Odin

The ODIN project aims at developing innovative paradigms for the design of open, distributed, and networked tools to boost the integration of an entire new class of just-in-time (at the point of need), interactive, value-added, map-based and personalised services for the mobile citizen (tourist, entrepreneur, commuter, farmer, etc.) paying a special attention to the promotion of natural and cultural assets of rural areas. With the cellular market in Europe reaching its maturity, the growing competitive pressure is causing mobile telecom operators to increasingly target the mass market, yet also paying particular attention to the needs of their high-value business subscribers, by launching tailor-made services to suit the needs of everyone. Innovative offerings, launching of new ranges of voice and data value-added (internet) services targeting the growing market of handheld digital wireless devices, are issued at rocket speed. In parallel, the development of new map-based web-service paradigms based on high degree of integration information (resulting from different, networked information), interactivity, and personalisation (while delivered on conventional fixed network and devices) such as those issued by the IA 1011 TITAN project (4th Framework Programme), have been proven successful in large European rural areas. Within the long-medium term future, we envisage a situation where a growing demand of just-in-time, map-based, integrated and tailored Web-based information services will be arisen by the increasingly mobile citizen (worker, tourist, entrepreneur, farmer, etc.) As a matter of fact, this situation poses a number of new integration problems to be tackled. ODIN is to satisfy these emerging requirements. The project will firstly undertake the definition of a global system architecture for the delivering platform and services compliant to the guidelines ISO/ODP (Open Distributed Processing) 10746, and, specifically contributing to the work of the ISO TC-211/OpenGIS Consortium set up to define standards on spatial data interoperability (some of the ODIN participants are active partners within this Consortium). Then, the specification and implementation of an integrated ODIN Toolkit able to access spatial and non-spatial information sources by means of the XML/Java power and to visualise them just-in-time and dynamically over wireless hand-held devices, will be carried out. Finally, the project will be engaged in the specification, implementation and subsequent extensive validation of just-in-time, intelligent services for the mobile citizen/business so as to improve the quality of life and raise business activity in large rural areas.