The "Round Might Navi" Android application is an integral part of the "Round Might" software package, a comprehensive solution designed to streamline the daily operations of postal workers. Developed using Microsoft .NET, the package simplifies tasks such as sorting and delivering mail by integrating multiple specialised applications.
The "Round Might" software package consists of the following components:
- Secured Data Server: A robust server with a relational database that stores all postal data securely. All apps of the package communicate with the server through Web API endpoints.
- "Builder" App: A web application for adding, editing, and organising postal data in the database (a desription is here).
- "Manager" App: A mobile application designed to sort and prepare daily mail for specific delivery routes efficiently (a desription is here).
- "Navigator" App: A mobile navigation app that provides visual guidance, route optimisation, and delivery tracking for postal workers.
This article describes the "Round Might NAVI" Android app, the final component of the "Round Might" software package. The app is designed to provide robust visualisation and navigation capabilities for postal delivery routes and designed specifically for postmen and delivery personnel to navigate complex delivery rounds with maximum efficiency. .
Technology and Design
To ensure speed and reliability in a fast-paced, real-time environment, the app was built using the pure .NET 7 MAUI framework. The XAML-coded frontend supports a lightweight, single-page application (SPA) design, optimising performance and responsiveness.
The app consists of three main visual elements:
1. Map: A dynamic map powered by a customized Microsoft MAUI Maps NuGet package.
2. Bottom Panel: An interactive list displaying the nearest delivery points.
3. Full Page List: A detailed view of all delivery points and their associated tasks.
Offline Functionality
Like the "Round Might Manager" app, "NAVI" is designed to operate in fully offline mode. After downloading the necessary route data and Google Offline Maps for the delivery area (typically done in an office with stable internet), the app functions seamlessly without connectivity. Key offline capabilities include:
- • Persistent route and task data, loaded from the device's file system at startup.
- • Decoded direction polylines and address pins drawn on the map without requiring an internet connection.
This offline-first approach ensures the app can be relied on even in remote or connectivity-limited areas.
Route Data Overview
The app manages three critical data sets for the delivery route:
1. Delivery Points:
- • All addresses on the route, including task addresses, are labeled with names that remain visible during navigation. This helps postmen—especially those unfamiliar with the round—learn address locations and recognize places as they pass.All delivery points of the round are represented as yellow-blue circle pins on the map.
- • Clicking a pin displays an address popup with street name and postcode. Users can navigate to the address via Google Maps or Google Navigation in one click.
2. Round Directions:
- • Direction polylines, encoded and stored on the server, are downloaded to the device (only when the round changes).
- • At startup, the app decodes these polylines and visualises the route on the map.
3. Current Tasks:
Task data is downloaded once per duty from the server after indoor preparation in the "Manager" app. Purple pins on the map also represent delivery points, labelled with their order numbers for easy identification.
Delivery points are also listed in sequence on the bottom stack panel, each showing:
- 1. Distance to the next delivery point, displayed next to each row.
- 2. Delivery order number.
- 3. Address details.
- 4. Colour-coded chips for task types and counts.
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- Video: Navigation in town video
- Video: Navigation in town video continue
Visualisation Modes
The app supports multiple visualisation modes, offering flexibility for various operational scenarios:
1. Main Navigation mode Keeps the user at the centre of the map. The user’s location marker is shifted lower on the screen, giving better visibility of the route ahead. It retains the user’s selected zoom level and supports map tilt adjustment using a two-finger up/down gesture. The map automatically rotates in the direction of movement, similar to Google Maps.The current position is indicated with a high-visibility red icon shaped like a walking person. To improve user experience and to save a device battery a smoothing of the movement (Kalman Filter) and movement "prediction" were implemented for this mode.
2. Show All Delivery Points: Displays all delivery points and the user’s current position on a single screen.
3. Follow to the Next Point: Automatically zooms and centers the map to show the next delivery point and the user’s position as they approach.
4. Full List View: Opens a detailed list of all delivery points, including completed tasks.
5. Settings screen: Access to the app settings.
When the user approaches a delivery point (or points) closer than the configured warning distance, the corresponding row(s) in the list turn red to alert the user.
- Image: Navigation view & task list page
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Users can configure and save the following visual settings on their device: warning distance to the next task, thickness of the direction line, size of address pins, size of task markers (with task numbers). font size for address names.
Interaction Options
Clicking on a delivery point in the bottom list, full list, or directly on a map pin opens a popup dialog with the following options:
- Mark Task as Completed:
- Removes the pin from the map and the point from the bottom list. In the full list, it is marked as grey to indicate completion.
- Navigate to Address:
- Opens Google Navigation in a separate window.
- Follow to Address:
- Skips earlier points in the sequence and sets the selected point as the next delivery point. This is particularly useful for handling urgent tasks.
Additional Features
Simultaneous Use with Google Navigation:
- The app can be used alongside Google Navigation, either in split-screen mode (for tablets) or via Google Navigation’s picture-in-picture mode.
Dual Device Operation:
- Users can operate the "Manager" app on one device for preparation and task management while running the "NAVI" app on a separate device for route navigation.
Progress on the route can be saved to the server at any time, allowing for real-time synchronization with the Round Might Manager.
- Image: No address names & Google Nav 1
- Image: No address names & Google Nav 2
Deployment and Testing
The app has been deployed and tested on multiple Android 13 devices in real-world conditions. Its offline-first design ensures uninterrupted functionality for postal workers, even in areas with no internet access.
The "Round Might NAVI" app exemplifies how cutting-edge technology can enhance the postal delivery process, offering clear visualisation, precise navigation, and robust offline capabilities for seamless operation.