article · International Journal of Mobile Applications and Technologies
Frequent infrastructural alterations and building renaming on university campuses create navigation obstacles for students, staff, and visitors. A survey at Gombe State University indicated that over 70 percent of students experienced difficulties finding buildings because of recent name changes. To address this issue, a mobile navigation system called GSU Connect was developed using Flutter, Supabase, and OpenStreetMap. The platform dynamically updates to reflect renamed buildings and new facilities, providing real-time wayfinding. It incorporates GSU Assistant, a lightweight, rule-based conversational interface that answers spatial queries using natural language without heavy computational overhead or extensive training. During a pilot deployment, the system achieved task success rates between 85 percent and 99 percent, alongside average response times of less than three seconds. The open-source architecture offers a functional, low-cost model suitable for broader institutional adoption.
Large, evolving institutions often outpace standard commercial navigation maps, leaving users disoriented when buildings are renamed or expanded. By combining open-source tools with a lightweight conversational tool, organisations can deploy rapid, responsive, and locally accurate navigation systems. This approach lowers technical barriers and operational costs, offering a practical way for resource-constrained institutions to maintain updated spatial directories independently.
The technology is an applied and tested functional prototype ready for replication across higher education institutions and similar campus environments. Target users include university administrators, facility managers, students, and campus visitors requiring accurate local wayfinding. Because the framework relies on cost-effective open-source tools and a lightweight rule-based assistant, it provides a deployable foundation for institutions seeking low-overhead, customisable navigational software solutions.
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University campuses are dynamic environments where frequent infrastructural changes create significant wayfinding challenges for students, staff, and visitors. Existing navigation tools often lack the localized data and adaptability required for campus-specific contexts. A preliminary survey at Gombe State University revealed that over 70% of students reported difficulties locating buildings due to recent renaming. This study presents GSU Connect, a mobile-based navigation system and case study in designing adaptable campus wayfinding solutions. Built with Flutter, Supabase, and OpenStreetMap, GSU Connect dynamically incorporates renamed buildings and new facilities to ensure accurate, real-time navigation. We further introduce GSU Assistant, a lightweight conversational interface powered by a rule-based model that enables users to retrieve spatial information through natural language queries. Unlike resource-intensive AI systems, the assistant requires no extensive training or computational overhead, making it accessible and efficient for campus-scale applications. A pilot deployment demonstrated high usability and efficiency, with task success rates ranging from 85% to 99% and average response times under three seconds. Findings confirm that a lightweight, open-source architecture can deliver scalable, cost-effective, and replicable navigation solutions for higher education. This work contributes both a functional prototype and a framework for extending such solutions to other institutions.
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DOI: 10.51137/wrp.ijmat.331
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