The recently released Wi-Fi standard, IEEE 802.11az enables more refined and accurate indoor location capabilities.
As technology manufacturers incorporate the new standard in various devices, it will enable buildings, including malls, arenas, and stadiums, to provide new wayfinding and tracking features. The previous standard yielded Wi-Fi location accuracy of 1-2 meters, while the new standard raises accuracy to less than 0.1 meter or about 4 inches.
Applications are expected to use this technology by:
- Providing more accurate indoor navigation. In a retail store, for example, a consumer could use an application to navigate through a store, as is used in vehicles to map a travel route, from the entrance to the desired product.
- Enablement of micro-targeting for retail and warehouse asset tracking. A store worker could use a mobile app to track products on shelves, in the stock room, and in a warehouse. A retailer could also leverage usage data from its customers’ shopping apps—such as their movements on the retail floor—to derive analytics and serve relevant ads to the user.
- Improved scalability will allow hundreds of devices to connect at the same time in dense environments, such as shopping malls, arenas, and stadiums where large numbers of users are actively co-locating with Wi-Fi simultaneously.
- Secure, authenticated, and private positioning. Proper authentication can be confirmed when you are within inches of two devices. This could be used, for example, to unlock an interior door via a smart device. Other applications could be the use of a smart device to make payment at the point of sale or using it to facilitate an ATM transaction.
Related Stories
Airports | Jun 26, 2017
Newark Liberty International Airport breaks ground on $2.4 billion redevelopment project
The project includes a new 1 million-sf terminal building with 33 domestic aircraft gates.
Building Team Awards | Jun 8, 2017
Missing link: Denver International Airport and Transit Center
Gold Award: A new mixed-use transit center fulfills Denver’s 28-year plan to improve access to the nation’s fifth-busiest airport.
Airports | May 15, 2017
Five trends for airport retail
CallisonRTKL Vice President Kevin Horn pinpoints how travel retail is changing dramatically.
Reconstruction & Renovation | Mar 16, 2017
Pols are ready to spend $1T on rebuilding America’s infrastructure. But who will pick which projects benefit?
The accounting and consulting firm PwC offers the industrial sector a five-step approach to getting more involved in this process.
Airports | Feb 23, 2017
New Orleans Airport to add five additional gates and $110 million to current expansion
The project is being hailed as the city’s most transformative since the construction of the Superdome.
Projects | Jan 25, 2017
Trump prioritizes infrastructure projects, as rebuilding America is now a hot political potato
Both parties are talking about $1 trillion in spending over the next decade. How projects will be funded, though, remains unresolved.
Airports | Jan 17, 2017
JFK Airport set for $10 billion renovation
In addition to the airport itself, the overhaul will also improve road and rail access to meet projected passenger growth.
Airports | Dec 6, 2016
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport creates a destination inside Terminal 3
DWL Architects, SmithGroupJJR, and Corgan design passenger experience that connects to the surrounding city and Sonoran desert landscape.
Airports | Nov 1, 2016
FAA forecasts a modest dip in spending for airports over next five years
Latest report based on surveys of 3,340 existing and proposed public-use airports.
Airports | Aug 31, 2016
Aircraft manufacturing facility innovation from The Austin Company
Austin’s many innovations contributed to the success of our clients by enabling them to operate in more efficient environments, optimize the flexibility of their operations, and meet aggressive schedules.
