Bill Lindeke examines a few examples of mobile technology that encourage citizens to ditch their cars and walk. Could these technologies inspire the cultural side of the equation needed for widespread adoption of walkability?
Bill Lindeke surveys examples of mobile technology that encourages people to get out and walk, starting first with the Fitbit, which he describes as the "a small pedometer linked to a smartphone that provides feedback about how people get around." Like the role Strava plays for bikers, Fitbit provides instant feedback that can also be shared with friends and weighed against established goals and the activities of others.
Lindeke also cites another interactive, if more idiosyncratic example, of a mobile game called Ingress, which is a spatial, interactive game supported by Google.
In the game, two teams of people fight for control over the landscape by moving between different public spaces in the city. (The game’s “portals” often include churches, murals, sculptures, parks or even little free libraries.) Because playing the game requires you to physically visit each site, players must continually walk, bike or take the bus around the city.
Lindeke concludes the article by acknowledging that apps such as these that motivate people to walk are only part of the equation necessary to succeed in building a more pedestrian-oriented society.
Read the full story: Smartphone apps can't change the landscape, but they do encourage walking
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