20/12/2021: Wexford County Council in collaboration with the Irish Institute of Digital Business (IIDB) at Dublin City University is using Hello Lamp Post to bring state of the art interactive AI technology to various sites across Gorey, encouraging the public to engage with objects in local streets in an innovative and playful way while exploring how technology can change how the public think about and interact with the public realm in Gorey.
The new technology will enable members of the public to interact with objects in their everyday surroundings – all through text messaging on their phones. By scanning a QR code on a public object such as a lamp post or bench, members of the public will be able to engage in a friendly two-way conversation via text, enabling real-time answers to questions and information on Gorey town’s rich variety of cultural sites and landmarks.
Starting at Market House, people will be able to ‘chat’ with objects along the stretch which finishes at Ashdown Park including Gorey Station and Civic Centre. With an SMS enabled phone, they can say ‘Hello’ – sending a text to a particular object, for example, ‘Hello Bench’ and have fun conversations with each object. The public will also be asked to share insights about their experience and vision for the future of the area on an ongoing basis, which will be anonymously fed directly to the Irish Institute of Digital Business at DCU and Wexford County Council.
Hearing from the public about what they’d like to see more of in Gorey forms part of the long-term strategy in this rural town to see it grow into a bigger and better town for future generations. With the population continuing to grow and more businesses finding their home in Gorey, listening to those who live in, work in and visit the area is key to its future expansion and growth.