Research on Information Services at Stations

In the greater Tokyo area, the layouts of large-scale rail stations are complicated. It is necessary to have easy-to-understand information services in such stations, since station users often get lost in them. Station services need to be diverse since station users are - they range from commuters to domestic travelers to foreign visitors. Research was thus performed by the authors to use information technology to improve information services in stations. The authors specifically developed a route information terminal that allows users to use one of four languages to search for route and tourist information, as well as a touch panel information terminal that can provide directions to locations in and out of the rail station. Station field tests have verified the effectiveness of these systems. With a focus on future information service improvement, research on in-station smartphone direction services, brochure-based guidance, and an ATOS passenger information service terminal interface has been carried out by the authors.