In UK, street objects will talk back to passersby through phones

The Hello Lamp Post! project in the UK is using existing codes on street furniture as a way for residents to start up a text message conversation with the object.

With the rise of the Internet of Things, we’ve already seen the EVRYTHNG platform provide a way to link stuff with digital information through unique identification codes. Now the Hello Lamp Post! project in Bristol, UK is using existing codes on public objects to make them more interactive and drive tourism. The brainchild of creative agency PAN, the scheme has been picked as the winner of Watershed’s Bristol City Council-funded Playable City competition, which aims to showcase creative use of technology in the region. The project utilizes the fact that objects such as lamp posts, bollards, post boxes and bus stops are already marked with unique codes. Players will be able to text the code to a special phone number in order to start a conversation with it. Messages use artificial intelligence technology to simulate human speech, while also revealing stories about the city. The project is a fun way to make public space more interactive and friendly, while also attracting visitors by helping them learn about its history. Could this scheme work in your part of the world?