Indoor positioning technology has long lagged behind the precise navigation systems we’ve become accustomed to outdoors through GPS. Bluetooth beacons are finally bringing robust, accurate indoor navigation capabilities to the mass market.
What are Bluetooth Beacons?
Bluetooth beacons are small, battery-powered devices that transmit Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) signals to compatible mobile apps and devices in range. The signals contain a beacon identifier that can be used to precisely locate the beacon position, typically within 1-3 meters.
BLE signals cover typical ranges of 50 meters indoors and around 100 meters outdoors. Thousands of these inexpensive, coin-sized beacons can be placed inside buildings and venues to enable indoor positioning.
Early Development
While GPS provides accurate outdoor navigation, it lacks precision indoors where satellite signals cannot reliably penetrate. Companies spent decades trying to develop viable indoor alternatives based on RFID, WiFi, magnetic fields and other technologies.
Apple launched its iBeacon platform in 2013 based on BLE technology. Other companies soon launched beacon hardware and protocols like Eddystone and AltBeacon. This set the stage for cost-effective, scalable and interoperable indoor positioning.
Use Cases
Indoor navigation is one of the most promising uses of Bluetooth beacons across industries:
Retail – Retailers place beacons strategically in stores to power apps that guide users to products and deals. Analytics provide insights on customer journeys and dwell times.
Airports and Transit Hubs – Beacons guide travelers to gates, baggage claims and ground transportation with higher accuracy than GPS or WiFi.
Healthcare – Hospitals use beacons for wayfinding, asset tracking and workflow management. Patients download apps for interactive maps and information.
Museums and Events – Apps bring exhibits and venues to life via location-triggered content delivery and augmented reality.
Offices – Employees, contractors and visitors navigate large offices and find meeting rooms quicker with beacon-enabled mobile apps.
Future Outlook
As more venues invest in beacon infrastructure and costs continue to decrease, Bluetooth beacons are poised to become a standard component of indoor spaces.
With Apple, Google and other major companies now supporting beacon tech in their operating systems and APIs, it will increasingly integrate into consumer experiences.
For app developers, beacons provide awesome opportunities to build interactive, navigation-based services that seamlessly bridge the digital and physical worlds. The future is bright for Bluetooth beacons!