Goopas (short for Good Passport/Good Passgate), is a context-aware information delivery service for train passengers.

When they register, users specify their age, gender, interests, preferences, boarding and destination train stations, and mobile phone address. When the user passes through a ticket gate machine using his or her commuter pass, customized information (leisure, gourmet, entertainment, etc.) is sent to the subscriber’s mobile phone.

A user will pass through ticket pass gates twice: at the station near home and when arriving at the destination station. Then, twice again on the way back.

At each station at separate times of the day, the user receives information based on the vicinity (ex. a 10% discount for lunch is delivered in the morning and in the evening contents related to a bargain sale.) Contents can also include a fun quiz, the day’s horoscope, or a variety of other entertaining contents that can be viewed while burning time or waiting somewhere.

Goopas began full-scale operation on the Odakyu Electric Railway in February 2003. Omron expects it to expand to railways all over Japan and aims for 1 million users after three years.

Goopas began full-scale operation on the Odakyu Electric Railway in February 2003 and should expand to railways all over Japan.

From Omron, via RFID in Japan.