2019-07-10 20:49:39 (edited by arbuz 2019-07-17 10:19:04)

[update]
I implemented nearby places.

[Update]
If you wish to test it for a while, here is a link: https://justbest.eu
You need to register here and there you will be able to try it out. I need a concrete feedback.

[Update]
I found the way to integrate Google maps as well and it's not difficult when I read documentation carefully. The problem is, that Google maps gives only 200$ subscribtion for a month and if users exceed that limitation, and the owner of the app should cover the expenses. My decision is simple for now, I've registered for a demo trial and will see what will follow, however maybe someone has some ideas how we can colaborate and integrate maps by solving this problem of lack money?
By the way, I'm still working on the MapQuest API and I see there are some people that would love to test it. Fine, I am implementing the search by category for now.

Older story:
Hello,
For a quick start, there is a quick podcast to see what's coming if you need it: https://www.dropbox.com/s/oh05y6a4un8b2 … k.mp3?dl=1
I know this is not the highest quality navigation app for the blind around, but anyway, I think I'll share my idea with all of you.

Some time ago I created an app called Walk helper for blind. It was a simple application where you were able to save your own points and then get direction by clock and compass towards them. I lost my source code and decided to let it go... But I really need an application that would be able to tel directions by clock, cardinal directions (east, northwest etc.) and of course, go forward slight left 122 meeters... I mean - just a simple human language where the next point is and when to turn afterwards.
I was looking for an option to get something at least for the smartwatch to help me find a way towards the see shore, but many of the apps are useless for such a purpose on the watch. Then easy, but the same way - sharp mind came to my head - why not to try to use browsers functionality for this task? There is an GEOLocation API already supported on many browsers, so I wrote simple Javascript code to get the location and it was with a really high GPS accuracy - 30 meeters or even more... Then I read the documentation carefully and got it around with 3 meeters ;D it's fine now. But Samsung smartwatch was quickly forgotten because of it's inaccessible WEB browser... Perhaps you know the watch which has an accessible browser or it could be installed by the way? If you do, please let me know.
Another problem, which I wasn't able to solve last time when I created Walk helper for blind was the turn-by-turn navigation / guidance function. Now I did a bit of research and found out about MapQuest API, which is based on Open Street Maps and it gives turn-by-turn instructions from the server through HTTP request, so few AJAX requests and wow, we got what we needed...
Then I turned on my server and as an additional security, in order to be able to get user's location (even by his or her own permition), it still requires to have an SSL (HTTPS) layer to request for a permition. Installed the SSL and it works big_smile
By going forward I managed to create working algorithm to walk across the points and get instructions on the screen and read by TTS. Some as well may say it's impossible on the web, however we can use ARIA (accessible rich internet applications) standard and screen readr speaks what do we tell it to say big_smile
By walking outside I thaught the compass is what I need to be happy now... Yes, there was the biggest problem in this simple and dirty project... Compass was like mission impossible to me... I got alpha, beta and gamma values by listenning to orientationChange event and then calculated the compass heading, however after some Googling and physical testing on a real device, I realized that the data which is coming from a hardware implementation is inaccurate, because these days web is coming the way as all the ogmentid reality goes, so the initial point that is considered to be 0 is the point, which was fixed at the moment when the JS code requested deviceOrientation for the first time when page was loaded... Oh, it's the nightmare... Some time ago, browsers had another value - an absolute alpha, which pointed to the true north / bearing, but not now... Deep in the shadows of the web I found that Google Chrome V50+ lets to access this absolute alpha value by requesting it other way, which is not the standart, but supported on android. So I solved the compass problem by doing some math and we came to a phase where there are results like these:
1. Turn-by-turn navigation by entering an address or well known location;
2. Direction towards the next turn by clock, geographical and easy humanized form - on your left, on your right, slightly on your right behind...;
3. Distance in meters and kilometers;
4. Moovement speed;
5. GPS accuracy;
6. Route preview - to get an instructions just to help you to imagine where you would need to go if you would. Some of the instructions report the maneuvers more explanatory than just turn left or right;
7. Compass (cardinal directions - east, west and degrees). Additionally it does another important function as well - you can spin your device around and when it points straight towards the direction you need to go, it vibrates in some pattern. Then if you point your device to the wrong direction afther that, it vibrates in another pattern to let you know. You can turn on or off your compass on the main routing menu all the time.
8. TTS says what to do in each 30 meters.
It's still an experimental version / prototype, because actually I'm working only less than a week around this project yet. Yes, there are main conciderations so far:
1. An application would work on the web, so you don't need to install any software, any updates, just to remember website address.
2. Since there are inconsistancies among browsers, we are experimenting with the sounds and other stuff, but I officially refused to do more effort to make compass available on IOS, because it is nightmare. Also sounds aren't playing on IOS the way I implemented them... One good friend of mine gave a few sounds to make APP look more professional.
3. You may think that it's not worth the effort to make such app, because when you lock your screen, you are out of the browser. Yes, you are, but think about it this way: Javascript variables are still in the same place when you resume it, only your location might be determined a bit slower or the compass data would come slower, but it's not going to happen on all browsers and phones, it's just a few seconds either way, so when you come back to your browser, you pick where you left off, and that's acceptable.
4. OH, it seems that I can't put my phone in the pocket and ho? Really, is it so sad? Almost yes, because system should be in browser window to work, but does it really still important? In the crowded city you couldn't even hear what screen reader says in your pocket. Yes, you could wear headphones and avoid such problem, but as I noticed, it's more confortable to move across the screen to check where you are.
5. What to do if device sleeps after 2 minutes when not touching the screen? Change your settings big_smile you can set to hold it much much longer...
6. Since it is a website, we can confortably create an accounts, to let users share locations among each other and do other stuff. If you need the way to create your own points, we can save them into the database and so on - all your ideas are welcome, we consider them.
What do I want to hear from you:
1. Would you try such app?
2. Would it be really inconfortable because that's not the app on your system?
3. Would you want to join us and help?

2019-07-10 21:23:16

Wow (interesting). I know it's komplicated and it takes time, but can it be a Dot Walker'ish successor? I'm kinda curious.
Guess I have many words corrected dah so in that case if my orthography deserves it the one that the one that the... Oops... Sorry!

73 Wj3u

2019-07-10 21:37:12

Hi,
Great work with this! I've never used MapQuest API, only Google Maps API for geolocations. I'd imagine they're pretty similar.

If you want to make it cross-platform (your comment on iOS development is noted,) might I suggest Cordova / PhoneGap. https://phonegap.com/
and
https://cordova.apache.org/

This is what I've used in the past to make cross-platform mobile applications. The iOS community generally frowns upon it but that's only because you're not coding in whatever their new language is nowadays, and they tend to hate on people a lot. But PhoneGap and Cordova are both mature technologies and have been used enough to be declared "tried and tested."

2019-07-10 21:52:13

What a cool concept.

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2019-07-10 21:53:08

Well if I'm giving my opinion here, I'd say that I would try such app, and I don't know how to feel about the hole web thing. I'd personally like an app better. But I'd definitely try it. I do wish you good luck with this app.

-
"There is beauty in simplicity."

2019-07-10 23:02:49

Good luck with this and sure, I would try it, but in small places cause it is weird for me to have my 6 inkes phone in my left hand, in the right the cane and the sunu on the left, the idea of doing this feels abit weird to me.
If you could make locking some how touches from the pocket that would be cool, cause I personaly always use a bluetooth headset with these apps.
Or I guess you can put your phone in your pocket carefuly, like I do when I listen to music on youtube in class, don't do like I do.
smile

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2019-07-10 23:34:18

i wood try it

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2019-07-11 10:20:46

Hi.
Wow. I would like to try this as well.
Regarding browsers: Google Crome on IOS does work when the screen is locked. It can play podcasts etc. in the background unlike Safari. Maybe you'll find this information useful.

Best regards SLJ.
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2019-07-11 12:16:37

So I'm wondering can you still use a compass even if your phone doesn't have a cumpass? I have a samsung J3 running android.

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2019-07-11 13:10:46

hurstseth405 wrote:

So I'm wondering can you still use a compass even if your phone doesn't have a cumpass? I have a samsung J3 running android.

If you have no compass on your device, you still will be able to use my app, because since you start moving outside, my app gets your current location and tracks it in order to get the direction you're moving and says which direction you're going and which direction you need to go.

2019-07-11 13:13:52

electro wrote:

Wow (interesting). I know it's komplicated and it takes time, but can it be a Dot Walker'ish successor? I'm kinda curious.
Guess I have many words corrected dah so in that case if my orthography deserves it the one that the one that the... Oops... Sorry!

I onestly didn't get the question I guess. But if you're talking about the developer of Dotwalker PRO, then I can say that we're not related with one another. Or perhaps you wish to know if it works like dotwalker PRO does than I can say that in some ways it does, but in some ways it's not.

2019-07-11 13:15:04

Munawar wrote:

Hi,
Great work with this! I've never used MapQuest API, only Google Maps API for geolocations. I'd imagine they're pretty similar.

If you want to make it cross-platform (your comment on iOS development is noted,) might I suggest Cordova / PhoneGap. https://phonegap.com/
and
https://cordova.apache.org/

This is what I've used in the past to make cross-platform mobile applications. The iOS community generally frowns upon it but that's only because you're not coding in whatever their new language is nowadays, and they tend to hate on people a lot. But PhoneGap and Cordova are both mature technologies and have been used enough to be declared "tried and tested."

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll definitely will check it out.
Perhaps you wish to help on a development process?

2019-07-11 13:17:02

Angel wrote:

Good luck with this and sure, I would try it, but in small places cause it is weird for me to have my 6 inkes phone in my left hand, in the right the cane and the sunu on the left, the idea of doing this feels abit weird to me.
If you could make locking some how touches from the pocket that would be cool, cause I personaly always use a bluetooth headset with these apps.
Or I guess you can put your phone in your pocket carefuly, like I do when I listen to music on youtube in class, don't do like I do.
smile

Yeah, I know what you mean, however it's not so easy to do it in the browser, because then all the UI freezes.

2019-07-11 13:17:58

SLJ wrote:

Hi.
Wow. I would like to try this as well.
Regarding browsers: Google Crome on IOS does work when the screen is locked. It can play podcasts etc. in the background unlike Safari. Maybe you'll find this information useful.

Yeah, this info is useful, thanks.

2019-07-11 15:12:54

Sounds like a cool concept, I'm an iOS user though, plus, I wouldn't use an app that needed a browser and needed the phone to be unlocked because even with the screen darkened, it would still burn through battery, and it's just one more thing I'm having to hold.

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2019-07-11 22:18:37

arbuz wrote:
electro wrote:

Wow (interesting). I know it's komplicated and it takes time, but can it be a Dot Walker'ish successor? I'm kinda curious.
Guess I have many words corrected dah so in that case if my orthography deserves it the one that the one that the... Oops... Sorry!

I onestly didn't get the question I guess. But if you're talking about the developer of Dotwalker PRO, then I can say that we're not related with one another. Or perhaps you wish to know if it works like dotwalker PRO does than I can say that in some ways it does, but in some ways it's not.

Wow, thanks for that answer. I mean, for example, forsquare support or something. BTW, I didn't talked with the developer of Dot Walker Pro eaven when he didn't pay google's subscription. I guess he has the source somewhere... but he didn't uploaded in a git platform.

73 Wj3u

2019-07-12 06:33:31

electro wrote:
arbuz wrote:
electro wrote:

Wow (interesting). I know it's komplicated and it takes time, but can it be a Dot Walker'ish successor? I'm kinda curious.
Guess I have many words corrected dah so in that case if my orthography deserves it the one that the one that the... Oops... Sorry!

I onestly didn't get the question I guess. But if you're talking about the developer of Dotwalker PRO, then I can say that we're not related with one another. Or perhaps you wish to know if it works like dotwalker PRO does than I can say that in some ways it does, but in some ways it's not.

Wow, thanks for that answer. I mean, for example, forsquare support or something. BTW, I didn't talked with the developer of Dot Walker Pro eaven when he didn't pay google's subscription. I guess he has the source somewhere... but he didn't uploaded in a git platform.

Today i'm going to improve an algorithm of redirection to the next point. It works, but my intention to make it better if I can, so we will see what I can acomblish.
Furthermore, since this app is based on JS, all the code will be accessible to each and everyone of you if I wouldn't plan to compile it on some platform, but I guess that's rmain to be seen. I'm considering to make this platform totally free, but the biggest gamble is the payment for the server. If some of the users will be able to publish it on their systems if they have some kind of srws, I would be glad to hear from you...
To answer to your curiosity about the Forsquare, my intention is to use the same MapQuest API and try to integrate categories of bars, shops, busStops and some others if I'll be able to. I'm planning to do it quickly enough, but we'll see what will folow.`

2019-07-12 06:37:55

ironcross32 wrote:

Sounds like a cool concept, I'm an iOS user though, plus, I wouldn't use an app that needed a browser and needed the phone to be unlocked because even with the screen darkened, it would still burn through battery, and it's just one more thing I'm having to hold.

Thanks for your answer. You're indeed partly correct about the battery. It burns not faster as any other app does which uses GPS at it's part. Sighted people use their phones and almost constantly checks their screen if they have no clue where to go. So my own asesment is like this: if you really need to walk somewhere and can't find a proper tool to do so, you can use almost anything to comeback, isn't that right?

2019-07-12 09:45:54

arbuz wrote:
electro wrote:
arbuz wrote:

I onestly didn't get the question I guess. But if you're talking about the developer of Dotwalker PRO, then I can say that we're not related with one another. Or perhaps you wish to know if it works like dotwalker PRO does than I can say that in some ways it does, but in some ways it's not.

Wow, thanks for that answer. I mean, for example, forsquare support or something. BTW, I didn't talked with the developer of Dot Walker Pro eaven when he didn't pay google's subscription. I guess he has the source somewhere... but he didn't uploaded in a git platform.

Today i'm going to improve an algorithm of redirection to the next point. It works, but my intention to make it better if I can, so we will see what I can acomblish.
Furthermore, since this app is based on JS, all the code will be accessible to each and everyone of you if I wouldn't plan to compile it on some platform, but I guess that's rmain to be seen. I'm considering to make this platform totally free, but the biggest gamble is the payment for the server. If some of the users will be able to publish it on their systems if they have some kind of srws, I would be glad to hear from you...
To answer to your curiosity about the Forsquare, my intention is to use the same MapQuest API and try to integrate categories of bars, shops, busStops and some others if I'll be able to. I'm planning to do it quickly enough, but we'll see what will folow.`

for me, an app shall be ideal instead of the web browser, specially with offline maps if you want to add thhat functionality.

73 Wj3u

2019-07-12 10:35:33

Hey guys!
Wow it was sound so interesting.
I'm sure I will test it.
Anyway keep up the good work.
Best!
Bee!

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2019-07-12 13:38:32

bee_songkran wrote:

Hey guys!
Wow it was sound so interesting.
I'm sure I will test it.
Anyway keep up the good work.
Best!
Bee!

Thanks. Now I'm at the stage to test an improved algorithm that I wrote few minutes ago big_smile
My intention is to impruve automatic redirection between points and then I'll try to implement something like nearby places - the categories like transport, shops, food etc.

2019-07-12 17:41:26

Is there a way you could do a app? I'm not really good on using chrome on my droid?

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2019-07-12 19:44:23

1. I would test and provide feedback for sure!
2. It would have been great  if it was an app, but since you have already started working on it, i'll be interested to see what you'll be doing! and you're right,  maybe  it wouldn't be that bad to use a browser if you need its functions thats not provided anywhere else.
3. I don't have any technical skills for making apps so sorry, wouldn't be able to help.

but yeah i'll be watching for the alpha/beta to test

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2019-07-13 01:49:42

Well I was only hopping for only an app, instead of using Chrome on my android with commentary or Talkback feels so sluggish.

73 Wj3u

2019-07-13 01:56:59

I'd gladly host it if you'd like me to. I'm already paying for a server anyway.