apps.

Figure 2: iWyndham App used at the Rates Showcase

A purpose built mobile application called iWyndham was used for the event. During the event a running sheet of messages was used, which alerted users of the different events at the showcase and other important information. For this event each beacon was linked to the same message.

There were some problems encountered during the pilot. The beacons were only compatible with the latest mobile operating systems which meant that many users with older phones could not receive the messages. Also, notifications proved temperamental when the mobile device was stationary. Despite these issues the pilot project was deemed to be a success. Some learnings from the pilot include the need to integrate iBeacon solutions with corporate applications, and the value of user data such as visitors/visitation times for future event planning.

Future Work

The use of iBeacons in proximity messaging is growing rapidly. Some examples of early adopters include Virgin Atlantic, who are planning to use iBeacons at Heathrow Airport, Major League Baseball (MLB), who are using the technology at sports stadiums, and Antwerp Museum, who are using iBeacons at The Rubens House. Figure 3 below maps the current distribution of beacons globally.

Figure 3. Global map of iBeacons

Further development of the mobile app could see the integration of beacon technology and social media (Facebook accounts, Twitter profiles and Instagram pages). For example, if a beacon was located in the Werribee Plains, users could upload photos of the endangered Eastern Barred Bandicoot taken from a specific area to their social media page, which would then be viewable for other users who enter the area. Another potential application includes feeding information to staff about attendance and the movement of people at public events, which could be used to assist crowd control and event monitoring. 

Wyndham City hopes to encourage other government agencies to adopt this technology and is open to collaboration. 

Adam Mowlam is the Coordinator System Development & Analysis at Wyndham City Council. His responsibilities include building and managing the enterprise GIS, in-house desktop, web and mobile application development, spatial data management and policy development. He is particularly interested in crowd-sourced applications and using innovative solutions to improve business operations.

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