From year to year, the issue of indoor navigation and positioning are becoming more and more vital since people spend inside buildings, on average, 90% of their time. Modern buildings often have complicated and even confusing structures that can cause disorientation. In such situations, indoor navigation and asset location tracking, based on Bluetooth Low Energy technology, has become extremely effective. Navigation functions in real-time allow visitors to quickly reach places of interest. While indoor tracking ensures efficient monitoring of assets and other things inside buildings. 

Basics of BLE navigation and tracking

Bluetooth indoor navigation implies the deployment of a system that localizes objects inside the building. The basis for its work is a platform and special iBeacons that are placed in various parts around the building and emit signals at regular intervals. The signals are detected by the readers (ex. gateways) and sent to the server for processing. After that, they are received to users’ smartphones in the form of relevant information. In order to get this data, a special mobile application has to be installed on the smartphone. 

The indoor positioning system, as well as indoor tracking, provides a wide range of functions: 
 

• defines the location of persons or assets;
• helps to create routes to points of interest;
• resends push-notifications to the staff or visitors;
• provides detailed analytics on visitor traffic;
• supervises the entrance to restricted zones;
• monitors the movements of equipment, products, or vehicles. 

Bluetooth Low Energy technology guarantees high accuracy of indoor localization (up to 2-5 m). Beacons are not expensive and a small number of gateways are required for the effective performance of the positioning, which makes the implementation of indoor positioning systems rather cost-effective in comparison with other similar solutions for businesses.     

Feasibility of implementing BLE indoor navigation and tracking into the company’s infrastructure

Real-time tracking can be used in enterprises, offices, shops, museums, airports, and hospitals. There are at least 5 reasons to integrate these technologies into the infrastructure. 

1. Easy navigation in large premises

In a large building, it’s easy to get lost, especially if one visits this place for the first time. Numerous halls, floors, and passages may hinder navigation and make visitors waste time searching for the necessary room. With the system, people can easily navigate their surroundings since the beacons promptly localize a person and ensure their position on the map. 

With the help of the mobile application, a user can build routes towards the necessary points of interest. Depending on the problem to be solved, the system helps to reach the destination, find the required goods in stores, get to the necessary exhibits in museums, etc. Navigation is possible both inside a building and between several ones. All this significantly improves the user experience.  

2. Increased visitor loyalty

Thanks to the implementation of BLE-based navigation solutions, it is possible to significantly improve client loyalty. It can help visitors to get valuable information about sales and discounts via special push notifications and enhance interest in some definite organization and motivate them to return to the place again and again. Moreover, it can be an additional channel of communication with visitors and users. 

Navigine specialists have developed indoor navigation for Kesko smart carts that allows building routes in shopping malls and easily finding the necessary goods. Moreover, while using the carts, the tablets, which are built into them, get notifications on promotional goods and promo codes for bargains. As a result, the average check in Kesko stores has increased by 6% and the brand awareness has improved. 

3. Reduced costs of lost equipment    

Many companies face the problem of stolen or lost assets. This applies both to goods and equipment at warehouses or stores– from shopping carts to vehicles. The tracking function can not only prevent thefts but also define the availability of assets in real-time. Every object is equipped with a beacon that transmits data about its current location or sends signals about leaving the territory. 

BLE technology helps to track assets inside premises and monitor the movement of any followed object in detail, which minimizes the risk of losses and reduces the risks of purchasing new equipment due to theft. 

4. Improved staff performance

Indoor tracking systems assist companies in increasing the efficiency of staff performance and improving labor discipline. The platform provides the following functions:

• Monitoring staff movements around the building;
• Fixing tardiness, early departures from work;
• Real-time positioning of workers on the map;
• Preventing unauthorized access to restricted zones. 

5. Social distancing and tracking contacts during Covid-19

In the face of the pandemic, the tracking system helps to prevent the spread of Covid-19 by ensuring the right social distance. It can detect contacts of a person with other visitors or workers and inform on approaching big crowds of people. The management gets the possibility to set the required parameters, including a safe distance or the maximum allowed number of people in the room.   

The working principle of the platform is based on using badges, bracelets, and other similar devices that people have to wear inside buildings. As soon as an employee or a visitor violates the distance, the system immediately informs them about this by means of vibration, light, or sound signals. Thanks to this solution, the risk of infection can be minimized significantly and, in case of infection, contacts can be easily tracked.   

Thus, Bluetooth navigation and tracking are effective tools in running modern companies. With their help, companies can identify objects with minimum costs and optimize enterprise performance.