IndoorAtlas Announces Geomagnetic Indoor Positioning Service

IndoorAtlas announced the public launch of its geomagnetic indoor positioning service. This service opens up unprecedented possibilities for businesses in the realm of enhanced customer experience, and will be available from now through December at no cost via the company’s website: www.indooratlas.com.

According to the announcement, IndoorAtlas pioneers geomagnetic indoor positioning, which works just like GPS in places where GPS does not work. A compass in a smartphone detects magnetic field anomalies caused by steel parts within buildings that IndoorAtlas’ patented technology captures to create unique magnetic “fingerprints” for positioning. When used in a retail setting, it allows shoppers to locate products right down to the specific sections at the aisle-level.

“We are set to disrupt the retail market by finally bridging the gap between mobile and in-store experiences,” said Professor Janne Haverinen, PhD, CEO, IndoorAtlas. “Consumers are always looking for that personalized, in-the-moment shopping experience. Businesses, as such, seek the quintessential technology that can successfully converge mobile advertising with indoor positioning. They will be amazed at what this technology can do to drive engagement and increase sales.”

Nitesh Patel, director of wireless media strategies, Strategy Analytics pointed out, “IndoorAtlas’ solution is clearly distinct from current Wi-Fi- and Bluetooth-based indoor locations services. It enables venue owners to leverage existing smartphone technology without investing in Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.”

The company reports that no additional man-made infrastructure is required and that IndoorAtlas’ solution alone presents cost savings that could add up to over $100,000 per store each year. “IndoorAtlas is enabling the holy grail of location-based advertising. Its indoor positioning accuracy is exactly what the retail industry has been waiting for, for a very long time. Combined with the ensuing capital savings, the possibilities presented in the area of targeted advertising are significant,” commented Asif Khan, president of the Location Based Marketing Association.

Key benefits of IndoorAtlas include:

● Product Search: By keying in the product they are looking for, users will be able to pinpoint a product’s exact location within an establishment.
● Wayfinding: Knowing where the products are may not be enough. In this case, IndoorAtlas’ blue dot positioning shows consumers how to get to exact aisles. This feature provides astonishing accuracy level of 10 feet or less, which no other solution can do today without significant investments in infrastructures.
● Product Proximity Advertising (opt-in feature): Based on where consumers are located within an indoor space, IndoorAtlas intuitively bubbles up related deals, advertisements and recommendations on users’ smartphones or tablet screens. This empowers consumers to find the best value and products for their needs.

In a previous IndoorAtlas pilot conducted with Finnish supermarket chain Prisma early this year, the store reported an increase in sales revenue of approximately 10%, which is directly attributable to the Product Proximity Advertising feature. Businesses utilizing IndoorAtlas can expect to enjoy greater cost-savings as well as an opportunity to raise the bar for customer experience, which results in increased sales.