Jurong indoor map app guides the disabled, the blind

Visitors to Jurong can now use an indoor mapping mobile app that guides users through a network of linked malls and hospitals, including Jem and Ng Teng Fong General Hospital.

Like an indoor version of Google Maps, the CityGeni app suggests directions to stores or facilities within the mall and hospital network, highlighting the shortest paths and even barrier-free routes for users with disabilities.

The app also includes an alternative mode designed to assist visually impaired users, guiding them with audible blips as they move through the mall.

Available on Android and iOS, the free service, which was released to the public on Oct 23, is part of a collaboration between Hong Kong navigation tech start-up Mapxus and the National University Health System (NUHS) to help users, especially those with disabilities, navigate indoors.

The CityGeni app’s services will officially expand to Jem and other locations in January 2025.

Believed to be a first for Singapore, the app uses unique mapping technology to match Wi-Fi beacon codes with a map, simplifying indoor mapping for venues without requiring new hardware.

It is designed to guide users through different levels of an indoor location, unlike most navigation apps that can pinpoint a user’s location from a bird’s-eye view but not the exact floor within a building.

For example, in Jurong East, shopping malls like Jem and Westgate, as well as the nearby hospitals, are connected by bridges with access points that may not be immediately clear to new visitors.

The app complements the work of hospital staff in escorting individuals between the hospitals’ facilities, said NUHS chief operating officer Ng Kian Swan in reply to queries from The Straits Times.

“The initial deployment covers public areas within the hospital that do not require registration, allowing easy access for all visitors,” said Mr Ng, adding that the service specifically targets wheelchair users and people who are blind.

“We are also evaluating the possibility of extending coverage to (hospital wards) in the future to support even more comprehensive indoor navigation,” said Mr Ng, who oversees the healthcare group’s facilities management.

Founded in 2018, Mapxus is among companies under the Infocomm Media Development Authority’s Spark programme, which supports start-ups through industry connections or grants.

Mapxus’ technology, which has been used in transport networks and more than 150 buildings in Hong Kong, was among the winners in the Jurong Lake District Innovation Challenge in 2023, where participating teams proposed urban solutions for challenges issued by the hospitals and other stakeholders like SMRT and CapitaLand.

Explaining Mapxus’ technology, the company’s business development head Joseph Yi said the user’s position is determined through the phone, which detects the unique signals from Wi-Fi beacons within an indoor location.

The app does not require logging into the premises’ Wi-Fi network and collects only non-sensitive data from the Wi-Fi beacon’s code and signal strength, which are cross-referenced with a blueprint of the premises to identify users’ locations, said Mr Yi, 39.

Without having to log in and connect to a premise’s Wi-Fi network, the service avoids cyber-security risks and preserving the location’s Wi-Fi bandwidth, he added.

To map an indoor location, programmers need only to walk around the premises with a mobile phone to “bounce” signals off the mall’s routers, he said. They use the mall’s blueprints and an updated list of stores and their opening hours to keep the details accurate.

Mr Ng said Mapxus’ technology was a key factor in adopting its services at NUHS’ premises as no additional hardware is needed, making it easy to implement widely.

He said: “While the system leverages Wi-Fi signals for indoor positioning, it doesn’t require a network connection, so it eliminates security concerns by not interacting with the internal network.”

Using the app

In the app’s assistance mode, which was tested with 36 visually impaired users, the app’s visuals adopt high-contrast settings to make text and directional arrows easier for users to see.

They can enter their desired location, hold their phone in front of them and follow an arrow while listening to audio blips to ensure they are heading in the right direction.

In ST’s tests of the app’s text-to-audio mode, the app was able to give fairly accurate directions and descriptions of the stores nearby – to an accuracy of around 3m to 5m. It avoids stairs and other obstacles but, at times, struggles to tell when users are near lifts.

Mr Ng said the app is designed as an assistive tool for visitors and blind people, but cautioned that those who require a cane should still use it to navigate and not just rely on the app’s audio navigation cues. Users can shake their device to reset the app’s navigation settings based on their current location, he said.

“With feedback and continuous improvement, the app will evolve to better support users in navigating indoor spaces independently, while complementing their existing abilities and tools,” he added.