Cognitive location and navigation services for custom applications

1. A computer-implemented method for cognitive navigational guidance through a tourist attraction, the method comprising:

receiving a request for cognitive navigational assistance through a tourist attraction;

obtaining site-specific information about the tourist attraction from a site-specific server;

determining whether a user profile describing user viewing preferences exists, wherein the user profile comprises itinerary information and identifying information corresponding to a user; and

either:

directing the user to navigate through the tourist attraction according to a path based on the existing user profile; or

recommending a first exhibit to visit based at least in part on crowding levels at the tourist attraction and recording user behavior observed while viewing the first exhibit.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , comprising:

recommending a next exhibit to visit based at least in part on the crowding levels at the tourist attraction;

recording user behavior while viewing the next exhibit; and

repeating the recommending and the recording until a predetermined time budget is exhausted.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the path is dynamic;

wherein each step of the path comprises a choice among three exhibits of the tourist attraction; wherein the path changes based on each choice made by the user; and

wherein the method comprises loading, in response to the user choosing one of the three exhibits at each step of the path, commentary corresponding to the chosen one of the three exhibits.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first exhibit is recommended to the user further based on one or more criteria selected from the group consisting of: a real-time estimated wait time at the first exhibit, a popularity of the first exhibit based on past visitor history, and an estimated walking distance from an entrance of the tourist attraction to the first exhibit.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the user behavior includes explicit feedback and implicit feedback.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the crowding levels are determined based on querying a plurality of Bluetooth low energy beacons deployed throughout the tourist attraction.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 , comprising, in response to receiving the request, determining a location of the user upon the user arriving at the tourist attraction.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 , comprising, in response to receiving the request, prompting the requester for a desired location and time budget associated with the request.

9. A computer program product for cognitive navigational guidance through a tourist attraction, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions readable and/or executable by a processor to cause the processor to:

receive, at the processor, a request for cognitive navigational assistance through a tourist attraction;

obtain, by the processor, site-specific information about the tourist attraction from a site-specific server;

determine, by the processor, whether a user profile describing user viewing preferences exists, wherein the user profile comprises itinerary information and identifying information corresponding to a user; and

either:

direct, by the processor, the user to navigate through the tourist attraction according to a path based on the existing user profile; or

recommend, by the processor, a first exhibit to visit based at least in part on crowding levels at the tourist attraction and record, by the processor, user behavior observed while viewing the first exhibit.

10. The computer program product as recited in claim 9 , comprising program instructions readable and/or executable by the processor to cause the processor to:

recommend, by the processor, a next exhibit to visit based at least in part on the crowding levels at the tourist attraction;

record, by the processor, user behavior while viewing the next exhibit; and

repeat, by the processor, the recommending and the recording until a predetermined time budget is exhausted.

11. The computer program product as recited in claim 9 , wherein the path is dynamic;

wherein each step of the path comprises a choice among three exhibits of the tourist attraction;

wherein the path changes based on each choice made by the user; and

wherein the computer readable storage medium comprises program instructions readable and/or executable by the processor to cause the processor to load, in response to the user choosing one of the three exhibits at each step of the path, commentary corresponding to the chosen one of the three exhibits.

12. The computer program product as recited in claim 9 , wherein the first exhibit is recommended to the user further based on one or more criteria selected from the group consisting of: a real-time estimated wait time at the first exhibit, a popularity of the first exhibit based on past visitor history, and an estimated walking distance from an entrance of the tourist attraction to the first exhibit.

13. The computer program product as recited in claim 9 , wherein the user behavior includes explicit feedback and implicit feedback.

14. The computer program product as recited in claim 9 , wherein the crowding levels are determined based on querying a plurality of Bluetooth low energy beacons deployed throughout the tourist attraction.

15. The computer program product as recited in claim 9 , comprising program instructions readable and/or executable by the processor to cause the processor to determine, in response to receiving the request, a location of the user upon the user arriving at the tourist attraction.

16. The computer program product as recited in claim 9 , comprising program instructions readable and/or executable by the processor to cause the processor to prompt, in response to receiving the request, the requester for a desired location and time budget associated with the request.

17. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

logic integrated with the processor, executable by the processor, or integrated with and executable by the processor, the logic being configured to:

receive a request for cognitive navigational assistance through a tourist attraction;

obtain site-specific information about the tourist attraction from a site-specific server, wherein the site-specific information comprises and/or is derived from audio collected from an environment hosting the tourist attraction;

determine whether a user profile describing user viewing preferences exists; and

either:

direct the user to navigate through the tourist attraction according to a path based on the existing user profile; or

recommend a first exhibit to visit based at least in part on crowding levels at the tourist attraction and record user behavior observed while viewing the first exhibit.

18. The system as recited in claim 17 , wherein the logic is configured to determine whether the site-specific information is relevant to the user, and/or whether the site-specific information includes information relevant to the user.

19. The system as recited in claim 17 , wherein determining whether the site-specific information is relevant to the user, and/or whether the site-specific information includes information relevant to the user comprises determining whether the site-specific information is relevant to:

a current location of the user;

an ultimate destination of the user; and/or

a time of importance to the user.

20. The system as recited in claim 17 , further comprising determining, based at least in part on the user profile, whether any of the site-specific information requires translation; and

in response to determining some or all of the site-specific information requires translation:

translating the some or all of the site-specific information; and

communicating at least a portion of the translated site-specific information to the user via a mobile device.