In short, while it does feature a map similar to others, this application is different from the others in that it allows site users to register a phone (for SMS) or email address and then sends them a notification if the lot they generally use is full, before they leave the house.
Our premise was that many users of the site are commuters and therefore likely frequent parkers in the downtown area, and being creatures of habit, likely go to the same garage, if they can help it. This app takes the site’s parking lot data (spots filled, lot capacity), as well as user parking preference data (Times and days of the week commuted, preferred lot) and automatically notifies the user when their preferred lot is approaching capacity. We initially envisioned that it would only notify the user when the lot was approaching capacity, and not otherwise, but a commenter wisely pointed out that if the site did push the text message in both cases (plenty of spaces or approaching capacity), it could be used as an alarm for the morning commute, as well as give feedback that the system was functioning properly.
Our simple take on the problem of how to best make use of the Ann Arbor parking lot data is modeled after the website umbrellatoday.com, which reduces weather reports to a text message sent to its users only days with rain in the forecast for their zipcode, notifying them that they should probably bring an umbrella. Notably, if widely used, this could also give the parking lot authority valuable data on demand, commute times and user preferences, which may be useful in planning for future lot management.
In short, while it does feature a map similar to others, this application is different from the others in that it allows site users to register a phone (for SMS) or email address and then sends them a notification if the lot they generally use is full, before they leave the house.
Our premise was that many users of the site are commuters and therefore likely frequent parkers in the downtown area, and being creatures of habit, likely go to the same garage, if they can help it. This app takes the site’s parking lot data (spots filled, lot capacity), as well as user parking preference data (Times and days of the week commuted, preferred lot) and automatically notifies the user when their preferred lot is approaching capacity. We initially envisioned that it would only notify the user when the lot was approaching capacity, and not otherwise, but a commenter wisely pointed out that if the site did push the text message in both cases (plenty of spaces or approaching capacity), it could be used as an alarm for the morning commute, as well as give feedback that the system was functioning properly.
Our simple take on the problem of how to best make use of the Ann Arbor parking lot data is modeled after the website umbrellatoday.com, which reduces weather reports to a text message sent to its users only days with rain in the forecast for their zipcode, notifying them that they should probably bring an umbrella. Notably, if widely used, this could also give the parking lot authority valuable data on demand, commute times and user preferences, which may be useful in planning for future lot management.
(Mouly and Taeho and myself made this)