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Collaborating with West Midlands 5G, funded by West Midlands Combined Authority, and the government department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, GoMedia first demonstrated its accessibility solution on West Midlands Metro Tram 35 – the UK’s first 5G-enabled tram – in 2021.
Now news of the project has travelled six thousand miles across the globe to the National Science and Technology Museum in Taiwan.
Two million people living with sight loss in the UK are unable to complete at least part of their journeys on public transport independently. The project’s solution, developed in collaboration with the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), provides timely and accurate information to passengers who need additional assistance when travelling on the UK public transport network, either in the station or on the vehicle.
Passengers simply hold up their smartphone. The device automatically recognises any NaviLens BIDI codes in view and connects to GoMedia’s live cloud-based passenger information system over cellular networks or the onboard Icomera Passenger Wi-Fi to retrieve the desired information.
The reduced latency of 5G increases the speed of data delivery to personal devices, improving current location tools. The increased capacity of the 5G-enabled onboard Wi-Fi also allows passengers to stream more content-rich augmented reality (AR) location-based videos while traveling on the moving vehicle.
Roger Mathews, Managing Director of GoMedia, explains: “Previously the level of content-rich, location-based information needed was not possible due to a lack of the necessary technology and infrastructure. Now, thanks to 5G, relevant information is being transmitted to passengers’ devices in the format that they require”.
The National Science and Technology Museum in Taiwan has included the project in its newly reopened telecommunications gallery, showing visitors that 5G is about so much more than streaming services.
CJ Lu, Exhibition Division, National Science & Technology Museum in Taiwan said: “In our museum we have an exhibition gallery for telecommunication. We are updating its original 4G content to 5G, adding more information about what 5G can do for people with accessibility needs. We are pleased to introduce West Midlands Metro Tram 35 to people in Taiwan“.
Roger Matthews added: “We are proud that our project is promoting an important use case for 5G in public transport and setting an example that other countries can follow when it comes to creating better, safer, and more accessible experiences for passengers”.
Those designated Best of the Best have the support of their peers and customers and are known for excellent service. GoMedia was one of only six companies to be recognized in the Entertainment category out of nearly 60 entries.
“Each of these winners adapted to the ever-changing landscape of the COVID-19 pandemic and provided a respite for travelers who could not imagine a world without travel”, said Peter Pantuso, president & CEO of the American Bus Association. “That’s why we’re honoring the Best of the Best for 2021, featuring 59 top destinations, experiences, and more.”
GoMedia was acquired by Icomera in September 2020, and its technology seamlessly integrates with Icomera’s centralized connectivity platform, allowing a whole host of passenger-centric applications to be deployed from a single piece of hardware, delivering both cost efficiency and long-term reliability.
“Digitalization is having a significant impact on the way we travel,” said Gabriel Lopez-Bernal, Icomera’s Vice President of Sales & Marketing for North America. “As expectations continue to rise, so does the demand for bus and motorcoach operators to provide exciting new amenities for their passengers, of which onboard entertainment is one of the most sought-after.”
Bus and motorcoach operators across North America are catching sight of GoView, the powerful onboard digital hub, made accessible to passengers using their personal smart devices. Premium entertainment takes center stage, featuring Hollywood movies, popular TV shows, breaking news and more. To name a few, Greyhound, ROX, and Thompson Valley Charters are four North American customers providing GoView to their passengers today.
“Providing Wi-Fi and onboard entertainment for leisure travel improves the overall experience and increases satisfaction”, said Roger Matthews, Managing Director of GoMedia. “When passengers are engaged with content, the perceived journey time is reduced, having a positive impact on propensity to travel.”
In 2021 alone, Icomera and GoMedia have been recognized for innovative technology and end-user satisfaction, including:
ABA is the trade organization of the intercity bus industry, with more than 1,000 motorcoach and tour company members in the United States and Canada. Another 2,800 members are travel and tourism organizations and suppliers of bus products and services who work in partnership with the North American motorcoach industry. View the complete list of 2021 Best of Best award honorees here.
GoMedia's solution for supporting passengers with hearing loss on public transport via personal onboard announcements has been named among the winners at the Best App Design Awards.
The transport accessibility solution, which won funding from the UK Department for Transport through its £9m First of a Kind 2021 (FOAK21) competition earlier this year, has been dubbed HEAR (Hearing Enhanced Audio Relay), and is widely supported by the UK’s train operators. When connected to the train’s onboard Wi-Fi, notifications can be heard or read via an app installed on users’ personal devices, keeping them updated with the journey information they need, in a format that they need.
Lumo, the new rail service between London and Edinburgh goes live next week and a wide range of digital services will be offered to passengers on board its fully electric trains from launch. Owners FirstGroup are aiming to encourage greener travel choices with low-cost fares – single tickets between the capitals start from just £14.90.
Having invested £15m in digital and IT infrastructure, Lumo will allow passengers to turn travel time into productive time through Icomera’s fast and reliable Wi-Fi and GoMedia’s onboard entertainment system which can be accessed via the LumoGo app. LumoEats, the at-seat catering service adds additional comfort and ease to the journey. Offering an immersive passenger experience reduces the perceived journey time, adding to the attraction of Lumo over less sustainable modes of transport.
Lumo trains will run on the East Coast Main Line between London King's Cross, Stevenage, Newcastle, Morpeth and Edinburgh Waverley, helping to improve regional connectivity. Travelling by rail is already the greenest form of long-distance travel in the UK but Lumo intends to take this further, being the ‘greenest in class’ with state-of-the-art, Hitachi AT300 intercity electric trains. Lumo is expected to create over 13 million additional passenger journeys in the next decade.
Peter Kingsland, UK SVP for Icomera said: “Icomera and GoMedia are pleased to bring industry-leading digital passenger experience solutions to Lumo trains. A connected and productive journey is a key factor in encouraging people to choose more sustainable modes of transport.”
Helen Wylde, Managing Director for Lumo, said: “The reasons people choose different modes of travel are changing. People are now considering their impact on the environment very carefully. They also expect better service and catering. Lumo is a new rail travel experience that is kinder to the planet and better value for passengers, while never compromising on service.”
GoMedia, has won the Cross Industry Partnership category at the Railway Innovation Awards with their Transport Accessibility project.
The recent pandemic has shown the power of working across industry. The railway is a system and is therefore at its best when companies collaborate to improve the way it operates. The Transport Accessibility project was delivered in collaboration with, West Midlands 5G (WM5G), Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), West Midlands Metro, Vodafone, the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), Navilens and various partially sighted and blind communities.
Two million people living with visual impairments in the UK are unable to complete at least part of their journeys on public transport independently. Addressing this accessibility issue not only improves passenger satisfaction, it also reduces the estimated impact of sight loss on the UK economy that runs into tens of billions of pounds each year, which could be alleviated by getting the right information to visually impaired passengers at the right time.
GoMedia’s Transport Accessibility solution provides timely and accurate information to passengers who need additional assistance when travelling on the UK public transport network, either in the station or on the vehicle. Passengers simply hold up their smartphone. The device automatically recognises any NaviLens BIDI codes in view, connects to GoMedia’s live cloud-based passenger information system and delivers the desired information.
Previously the level of content-rich, location-based information needed was not possible due to a lack of the necessary technology and infrastructure. Relevant information is now being transmitted to passengers’ devices in the format that they require, over 5G cellular networks. The reduced latency of the 5G network increases the speed of delivery of data to personal devices, improving current location tools. The increased capacity of 5G supports data-rich experiences, enabling passengers to stream augmented reality (AR) location-based video content on a moving vehicle.
Read more about the collaborative projects Icomera and GoMedia have been involved in: https://bit.ly/3v5WJ6z
GoMedia, has won the Best Passenger Transport Entertainment Platform category at the Media Innovator Awards 2021.
GoMedia has developed a powerful onboard digital hub for operators to host a number of services accessible to passengers using their personal smart devices. Premium entertainment takes centre stage, featuring Hollywood movies, popular TV shows, breaking news and more. In addition to entertainment, GoMedia now offers Real Time Passenger Information and Onward Journey information creating a one stop digital engagement platform.
Roger Matthews, Managing Director at GoMedia: “We are delighted by this recognition of our entertainment platform and our team’s work with our transport partners. We look forward to continuing the development and realisation of many more innovative solutions that improve the public transport experience for passengers”.
GoMedia was acquired by Icomera in September 2020, and its technology seamlessly integrates with Icomera’s centralised connectivity platform, allowing a whole host of passenger-centric applications to be deployed from a single piece of hardware, delivering both cost efficiency and long-term reliability. The Media Innovator Awards, hosted by Corporate Vision Magazine, aim to acknowledge prestigious businesses, and individuals who have excelled within the industry. The judges based their decision on criteria such as client dedication, innovation, business growth, longevity, online reputation, customer feedback and business performance.
GoMedia, a subsidiary of Icomera and of EQUANS, the newly created leader in multi-technical services, is supporting three pioneering digital solutions to improve rail transport accessibility for the passengers with sight and hearing loss. The projects are funded by the Department for Transport through the £9m First of a Kind 2021 (FOAK21) competition, delivered by Innovate UK (part of UKRI), aimed at making the UK's rail network greener, cleaner, and more accessible through innovation.
With a significant number of competitive applications for the funding, GoMedia has once again demonstrated its trusted capability to deliver leading accessibility and digital solutions to the rail industry, leading 2 projects and providing significant support to a 3rd, out of only 30 high profile projects awarded.
The first initiative, Hearing Enhanced Audio Relay (HEAR) aims to improve accessibility for passengers with hearing loss on trains, through personal onboard announcements. This solution is widely supported by the UK’s train operators. When connected to the onboard Wi-Fi, these notifications can be heard or read via an app installed on users’ personal devices, keeping them updated with the journey information they need, in a format that they need. Project HEAR is set to begin live trials on Transport for Wales services in Q1 2022.
GoMedia's solution, Visor, improves accessibility in busy station environments for passengers with sight loss, by using technology powered by GoMedia’s real-time information capabilities. The application is developed in collaboration with the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) and makes use of NaviLens BIDI codes. Passengers can use their personal device to scan the specially designed NaviLens tag to get to the right platform in the most optimal, stress-free way. Project VIN’s test phase is set to take place from December 2021 to February 2022 on a Network Rail managed station.
GoMedia are also collaborating with augmented reality (AR) provider Skignz from November 2021. The project will leverage AR technology to provide live journey information, platform navigation, and the ability for staff and passengers to locate each other when assistance is needed, all by viewing intelligently placed in-app AR markers overlaid on their smart device’s screen.
Roger Matthews, GoMedia’s Managing Director, said: "GoMedia is excited to further demonstrate its leadership in multilingual digital accessibility solutions through its contributions to FOAK2021. More than 60% of passengers with accessibility needs do not attempt or struggle to make independent journeys on public transport. Addressing this accessibility issue will not only improve passenger satisfaction, it can also reduce the estimated impact of sight loss on the UK economy that runs into tens of billions of pounds per year.”
Peter Kingsland, Icomera's Senior Vice President for UK, Asia & Australia Regions, added:
"Improving passenger accessibility on public transport is vital to the UK Government and the rail industry, as exemplified by FOAK2021.
GoMedia’s work in improving the digital passenger experience through innovation is a perfect extension of Icomera’s mission to make public transport a more attractive option than other, less sustainable means of transport.”
“EQUANS’ purpose is to power, protect and connect people. Through GoMedia’s projects, we are pleased to carry out this mission and provide our clients with solutions tailored to each of their customers’ needs. Ensuring easy and safe access to public transportation for all is essential and digital solutions, which allow for personalised and at hand support for each customer, help make that happen”. concludes Pierre Hardouin, Managing Director of EQUANS France.
In February 2021, tram 35 from West Midlands Metro in England became the first fully-realised 5G enabled tram - part of a trial undertaken by West Midlands Metro (WMM), West Midlands 5G (WM5G), GoMedia and its parent company Icomera (ENGIE Solutions).
The tram and a number of tram stops have been equipped with an innovative trial Transport Accessibility solution which can be rolled out to public transport without the need for expensive electronic hardware solutions.
Transport Accessibility looks to solve the problem of a lack of real-time information for those who need more help when travelling on the UK public transport network.
The focus of the trial is to increase the number of independent journeys that passengers with blindness and sight loss can make whilst travelling across the public transport network. Developed in collaboration with the Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB), it will provide timely and accurate information to passengers who need additional assistance while in a station or on the transport network. Relevant information is transmitted to passengers’ devices in the format that they require, over 5G cellular networks
Future tertiary benefits of the solution include services for all passengers such as live tv, live radio and streamed content across the network.
Roger Matthews – Managing Director of GoMedia: ‘’Our Vision and Transport Accessibility solution proves that we want to bring the best solutions to our transport clients. Together with our partners and our Passenger Information System we are able to bring revolutionary products to our clients.’’
Chris Holmes, Programme Director – Transport at WM5G said: “We are really pleased to be awarding funding to projects that we truly believe – when proven – will transform transport within the region. We look forward to seeing what our new partners deliver and will support them in the realisation of real and tangible benefits.”
John Worsfold, Innovation and Technology Implementation Manager at RNIB, said: “Technology has and continues to open up the world for people with sight loss, and this opportunity has the potential to increase access to relevant information whilst travelling for blind and partially sighted people.
“We’re delighted to be supporting this initiative in raising the bar of independently accessing information whilst making journeys, and the benefits this will bring for people with sight loss in the West Midlands.”
The solution will be demonstrated in Q1 2021 on a West Midlands Metro tram. If you are interested to see a demonstration of the live trial, you can contact GoMedia at enquiries@gomedia.io
8th December, London: West Midlands Trains, operator of the West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern Railway, has deployed a new real-time information and onboard entertainment solution developed by GoMedia, in association with its parent company Icomera (ENGIE Solutions).
Simply by connecting their smart device to the West Midlands Railway / London Northwestern Railway “Loop Wi-Fi” portal, West Midlands Trains’ passengers can take advantage of the new “Live Train Progress” feature to view real-time station calling times (taking into account any service disruption) and live departure information for any onward connections. In addition, those travelling are able to enjoy a range of entertainment content, including fantastic TV shows, exciting movie trailers, and the latest sport, news and weather updates.
...taking away the uncertainty about where they are in their journey.
Jonny Wiseman, Customer Experience Director at West Midlands Railway, said: “With planning ahead so vital in these uncertain times, this latest initiative is just one of the steps we’re taking to help customers travel with confidence.” Lawrence Bowman, Customer Experience Director at London Northwestern Railway, added: “With free Wi-Fi already available across our entire fleet, passengers can simply log on and see where the train is on the route and what time it arrives at each station, taking away the uncertainty about where they are in their journey.”
Roger Matthews, Managing Director at GoMedia, stated: “We’re pleased to have worked together with West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern Railway on these new passenger-focused projects. Providing real-time information and onboard entertainment is a proven way to help make public transport more attractive, simplifying journey planning and making trips more enjoyable for passengers.”
12th October 2020 – GoMedia, along with its new parent company, Icomera (ENGIE Solutions) and Wordnerds have been awarded one of the West Midlands 5G (WM5G) innovation grants to deliver a revolutionary passenger feedback solution (Vision) for the transport industry.
Vision will enable operators to access measurable and actionable passenger feedback. The partnership will deliver onboard and cloud-based tools and processes. GoMedia’s contextual passenger feedback and Wordnerds AI-led sentiment analysis tool gives operators passenger feedback as they have never received before.
Transport operators will have access to dashboards and trends of passenger feedback on different levels, for example; per train type, per journey or per time of day. There is even an alert tool that automatically warns the operator of priority issues.
According to Pete Daykin – CEO of Wordnerds: ‘’Together with GoMedia we are able to deliver an AI-led system – designed to improve passenger experiences and safety – providing intelligence in interpretation of live customer feedback over 5G. Immediate problems can be resolved and a database of categorised issues will provide insights for the operator to improve services. This will enhance the traveller experience by improving the products and services available to passengers across the transport system.’’
Roger Matthews – Managing Director of GoMedia: ‘’Our partnership with Wordnerds proves that we want to bring the best solutions to our transport operator clients. Together with Wordnerds’ AI sentiment analysis tools and our Passenger Information System we are able to bring a revolutionary feedback system to our clients.’’
The solution will be demonstrated in Q1 2021 on a West Midlands Metro tram. If you are interested to see a demonstration of the live trial, you can contact GoMedia at enquiries@gomedia.io