Contact: Jim Maraviglia
805-756-1329

GPS Video Tours Introduced at Cal Poly

SAN LUIS OBISPO – Cal Poly is introducing cutting-edge technology into the admissions process with a GPS-enabled, multimedia tour guide device as an alternative to the regularly scheduled 11:10 am daily campus tour.

The self-paced tours are delivered through the GPS Ranger™, a patent-pending, handheld computer device that delivers video, audio, musical soundtrack and still photography based on user location through the power of GPS (Global Positioning System) technology. 

Cal Poly is the first college or university in the nation to offer the GPS Ranger™ tour guide for campus tours. BarZ Adventures Inc, maker of the GPS Ranger, works with national parks, zoos and historic cities to offer educational and entertaining video tours based on location.

The student-hosted tour works to ensure that potential students still get the student-led campus tour experience from an actual Cal Poly student, but with more flexibility. 

Prospective students can check-out tour guide units in the Admissions Office and explore the campus at their own pace. As users approach various locations, student-narrated videos play automatically, explaining different buildings, departments and resources on campus. An interactive GPS map helps users navigate the campus. 

The campus tour includes 18 points of interest, including: 

  • departmental buildings such as the Agriculture, Architecture, Business, English, and Science;
  • student resources such as the Robert E. Kennedy Library, faculty offices, Career Services and the Cal Poly Recreation Center; and
  • places and ways to get involved in campus life, such as the University Union, UU Plaza, Alex Spanos Stadium and Dexter Lawn.

“The Cal Poly GPS Ranger Campus Tour is a wonderful tool to support our integrated marketing efforts for our prospective student audience.  This tour experience can still remain 'student led’ with the added benefit of being self-paced and completely adaptable to the needs and desires of our campus visitors.  We are excited about taking our visitors’ experience to the next level with this technology,” said James Maraviglia, assistant vice president for admissions, recruitment & financial aid. “In addition, we will automatically create a dynamic Hobsons VIP Web micro site for each visitor that is based on their individual attributes.

The tour’s content was created by the Admissions Media Development team, comprising Cal Poly students under the direction of Al Nunez Jr., associate director of communications. The student-team determined tour stops, wrote scripts, hosted the tour, filmed tour stop footage and edited the final tour. 

The Cal Poly GPS Ranger tour is installed on campus and available from the Admissions Office. For more information call 805-756-2311. 

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