Pigeon - Indoor Positioning and Navigation app

There is always something new being invented in the world of technology on a regular basis; yet reaching out to businesses is the biggest challenge the technology developing teams face. Today, large facilities like Convention Centers are hardly aware of the technology that best suits them, so that they can utilize it for smooth running of their venue. Technologies such as indoor positioning, indoor navigation and wayfinding might just be the right applications for managements to choose and deploy.

According to the Convention Industry Council, there are a staggering 1.8 million convention centers in US who host large gatherings in the form of conferences, congresses, international trade shows and exhibitions, incentive events and corporate meetings, etc. Convention centers are even essential for the tech industry; with Google and Microsoft holding some of the biggest events in the recent times, the venue needs to introspect on their facility management in relation to the technology they offer to those industries.

Indoor Positioning and Navigation Technologies can be ideal for management of large facilities like convention centers due to the wide array of features they offer to industries.

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What’s lacking in existing Convention Centers

**? Keep reading to know more…

The growing need for large venues with widely accessible technology is going to be rapidly in demand in the future for large groups of associations in venues like convention centers. However, Convention centers across the world need to expand and renovate in order to attract more events and be a better host. With the growing demand for technology among the users, convention centers should look forward to enhancing their operations for better visitor experience within the venue. Convention centers requires to work on providing more flexible spaces, the ability to blend virtual and in-person events, and meaningful sustainability in order to seek the attention of the next generation visitors.

Few challenges today’s Convention Center’s management face are:

*Flexibility
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Not all events are the same and today convention centers repeat the same monotonous approach to all kinds of events that take place within the venue. Convention centers should be renovated to ensure that they can be adapted to different types and sizes of meetings.

Events in convention centers look to bridge the gap between the physical and digital world. Spaces need to be flexible enough to accommodate new technology, and there’s increasing demand for spaces that can be used as production studios for video in this digital era of visitors.

There is also more demand for highly flexible, unadorned hospitality spaces that can be customized to fit the needs of each event which convention centers fail to provide and that can lead to the down-fall of the venue in the long run.

*Technology
*

Stadiums have a well equipped technological setup and to serve the visitors on par with stadiums convention centers need to expand and renovate their venue by seamlessly integrating technology. To be ready for everything from live-streaming videos, social media-enhanced presentations, the need for faultless wireless internet and even making sure there are enough charging stations for computers and phones, convention centers have to upgrade quickly for today’s increased mobility.

International trade shows, conference and events of high profile are demanding for digital technology within the venue that can digitally way find and navigate them in large facilities like convention centers. This means that the convention center buildings should be equipped with advanced infrastructure for Wi-Fi and upgrading distributed antenna systems (DAS).

Today’s convention center goers expect connectivity everywhere. Once thought of as a revenue stream for convention centers, free internet connectivity is an expectation of meeting planners. And today the convention centers lack just that in terms of their technological services.

Technology is the most important new growth area for convention centers according to 42 percent of event producers, based on a report from Red 7 Media Research and Consulting.

*Sustainability
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Convention centers lack the art of sustainability among the rest of the venues. Today, all large venues have a proper strategy for sustaining in the market but convention centers have failed to plan one. Convention centers are extensively looking to increase their level of sustainability for the environmental benefits and as well as for reducing operating costs.

Technology Can Change the Face of Convention Centers Right Away

In a world where we demandingly rely on mobile and internet connections, online meetings therefore happen to be more significant. Convention centers need to adapt to the technological needs of their audiences, while also creating environments that enhance the real-life experiences that cannot be captured online.

Convention centers are located in large tracts of area to serve the purpose of accommodating large masses under one roof and have their needs fulfilled. In this context, monitoring those large groups of people becomes an impossible task for the management of the venue if not with the technology.

*Indoor Positioning Technologies
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Indoor Navigation App in Shopping Malls Ideally, any facility that is situated in large tracts of area should have the appropriate technology within the venue to position and navigate the visitors. Not just for positioning and way finding but also for several other challenges which visitors face within the venue; challenges like booking an event, emergency management, bookmark feature and much more.

The environment in convention centers happens to be very professional and formal which leads to the boredom of the visitors that can eventually lead them to rushing out from the venue as soon as possible. This process directly signifies that the visitors don’t really show much interest in staying within the venue for a longer time.

Convention centers needs technologies that can make the visitors have a good time within the venue along with the productive time which happens to be the primary purpose of the event. In convention centers, the other challenges visitors face is finding their respective event in the long list of the events which happen simultaneously.

Indoor positioning systems can enhance visitor experience in large venues like convention centers by making them position their location and also bookmark them in case of immediate exits and entries. The other major problem visitors face while in convention centers is that lack of network in their mobile phones within the venue makes it a cumbersome process to navigate even after having all the required bunch of modems under their disposal.

*Technology That Can Serve Offline Will Be Double Effective
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We all know the nature of convention centers and we have to acknowledge the fact that they are located in outskirts of the city so as to accommodate large masses of visitors at once. Having said that convention centers are located in isolated regions where network concerns are more often to be common.

Any technology that can provide services offline can be double effective in venues like convention centers. Most visitors in convention centers are high profile CEOs, marketing executives and sales executives from big companies and all of them have been facing network fluctuation issues irrespective of the network they use, due to the isolated regions convention centers have been located in.

In venues like convention centers, technology that can offer services without internet can come in handy more than that which offers services only with the hand of internet. According to the same report which is mentioned above, the Red 7 Media Research and Consulting says that over 39% of event producers feel that technology is an important new growth area for convention centers.

Time for Convention Centers to Embrace Technology and Enhance Visitor Experience
Not many venues loose the opportunity to associate with technology for better visitor experience and eventually increase their bottom line. Now convention centers can grab the same by adopting technology into their venues. There are immense ways that technology can help visitors and the management within the venue.

Let’s list few of them…

*Optimal Visitor Engagement Can Lead to Optimal Visitor Experience
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Not all visitors have a jolly and blissful time within the venue, especially in convention centers. Some venues are only meant for official and productive engagement. With technology like indoor navigation systems in convention centers, the visitors will have a point to point navigation within the venue where other events also take place similarly at the same time and venue on different floor.

Providing visitor engagement in convention centers seems impossible unless technology meets the venue. The huge halls, rooms, parking lots, etc have to be navigated with the help of technology, if only with manpower then the management cannot assist each and every visitor unlike the technology.

*Parking lots
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With large facilities comes huge responsibility and accountability. When thousands of visitors come together for common purpose or cause in convention centers which are isolated in the countryside, their vehicles which bring them there have to be parked within the venue as well.

Today, many smart phone apps have been evolving that can support indoor locating systems for booking a slot for your vehicle within the venue before you reach the destination. Also, the visitors can bookmark their slot where the vehicle has been parked so as to identify their vehicle among the rest of thousands of them.

Engaging visitors in convention centers can only be done optimally when the management of the venue can at first navigate their respective vehicles and later on followed by navigating them.

*Technology Can Become the Real Strategy for Convention Centers
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With technology under the belt of the venue, the visitors can have an interactive participation with their clients online and show them the step-by-step processes of planning the event. Hence, this form of communication can make them feel involved and gives potential customers security that their event will be a top-notch!

There is always that one fact which holds the key to reach the next level in most of the venues: ‘by offering visitors their new demands’. Not necessarily new strategy means to change the entire approach and bring in an altogether new and fresh approach, in different venues the strategy ranges from collecting and interpreting data to implementing ideas.

In the case of convention centers, visitors are mostly millennials who seek information from a technological environment by the use of smart phones and applications, rather than intrude into other people’s time or space. An application works on a do-it-yourself principle wherein users of the app can simply login and plan at their day at precise locations at scheduled times.

*Next Gen Convention Centers
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Now that we have initiated a discussion on the relevant technologies and their application which can benefit convention centers, it is only a matter of time before indoor path-finding, navigation, and positioning apps will dominate the scenario. Today’s convention center visitors have conformed themselves to the limitations of a traditional space but next generation visitors i.e. the generation Z is expecting more flexibility and adaptability in spaces that are supposed to match the needs and unique factors of the events. Convention centers visitors will want to have the ability to customize their event experience in the future.

However, the technology which we use or about to use in convention centers are way too simple compared to the future of convention centers because of the services it offers. Services like hospitality, visitor engagement, navigation and way finding and much more will take place through the face of technology alone in the near future. Manpower will be reduced to a greater number and technological experts will be hired for better updating of software on a frequent basis.

Overall, the future of business for convention centers is as bright as ever in the history of the venue. Professionals all over the world will witness best experience in convention centers like never before with the technological shift the venue adopted by then. Also, there is a wide scope for convention centers to showcase their city’s local culture and encourage event and conference visitors to stay well past their daily meeting schedules.

The visitors in convention centers in the future will have a holiday while they are simultaneously networking with their colleagues. This will prevent the feeling of the visitors that they could be “anywhere” when they are still in convention centers.

However, while looking at the professional side, the future visitors will be clear in their desire for a different experience in convention centers, and the days of uncomfortable banquet chairs and one-size-fits-all meeting rooms will become a part of the past.

Originally shared on http://pigeon.srisys.com/blog/how-indoor-positioning-and-navigation-technologies-can-improve-convention-center-operations

Indoor Location Tracking Technology is a system that locates objects, people, assets, etc. within a building with the help of radio waves, acoustic signals, magnetic fields and other navigation technologies. This particular technology is primarily built to serve the common purpose of navigation and wayfinding inside huge buildings according to their preference.

Indoor Location Tracking Technology

Indoor navigating and wayfinding is the toughest challenge that big businesses are unable to provide to the visitors but with the help of this technology, visitors can have a safe and secure journey.

Have a look at the industries where this technology can be applied
ZOO PARKS
PUBLIC PARKS
THEME PARKS
SHOPPING MALLS
RESORTS
MEDICAL FACILITIES
EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES
CONVENTION CENTERS
As you can observe, this technology also works as an indoor navigation app which provides a bunch of features to visitors who can make their experience better while exploring large facilities.

Zoo parks

Zoological gardens are meant to be big and huge in terms of its geography and visitors will surely need a guide for navigation. What if there is a technology that will take you to every corner of the zoo all by yourself?
Yes, an indoor position tracking technology does exactly this and much more. A lot of times in zoo parks we miss out on witnessing few animals because we don’t have a proper guide who can take us to all the animals but with this technology, one can have the pleasure of witnessing all the sections in the park.

[Public Parks

With this technology be applicable to this industry, the visitors can always be sure about how to plan their weekend in parks.
Certainly, anywhere in the world Public Parks are spread across vast tracts of land that have obvious challenges for the management team.
A few of these challenges are poor space utilization, lack of measurement of user experience, the collaboration between staff members located at various distances within the facility, etc.
By adopting this technology in Public Parks, the visitors and the management can have a productive exchange.

Theme Parks

Theme Parks or Amusement Parks can be a great place to enjoy for people of all age groups. Because such parks are located and built in vast lands, it is tough to track every ride, be it water slide or roller coaster rides within the park.

An indoor positioning and navigation technology’s comprehensive feature can make your visitors leverage real-time, point to point navigation and engage them continually with attractions at the park.

*Shopping Malls
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Malls are chaotic and crowded despite shopping being a fun thing to do. However, not all the stores can be listed without a guide. This technology can be a handy one while exploring shopping malls because malls are spread over multiple floors and expansive areas.

The management of the mall carries a bunch of responsibilities of making the visitors experience exciting and memorable. Be it revenue generation, space management, dealing with parking issues, promoting stores and offers to visitors, or ensuring the safety of public, managing a big mall needs ample time and effort from resources to make it profitable.

Resorts

A resort can be a good place to unwind with friends, family and close ones but to do that visitors need to track their locations from time to time.

Indoor location tracking offers resort managers to measure their customers’ experience on a real-time basis, thereby helping them make more informed decisions.

This technology also helps facility managers engage their guests at the facility to make sure they have a super time while at the resort and keep coming back to the facility.

Medical Facilities

Unlike the other industries, Medical Facilities should be more swift and active for the visitors because it deals with the lives of people. Hospitals have a complex structure; visitors find it very tough to locate doctors’ chambers, designated labs, cafeteria, and restrooms.
To alleviate such problems, indoor wayfinding technology is the solution, which will make the visitors experience at hospitals a very healthy and satisfactory one.

Education Facilities

University campuses, schools, colleges, contain large lands with each section located at different ends of the campus. How can students locate their desired destinations within the allotted timetable? It’s easy with the Indoor Positioning Technology!
This technology provides students with a bounty of features which will make their experience in the campus very productive and enriching. It can aid in superior facility management for both students and the management.

Convention Centers

From large-scale trade exchanges and product launches to niche get-togethers, Convention Centers are the places which host a wide variety of events.
Usually, events of these proportions are scheduled for days at a stretch and the number of participants could run into thousands. How can such a complex ambiance be navigated effortlessly by the visitors?

Indoor navigation is the solution that supports convention centers so as to achieve superior customer experience at the venue.
Surprisingly, the search for the most suitable technology for different industries might fade away with the advent of Indoor Location Tracking Technology. This is one long-lasting technology that can be helpful for industries other than the ones which have been listed above.

Going forward, large facilities such as airports, warehouses, aquariums among others would surely look at adopting this technology for better facility management.

Assume you are new to a city and you are heading to a shopping mall along with your partner who’s on a shopping spree. Now, this could be the biggest challenge to act as a guide to a place unknown to you. How do you deal with such an awkward situation where you have no idea about the locations in a huge shopping mall in an urban city? Only an indoor location tracking technology can help you!

Shopping Mall wise person would definitely take help of technology because only technology serves without any agenda unlike humans, provided it is fed with a healthy internet connection.

A shopping mall is like an ocean of stores with a diverse variety of products placed in a huge area which at a time can accommodate a sea of people. So, a couple or even a lay person new to such malls will find the experience of navigating to, within, and from the mall a journey equivalent to visiting a black hole and back.

Only a shopping mall navigation app can help with outdoor to indoor way finding and navigate a person inside a mall with the help of indoor location tracking technology. The only other option without using technology would be to visit a pizza store and get back to your location.

What is an Indoor Location Tracking Technology?
The generation which grew up with paper maps to locate their way around is using the popular GPS (Global Positioning System) technology to reach their destinations in contemporary times. This tells us how time has changed the way we live our lives and are still on the course of change. Today, nobody guides anybody till the destination; it’s just the GPS which guides all- no matter if you are from rural or urban region.

Indoor Location Tracking Technology is a system that locates objects, people, ATMs, and etc within a building with the help of radio waves, acoustic signals, magnetic fields and other emerging technologies. This particular technology is primarily built to serve the common purpose of navigation and way finding inside huge buildings according to their preference.

Can This Technology Be Helpful For Business Purposes?
Business Purposes Businesses today have evolved and adapted to technologies irrespective of big, medium, or small scales of operation. People who visit shopping malls, corporate campuses, airports, large event sites and etc will always look for a genuine guide and this technology can be their escort throughout their journey within the premises.

Businesses should always be looking for feedback from their customers so as to keep improving with time and money. Indoor Location Tracking Technology will allow shopping malls, hospitals, large buildings, etc to avail quick and instant feedback without consumption of physical energy.
Shopping malls have more benefits when associated with this technology.

Have a Look at the Benefits Shopping Mall Navigation App Has To Offer
It provides better experience for visitors
Visitors around the world look for time saving ideas whether it is in shopping malls, airports, university campuses, etc. and shopping mall navigation app can do exactly the same. With this technology visitors experience within the premises will improve five fold and that will result in revisits and improved impressions.

Increases sales and productivity
In most cases, the chaotic ambience in shopping malls leads visitors to exit the place. But with a shopping mall navigation app, one can navigate to the required store and make it a productive moment for themselves as well as the store personnel.

Now visually-impaired can shop with ease
A shopping mall navigation app allows people who are physically challenged to shop with ease. As said above, shopping could become a hectic thing for normal people with the chaotic ambience but with this innovative both normal and challenged people can shop effortlessly

Gives ample time for visitors to visit all the stores
A shopping mall navigation app makes it easy for visitors in locating their stores of interest easily and one can also spend ample time in visiting and purchasing.

Not all visitors look at the entire mall because of several reasons from which paucity of time being one. The technology can make them plan their routes and schedule accordingly.

The technology behind shopping mall navigation app is a combination of frequency signals, light, sound and sensors. These technologies are:

Radio Frequency Signals (RF) – This is a very generic term related to the frequency of radio signals, used in many popular communication protocols such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

Light (visible and infrared light) – Although this is an electromagnetic signal just as the RF signals, the associated technologies are quite dissimilar.

Sound– Both audible and ultrasonic.

Magnetic Fields– Both natural Earth’s magnetic field, along with its irregularities, and artificially produced magnetic fields.

One such innovative application aimed at helping visitors experience the thrill of shopping while ensuring management of the mall can generate revenue and boost sales is the Pigeon Indoor Positioning and Navigation App.

Pigeon is a technology with unique features including safety and security, updates and notifications, promotions and advertisements, registrations of events, etc.

The world has evolved with time as have the lifestyles of people when it comes to usage and adapting to new technological trends designed to alleviate common problems faced by the populace. In extension to Global Positioning Systems (GPS) which works for outdoor navigation and wayfinding, we now have indoor positioning and navigation technologies which help with path finding within large facilities.

Outdoor GPS navigation apps are among many such applications which have guided people in exploring places which are new to them. However, even today navigating within large indoor locations is a common challenge which visitors face in venues.

Indoor Positioning and Navigation Systems
Plenty of applications and software play an umbrella role while offering services to its users, and indoor positioning and navigation systems are one among them. Umbrella meaning it offers a bunch of features that serve a diverse range of purposes from a single interface.

Wondering what’s so great about it in this digital world?
Indoor positioning and navigation systems can primarily serve as an indoor location tracker with attendant features complimenting its own services. Only a few apps offer a multitude of services to ensure holistic operational efficiency.

Indoor positioning and navigation applications work using the following three technologies primarily:

Wi-Fi
Bluetooth
Beacons
Where will Indoor Positioning and Navigation Systems Fit In?
Not many apps or technologies fall under two polarities that are different in nature; this is the case with indoor positioning and navigation systems. Whether the venue is small, big or massive, this system can be adopted for better visitor engagement and result in an increasing bottom line for the facility owners.

However, the recommended optimal application of the technology is that for large facilities like airports, convention centers, zoos, etc., a facility’s economy can be measured by looking at the number of people who regularly visit large venues mentioned above.

Here are some of the Most Common Challenges in Large Venues
Technology
It’s not easy to keep up with technological trends in this modern day as every other day there is a technological upgrade that takes place. Especially, in case of large venues it becomes even more cumbersome work. Also, for technological progress to take place in large facilities, it needs to meet with the budget allocated by the venue.

Time Management
Time constraint can be a challenge for anybody and anything irrespective of the size and power of it. Managing time becomes very important to reach the objectives designed for the progress of a person, company or even a large venue. Therefore it is advised to plan by outlining your short term vs. long term goals and not being hasty while managing time. Only technology can divide and share the burden of manpower in large venues.

Crowd Management
Managing crowds is the biggest challenge large venues face. However, with an organized route guide within the venue, it can be resolved to an extent. Venues which have been catered to with technology have seen drastic changes in regards to managing and monitoring the crowd present within the venue. Indoor positioning systems can offer a great deal of service in venues that accommodate large groups of people at once.

How Indoor Positioning and Navigation Systems Can Help Large Facilities?
Large facilities have common challenges irrespective of the services they offer to the visitors and indoor positioning systems can combat those challenges with ease. Challenges like path finding, locating a person, store, or a facility and much more, let’s see how this technology can resolve such issues.

Self Monitoring Path Guide in Large Venues
Indoor positioning and navigation systems can be the path guide for visitors in huge facilities that generally need a local in order to explore the venue optimally. With large interior spaces commonly functioning on geo-referenced data with Wi-Fi access points on each corner and also Bluetooth beacon signal strengths within the buildings, it becomes easy for indoor positioning systems to function and serve their visitors.

In order for visitors to have a productive visit to public venues like airports, stadiums, or within a private space like an office facility, warehouse or a manufacturing facility, they need a proper guide that can wayfind and navigate them to the desired location. With the right technology big spaces can monitor their visitors within the venue effectively.

Cuts down Unnecessary Wandering in Large Venues
Most visitors in large venues happen to spend a lot of time wandering through the facility unreasonably, fetching nothing in the process. Time constraint becomes one of the major challenges for management of today’s large venues. Indoor positioning technology becomes very appropriate for venues that have pre-configured time slots like museums, zoos, airports, etc.

While exploring venues which offer a plethora of services, visitors need to plan their day according to time constraints so as to make the best out of the visit. When a facility integrates its operations with an indoor positioning system, there results a productive interaction between the visitors and the management of the venue. Most visitors leave the venue due to lack of relevant communication generated by the facility management, which could eventually be considered as a loss of potential customers and decline in revenues.

An indoor positioning system serves not just the visitors but also the management of the venue with its end to end functionality. Large facility managers have a million things to do every day; attending budget meetings, consulting vendors, answering emails and much more. Besides these, there are employees with questions, management concerns and issues that need to be sorted. And all this needs to be done before the end of day! Managing time therefore becomes a big challenge for a facility manager. Indoor position and navigation technology can be the right choice as it can help manage a wide range of locations, spaces, services and assets critical in today’s fast paced world.

Technology that is User-friendly
There is a prevalent notion among visitors that management of large venues doesn’t really focus on significant visitor experience areas, which eventually affects their average visitor engagement ratings. They don’t realize that interfaces of most technologies tend to be overly complicated which could lead to disinterest from the visitors’ end. But in case of indoor positioning technologies, the users are presented with a friendly interface to engage them thoroughly in order to maximize their day at the venue.

Also, the management of a large venue needs to keep in mind the visitors who use this system regularly are not just young people but could be middle-aged and sometimes old as well. It is commonly accepted that technology is built for the next generation to benefit but, according to a survey by Pew Research Center, it says that over 62% of adults use technology in the form of smart phones, desktop computers, laptops and tablets for browsing the internet and relevant gain information.

Future of Indoor Positioning Systems is going to be Revolutionary
The trends in technology change with time and that’s how it has enmeshed with the lives of people in each era. Similarly, for future users technology has extensive benefits to offer.

Let’s go through one such example…
Technology can sometimes, in fact, most of the times make us realize the ‘awe’ factor with its innovative and futuristic creations.

oblu: A Shoe-Mounted Indoor Positioning System
For outdoor navigations, there is still scope for people to use traditional ways to communicate and find their paths but in case of indoor navigation its becoming way to tough to communicate for navigation.

oblu is an Arduino compatible, miniaturized, low cost and open source inertial sensor targeted towards wearable motion sensing applications. oblu is a shoe-mounted pedestrian dead reckoning (PDR) system that can tell the users to change direction and location according to their destinations. It’s available as a configurable development platform, and can report position data to a Smartphone via its onboard Bluetooth module.

Note: The image and the information is curate from a blog published on Medium.

oblu is suitable for applications with space constraints, e.g. wearable motion sensing. It can also be used as a wireless IMU with the help of on-board Bluetooth. Presence of on-board floating point processing capability, along with four IMUs array, makes sensor fusion and motion processing possible within the module itself, which in turn results in very accurate motion sensing.

The features of this future technology are quite futuristic and it is inevitable that once this techno is on board it is going to create a revolutionary impact on the users and the populace on the whole.

Features of this technology are:

Four 3-axis Accelerometer
Four 3-axis Gyroscope
32 bit FP microcontroller
USB battery charging
Li-ion battery operable
BLE 4.1 and USB interface
JTAG programmable
Digital output
The future is bright for the next generation users and/or visitors of large venues.
It seems that we will see more applications or technologies powered with UWB (Ultra-wide brand) location detection in the future as the price of the hardware and software solutions is going to rapidly decrease due to the commonality it has reached. Augmented reality (AR) experiences will play a role with UWB as precise location and direction information opens the doors for even richer augmented reality apps. Locatify’s focus is on making location based apps for augmented reality audio and indoor navigation apps. In the future, the UWB hardware may well be built into smart phones and could be part of headphones as well.

Overall, in large venues there is always a need to find ways to a specific location which may not be possible with manpower alone. Technology can be a better alternative for that job. With applications that can enhance visitor experience and take it to the next level, new age applications need to be co-opted in order to serve present and future purposes.

The management of large venues is looking out for applications that can offer indoor way finding and navigation as their primary function, followed by features that can obtain vital user data from visitors in order to make more informed management decisions.

Most of the venues have a bunch of points of interest in their venue and navigating them is just not enough. Features that can help them schedule or register for an event, pre-scheduling their day in terms of their points of interest, marketing integration and many such features need to be integrated in apps to enable smooth functioning of large facilities.

A mobile wayfinding app for museums enriches visitor experience as it adds value to the facility. A memorable museum experience is dependent upon the amount of time visitors hours spend in the facility and the quality of their engagement within the museum environment.

Pigeon was a proud sponsor of the annual Visitor Experience Conference (VEX18) held on October 7-9 in San Antonio, TX, hosted by The Visitor Experience Group.

Facilities spread over several acres need the right technology to enhance operational performance through real-time tracking, indoor positioning & navigation and utilization of facility for optimal facility management. By opting for a comprehensive indoor navigation system, facility heads can empower their decision-making through data generated by usage of the system.
Pigeon indoor positioning and indoor navigation app is the ideal platform for facility managers as it supports:
1. Precise Indoor Navigation and Wayfinding
2. Asset Tracking
3. Marketing Integration
4. Hoteling and Reservation
5. Emergency Management
6. Feature-level Customization
Pigeon can be customized to enhance visitor experience and improve efficiency of:
ZOO PARKS
PUBLIC PARKS
THEME PARKS
SHOPPING MALLS
RESORTS
AQUARIUMS
MEDICAL FACILITIES
EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES
CONVENTION CENTERS
AIRPORTS
RAILWAY STATIONS
STADIUMS
The social spaces mentioned above can use the Pigeon app as a platform for assisting in communication, asset tracking, event management, etc. to keep visitors informed of latest updates at the facility, thereby increasing their engagement both quantitatively and qualitatively. .
Key features of Pigeon Indoor Positioning and Indoor Navigation App Include:
 Indoor Positioning and Navigation
 Pre-Planned Routing
 Market Integration
 Emergency Management
 Event Scheduling and Registration
 People Finder
 In-App Messaging and Calling
Based on Geolocation technology, Pigeon enables users to access the facility effortlessly and aids in strategic decision making through the data generated about users and their utilization of the facility.

With Pigeon, indoor positioning, indoor navigation, and facility management are made simple and easy!

Explore http://pigeon.srisys.com/

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technologies in large facilities can be availed to enable indoor positioning systems for better asset management and indoor location tracking. Here is a brief exposition of how the technology works using various wireless systems.

At the outset, let’s understand that indoor positioning technology is an umbrella term with many connotations, yet referring primarily to indoor positioning and indoor navigation. Based on a facility’s requirements, the adoption of different types/mediums such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are used in order to serve several purposes, with positioning and navigation being predominant.

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Enable Functioning of IPS
How Does an IPS Work?

In this hi-tech era, we hardly hear people getting lost in a new city or navigating to new places in their place of domicile as Smartphone’s with internet and GPS enabled in them make locating points of interest an effortless, and sometimes an enjoyable task.

However, how do we navigate when we are indoors in a large facility such as a shopping mall, a healthcare centre, an educational institution, or a place like an amusement park?

Much like how GPS helps us navigate outdoors, enabling IPS with the help of Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and Sensors can aid visitors in wayfinding and reaching their desired spaces with ease inside a facility.

IPS works through several categories such as:

Proximity Positioning- With the help of a receiver or a device, the proximity of the locations are detected and delivered as output. These proximity-based systems have the ability to detect the general location of a person, object or service rooms within the facility based on several technological platforms such as:

Proximity Positioning
QR Codes / NFC tags
Bluetooth
Visible Light Communication (VLC) devices
Wi-Fi Access Points
Ultrasound devices
Fingerprint Positioning- This system is built through signal measurements across the facility to compute the position of the visitor. However, it is hypothetical because every position within any facility is almost unique and incomparable to the other.

This system is most commonly used to improve the accuracy of other positioning technology within the facility and moreover, combining multiple sources can increase the accuracy of the technology which can eventually lead to productivity. Similar to the above system, fingerprinting also uses similar technological platforms such as:

Bluetooth
Wi-Fi
Magnetic field
Apart from Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, there are other platforms as well which chip-in based on the implementation costs and the precision in locating the visitor intended destination within the facility.

The chart below will give you a deeper understanding of indoor tracking.

Just like the way GPS functions outdoors, it is IPS that does it indoor – indoor positioning and indoor navigation. Often placed in large facilities like shopping malls, zoos, convention centers, resorts, etc. IPS aids visitors on a real-time basis displaying pathways and shortest routes, while ensuring managements of these facilities obtain necessary data to make more informed business decisions.

IPS is in itself a technology which is blended with a combination of other technologies to provide the best possible precision and accuracy for visitors at large facilities.

Fingerprinting and proximity positioning can together increase the rate of accuracy as high accuracy is the need of the hour in indoor tracking services.

Not all facilities require precision and accuracy but facilities that have large tracts of area and huge infrastructures need to deploy IPS to serve the twin purposes of indoor positioning and indoor navigation within the facility.

Originally shared on http://pigeon.srisys.com/blog/how-Wi-Fi-and-bluetooth-enable-functioning-of-IPS

Indoor navigation app is derived from Geolocation technology, which helps your business grow and supports revenue generation by attracting more visitors to your facility.

You might be an owner any of the facility like a Zoo, a Shopping Mall, a Healthcare facility, an Aquarium, or a Museum, etc, and to enhance your business goals you need to ensure more visitors at your venue.

Navigation App Helps Your Business
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How An Indoor Navigation App Aids Visitor Experience?

Visitors can use the indoor navigation app on their Smartphones to guide them to the desired location effortlessly.

The other things that visitors like about indoor navigation app are:

The facility map is available on their fingertips for wayfinding and reaching points of interest
The indoor navigation app has a search option where users can view assets and bookmark them
Navigation routes can also be supported in voice for a hands-free experience
An Indoor Navigation App

What are the Features of an Indoor Navigation App?

An indoor navigation app comprises of features such as

Positioning – Identifying the location of various assets placed within the facility
Mapping – Pointing to various points of interest within the venue and display viable routes
Routing – Guides users with the shortest route and leads the visitor to the destination
User Analytics – Displays the number of visitors and user behavior inside the facility
Facility Administration – Lets building administrators control beacons, set up promotional operations, and more
Also read our blog 8 Applicable Industries for Indoor Location Tracking Technology

What are the Benefits of an Indoor Navigation App?
Share Your Location
Visitors in the facility can share the location and also fix an appropriate meeting point for them

Marketing and Promotion
Facility heads can use push notifications and location based alerts to promote products and services for users to avail

Emergency Management
Vital alerts related to safety and security of the users can be sent on a real-time basis

Inventory & Asset Tracking:

Indoor navigation app also helps to track the visitor movements and also the assets within the facility

the Major Industry Segments
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These are the Major Industry Segments Where Indoor Navigation App is Applicable
The major Industries opting for indoor navigation app are Medical Facilities, Shopping Malls, Museums, Railways, Educational Facilities, Conventional Centers, Office Spaces, Airports, Aquariums, Zoo Parks, Parking Lots, Resorts, Theme Parks, Cooperates, Warehouses, etc.

An indoor navigation system helps in locate assets such as object, areas of interest, and people inside a facility by tapping indoor frequencies from radio waves, acoustic signals, magnetic fields, and other sensory information which can be transferred and collected easily using a Smartphone.

RFID tags are used as a real-time locating system than as an indoor positioning system only. Any device which comes in range by, the RFID tag identifies them and locating them becomes easy.

Most large facilities such as warehouses, convention centers, medical facilities, zoo parks, and museums among others seek one holistic technological platform for helping them with indoor wayfinding, indoor location tracking of assets and visitors and emergency management.

While GPS helps users navigate effortlessly outdoors and reach their desired location, an indoor tracking app system can work precisely like an indoor GPS by producing real-time data for aiding users not just with facility navigation but also with notifications and updates about the venue, directly on their Smartphones.

The emergence and growth of Indoor Positioning Systems (IPS) owes a great deal to the evolution of Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Beacons, Radio-frequency Identification (RFID), Ultra wide-band (UWB), and to some extent magnetic positioning.

In this post we explore the trends in technology, applicability, and consumption, that will shape the indoor positioning industry, including navigation and location tracking technologies, in 2019 and beyond.

Indoor Positioning Systems in 2019 – Technological Developments

Informally referred to as ‘indoor gps’, IPS is a tech platform which uses multiple technologies based on either radio frequencies, extended to ultra wide-band (UWB), magnetic waves, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi signals among others. As Global Positioning System (GPS) and satellite-based communication work efficiently outdoors only for positioning, navigation and tracking, a tech platform for these purposes helps users identify, locate and track assets within a large facility such as a healthcare center, a museum, an office space, a shopping mall or a theme park.

*Navigation Tech
*
We have become quite familiar with GPS navigation on our Smartphones as we use it regularly to locate and navigate to points of interest in a new town or city. As maps get more elaborative by providing local information and services apart from navigational directions, navigation platforms within large facilities has also evolved.

– We are moving from viewing 2D navigation map to 3D user-interfaces. This trend is sure to stay beyond 2019 ad 3D gives a more accurate picture of the facility. Imagine viewing the layout of an aquarium in 3D and then navigating precisely to the marine life you want to explore? A simulated experience of the facility will add immensely to the overall experience of the visitor.

– Location bookmarking for frequently used routes is set to gain popularity among users as most frequented routes can be highlighted for smoother navigation and access to points of interest.

– Voice commands will be a major trend going forward as users prefer a hands-free engagement with the Smartphone while navigating. Use of voice commands to the mobile device is a safer as well!

*Location Tracking Tech
*
In huge indoor facilities such as resorts and theme parks, keeping track of movable and immovable assets needs real-time tracking updates. Using Wi-Fi, UWB, RFID or Beacons facility heads can locate and track itemized assets, aiding in optimal facility management.

*Application Interface and Usability
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Graphics and user interface development software have been evolving phenomenally and thanks to this trend, we use both mobile and web applications which are highly intuitive and breezy to use.

The first half of 2019 and beyond will surely witness the rise of high quality layouts, color schemes, animations, etc. for indoor positioning,Indoor navigation and location tracking technologies.

Prioritizing duties for healthcare professionals during peak hours is an occupational challenge, which eventually translates into below average throughput when not addressed at the right time. To address challenges related to patient experience in the healthcare sector, an efficient hospital management system has to go beyond being only a Real-time Location System (RTLS).

For more on Healthcare facilities Visit Pigeon.

Key Features of Indoor Navigation, Magnetic Positioning and Indoor Localization Technologies
Indoor Navigation AppIndoor positioning is the most commonly used umbrella term which includes all of these ‘indoor GPS’ technologies. However, when we observe closely and look at the technological platform they thrive on, the rationale for using these varied terms to describe them individually becomes self-explanatory.

All these three types refer to technologies adopted by large facilities to help them locate objects, spaces, or people inside the facility where the satellite-enabled Global Positioning System (GPS) does not work due to the infrastructural elements such as walls, cabin, glass etc. In order to counter this challenge, indoor positioning systems (IPS) use wide arrays of platforms to enable users to locate and navigate within a facility.

For the management team of the facility, it helps in efficient facility management as users have the flexibility to locate, navigate and way find.

So what are the key features of these three IPS types? What industries can they be adopted by to help manage the facility better? Which is the most cost-effective type?

It has been eruditely mentioned in an article in 2013 that for indoor navigation to be successful and arrive at a point where precision becomes the norm, a combination of technologies such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Ultra-wideband may be the answer. Towards the end of the article even leveraging benefit from the Internet of Things (IoT) was mentioned, which as we know today, is a reality that has emerged faster than it was predicted.

The table below lists these three terms against parameters used to identify them. With a growing focus on the applicability of these technologies, as mentioned in this highly engaging feature, it is important to understand the fine differences between the three terms as well.

Indoor Navigation Magnetic Positioning Indoor Localization
Used for Navigating inside a large facility Locating people or objects inside a building Locating a device or a user inside a building
How does it work? Uses radio waves, acoustic signals, and other sensory information Uses magnetic sensor data from a Smartphone Recommended for use with Wi-Fi & IoT
Technology platform Wi-Fi, Beacons, Bluetooth, Radiofrequency Magnetic Fields within a facility Wireless Infrastructure with IoT
Accuracy 80% and above 90% and above 95% and above
Industry applicability Office Spaces, Wildlife Parks, Resorts, Shopping Malls, Convention Centers Office Spaces, Shopping Malls, Warehouses Hospitals, Shopping Malls, Disaster Management
Indoor Data Tracking Possible Possible Possible
Additional Infrastructure Wireless Infrastructure, Beacons, etc None Wireless Infrastructure
Cost Subject to hardware installation Comparatively cheaper Subject to hardware installation
Works as a mobile application? Possible Possible Possible
What can be gathered from the above chart is that using an IPS will have to be based on the industry it is set to be implemented in.

However, as has been written about in our earlier blog posts, a facility needs much more from a mobile application than positioning and navigation.

Hence, the success of any of these three technologies lies in seamless integration with other features which would help in superior facility management.

Source https://pigeon.srisys.com/blog/types-of-indoor-positioning-systems/

Technology has come so far today that it's become a productive obsession for users. We, the modern generation users, are lucky to know, see and feel life from a digital point of view - this, evidently, is going to be the future of humans. From indoors to outdoors, technology contributes to every step we take, and most importantly, while navigating from indoor to outdoor spaces.

Bigger the indoor facility, bigger the problem it becomes for visitors in navigation, wayfinding and location tracking within the venue. From the facility managements' perspective, the challenges get even more daunting because they need to identify and address on a real-time basis.

Indoor navigation technology has evolved with time in relation to the way visitors perceive large facilities. There was a phase when visitors had a tough time identifying their points of interests within large venue such as shopping malls, convention centers, museums, resorts, etc.
Wayfinding without indoor navigation system in large tracts of area is so challenging that most visitors give up exploring the venue and get back home when they haven't planned their day better.
Facilities spread over several acres need the right technology to enhance operational performance through real-time tracking, indoor navigation and utilization of facility for enhanced facility management.
By opting for a comprehensive indoor navigation system, managements can empower their visitors with effortless navigation.
Key Benefits of an Indoor Navigation System
 Precise Indoor Navigation and Wayfinding
 Asset Tracking
 Marketing Integration
 Hoteling and Reservation
 Emergency Management
 Feature-level Customization
 Location Bookmarking
Managing a large venue such as a Zoo, shopping mall, aquarium, or a museum takes a lot of physical and mental pressure. With latest navigation technology like Pigeon app, the administrators of such facilities can ensure more visitors to their venue and engage them optimally as well.
Pigeon positioning and navigation solution is derived from Geo-location technology.
Check the Additional Features of Pigeon
Share your location
Visitors in the facility can fix an appropriate meeting point for multiple people as well
Facility heads can use push notifications and location based alerts and send them to niche visitors for effective business
Real-time wayfinding
Vital alerts related to safety and security of the users will be sent on a real-time basis
Inventory & asset tracking
The blend of these features separates the Pigeon app from the rest and allows visitors at large facilities channelize their journey without any external help. Pigeon indoor navigation technology has everything that can combat the challenges faced by the visitors on a constant basis.
Pigeon's outdoor to indoor location mapping app can also track the user analytics and behavioral data of the visitors to help managements to come up with effective strategies for future visits. Also, Pigeon is an easy to use application with precise data and it is the ideal technology for all businesses that deal with large facilities and manage huge crowds.

Shopping malls have been rapidly growing in the urban spaces even after the lucrative stance internet or online shopping has made for itself. A healthy number of populace still exist who believe in the notion of purchasing a product in person rather than on-a-click. Integrating a genuine shopping mall wayfinding app can double the excitement of such visitors with the help of the exclusive features it offers them at the facility.
The modern day visitors at shopping malls have evolved with time and are not being a static bunch of consumers by just picking the products but they have become dynamic and are choosing technology accommodated malls rather than the mediocre ones. With plenty of malls around, the visitors have the freedom to pick their choice of mall which are techno-friendly.
Indoor navigation at shopping malls can offer features that can give a new perspective to the visitors in terms of their navigation and way finding within the venue. Pigeon positioning and navigation solution does exactly that in large facilities like shopping malls.
The US based company SRISYS, launched Pigeon in 2017 and is witnessing a gradual pick up in its association with large venues like Convention centers, Zoos, medical and educational institutes, museums, aquariums, etc.
“While there are too many challenges associated to shopping malls for both the visitors and the management, our product Pigeon can combat all of those challenges with ease and in real-time. It is a tough task to satisfy both the entities, the visitors and the management at once but Pigeon does exactly that for you”, adds the head of Srisys.
Shopping is great fun provided the space gives you the liberty and privilege to explore it in and out without any trouble and that surely happens with Pigeon.
Also read our blog http://pigeon.srisys.com/blog/usage-of-navigation-app-in-shopping-malls
Enhance Visitor Experience with Shopping Mall App
The tech teams of this app have researched in detail about the challenges that are constantly being faced by the visitors and the managements of malls and designed Pigeon for better and effective tracking of association within the facility. Few of the features that can enhance visitor experience at shopping malls with the help of this app are:
 Visitors' Intended Stores Can Be Located On Finger Tips Within The Facility
 Best Offers And Discounts Will Be Sent To Nearby Visitors Through Notifications
 Time Spent At Each Store Will Be Stored For Better Re-Visits

Globally, many large facilities, both public and private, are increasingly using indoor positioning and indoor navigation technology to secure their perimeter. In addition to this, Geofencing has its advantages as it offers real-time information on facility usage. The best part of this tech is that it can be integrated to solve two problems with the same device - indoor wayfinding as well as Geofencing.

Business heads at shopping malls need data that can generate information about their customers, both one-time and recurring. Information such as shopping likes & dislikes, time spent at a particular store, and engagement among others when gathered can then be used for planning an effective proximity marketing strategy.