A location-based services system (LBSS) designed for an arboretum

This paper describes the research efforts at California State University, Fullerton (CSUF), for establishing a Location-Based Services System (LBSS) at the Arboretum. An LBSS is a networked, computer-based service which provides location-aware, mobile devices access to context-sensitive information. The LBSS has greater potential to meet the challenges and educational needs of generating enthusiasm, interest and appreciation and of fostering learning in an interactive way. In order to accurately locate the plants and/or facilities in the garden, Differential-GPS (DGPS) with RTK capability is used. For places where GPS´s positioning performance is adversely affected by obstacles like tree-cover and buildings, the possibility of using computer visual recognition techniques to aid DGPS for identifying the plants is discussed. Since cameras are readily available in many mobile devices such as in a smart-phone, the use of computer visual aids is preferred, as the initial approach, over the use of inertial navigation measurements. Finally, results from the preliminary design phase, where a laptop computer with Windows operating system was used to access the location-based services, are discussed.