Not so much in smaller spaces but Indoor Positioning and Navigation becomes crucial when you are to track an object, asset or an individual in a large store or warehouse. In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in indoor positioning and navigation systems that can guide people and objects inside buildings. These systems have numerous applications, from helping shoppers find products in stores to guiding firefighters during rescue operations. One technology that has gained popularity for indoor positioning is Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), which offers several benefits over other wireless technologies.
Traditional outdoor positioning technologies, such as GPS, are not accurate enough to locate objects indoors. Additionally, GPS signals are often blocked by walls and other obstructions, making it difficult to obtain a reliable indoor location. BLE, on the other hand, operates at a lower frequency and can penetrate walls, making it ideal for indoor positioning and navigation. BLE beacons can be placed strategically around a building to create a network of reference points, allowing for precise location tracking as well.
So, what is Bluetooth Low energy and how it helps with Indoor Positioning and Navigation? Let’s find out:
Bluetooth Low Energy
Developed in 2006 by Nokia as Wibree, a Bluetooth based standard that offers what other short-range technologies did not, BLE is a Low Power Consuming Bluetooth specification standard that was launched in 2010 with Bluetooth 4.0. Since many Internet of Things (IoT) around us are battery powered, our smartphone, Car key, Bluetooth smart speaker, GPS tracker etc., it makes sense to use a technology that uses low power and comes with a small form factor. Bluetooth Low Energy just offers that.
BLE-based systems are being increasingly adopted in various industries, such as healthcare, retail, and logistics. By leveraging the unique features of BLE, businesses can enhance their operations and provide a better user experience to their customers.
10 Benefits of BLE For Indoor Positioning and Navigation:
Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology has emerged as a promising solution for indoor positioning and navigation due to its high accuracy and low power consumption.
Here are 10benefits of BLE for Indoor Positioning and Navigation:
1. BLE operates at a lower frequency than traditional outdoor positioning technologies, which allows it to penetrate walls and objects, making it suitable for indoor environments.
2. BLE beacons can be placed around a building to create a network of reference points for location tracking.
3. BLE-based indoor positioning systems can achieve high accuracy, up to 30cm.
4. It also offers fast location updates, with beacon transmissions occurring as frequently as every 100 milliseconds.
5. BLE's low power consumption is critical for battery-powered devices such as smartphones and wearables.
6. BLE's power-saving features allow devices to conserve energy while still receiving location updates.
7. BLE-based systems are widely available, with over 4 billion devices shipped annually.
8. BLE technology is also cost-effective and requires minimal maintenance.
9. BLE-based systems have numerous applications, such as guiding shoppers in stores and improving patient care in hospitals.
10. It can also enhance safety in emergency situations, such as guiding firefighters during rescue operations.
To summarize, Bluetooth Low Energy is low cost, high reward IoT technology that can be used for above mentioned reasons and for longer time than other short range technologies.
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