FY2011 "Tokyo Ubiquitous Technology Project in Ginza" Feasibility Experiment
Information on start of smartphone lending and reservations (free of charge)
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is conducting a feasibility experiment called the "Tokyo Ubiquitous Technology Project in Ginza." The project seeks to use the latest ubiquitous ID technology*1 to improve urban attractiveness and vitality as well as achieve "universal design"-based city development that allows everyone to enjoy safe urban walking. It is being implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
This year's experiment will provide multilingual information on Ginza and its environs via smartphones that run the Android operating system. The lending*2 of smartphones or similar devices (hereafter "smartphone") will begin on Wednesday, February 1. Reservations for devices (free of charge) will be accepted.
Details
1. Experiment period
From February 1 (Wed.) to March 31 (Sat), 2012
2. Experiment area
The Ginza district (Ginza 1-chome to 8-chome) Please see map.
3. Description
- A person walking through the feasibility experiment area with a smartphone will have the ucode of his or her current location automatically identified. This will allow him or her to obtain information on nearby shops, famous places, and events in Ginza as well as obstacles to movement. The participant can also experiment with a "tour guide" and other functions that provide brief descriptions of things to see.
- Information is provided in four languages: Japanese, English, Chinese (traditional characters and simplified characters), and Korean.
- Participation is free of charge.
4. Registration
(1) Reception on day of participation
- Please come directly to one of the smartphone lending/return stations shown in item 5 below.
- When borrowing a smartphone, please show a form of personal ID (for example, driver's license, passport, health insurance card, or school identification card). Please note that you may be refused a smartphone if you cannot show personal ID.
(2) Reservation via website
- It is possible to reserve a smartphone in advance through the designated website
- Please click on the button below to apply.
Important points
- On the day of your participation, please show the screen (or a printed copy of the screen) for the confirmation e-mail that was sent to you after you reserved your smartphone to the lending station. You will also be asked to show a form of personal ID (for example, driver's license, passport, health insurance card, or school identification card) at this time.
- Please understand that circumstances may force the experiment's cancellation. If the experiment is cancelled for your scheduled time or day, arrangements will be made so that you may participate at another time or day whenever possible.
- Any personal information acquired through the experiment will be used solely for reception and smartphone management during the experiment. No personal information shall be provided or disclosed to a third party without the participant's consent, except in cases where official procedures (such as an order by an official body) apply. All personal information will be immediately deleted following the conclusion of the feasibility experiment program.
- Participants will be responsible for paying their own expenses for transportation, etc.
(3) Smartphone return
- Please return the smartphone to the station from which you borrowed it.
(If you borrowed it from Station 1, please return it to Station 1; if you borrowed it from Station 2, please return it to Station 2.)
5. Smartphone lending/return stations
| Location (see map) |
Period (lending days)* | Available times | No. of smartphones available | |
| 1 | Ginza Mitsukoshi Foreign Tourist Information Desk Mezzanine 2nd Floor, Ginza Mitsukoshi) |
February 1 (Wed.) to March 31 (Sat.), 2012 Business days of the Foreign Tourist Information Desk | 10:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M.
(Reception closes at 7:00 P.M.; please return smartphones by 7:30 P.M.) |
20 sets |
| 2 | Ginza Street Guide (1st floor, Ginza Mitsui Building, corner of Hanatsubaki-dori Av. and Showa-dori Av. |
February 2 (Thu.) to March 31 (Sat.), 2012 Business days of Ginza Street Guide (closed Wednesdays) |
10:30 A.M. to 5:30 P.M. (Reception closes at 4:30 P.M.) |
10 sets |
*Both Stations 1 and 2 will be closed on Sunday, February 26, 2012, for the Tokyo Marathon.
*Regarding Station 1:
- The station will be closed on Monday, February 27, 2012.
- The station will be open until 7:00 P.M. on Monday, March 5, 2012.
(Reception will close at 6:00 P.M.; smartphones should be returned by 6:30 P.M.)
Smartphone lending/return stations
*1 A cutting-edge technology that links the real world with virtual space by adding "ucode," the world's only unique identifier, to "places" and "things" for automatic recognition by a computer.
*2 The smartphones (or similar devices) to be lent out for the feasibility experiment are specially designed for the experiment. Some restrictions are placed on their communication and other functions.