Web-based interactive guide for a shopping mall

Abstract

Shopping is one of the most popular and favorite activity in Hong Kong. As we know, Hong Kong is a shopping paradise for genuine goods. People came from different countries would like to spend time and money on shopping. So, it is essential to provide a reliable guidance service to help them to visit physical areas such as shopping mall. Currently, paper guidebook, directory map and customer service in a mall are provided to shoppers to help shoppers when they are getting lost in the mall. Sometimes, the information of paper guidebook and directory map is inaccurate and constantly need updating and unhelpful to visitors to find shops in a mall. Therefore, it is useful to provide a use-friendly way to guide them to visit a shopping mall. This project is to develop a web-based interactive guide and virtual reality system for a shopping mall. An interactive shopping mall guide reduces the constraints of paper guidebook and directory map. An interactive shopping mall guide is not only used for information purpose, but also guide user to find shops and entrance in the shopping mall. It consists of four major functions: shopping information, route finding, virtual viewing and administrative tools. Visitors can find and get detailed information of the shops and facilities of the shopping mall with the software guide. With the help of route finding function, shoppers cannot get lost in the mall, as they can be suggested a path from current location to the target shops at the shopping mall with the shortest path algorithm. In addition, a 360 degree view of the shopping mall with virtual reality technology can provide a realistic experience to customers to look around an entire environment of the shopping mall before they visit the mall. Web administrator can manage the web site via the Internet. The information of the web site as well information of shopping mall, such as new promotion or new event of the mall can be updated at once. This design can easily be extended to be used for other shopping malls as well as for a large departmental store.