An indoor
navigation system is being developed to help improve people’s experiences of a
range of businesses, including supermarkets, hospitals and leisure parks. Mobile
app developer RNF Digital Innovation will use smartphones, tablets and
iBeacons, following a £500,000 grant from the Technology Strategy Board, the
UK’s Innovation Agency. A further £202,000 investment will come through RNF
Digital Innovation and its collaborative project partners, the Bestway Group,
plus the University of Lincoln, and Aston University, who will both provide
technical and research support for the project.
The aim of the
competitive fund is to support projects that capitalise on the increasing
accuracy, coverage and speed of global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) such
as GPS and other non-satellite technologies including Wi-Fi and iBeacon – which
enables a smart phone or other device to perform actions when in close
proximity. The technology will have applications for a range of sectors. For
example in the retail sector, indoor navigation systems would enable the user
to work out their quickest and most economical route at the supermarket
alerting them to offers and product updates on the way.
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