A mobile geo-wand enabling gesture based POI search an user generated directional POI photography

In this paper we present a fully implemented gesture controlled geo wand providing POI spatial search as a interactive spatial 'Flashlight' running on a commercial mobile phone. Further this novel application allows users to create additional content for a particular POI in the form of photographs which can be tagged not merely with the location of the POI they are viewing but also the direction from which the photograph is being taken. These photographs can then be viewed using an innovative spatial filter interface to select a desired viewing angle to aid users to locate a particular POI within its real world environment. In this paper we present results of a field study investigating the appropriateness of the visualization and feedback schemes together with user experience of the spatial photograph record and search facility. The results highlight the importance of designing appropriate affordances of software feedback to operational activity to ensure users' experience of the mobile service is not diminished and highlight the potential of location and directional photographs as an aid to pedestrian navigation.