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Introduction

VirtualEye-MoveAssistant application is a navigation program for pedestrians, created especially for visually impaired people. VirtualEye-MoveAssistant lets its users locate their position (telling them their precise position), save their own points in database, send created point to another user, navigate to selected point or along selected route. The biggest innovation of VirtualEye-MoveAssistant is ability to perform voice commands. Thanks to that, a visually impaired user can get to his destination faster, easier and safer.

Using the application

VirtualEye-MoveAssistant doesn't use built-in voice synthesizer. Visually impaired people should have VoiceOver turned on in their iOS devices. Zoom users can use the application the same way as in other applications or iOS elements. If any message wasn't heard by user well, it can be replayed by using the "Repeat" button on top right corner of the window. The application has a limit on the number of speech recognition requests per day. VirtualEye-MoveAssistant requires an Internet connection.

Weather

One of VirtualEye-MoveAssistant application's features is ability to check the weather in user's location. After tapping the "Weather" button in main menu, user will be informed of current weather and weather forecast for next two days. Apart from maximum and minimum temperature, he'll be informed of cloudiness and wind speed.

Points databases

Application, apart from using the points created by the owner, allows users to use location databases, previously generated from OpenStreetMap project or Loadstone application. Loadstone database file should have an extension “osm”. VirtualEye-MoveAssistant after installing has several databases that contain points of interest from several world's capitals.

Loading databases

Databases for Poland can be obtained from:
  • UMP project, prepared for Loadstone users - LINK
In order to upload a database to VirtualEye-MoveAssistant we have to follow these steps:
  1. connect your iOS device to a computer
  2. open iTunes
  3. choose your device on devices list and open Apps tab
  4. find VIRTUAL EYE - MoveAssistant on File Sharing list
  5. press Add button and find the database on your hard drive
  6. synchronize your device with iTunes

Choosing Databases

In order to use a database in VirtualEye-MoveAssistant you must first press "Points" button on the main screen and next choose "Bases List" option. You can then activate given database by checking it on the list. Two databases can be active at the same time in the full version of application.

Searching through databases

In order to find a location in an active database, tap "Find" button. After typing the searched phrase you will be given a list of matching points or information about no result. Instead of typing the name of a point using on-screen keyboard, users can easily dictate it. To do press the "By voice" button below the edit text field. Database is searched through according to the chosen range. The range can be changed in the Settings available on the main screen.

Routes

VirtualEye-MoveAssistant allows the users to create two types of routes. Automatic routes are created on the basis of so-called track. User routes, on the other hand, are based on the basis of points in the imported databases as well as locations created by the user himself.

Automatic routes

In order to create an automatic route, tap the "Record Route" button on the main screen. You will be asked to enter the name of a new route. The name can be entered using the onscreen keyboard, or dictate, using the "By voice" button. After approval of the name by using the "Done" a message will be displayed that the recording has been started. In order to stop recording tap "Stop Recording" button on the main screen.

User routes

IIn order to create User Route tap „Points” on the Main Screen, select „Routes List” option and then tap „New Route”.
In order to add points to created route select one or multiple locations, either from search results, neighborhood, Favorite Points, Saved Points and tap „Route” button. Upon finish, select one the previously created routes. Confirm the choice with „Done” button. User routes are editable. In order to edit route highlight it on the list and tap "Edit Route" button. Route points can be rearranged, renamed and deleted in the same manner.

Navigation

VirtualEye-MoveAssistant allows user to find their current location, create new points of interest and locations, using imported databases, navigation towards selected point, navigation with previously created route and sharing points between users. Thanks to the app a visually impaired person can virtually 'look around' and find the desired locations. Even if the app is turned off and the screen is locked, VirtualEye-MoveAssistant will inform the user about his favorite places nearby.

Where am I?

Tapping the „Where am I” button gives user information about his current location address, such as street name and number, zip code, city and country. Obtained data might not be complete on rural areas, lacking for example street name or number.

GPS information

If a user wants to know the direction and the speed he's moving at as well as the accuracy of GPS signal, he can tap GPS Information button on the home screen. GPS accuracy is given in meters, and the lower the number is, the better the signal quality.

Show neighborhood

"Show Neighborhood" button allows user to learn about places in his vicinity. If a user is moving, he can update the list by pressing the Refresh button above the list. The range of search is set under the "Neighborhood distance" from "Settings" menu.

Exploration mode

Exploration mode can be turned on from "Show Neighborhood" screen. In order to do so just shake the device. Holding the device in horizontal position and turning around, you will be informed about the points available in the given direction. VirtualEye-MoveAssistant, by using the compass, will inform in which direction user will need to head and will make that information more precise by describing the direction using clock hours. To exit the exploration mode, user just needs to tap the button or shake the device again.

Adding points

If user is in a place to which he'll want to navigate to later, he can use VirtualEye-MoveAssistant to save that location. To do this, he has to tap the "Add point" button and input its name. The location name can be entered using the on-screen keyboard, or dictate, using the "By voice" button. By default, VirtualEye-MoveAssistant places in the text field information about current location. While saving the point, user location from the moment he tapped "Add point" button is taken. All points created by the user are stored in a separate database called privatedb.sql, which also can be archived in the Dropbox service.

Editing points

In order to edit your custom points, on the main screen choose „Points” and then tap „Saved Points" button. To edit or delete a point, first select it on the list. The point name can be changed using the on-screen keyboard, or dictate, using the "By voice" button.

Favorite points

For the quick access, points can be added to the list of Favorites available after tapping "Points" on the main screen and choosing "Favorite Points" next. The user can add point to favorites from list of saved points or from a result list of „Find” or "Show Neighborhood" button. In order to add a location to your Favorites, highlight a point on the list and tap „Favorite”.

Navigating to a point

VirtualEye-MoveAssistant can give the user directions to the given point, giving him information about the direction and distance. In order to turn on the guide just select a point on any list of locations (search results, neighborhood points, favorite points or saved points) and tap the "Track". At this point, user will be navigated to this point.

Navigational messages

VirtualEye-MoveAssistant application can inform the user automatically about the tracked point position. Automatic notifications may be turned on or off, using the "Notifications on/off" button from the main menu. Notifications appear each time the user's distance from tracked point changes by a certain amount. To set that distance, user has to change the "Notification distance" settings from the settings menu.
If user is navigating to some point or route, pressing „Force update” at any moment informs him of the distance and direction to the tracked point.
If any message wasn't heard by user well, it can be replayed by using the "Repeat" button on top right corner of the window.
VirtualEye-MoveAssistant has additional notification options. In settings menu, user can, under "Notifications" menu, turn on notifications by sound or by vibrations, or even turn all the options on.

Route navigation

VirtualEye-MoveAssistant can navigate a user through a chosen route giving him information about the direction and distance to nearest point of route. In order to turn on Route Navigation choose "Points' and tap "Routes List". Then, highlight a desired route and tap "Track Route". At this point, user will be navigated throughout this route. Automatically created route by default is added to the track in reverse order than was registered, allowing user to return to the place from which he started route recording.

Tracked points

At any time user can stop navigating, or see which points are tracked by an application VirtualEye-MoveAssistant. In order to see tracked points, on the main screen choose „Points” and then tap „Tracked Points" button. Tracked points can be deleted and rearranged on the list. To do this select point and select the appropriate action "Delete", "Move up" or "Move down". User can change direction of navigating the route pressing the "Reverse Order" button. To stop navigating at all, use the "Finish Tracking".

Screen auto-lock

Most of the iOS devices have screen auto-lock feature turned on by default. VirtualEye-MoveAssistant enables user to turn this function off so that the screen does not have to be unlocked every time he wants to quickly access the app. In order to do so tap "Auto-Lock"" button in Settings menu.

Locking screen orientation

VirtualEye-MoveAssistant allows user to lock screen orientation, regardless of system settings. In order to do so, choose „settings” from the main menu, and then use „Screen lock” button.

Notifications

VirtualEye-MoveAssistant has a unique functionality, which notifies user about the approaching locations when minimized, or even when the screen is locked, and application is turned off. Application notifies in this manner about Favorites points. In order to enable this option, user must select two options: first enable „Notifications” in „Settings” -> „Notifications” and enable „Favorites” in „Settings”. With this setup, user will be notified when he or she will be less then 150 meters from one of the favorites. The notification will be present also in the notification area. In order for this functionality to work, location services must be enabled in the system settings, in the „Settings” -> „Privacy” -> „Location services” menu. After enabling location services user should make sure that VirtualEye-MoveAssistant is enabled on the list in Location Services list.
This feature is available only in iPhone 4 and newer versions.
If the locations services are disabled, user will be notified only when the application is minimized and the screen is locked.

Backup in cloud

VirtualEye-MoveAssistant enables user to back up his or her points and databases in Dropbox, so that change or loss of a device does not mean loss of user’s data. In order to utilize this functionality user must have a Dropbox account.
Backup operations are available from the Dropbox menu available in the Settings. First step to back up the data to cloud is to link the application to the Dropbox, which is achieved by tapping the „Link to Dropbox” button. If the user has a Dropbox account he or she has to select Allow to unlock the backup functionality. After linking to Dropbox both „Upload” and „Download” buttons became active. First synchronization uploads all user’s data, and can take several minutes to complete. Each consequent synchronization uploads only changed data.
If user for some reasons loses his data he or she can retrieve it by selecting „Download” from the „Dropbox” menu. While downloading user can choose either selected or all databases. Points created ​​by the user are stored in the database called privatedb.sql, while favorite points are stored in a database called favorite.sql. Recorded routes are not backed on Dropbox.

Voice commands

Voice commands make VirtualEye-MoveAssistant a unique navigation application. Most of the tasks can be launched by issuing short voice command. User can check weather in this manner, search for particular point in the database or browse the neighborhood. All voice commands are based on buttons or options names in the application. For example, in order to search for certain point in the database user should tap „Voice commands” button and after short sound say „Search ATM”. If user’s databases contains points with ATM in name they will be showed to the user. Analogously, saying „Favorites” will display list of favorites points. Saying „Weather” will bring user the weather forecast. „Save point” voice command is a shortcut for saving the current location to the database. In order to back to the main screen user should simply issue „Main screen” command from anywhere in the application.

Voice commands list

In order to get familiar with the voice commands list user should tap on the „Instructions” on the main application screen. Alternatively, user can tap „Voice commands” buttons, and say „Voice commands list” request. All command on the list are split into functional groups, to east the navigation, using the headers structure.

Points sharing

VirtualEye-MoveAssistant enables sharing user points. In order to share a point, user should navigate to „Points” -> „Saved Points” menu, select point and tap „Send Point”. Points are shared through email, and mail application is launched automatically. Subject and body of the message are pre-populated, only to field needs to be updated. Upon receiving such message user with VirtualEye-MoveAssistant application installed can import point in two ways: either by double tapping „Action” button in top left corner, and choosing the application to open the attachment (VirtualEye-MoveAssistant in this case), or alternatively double tap and hold the attachment to launch context menu for choosing the application. Either way point will be added to VirtualEye-MoveAssistant database. Bases and tracks can be shared via Dropbox. All VirtualEye-MoveAssistant files are available in Dropbox / Apps / MoveAssist folder, databases in subfolder databases and routes in subfolder routes. To share base or track simply choose it from relevant folder on Dropbox, and make it available to other users. In order to avoid overwriting user data names of the added databases should be unique, and other than previously stored ones.

User support

VirtualEye-MoveAssistant strongly supports user. Each screen contains context specific tutorial which can be launched from the „Instructions” button in the title bar. In the main screen, together with tutorial and voice command list user can directly access technical support through „Suggestions” button. From this screen user can easily post suggestions, issue bug reports and comment and vote for existing ideas and improvements.

Limitations of LITE version

LITE version of VirtualEye-MoveAssistant has several limitations, such as:
  • Lack of Dropbox support,
  • Only one database active at a time,
  • Only one user route,
  • Only five user points,
  • Only five points can be added to the favourites,
  • Only twenty commands daily

Disclaimer

When using VIRTUAL EYE - MoveAssistant you have to remember that most of its functionality is based on the information obtained from GPS system, Google Maps services, and databases imported by users. GPS itself is not 100% precise and the location results may differ from reality by 15 meters. Information provided by the application have to treated carefully, bearing in mind the aforementioned limitations. TRANSITION TECHNOLOGIES S.A. is not responsible for any injury, loss or damage resulting from using VIRTUAL EYE - MoveAssistant.