Monday, November 24, 2008

Aquarium launches mobile tour from Untravel Media

By Mass High Tech Staff

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The New England Aquarium reports it plans to debut an interactive tour produced by Untravel Media Inc. this morning. 

The tour, called NEAq Insider and designed to be played on mobile phones and other handheld devices, offers complementary information about the aquarium’s animals, staff and conservation, the Aquarium said. The Aquarium said it’s the first cultural institution in New England to implement mobile technology including both an audio and visual component.

Aquarium visitors can download and listen to audio or watch high-definition videos showing behind-the-scenes interviews and video footage, the Aquarium said. Visitors without video-playing handhelds can dial into NEAq Insider while on site and listen to the tours. The system can also be used as an educational resource at home or in schools. The tours are available in Portuguese, Spanish and closed captioning for the hearing impaired.

Boston-based Untravel was a finalist in the mobile category of last spring’s MIT $100K Business Plan Competion. 

Also last spring, Untravel launched a mobile documentary called “Beyond the Yard” for the Cambridge Office of Tourism. The Flash Lite application, which can be downloaded to any video-enabled phone or even iPod, takes viewers through a 60- or 90-minute walking tour of Cambridge, using an interactive map and focusing on the little-known aspects of the area.