Bluetooth beacons are small radio devices that emit signals and are used for indoor positioning. They are inexpensive, small, have a long battery life, and do not require an external energy source. BLE beacons are the cornerstones of indoor positioning.
BLE technology allows for differentiation between customers looking at different products in retail, which changes how businesses engage with them[2]. The accuracy of indoor positioning with Bluetooth beacons can be as good as within +-1.5 meters.
The device detects the signal from the beacon and can roughly calculate the distance to the beacon, therefore estimating a user’s indoor location. The first positioning prototypes based on BLE were only able to detect which beacon is closest to the user, but today we are able to use distance data from many beacons and position the user in 2D space on an indoor map.
BLE has unique characteristics that have made it one of the most popular RF technologies for indoor positioning. BLE has a large presence in wireless devices, an extensive set of low-power, low-cost, and easy to implement hardware options, and the flexibility to be used in many location-based applications.
The indoor positioning with Bluetooth beacons has a wide range of benefits for developing projects. With its help, it’s quite easy to orient in big buildings, quickly find the needed location, and offer guidance concerning the time or location of the user, keeping users informed and engaged.
In conclusion, Bluetooth beacons are a cost-effective and accurate method of achieving an indoor positioning system. They are widely used in a wide variety of geolocation solutions and have become an industry-standard available on most devices today.
As a professional manufacturer of low power Bluetooth module, Tecksay has independently developed and produced a number of BLE Bluetooth modules that have been applied to many industries. With more than ten years of industry experience, Tecksay can customize BLE embedded solutions for customers from design, project management, function customization, system development and other aspects.