Orienteering on demand

[Simon E]

Following the recent discussions about permanent courses (which I can't link to since it exceeds the post URL count!) I have now managed to get a prototype Orienteering On Demand website up and running.

It has a lot of rough edges but gives you a good idea of what could be done. I particularly like the GPX import that automatically calculates your score on a score course, even if there weren't any controls out.

There's a bit more detail in my blog.

[mappingmum]

Like!
Very interesting

[oo_wrong_way]

Me like too!

I am very interested in the work you are doing. The idea of someone stumbling on a control on a POC and wondering what it is and then spotting the QR code, scanning it and being presented with a web page all about that course, that control, how to get a map, what orienteering is, a contact point for the local club, the list goes on. And then add in the ability to run the course and log your result, compare with others. I'm all a-quiver!

(your post contains a link error: http://localhost/ood/index.php/result/132 )

[Simon E]

(your post contains a link error: http://localhost/ood/index.php/result/132 )

Now fixed thanks. Original link was to my development system rather than the public version.

Your comments about QR codes increasing the visibility and accessibility of orienteering are definitely what this is trying to do. I've already had a query asking if someone can use it in Norway!

[Sunlit Forres]

This is so good that it might make some normal events redundant! An O-version of ParkRun?

If maps were only downloadable by club members it might attract new membership (in Moravian we have a members-only area requiring a log in.

[Paul Frost]

I really like the idea of using GPS tracks to compete in events that could span months or even years. The concept of having a library of classic courses/locations and then being able to go out and run on them anytime is revolutionary.

[Jayne]

This is really cool - I would definitely use it. I have a gpx trace of the trent park score already!

[Kitch]

massive potential !

[ifor]

Interesting stuff.

I would strongly encorage you to have an API for accessing the data. It leeds to a better design and of course lets you get support from 3rd parities. e.g. if you had an API published for uploading a route I would be able to add upload support to my App IpBike.

As for deployment one site, multiple sites, Open source etc. I am not sure but you may want to check out OpenFitApi which is aiming to allow easy deplayment of a fittness activity tracking website based off an open source model.

I have been working on adding upload support to the various fittness tracking sites that have Apis recently so have some feeling for what is out there. The level of API support is very varied from no API and no intention of having one which looks to be the case with Endomondo. Strava have an api but it is not very good and has no developer support availible but the underlying Strava concept is so strong that there is good comunity interest and people are coding to the api for all it's limitations. MapMy.... have what looks like the most sophisticated API but also no obvious developer suppoort and the API is complex enough that better documentation is needed. RunKeeper has a good API and has real dedicated developer support program for it. They activly encorage you and have a revenue sharing scheme if you can actualy drive subscriptions for them.

[Simon E]

Feedback so far has been very positive, so I'm gradually adding more bits. It is still very much a prototype though, so there are lots of things that aren't quite right (like the navigation structure for example). If you want to see results the easiest way is via the "Courses" menu at the moment.

Helen tells me that ifor wins the prize for the least understandable post on nopesport for some time. Luckily I think I understood and agree with most of it, and I definitely intend to develop an API at some stage.

I have now enabled results entry, either via the boring route (type in what you did in a form) or the interesting route (via GPX file upload). There are two "real" events available.

The first is the HH/LOK Boxing Day Score 2011 at Trent Park. My GPX file from that event is corrupt, but I have uploaded my track from the 2007 event which had the same start and finish. You'll see that in 2007 I scored 40 points four years before the 2011 course had been planned!

The second is the HH Street Score Event from earlier this week. This used an Open Orienteering Map map which you can see on the HH Routegadget site. If you look at Alan Rosen's route you'll see that he cut a couple of corners (controls 24 and 28 for example) where he could answer the question (which is what you had to do on the night) without quite going to the exact location. Using the GPX method could eliminate the annoying questions as well as meaning you could keep your map dry rather than having it disintegrate as you write down an answer.

If anyone ran one of these events then please feel free to try things out.

[madmike]

Helen tells me that ifor wins the prize for the least understandable post on nopesport for some time.

There has been something less understandable than that? When?

[MIE]

Helen tells me that ifor wins the prize for the least understandable post on nopesport for some time.

There has been something less understandable than that? When?

Either you are into IT or you are not; and I don't mean ITalian

[Spookster]

Helen tells me that ifor wins the prize for the least understandable post on nopesport for some time. Luckily I think I understood and agree with most of it, and I definitely intend to develop an API at some stage.

I'm just API that you guys know what you're doing...

[Sloop]

Simon,

I'm on the committee of GMOA - who look after over 50 POC's in the Greater Manchester area. I think this idea has huge potential.

(Unrelated, but last night I had a chat with a teacher who has already set up his own treasure hunts using QR codes containing the next clue. He could well be our pioneer user.)

I think what might work best from a GMOA point of view would be:

> we screw a QR code onto the Start/Finish post and all the control posts (or, if they are cheap and potentially more hideable/less vandalisable, put a chip into each post)
> there is a downloadable "GMOA" app for phones, which is downloadable from the GMOA web site (www.gmoa.org.uk)
> after you have gone round your course, you go to the GMOA web site and upload your results from your phone.

NB.
> I think GPS tracking for routes would be a lower priority than splits and results
> it would be good if the app could work out without asking ... a) what date ... b) which park ... c) which course, and ... d) make allowances for missing controls which could well be unscannable due to vandalism. Maybe using the phone id would save even asking for a name.

I guess the data in the bar code could contain the park, course(s) and control number on each course, as well as general stuff about GMOA/orienteering.

For each of our 50 courses, you could imagine a set of results building up over time, and becoming more and more interesting as it built up. Furthermore, we would begin to see which parks had what levels of usage. And, if the web-side app raised a flag when a control was declared missing, we could get more immediate knowledge of issues than we can with our 4-monthly volunteer checks.

Any suggestions on how to take this further ?

John

[oo_wrong_way]

I have been playing around with a way of using QR codes to enhance the potential of permanent orienteering courses. There are many ways that QR codes or RFID chips could be used and Simon's idea presented here is definitely the end game. However there is a potential audience out there that stumbles across a red and white square whilst walking the dog/family and doesn't know what it is. Assuming they do know what a QR code is and one is attached to the control they could scan it and be presented with a map snippet and information about the area/map/orienteering.

Here is a mock-up. This QR code:

Links to this page: http://oevents.info/poc/ww/xy.html

The next step is to make this "database driven" so that courses, controls and map snippets can be easily added. Once that is done, the collection of times and splits can be achieved within these same pages.

I do have a concern about the copyright of the maps - anyone got any advice on that?