Cases for the Web in Your Pocket (WiPo)

Abstract

Web data is abundant. However, situations remain where a user cannot access the Web, due to the likes of server unavailability, bad connectivity, or governmental controls. In this paper, several cases are considered where continual, uninterrupted Web access is impossible due to various constraints. For example, a tourist may travel to a mountainous region without net coverage, yet may want access to information on the scenery, or the most recent weather forecast they obtained before embarking. The authors previously outlined a general approach to cope with such situations, which they have termed “Web in your Pocket” (WiPo). WiPo assumes that the user has a smart device to which appropriate data, ideally in curated form, can be pre-loaded so that it remains accessible offline. The authors here present a proof of concept by studying how WiPo can be used in three distinct cases: tourism, health, and search and rescue. The authors demonstrate the vast potential of WiPo, and give consideration to the practical issues behind its implementation.