If you’ve just started your digital wayfinding journey, then there is a lot for you to catch up with. It has become very easy and convenient for people to find their outdoor ways through GPS. But, once you are inside your desired building, sometimes, indoor wayfinding can become very difficult. However, with the help of the knowledge about the right tools and gadgets, you can easily find your way to ‘blue dot’ indoors. This blog will be about Achieving Efficient ‘Blue Dot’ Indoors – Explained.
Just like GPS, indoor positioning systems, or IPS are used to help you find your way indoors. It is called blue dot wayfinding or blue dot navigation system.
The following are some of the technologies that are being used for indoor wayfinding by different companies to make their brands visible on the map.
Here you go: ‘Blue Dot’ Indoors – Explained-
Bluetooth Beacons Serving Just the Purpose
In simple words, Bluetooth beacons are small pieces of hardware that are powered by batteries. Their working mechanism is very simple. They emit Bluetooth low energy signals. The Bluetooth enabled smart devices, then capture the signals and help you find your way.
Different companies and brands are using Bluetooth beacons for indoor wayfinding and advertisement purposes.
Wi-Fi Networks – A Simple Solution
Wi-Fi networks are another simple and convenient solution for indoor wayfinding. It works similarly to the principle of Bluetooth beacons. However, in the case of Wi-Fi networks, the strength of the signal is used to measure the distance of the user from the access point, and then they are guided to their desired place using this information.
However, it is important to know that the accuracy of this system highly depends on the number of access points installed. If the number is not sufficient enough, the user will find it difficult to find their way and vice versa.
Radio Frequency Identification – Efficient Asset Tracking
Radiofrequency identification works completely different than that of Bluetooth beacons and Wi-Fi networks. They have an integrated circuit and antenna that are then used to transmit data to the reader. The reader generates more usable data by converting the radio waves into the usable form. This way, depending on the frequency, the reader is identified, and RFID tags transmit data to it.
RFID tags have their own operating battery that makes the whole system a very cheap and efficient option, not to mention the large range that it provides.
Geomagnetic Navigation to the Rescue
As the name explains, geomagnetic navigation is a technique in which the magnetic sensor or compass that is built into a phone is used. A magnetic force is detected by your phone from the location nearby you and helps you in indoor wayfinding. It is a very cost-efficient method as there is no hardware cost. However, changing geomagnetic field can affect the efficiency of the system to a small extent.
Conclusion- ‘blue dot’ indoors
Technological advancements are making the lives of both the producers and consumers easy with every day passing. Make sure that you are making yourself familiar with these advancements so that you never get lost again if you are a customer. And if you are a business, then make sure that your clients always find you without any difficulty.