15, Team 15

A Buffalo History Museum app which allows the user to take a photo of a location and see what it looked like during the Pan-American Expo, further educating and connecting visitors to Buffalo history.

Comment

Functionality

Steps taken by User and App

  • User gets notification on phone when GPS detects them to be near a former significant sight of the Pan-American expo

  • User clicks on notification which opens the app

  • User gets taken to a camera function and takes a picture of the space around them

  • App detects the exact location and direction the picture was taken and generates an historical image from the location where the image was taken by sorting through a data base

  • User gets the image on their app and a description of the sight

  • User earns a token from a token-based system for each significant sight they see

  • User earns a prize at The Buffalo History Museum when enough tokens are collected

Technical Feasibility

  • You can use React Native to create a cross platform mobile app and use then use a geolocation library to track where the user is

  • Image Recognition can be done using a Neural Network or a BoVW model which will be accessible through an API (models will be hosted on the cloud)

  • Colorization and upscaling can be done beforehand using DeOldify and Stable Diffusion X4

  • Since there are a limited number of locations, data for these locations can be stored locally

    • Creating a 3D model from a 2D image is a particularly challenging task. It is hard to tell whether the quality of the produced model will be satisfactory since many of the photos are complex and of low quality. Very experimental.

Non-technical Feasibility

  • Mapping coordinates to images must be done manually which can be time intensive

  • Costs money to develop the app and it is hard to know if the return is worth it

  • With a CPM of $0.25 which is extremely generous, it is expected that 5.6 million users are needed cover the cost from ad revenue alone

  • Sponsors may help cover the cost, however, finding a sponsor may be difficult to do

  • Need to find companies willing to spend money on ad space

Marketing

  • Create Stories and Reels demonstrating the use of the mobile app to be posted on the Instagram account, along with in-feed posts showing the virtual experience that can be gained through the app.

  • Use email newsletters to inform current museum members of the new app and explanations of how the app will expand on their experiences with The Buffalo History Museum.

  • Connect with current partners of the Museum and schools that frequently visit the Museum to allow them the opportunity to pilot the app before launching to the public.

  • Encourage visitors to expand their experiences at The Buffalo History Museum by posting information within the Museum describing the app, its functions and how to download it.

  • Giving incentives within the app requires users to visit the Museum to redeem their prizes, bringing their app experiences back to the Museum to continue exploring Buffalo’s history.

Future Development

Time Slider

Slider to switch between different time periods Functionality from 1901 to 2024 Serves as a method of showing the progression of Buffalo over time

Expand Geographic Area

Expand apps functionality outside of former Pan-American Expo location Include sights in downtown and rural communities undersaturated from tourism Serves as a tool for The Buffalo History Museum to expand tourists understanding of Buffalo’s history more holistically Increases accessibility by increasing the number of locations the app can be used

App Tour

Virtual video tour without having users going to the location Expands user base Increases accessibility for people with mobility issues Users outside of the Buffalo area can use the app

Built With

  • canva
  • figma
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