Ciências Connect
Living Laboratory logo, project title and photograph of people walking on campus
SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities
The Ciências Connect project aims to promote the inclusion and participation of users on the campus of CIÊNCIAS, whether students, professors or visitors, through the implementation of a location-based service that uses beacons to disseminate information. These devices will be placed in the most frequented areas of the campus in order to maximize their use by the Faculty community, which are identified in the following figure:
CIÊNCIAS map with the localization of beacons
Beacons are small devices that transmit signals containing information (e.g., URL addresses) via Bluetooth technology to other nearby devices, which can then be accessed through an app. If configured to do so, the user's mobile device will automatically receive the transmitted notifications when passing near an active beacon.
Illustration of how beacon works
Once the beacons are placed and activated, it will be possible to access the URL addresses of web pages containing at least three levels of information in a very simple and direct way:
More comprehensive contextual information, that can be useful in any CIÊNCIAS area, such as the "Sala mais próxima" ("Nearest classroom") app which indicates the location of various points of interest.
"Nearest classroom" app
Information from the Living Lab for Sustainability, for the dissemination of its projects and ongoing initiatives.
Information associated to the building(s) near to each beacon, which will be made available on a dedicated page and updated frequently, in order to keep users informed in a timely manner about news and events taking place or scheduled in the respective buildings, security-related alerts, etc.
In the area where the beacons will be placed, signage will also be available to indicate their presence and what needs to be done to allow mobile devices to receive notifications.
With the implementation of this project, it is expect that:
The use of existing tools that may be useful to students or visitors to the CIÊNCIAS campus should be encouraged;
News from the CIÊNCIAS community (e.g. projects, articles, initiatives, grants and awards) should be promoted via a location-based service that is accessible to all and can be accessed directly whilst going about their daily activities on campus.
Coordinator: Susana Reis
Project members: João Catalão, Cristina Catita, Paula Redweik and Luiz Coutinho
For more information, please contact sustentabilidade@ciencias.ulisboa.pt.