Derby Electric River Boat Phone App is Complete
The University of Derby has successfully completed a package of work to write a smart phone app which synchronises an audio commentary with a series of geofences. The work was financed by the European Regional Development Fund and commissioned by the Derby and Sandiacre Canal Trust. The University Catalysing Growth through Research for transport, equipment and manufacturing project team consisting of Bilal Arshad and Jo Cooper-Green transferred the technology to the Canal Trust on 30th April 2019.
The smart phone app will be installed on the new electric passenger boat which the Derby and Sandiacre Canal Trust are planning to launch onto the river before the end of the year. Mike Wingfield who is part of the Derby and Sandiacre Canal Trust’s river side projects team said “we are delighted with this smart phone app it adds another interesting dimension to our planned river boat service in Derby, it is also very practical as it frees up the boat crew for other important tasks such as steering the boat and looking after the safety and comfort of the passengers”.
The app has been specifically designed for Derby’s new river boat and has key functions which allow for essential information to be conveyed to passengers such as emergency procedures; at the same time it has in-built flexibility so that the DSCT can adapt as new opportunities emerge further down the river in coming years.
