As a precursor to the technological extravaganza that will be on display during Techfest 2015-16, the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay has launched a multi-utility mobile app that will not only help the visitors navigate through the various programmes and events but also help them keep track of the technological advancements made by the IITians through alerts that will be updated regularly even after the festival is over. Visitors having Wi-Fi and bluetooth facilities on their mobile phones will be able to access the same for free during the fest that is to be held from December 26-28 at the IIT-B campus at Powai.
Speaking about the app and the various features integrated in it, Anuraj Gupta, media manager, Techfest, said that the IITians strived to incorporate the latest technology in the events taking place so as to offer visitors a first-hand experience of this cutting edge technology. “The app has a complete listing of all the events of all the days of the festival along with a detailed map of the campus. The app has a very novel feature this time that has been achieved by incorporating the latest technology called as beacons. These coin-sized devices will be present at each and every venue during the festival,” said Mr Gupta.
Elaborating on the beacons, he said, “Beacons will help visitors navigate to their desired location and also notify them about the latest events or shows happening around them or in any other part of the campus during the festival. This is achieved by connecting the visitor’s phone that has the official Techfest app with the beacons via Bluetooth and wi-fi.
He also said, “The app asks users to enable the Bluetooth function in the device to get connected to the beacons spread over the campus and the wi-fi connectivity will ensure updating of the latest events of the festival and thereby notifying the user about the events happening in close proximity of the user.”
When asked whether the app would remain functional after the festival, Mr Gupta said that while there were plans for continued use of the app, it was too early to disclose the same.
