indoor navigation

There have been many developments and innovations in maps and navigation over the years. Indoor navigation is not a new term for the world. Over the past years, the demand for indoor navigation has increased across the globe. Just like Global Positing System enabled a lot of location-based services, Indoor Positioning Systems are also enhancing services. Indoor navigation is one of the most important features that an IPS enables. Indoor navigation is the technology that will change services drastically in the coming years with development and innovation.

According to AlliedMarketResearch, “The global indoor positioning and indoor navigation market was valued at $2,642 million in 2017, and is projected to reach $43,511 million by 2025, growing at a CAGR of 42.0% from 2018 to 2025.”

In large indoor spaces, It is difficult to utilize GPS due to barriers that limit its signals. In these large spaces, it can be difficult for people to find their way without navigation. Therefore, an Indoor Positioning System can be very useful to have, not only to carry out navigation but other tasks as well. Indoor navigation can enhance services for various organizations. It also improves customer satisfaction and helps work processes become more efficient. Let’s look at the various benefits of indoor navigation for organizations.

1. Real-Time Navigation and Maps

Indoor Navigation systems provide real-time navigation and maps that are automatically updated. They provide the user with live information about their current positioning in the indoor space and updates as they move. This can be very beneficial in places like hospitals, where patients and staff can know where exactly they are and what is accessible to them in case of emergencies. Real-Time Navigation adds to the interactive aspect of the map along with other features. This makes the customer experience comfortable and stress-free. Even in places like shopping malls, customers can easily plan their visit based on the maps. 

2. Indoor Space Management

Not only do indoor maps and navigation help visitors and customers, but it also helps the organization in managing space. A large indoor space can be very difficult to manage. There are a lot of things to keep an eye on, especially important resources like bathrooms, air conditioning, elevators, escalators, etc. A lot of times there may be renovation work going on in certain areas of the indoor space. With the help of indoor maps, the visitors and management can be alerted. This makes it easier for the management to keep track of all resources and act quickly in case of malfunctions. 

3. Managing and scheduling events

Indoor navigation and maps are accessible through smartphones by downloading the application. In places like theme parks, resorts, and malls, events can be well managed with the help of indoor navigation apps. The organizations can send customers alerts and notifications on all the events happening around them based on their location. This makes it easier to invite and promote the event. Customers get relevant notifications based on the location that is accessible to them, this makes their experience stress-free and joyful. 

4. Analytics

Indoor maps also provide analytical reports. Indoor navigation is carried out through Indoor positioning. It collects a lot of useful data that gives insight into the indoor space. These reports may provide information on foot traffic, usage of resources, usage of space, etc. This information can be utilized by the management to pinpoint areas that need improvement and act upon them. These reports are very useful to carry out location marketing campaigns as well. In big shopping malls, the management can utilize analytical reports to provide personalized relevant advertisements to the customers. 

5. Emergency and safety management

Indoor navigation can help in creating reliable plans for emergency purposes. In case of an emergency, the users of the navigation app can be quickly alerted. They can be notified about the emergency and get navigated to the nearest emergency exit. This can be very beneficial in places like airports, malls, hospitals, corporate offices, and any other place that has a lot of crowds daily. This will not only avoid panic during emergencies but will also be a quick reaction to it. This system beats the traditional ways of emergency management and makes it much more efficient. 

6. Other location-based services

Indoor navigation apps also enable other location-based services like location sharing, asset tracking, location-based marketing, and many more. These location-based services add to the benefits of indoor navigation and create an ultimate smart services experience for the users. This is one of the reasons why indoor navigation is in great demand, it does not only help you find the right way but also gives you a comfortable experience in the indoor space. Especially for visually impaired people, Indoor navigation and other location-based services can easily assist them for a comfortable experience. 

Conclusion

Various companies provide indoor and outdoor navigation solutions. Before choosing the right one for your organization, it is important to note its purpose it. Once the goals are set, you can start to go through various companies that offer the system. Indoor positioning systems have various types. Each of them is best for its specific purpose. You could go for a BLE system, or a Wi-Fi-based, or even a UWB but these systems will cost you a heft amount as they require hardware installations.

Many systems also provide indoor positioning without any hardware installations as well. These are low maintenance, easy to implement, and don’t cost a lot of money. One of the world’s leading indoor positioning systems is by Mapsted. They provide one of the best hardware-free systems that don’t require the installations of devices such as Wi-Fi or Beacons. Their services are being utilized by various organizations from across various sectors like Education, Healthcare, Transportation, Corporate, etc. Mapsted’s advanced location-based services consist of Navigation, Positioning, and Marketing as well.

By Anurag Rathod

Anurag Rathod is an Editor of Appclonescript.com, who is passionate for app-based startup solutions and on-demand business ideas. He believes in spreading tech trends. He is an avid reader and loves thinking out of the box to promote new technologies.