A Navigation Demand Model for pedestrian navigation at close-set crossing

Navigation services on GPS enabled cellular phones have been in widespread use in recent years. However, in places like airports, train stations, underground shopping centers, etc., where GPS positioning is difficult, providing navigation services remains a challenge. For example, when continuous positioning is not possible, we need to identify the primary factors to generate timing and content for effectively guiding the navigation. Researchers have studied the shape, complexity, and the Navigation Demand Model for crossing on routes to determine the timing and content of guidance. We have defined “close-set crossing”, which is a crossing with two or more passages that can be recognized as a destination for pedestrians. We hypothesize that the Navigation Demand Model for close-set crossing is different from the model of a regular crossing. This hypothesis has been verified through questionnaires. An expression of the model for close-set crossing has been derived by evaluating the relationships of direction of forward movement, crossing angles, and width of each passage at close-set crossing. We have also shown how to apply proposed model to determine the timing of guidance for pedestrians.