Indoor positioning without WIFI mapping

http://www.indooratlas.com/

by Orva • 14 years ago

56 13 14 years ago

jrockway2• 14 years ago

How well does this work? I've never even had much luck getting my phone to detect "north" as accurately as a $3 compass.

dangrossman• 14 years ago

There's already a front-page discussion of this:

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4217329

brittohalloran2• 14 years ago

Two issues:

1. I have to question the effectiveness of using 'magnetic anomalies' to determine absolute position. Isn't the sensor just reading one value (magnetic field strength)? Couldn't that be anywhere on the map with that value? Do people have to turn it on at a specific starting point?

2. It says 'communicates with the API' while tracking. Most large buildings that I've been in like a conference center have marginal data reception.

archivator• 14 years ago

Regarding 1., my phone reads strength and inclination of the field. I suppose that these two, coupled with a compass, could in theory give enough information to collapse the belief state to a single position. Moving a bit should give you enough data to further ensure precision.

Either that, or WiFi. :)

brittohalloran2• 14 years ago

(no expertise here)

How do you get 'inclination' of the field? Is it based on phone orientation? If so then you just opened up a lot more possibilities for position. Also, in this solution the phone doesn't know you're moving. It just sees: magnetic field is changing...

You must have to start it at a specific place, or tell it where you are when you start it (eliminating the 'where am I' use case).

stevejabs• 14 years ago

I find it hard to believe that they have legit Trademarks on the phrases "Floor plans" and "Map Creator".

http://www.indooratlas.com/technology.html

jrockway2• 14 years ago

I did a US trademark search and did not see anything of theirs for "floor plans".

samwillis• 14 years ago

There wouldn't be, its a (TM) not an (R).

A (TM) is for an unregistered trademark, you own the IP of it though your use of it in the marketplace. This is what they have, and in fact anyone could have. In reality the (TM) is there to indicate you intention to protect it.

An (R) is for the registered trademark, as the name suggests you register it with your local trademark authority. It provides grater protection and is easer to take people to court over the misuse of.

bcl• 14 years ago

What happens when you move large metal objects around? Say a large file cabinet or a safe? The local 'anomalies' are going to change.

Zenst• 14 years ago

Given that mobile phones have wires and electricity then they are creating small magnetic waves which will impact others.

That all said this technolody is very suitable for underwater GPS were a GPS signal does not penetrate the water due to weakness and how bad radio travels thru water in general.

So given that I would have to questions if the military don't already use something very similiar in submarines. Lets say I'd be very supprised if this was not being already utilised in some form or another in that feild.

Indoor positioning without WIFI mapping

Related Stories