Google has highlighted the work of a Manchester digital agency in making Manchester more of a “smart city.”
Sparta Digital has been working with Google on new applications for its Beacon technology, which will enable users to get information about their location, as well as buy transport and events tickets seamlessly, via an App.
It comes just days after the TravelSpirit partnership was launched, to promote a connected transport system for the future.
The development comes following an update to Eddystone, Google’s bluetooth Beacon format. Up until yesterday, sensors, which have been installed around the world, only broadcast public one-way signals. However, Google has now introduced what it calls Ephemeral IDs (EID), which means that the data can also be exchanged securely and privately.
This has enabled Sparta to develop payment options into its app.
“The privacy and security of our customers is important to us. Through the use of a rotating Ephemeral Identifier, Eddystone-EID protects our users by preventing spoofing, malicious asset tracking, replay attacks, or just unpermitted access,” explained Sparta marketing director, Vijay Natarajan.
“With these new features from Eddystone, it opens the door for wider application within Smart city projects that we are currently working on.”
Sparta has developed an app called Buzzin, which can not only provide travel updates, but also has a “one button click” to pay for travel and related deals. This is currently being trialled on Burnley to Manchester routes.
