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There are two types of operation for these applications:
There are two modes of operation for these applications:
* The application periodically sends automatically the user position to a server. The user's location is available to its friends in the social network.
* The application periodically sends automatically the user position to a server. The user's location is available to its friends in the social network.
* The user posts its position by posting its coordinates or by checking in nearby locations or venues. The user location is available to its friends and the list of other users present at the location is available to the user.
* The user posts its position by posting its coordinates or by checking in nearby locations or venues. The user location is available to its friends and the list of other users present at the location is available to the user.




Variants to this architecture are:
Variants to these modes are:
* The more basic pedestrian navigation applications support only outdoor pedonal movements not supporting public transportation.
* Some location based social networks are directed specifically to dating and the user defines a set compatibility parameters and the server return compatible dates that are in the vicinity of the user<ref>[http://rossdawsonblog.com/weblog/archives/2008/09/the_past_presen.html The past, present, and future of location-based mobile social networking] Ross Dawson, September 2008.</ref>.
* These applications can be combined with [[Location based Information Streams]] to provide additional information to the user.
* Some of these applications allow users to chat with other users in the proximity.
* In some networks all users are visible to all other users but in most there are privacy options that determine who can view the user location.
* Some of the applications integrate with [[Wikipedia:Twitter]] or [[Wikipedia:Facebook]] by posting the user location in these social networks.


These applications are considered non-critical applications.
These applications are considered non-critical applications.


The precision required by these applications is medium. The current accuracy provided by civilian GPS enough in most situations but not in all since pedestrian are more often in situations with less visible satellites. To support indoor navigation these applications would need a much higher availability than normally given by civilian GPS that might require the use of inertial sensors or other indoor localization techniques.
The precision required by these applications is low, being the current accuracy provided by civilian GPS is enough.


== Application Characterization ==
== Privacy Issues ==
Pedestrian Navigation as been wrongly seen as a mode of [[Road Navigation]]. But the fact is that the environments where pedestrians move around are generally more difficult than the road environment. Pedestrians normally move in sidewalks where the buildings shadow the GNSS signals, in tree shadowed environments and in indoor three-dimensional environments.


At present, satellite navigation based on GNSS and without the use of inertial systems, is not accurate enough to guide pedestrians, especially around cities. When few satellites are in view because of tall buildings, positioning accuracy can be little better than 30 to 40 m. Satellite based augmentation systems ([[EGNOS]], [[WAAS]]), however, improves the accuracy of GNSS positions to a few meters, making it sensitive enough to locate obstacles in the street<ref>[http://www.esa.int/esaNA/ESAKN58708D_index_0.html Space technology to help the blind], ESA Portal, December 2002</ref>.
All social networking applications and sites have privacy issues since users sometimes choose to share information that can be used for purposes different of those intended. In the case of location based social network this can be even more critical since the information about the user location can be shared to all its friends, to all the users of the application and sometimes is made public to everyone in the internet<ref name="Soc_Net">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Networking Social Networking in Wikipedia]</ref>.


These environments are much more difficult than [[Road Navigation]] that even in urban environments will have better satellite visibility. To support indoor navigation these application would have to support inertial sensors integration or other indoor navigation techniques<ref>[http://www.insidegnss.com/node/513 Pedestrian Navigation Hybridization of MEMS and Assisted GPS], Inside GNSS, January 2007</ref><ref>[http://spcomnav.uab.es/docs/conferences/spcomnav_iongnss08.pdf DINGPOS: A Hybrid Indoor Navigation Platform for GPS and GALILEO], J. A. López-Salcedo (UAB) , Y. Capelle  (TAS-F), M. Toledo  (GMV), G. Seco (UAB), J. López Vicario (UAB), D. Kubrak (TAS-F), M. Monnerat (TAS-F), A. Mark (GMV), D. Jiménez (ESA), ION GNSS 2008</ref>.
The information about the user location can be used by criminals to know when the user is not at home or at certain locations. This information can be used to commit crimes such as robberies on the users home or for stalking the user.


In simplified pedestrian applications the maps used for [[Road Navigation|road navigation]] can be reused but this limits the degree of functionality that the application can provide. Pedestrians move in the sidewalks, not in the roads and can move more freely in the environment since they can use pedestrian streets or pathways and go across open areas.
When using these services the user should take into consideration the level of privacy that the service provides and who will have access to the user location.


The mapping of indoor environments is also much more complex and dynamic requiring tridimensional mapping that is not generally required for road applications.
== Application Examples ==
 
Also to support public transportation, the routes and the frequency or the timetable of the public transports must be supported making the database and the routing algorithms more complex.
 
Currently the interface for these applications is supported by the graphical and audio interfaces of mobile phone but these applications would benefit significantly from the used of [[Location based Information Streams#Augmented reality|augmented reality]] technologies<ref>[http://occipital.com/blog/2009/02/28/the-future-of-pedestrian-navigation/ The future of pedestrian navigation], Occipital, February 2009</ref>.


== Application Examples ==
Example of location-based social networks<ref name="Soc_Net"/>:
Applications and services that fit in this category are<ref>[http://www.eetasia.com/ART_8800545489_499488_NT_72d6b5cc.HTM Will pedestrian navigation take off?], EE Times Asia, September 2008</ref>:
* [https://foursquare.com/ foursquare]: Allows to check in on location, share information about the location and to know where your friends are.
* [http://www.navitime.com/ Journey Pro by Navitime]: Journey is pedestrian navigation application for [[Wikipedia:iPhone|iPhone]] and [[Wikipedia:Android (operating system)|Android]].
* [http://gowalla.com/ Gowalla]: Allows to check in on location, share information about the location and to know where your friends are.
* [http://europe.nokia.com/support/product-support/maps-support Ovi Maps]: Nokia free navigation solution that supports pedestrian navigation in the Walk mode.
* [http://www.facebook.com Facebook]: [[Wikipedia:Facebook]] Places provides check in functionality in [[Wikipedia:Facebook]].
* [http://www.google.com/mobile/maps/ Google Maps]: Google free map solution that supports pedestrian navigation including public transportation.
* [http://www.google.com/mobile/maps/ Google Latitude]: Google service that allows the user to share its location with selected users.
* [[Personal Navigation Device|Personal Navigation Devices]]: Most [[Road Applications|road]] oriented [[Personal Navigation Device|personal navigations devices]] support pedestrian modes although usually the same maps and routing algorithms as for road navigation are used.
* [http://twitter.com/ Twitter]: The [[Wikipedia:Twitter]] API allows to add latitude and longitude information to every twit.


== Notes ==
== Notes ==

Revision as of 23:52, 7 April 2011


ApplicationsApplications
Title Social Networking
Author(s) Rui Barradas Pereira.
Level Basic
Year of Publication 2011
Logo GMV.png

Social Networking as become a part of our daily life and millions of user use social network to interact with its social and professional contacts. The concept of posting information about "what are you doing" very rapidly progressed to post "where are you".

Location enabled Social Networking allows you to post your current location or to check into places or venues. This allows the user's friends to know where the user is and the user can know what other user are at the same location where he is.

Application Architecture

Social Network applications depend normally on an architecture that includes a user mobile device and an information server accessible through the internet.

The user mobile device is usually a mobile phone with internet access, localization capabilities and a multimedia interface running the social networking application.


There are two modes of operation for these applications:

  • The application periodically sends automatically the user position to a server. The user's location is available to its friends in the social network.
  • The user posts its position by posting its coordinates or by checking in nearby locations or venues. The user location is available to its friends and the list of other users present at the location is available to the user.


Variants to these modes are:

  • Some location based social networks are directed specifically to dating and the user defines a set compatibility parameters and the server return compatible dates that are in the vicinity of the user[1].
  • Some of these applications allow users to chat with other users in the proximity.
  • In some networks all users are visible to all other users but in most there are privacy options that determine who can view the user location.
  • Some of the applications integrate with Wikipedia:Twitter or Wikipedia:Facebook by posting the user location in these social networks.

These applications are considered non-critical applications.

The precision required by these applications is low, being the current accuracy provided by civilian GPS is enough.

Privacy Issues

All social networking applications and sites have privacy issues since users sometimes choose to share information that can be used for purposes different of those intended. In the case of location based social network this can be even more critical since the information about the user location can be shared to all its friends, to all the users of the application and sometimes is made public to everyone in the internet[2].

The information about the user location can be used by criminals to know when the user is not at home or at certain locations. This information can be used to commit crimes such as robberies on the users home or for stalking the user.

When using these services the user should take into consideration the level of privacy that the service provides and who will have access to the user location.

Application Examples

Example of location-based social networks[2]:

  • foursquare: Allows to check in on location, share information about the location and to know where your friends are.
  • Gowalla: Allows to check in on location, share information about the location and to know where your friends are.
  • Facebook: Wikipedia:Facebook Places provides check in functionality in Wikipedia:Facebook.
  • Google Latitude: Google service that allows the user to share its location with selected users.
  • Twitter: The Wikipedia:Twitter API allows to add latitude and longitude information to every twit.

Notes


References

  1. ^ The past, present, and future of location-based mobile social networking Ross Dawson, September 2008.
  2. ^ a b Social Networking in Wikipedia
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