The recognition of the queue status in a big event

A new feature is being developed for the Tampere Events app to monitor congestion in the entry ports in big events. This feature would allow application users to be redirected to less congested gates, thus improving the visitor experience.

The tested solution utilizes data from Hypercell Industries Oy.

Bluetooth access points installed near entrances detect nearby smart devices such as telephones and calculate their numbers, says Head of Industry Mikko Siusluoto from Hypercell Industries Oy.

The congestion status of each port can be reported to the user in clear color coding in the application. The green arrow indicates a non-congested situation, the yellow indicates a slight congestion and the red a very congested one. The status information is updated in real-time.

Solution tested in the national football games

Etteplan More Oy, the developer, tested the solution at the Ratina Stadium in Tampere during the national football games, Finland – Greece (September 5) and Finland – Italy (September 9). About 16.800 visitors participated each game.

The solution worked great. The queue situation was updated in real-time to the map view of the mobile application and corresponded to the actual traffic situation at the gates, says Business Architect Matti Anttonen from Etteplan MORE Oy.

The purpose of the test was to gain insight into the functionality of the solution. At the same time, the aim was to clarify the requirements for measuring the number of people in the vicinity of the entry ports and for displaying congestion in the application. This will make it possible to assess whether the solution should be implemented on a permanent basis.

Based on the tests, it is quite possible to use the application queuing feature also in other events where we can accurately and cost-effectively measure populations, says Project Manager Anni Joela from the City of Tampere.

Tampere Events is available for free download from both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. The app allows the visitor to explore the map of the event area, find service points and check schedules. The application has been developed in partnership with companies in the 6Cities: Smart City Guidance project and is freely available to event organizers. Further development is based on user feedback.