IoT-Enabled Solar Electric Cart for Accessible and Sustainable Tourism

Öz

Ashesi University is a premier destination for diverse visitors, including researchers, scholars, tourists, and industry professionals. However, challenges such as limited tour guides, weather-dependent accessibility, and expansive campus layouts often hinder seamless exploration. To address these issues, this project introduces a smart electric tour cart powered by solar energy and enhanced with IoT-driven automation. The proposed system combines renewable energy and advanced automation to deliver a sustainable, accessible, and interactive touring experience. Key features include GPS-enabled navigation, real-time location-based multilingual audio guidance, and IoT-triggered automation, making the system inclusive for all users, including individuals with disabilities. The cart incorporates a monocrystalline photovoltaic (PV) solar panel to enable on-the-go recharging, reducing reliance on traditional power sources and increasing operational runtime by 30%. Testing validated the cart's performance, achieving a 0.3-meter error margin in location recognition under optimal conditions and reducing CO2 emissions by 420 kg annually. These results demonstrate its potential to revolutionize campus and recreational tourism, with scalable applications for amusement parks, industrial complexes, and other large venues.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• IoT
• location based services
• renewable energy
• solar energy
• smart electric vehicles
• tourism

Kaynakça

1. [1] S. Creaco, and G. Querini, “The role of tourism in sustainable economic development,” European Regional Science Association (ERSA), Aug. 2003.
2. [2] D. D. Sasu, Contribution of travel and tourism to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Ghana 2019-2021, Dec. 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1278510/contribution-of- tourism-to-gdp-in-ghana/
3. [3] S. Tomasi, G. Paviotti, A. Cavicchi, Educational Tourism and Local Development: The Role of Universities. Sustainability 2020, 12, 6766. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12176766
4. [4] F. Alanazi, Electric Vehicles: Benefits, Challenges, and Potential Solutions for Widespread Adaptation. Appl. Sci. 2023, 13, 6016. https://doi.org/10.3390/app13106016
5. [5] Global EV Outlook 2022—Analysis —IEA. Available online: https://www.iea.org/reports/global-ev-outlook-2022.
6. [6] S. Muhammad, M. T. Shafiq, D. Douglas, and M. Kassem. 2022. "Digital Twins in Built Environments: An Investigation of the Characteristics, Applications, and Challenges" Buildings 12, no. 2: 120. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings12020120
7. [7] M. El-Semary, M. Hamdy, M. Khaled, M. Mohamed, H. Eltaher, Development of a light solar -powered electric vehicle, The International Undergr aduate Research Conference , 5(5), pp. 172- 176. doi: 10.21608/iugrc.2021.246198
8. [8] Mandee, “A self-guided robot giving college campus tours,” SICK Sensor Connection, Sep. 19, 2021. https://sickconnect.com/self- guided-robot-giving-college-campus-tours/ (accessed Jan. 20, 2024).

9. [9] “Self-driving golf carts,” MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sept. 2015. https://news.mit.edu/2015/autonomous-self-driving-golf-carts- 0901 (accessed Jan. 20, 2024).
10. [10] University Communications, “iRobot: Ashesi alums look to build a new kind of university navigation guide,” Ashesi.edu.gh, Aug. 2014. https://ashe.si/3Q0EwTF (accessed Jan. 20, 2024).
11. [11] E. Adongo, “The Turtlebot Tour Guide (TTG),” Ashesi University Repository, Jun. 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11988/489.
12. [12] S. Habib, et al., 2018. A comprehensive study of implemented international standards, technical challenges, impacts and prospects for electric vehicles. IEEE.
13. [13] A. F.Tazay, "Design and Implementation of Solar Powered Electric Vehicle for on campus University Application," vol. 14, pp. 920-927.
14. [14] A. Amo-Aidoo, E.N. Kumi, O. Hensel, J.K. Korese, and B. Sturm, Solar energy policy implementation in Ghana: a LEAP model analysis, Sci. African 16 (2022) e01162, doi:10.1016/j.sciaf.2022.e01162.
15. [15] F. Odoi -Yorke, et al., “Technical, financial, and emissions analyses of solar water heating systems for supplying sustainable energy for hotels in Ghana,” Solar Compass, vol. 7, p. 100051, Sep. 2023, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solcom.2023.100051.
16. [16] Guha, B., Haddad, R. J., & Kalaani, Y., 2015. Performance impact analysis of solar cell retrofitted electric golf cart. In SoutheastCon (pp. 1-2). IEEE.
17. [17] “Fact.MR – Golf Cart Market Analysis by Push- pull, Gasoline, Electric, and Solar-powered for Golf Courses, and Industrial Use from 2023 to 2033,” https://www.factmr.com/report/4537/golf - cart-market.
18. [18] D. A. Amoshie, G. Owusu, S. K. Armah and P. Lawerh Kwao, "Design of a Smart Solar-Recharge Electric Cart for Location Recognition and Guided Tours using IoT," 2024 6th GPECOM, Budapest, Hungary, 2024, pp. 239-244, doi: 10.1109/GPECOM61896.2024.10582769