Submissions in the MyGalileoApp competitions target applications in 11 innovation areas. European Mobility Week, which is taking place this week, is a good opportunity to take a look at some of the applications addressing mobility-related issues that were shortlisted in the Top 30 in this year’s edition of the competition.
The Smart Navigation and Infotainment innovation area was a popular choice in this year’s MyGalileoApp competition, with a total of six submissions. Of these, five target applications that aim to improve users’ mobility experience. For example, the Mob(ility) app aims to help different communities of pedestrians living in urban areas that need to have real-time accurate information of their environment to improve everyday mobility. The app will display the best route between two different points of the city depending on users’ preferences.
Streamlining urban traffic
Two applications in this year’s competition aim to streamline urban traffic flows. Firstly, the ReadyPark app makes it possible to exchange parking spots in real-time, by pairing users leaving a spot with users looking for one, which will improve the urban driving experience. Secondly, the Mylights application displays the remaining time of a red or green signal at a traffic light controlled junction and provides optimal speed recommendation (within the applicable speed limit) for drivers to arrive at the junction just in time for a green signal.
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Another mobile application - Lycie - notifies drivers whenever a dangerous situation is detected, by monitoring both the driver and the road. Potential Lycie users include all drivers exposed to road traffic risks: employees or individuals in a car, bus, train or even on a motorbike.
However, it’s not only road transport solutions that were developed in this year’s competition – maritime transport was also targeted. Specifically, the GALILEONAUT application helps sailors to find their way inside a port or a marina. The solution provides a link between the harbour master's office and sailors and allows the harbour master to assign a docking place to a boat entering the harbour, and the sailor to be guided without requiring any assistance from the harbour master’s office.
Mapping, GIS and Agriculture
The Smart Navigation and Infotainment innovation area was not the only one to receive mobility-related submissions. In the Mapping, GIS and Agriculture areas too, some of the applications address specific mobility-related needs. For example, the RoadEO project makes use of a smartphone’s accelerometer, gyroscope, microphone, camera and of course GNSS module to record its environment while driving in a car, truck, bike or other mode of transport, and combines this with Earth observation data in a predictive analytics solution that advises road authorities about where and when road segments need to be maintained.
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In the agriculture segment, Tractor Navigator provides guidance for farmers driving tractors. It is a navigation app (like a car GPS) that enables users to visualise their current position and trajectory on an open field (no road). Using the app, farmers can also accurately follow a predefined trajectory with live feedback to correct deviations and record and load saved trajectories to pick up work from where they left off, thereby avoiding covering the same area twice.
Moving forward
Of the seven mobility related submissions reviewed here, three – Tractor Navigator, Ready Park and GALILEONAUT – have made it through to the final 10 projects selected for the second development phase of the competition. So stay tuned to see how they do!
Along with the other projects in the final 10, these three projects have until October 21 to deliver a finalised version of their app with 100% functionality. All teams that will successfully complete the second development phase will be invited to the finals, to be held in November 2019, where they will present their application to the GSA evaluation board. The awards will be decided after these presentations, with the first-place winner receiving a EUR 100,000 prize. The runner up and third place winners will receive EUR 50,000 and EUR 30,000 respectively.
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