Figure 11.16. Flowchart demonstrating the sequence of audio files for the client application

important for the visually impaired commuter. The audio interface comprises a number of audio (mp3) files are stored in the client application. They are played at various stages of the client application as the bus notification procedure occurs.

As seen in Figure 11.16, the first audio file will sound to prompt the bus commuter to enter the bus number that they wish to board and want to be notified as it approaches the bus stop. Once completed, the second audio file will instruct the commuter to wait for the client application to connect. The final audio file will play once the requested bus service is approaching the bus stop.

11.5 Commercialisation Issues

According to statistics given by the Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped (SING 2003), there are 2439 visually impaired people registered with this organisation as of March 2003. The proposed application, Bluetooth Notification System for the Bus Commuter may not be economically viable if it only caters for a very small community group. To make the proposed system more economically feasible, the solution is to enhance the overall system framework to be beneficial to the wider group of bus commuters and incorporate other features of value to the operation of the bus companies.

The proposed system requires all the buses and bus stops to be equipped with a Bluetooth module and this indirectly increases the normal operating cost of the public bus transport. Therefore, there is a need to expand the use of the Bluetooth module for additional features to justify the investment costs. For example, a possible use of the Bluetooth modules is to provide wireless diagnostics and conditions-based maintenance support for the bus fleet (MIL 2003). Thus, when the bus returns to the terminal after daily service, the maintenance data are wirelessly transmitted via Bluetooth to the server in the depot and bus maintenance schedules can be optimized.