Beijing to go wireless for Olympic Games

Downloadable application will help visitors navigate the Chinese capital

Wireless technology will help visitors at the 2008 Beijing Olympics navigate the city and cope with the language barrier.

Capinfo, a Hong Kong-listed software and services company, is developing a mobile application called Cityguide to help tourists find their way around the Chinese capital.

The application, which will be downloadable to various handheld devices and mobile phones, will use a ubiquitous wireless network being deployed across Beijing for the Games.

The system accesses a database of travel and tourism content for the city, as well as providing a tool that can translate English text into spoken Mandarin, using text-to-speech technology.

The application will be capable of playing back thousands of phrases in Mandarin, such as directing taxi drivers to any hotel or restaurant listed in the guide.

‘We want to create a public information service based on wireless broadband,’ said Capinfo chairman Dr Xinxiang Chen.

The firm is testing an early version of the application with 100 users, and plans to extend the trial to 10,000 people next year.

‘Then we can ensure it is perfect in time for the 2008 Olympic Games,’ said Chen.
Following the Games, Capinfo will build similar services in other Chinese cities, beginning with Shanghai, before taking Cityguide into the global market.

Capinfo is also developing an emergency response service for the Games, similar to the 999 service in the UK, that will use the wireless network.

Capinfo will use WiMax, a next-generation wireless networking technology, and mesh networks that turn wireless users into additional access points, expanding the network’s range.

‘It is all about the legacy of the Games, and what is left behind for the people of Beijing,’ said Chen. ‘We want to focus on safety and services for the people.’