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Details

  • Name

    João Falcão Cunha
  • Role

    Research Coordinator
  • Since

    01st July 2013
Publications

2022

Anda: An Innovative Micro-Location Mobile Ticketing Solution Based on NFC and BLE Technologies

Authors
Ferreira, MC; Dias, TG; Cunha, JFE;

Publication
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS

Abstract
Mobile ticketing services allow urban transport passengers to travel in a convenient and easy way, enhancing their travelling experience. In recent years several mobile ticketing services have started to be developed and launched, but there is still a lot to be done in terms of its effectiveness, efficiency and innovation. This paper presents a micro-location mobile ticketing solution based on Near Field Communication (NFC) and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technologies, called Anda. This solution is based on a check-in/be-out scheme and requires the minimum intervention from the passenger. It is really innovative in the urban transport field, as it takes advantage of BLE technology not usually used for this purpose, it is based on a concept of post-billing with a fare optimization algorithm associated and it allows the micro-location of passengers throughout their journeys. This paper details the architecture of the solution and its mode of operation. It also presents the evaluation methodology that was followed during the pilot trial that took place in the Metropolitan Area of Porto (AMP), Portugal, during one year with 140 real passengers. A set of design lessons were identified as a result of the field tests and materialized in five mobile ticketing design dimensions, constituting important contributions to the design of future mobile ticketing services. Anda was commercially deployed in the AMP in 2018 and is used by thousands of passengers every day.

2020

Ten Years Exploring Service Science: Looking Back to Move Forward

Authors
Teixeira, JG; Migueis, V; Ferreira, MC; Novoa, H; Cunha, JFE;

Publication
EXPLORING SERVICE SCIENCE (IESS 2020)

Abstract
In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the International Conference on Exploring Service Science (IESS), this paper takes a historical look at the papers that have been published in the IESS proceedings. The analysis is focused on the development and evolution of the IESS community and of the main research topics covered by the published papers over time. The IESS community is portrayed in terms of authors, their affiliations and co-authoring network, while the topics are analyzed according to the papers' keywords. Moreover, this paper analyzes the impact of the papers published in this decade, in terms of citations. These results are then discussed in light of the observed trends and of the evolution of the service science field, to guide the future development of the IESS conference and of research on service science.

2020

Is Bluetooth Low Energy feasible for mobile ticketing in urban passenger transport?

Authors
Campos Ferreira, M; Dias, TG; Falcão e Cunha, J;

Publication
Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives

Abstract
Millions of people use public transport on a daily basis. Although most public transport systems use traditional ticketing approaches, based on tickets and smartcards, there are already ticketing alternatives based on smartphones. Most of the mobile ticketing solutions developed and available in the market use technologies such as Near Field Communication (NFC) or Quick Response Codes (QR Codes), and there are practically no studies on the use of Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) for this purpose. This paper focuses on assessing the feasibility of using BLE beacons for mobile ticketing in urban passenger transport. The study was conducted during the development of a mobile ticketing solution for the Metropolitan Area of Porto (AMP) that takes advantage of the Bluetooth technology present on the passengers' smartphones. It uses BLE beacons to track the passengers' trips from the start to the end, as part of an implementation of a check-in/be-out system. This solution was implemented as a prototype to be tested in the AMP and all the tests performed were made during the course of a pilot test of this prototype. The study consisted of a set of technical tests related with beacons signal monitoring and the gathering and analysis of passengers' feedback who participated in a four months pilot test. The results obtained suggest that the BLE technology is feasible for mobile ticketing in urban passenger transport. The paper also presents the various available deployment alternatives, identifies the main problems found and proposes solutions to solve them, filling an important research gap in the literature. © 2020 The Authors

2019

Evaluating the short-term effect of cross-market discounts in purchases using neural networks: A case in retail sector

Authors
Migueis, VL; Camanho, AS; Cunha, JFE;

Publication
EXPERT SYSTEMS

Abstract
Promotional tools such as cross-market discounts have been increasingly used as a means to increase customer satisfaction and sales. This paper aims to assess whether the implementation of a cross-market discount campaign by a retailing company encouraged customers to increase their purchases level. It contributes to the literature by using neural networks to detect novelties in a real context involving cross-market discounts. Besides the computation of point predictions, the methodology proposed involves the estimation of neural networks prediction intervals. Sales predictions are compared with the observed values in order to detect significant changes in customers' spending. The use of neural networks is validated through the comparison with the forecasting estimates of support vector regression, regression trees, and linear regression. The results reveal that the promotional campaign under analysis did not significantly impact the sales of the rewarded customers.

2018

Modelling and simulation perspective in service design: Experience in transport information service development

Authors
Dragoicea, M; Falcao e Cunha, JF; Alexandru, MV; Constantinescu, DA;

Publication
Intelligent Systems: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications

Abstract
This chapter discusses the development of improved citizen services taking into consideration integration of agent-based modelling and simulation experience into conceiving, design and implementation activities with a strong focus on technology enabled service systems. Service design is formalized here towards the integration of customer experience, validated through service interaction modelling. Integration of user experience at design stage in the value co-creation process is a possible immediate evolution direction of projects in the Smarter Cities perspective. Guidelines for integrating a modelling and simulation perspective in service design are presented along with the Socio-Technical Systems Engineering process. The case study presented here is dedicated to Smart Transport. The chapter opens a larger discussion on specific research directions and knowledge transfer related to Smart Transport as highlighted in EU projects.

Supervised
thesis

2017

A Methodology for Designing Mobile Ticketing Services: from Ideas to Deployment

Author
Marta Maria Campos Ferreira

Institution
UP-FEUP

2017

Enhancing Public Transport Service through Mobile Integrated Service Offerings

Author
Marta Maria Campos Ferreira

Institution
UP-FEUP

2016

Enhancing Public Transport Service through Mobile Integrated Service Offerings

Author
Marta Maria Campos Ferreira

Institution
UP-FEUP

2016

A user collaboration model for urban passenger transport

Author
António Júlio Albuquerque Diogo Nunes

Institution
UP-FEUP

2014

Automated generation of context-aware schematic maps: design, modeling and interaction

Author
João Manuel Curralo Mourinho

Institution
UP-FEUP